Cream together butter and 1 cup sugar in a mixing bowl on high speed until light and fluffy. Add applesauce, apple cider, molasses, egg, and vanilla then mix until combined – mixture may look curdled. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients then add to the wet ingredients in three batches, mixing until just combined before adding the next batch. Cover then refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight (dough will be soft.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cookie dough by the Tablespoon into a bowl of 1/2 cup sugar then roll to coat and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes then let cool for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Do not overbake.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. and drained.