Pear Sweetened Spiced Molasses Cookies

These delightful fall cookies are reminiscent of a classic soft molasses cookie, but are made with less than half of the sugar in a typical recipe. Pear puree stands in for much of the sugar, adding a wonderfully unique pear flavor to the cookies, along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Bake off a batch of these tender cookies and store the extras in the refrigerator for packing into lunches or for after school snacks. Ingredients: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup packed light brown sugar 1 egg 1 cup pear puree (from about 2 ripe USA Pears, such as Red or Green Bartlett, diced and pureed in a blender until smooth) ¼ cup molasses 2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon cloves ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt granulated sugar, for Continue reading