Soft Ginger-apple Cookies

Total Time: 22 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg, large
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple juice (up to 2 tbl, until spreadable)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• crystallized ginger, slivers

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 beat butter & sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. beat in remaining ingredients except flour, crystallized ginger and frosting ingredients, until blended (will look curdled).
• 3 with mixer on low speed, add flour and beat just until blended; stir in chopped crystallized ginger.
• 4 drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. bake 10 to 12 minutes until tops look dry. cool on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
• 5 spread a rounded teaspoon buttercream frosting on each cooled cookie. sprinkle with slivered crystallized ginger/ refrigerate in an airtight container with wax paper between layers.
• 6 frosting:.
• 7 beat frosting ingredients in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. then beat on high speed 1 minute until fluffy.