Orange Molasses Cookies

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange zest freshly grated
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 5 tablespoons butter, unsalted softened
• 13 cup sugar
• 13 cup brown sugar dark, packed
• 2 tablespoons orange zest freshly grated
• 1/2 cup molasses or light
• 7 tablespoons applesauce unsweetened
• 1 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon ground
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves ground
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice ground
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat or coat with cooking spray.
3. For the rolling sugar:
4. Pulse 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest in a food processor until well blended.
5. Trasfer in a shallow dish and set aside.
6. For the cookie dough:
7. Grind oats in a blender until they look like a fine powder, about 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed.
8. Beat butter and 13 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 4 to 6 minutes.
9. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons orange zest and beat another 2 minutes.
10. Add molasses, applesauce, egg yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper and salt; beat on medium-high until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
11. Turn the mixer to medium speed and slowly add the ground oats.
12. Scrape down the bowl, with the mixer on medium, slowly add whole wheat flour.
13. (The dough will be moderately sticky.)
14. Using a slightly rounded tablespoon of dough, roll into balls, then roll in the rolling sugar to coat.
15. (If necessary, wet your fingers to help roll without sticking.)
16. The zest will make the mixture slightly wet and it will clump, lightly brush off the excess so that just a thin coat is on the cookie.
17. Arrange cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
18. Make about 40 cookies.
19. Bake the cookies in batches until the edges are set and the tops are cracked, but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 10 minutes.
20. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
21. Cool on a wire rack.
22. Store in an air-tight container or freeze them for up to 3 months.

sugar, orange zest freshly, rolled oats, butter, sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, molasses, egg yolks, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon ground, ginger ground, cloves ground, allspice ground, black pepper, salt, whole wheat flour

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/orange-molasses-cookies-51334 (may not work)