Family Recipe Friday - Applesauce Cookies

I've decided to jump on the "Family Recipe Friday" train. So today I'm posting Grandma Burgess's Applesauce Cookie recipe. My mother made these weekly when I was young and Grandma always had some in her cookie jar. Grandma added more flour than the recipe calls for so her cookies had a different texture/were more dense. They both always added pecans from Grandma's pecan trees. Mom added chocolate chips and coconut sometimes and Grandma nearly always added raisins. I once got a recipe from a friend for her family's pineapple cookies and the recipe was identical using crushed pineapple instead of applesauce and no cinnamon or cloves. I have also made this recipe with grated zucchini instead of applesauce. Here is the recipe:


APPLESAUCE COOKIES 
1 cup shortening (or butter)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

4 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups applesauce

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs. Sift dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce to creamed mixture. Fold in nuts, raisins, etc. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Makes 5 dozen.