Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (makes 24)
1 cup flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, foil, or silicone mats

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the rack on the lower and upper thirds of the oven.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, then the egg, applesauce, and vanilla.
4. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats and raisins.
5. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets and use a fork to gently flatten the dough.
6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Take them out of the oven as soon as they look slightly blond and are no longer wet on the top. Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nobody likes crunchy cookies. You say you do, but trust me, you don't. What brings more comfort to the stomach and the soul (we won't comment its effects on the hips) than a warm chewy cookie with a cold glass of milk? And that's what you get here- a cookie that stretches when you bend it instead of breaks in two. Save a little bit of the dough and put it in the freezer to enjoy as a treat later. The only thing better than cookies fresh out of the oven is cookie dough from the icebox.