Grandma's Improved Molasses Cookies

¾ cup unsweetened, unflavored applesauce cup granulated sugar, plus frac34; cup for coating2frac14; cups unbleached all-purpose flour (organic preferred)1 teaspoon baking soda frac12; teaspoon baking powder 1frac12; teaspoons ground cinnamon 1frac34; teaspoons ground ginger frac12; teaspoon ground cloves frac14; teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper frac14; teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature cup packed dark brown sugar 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract frac12; cup molasses (not blackstrap)

Place a wire mesh strainer over a bowl deep enough to keep the strainer from touching the bowl's bottom. Add applesauce to the strainer and set aside. Place the oven rack in the center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper (unbleached preferred). Place frac34; cup sugar in a shallow bowl.Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper and salt to a medium bowl and whisk together until combined; set aside.Using a stand mixer, add butter, 6 tablespoons drained applesauce, and brown and granulated sugars to the mixing bowl and mix at medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add yolk and vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 10-20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beating until well blended, about 20 seconds.Stop mixer and scrape bowl down with a rubber spatula. Add flour mixture and mix at lowest speed until flour just disappears, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer. Remove bowl and with a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to fully incorporate any flour from the bowls bottom. The dough will be soft.Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll between hands into a ball; gently roll in sugar to coat and place on prepared pan. Repeat, spacing dough balls about 2 inches apart, until the dough's gone.Place one baking sheet in the oven and bake until cookies are browned, still look puffy, and their edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 10 to 11 minutes. Rotate the pan 180-degrees halfway through baking.Place the remaining sheet pan in the oven and while those cookies bake, cool the baked cookies on their pan for 5 minutes. Using a thin, flexible spatula, transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature.Makes about 22 cookies.Cookie notes: If the dough sticks to your fingers and palms as you shape them, moisten your hands occasionally in cold water; shaking off the excess before handling the dough. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.:Nutrition values per cookie: 128 calories (25 percent from fat), 3.6 g fat (2 g saturated), 23.2 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g fiber, 1.4 g protein, 18 mg cholesterol, 68 mg sodium.