Half-the-Fat Puffed-Up Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 tablespoons drained, unsweetened applesauce (from about cup undrained)

1½ cups cake flour (measured by the dip and sweep method)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (¼ cup) butter-flavored, trans fat free, all-vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)

1 cup minus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

6 ounces (about 1 cup) mini-morsel, semisweet chocolate chips

Place a strainer over a bowl deep enough to keep the bottom of the strainer from touching the bottom of the bowl. Add applesauce to the strainer and set aside to drain for 15 minutes.

Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Add the flour, salt and baking powder to medium mixing bowl; whisk or stir until well combined. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat shortening at medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until light. Measure and add 5 tablespoons drained applesauce to the mixing bowl and mix for 2 minutes, until creamy. Add sugar and mix for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add vanilla and mix for 15 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; add egg and mix for 20 seconds, or until combined.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand, scrape down the sides, add the flour mixture and chocolate chips and with a wide rubber spatula fold until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Very lightly, spray a shiny cookie sheet with vegetable oil. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie batter about 2 inches apart on to the sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges just start to brown. Remove from the oven; cool on the sheet for 3 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about two dozen cookies.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per cookie: 100 calories (29.1 percent from fat), 3.3 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 17.3 g carbohydrates, 0.2 g fiber, 1 g protein, 9 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium.