Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups raisins
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Cooking Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add the brown sugar and continue creaming. Then add the eggs and applesauce mixing well. Gradually add the dry ingredients and raisins to make dough.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet (save those butter papers!) and bake until light golden brown, about 9 to13 minutes. The cookies do not brown very much. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Applesauce:
6 apples, McIntosh preferred
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Peel and core apples and cut into quarters. Place them in an enamel sauce pan with the water and lemon juice then bring to a boil then turn the heat down slightly and simmer 30 minutes to break them down and get them to thicken. Take off the heat and stir in the sugar and cinnamon, if using.

1 pound sliced almonds, lightly toasted
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
7 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Butter and sugar for greasing the cookie sheet

Cooking Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of electric stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment, begin whisking the eggs to eventually form glossy, medium-hard peaks. Once the egg whites are foamy, begin slowly adding the sugar to the mixture, then the vanilla and cinnamon. When the eggs form glossy, medium-hard peaks, use a spatula to gently fold in the almonds.

Using a tablespoon, gently dollop the cookie mixture onto the prepared baking pan, leaving a 1-inch space around the individual cookies on all sides. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and turn the oven to 250 degrees F. When the oven comes to temperature, place the cookies back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.