Festive treats and spiced sweets to warm the season
Cooler temperatures, changing leaves and the familiar scent of pumpkin pie spice are all signs of fall. Whether hosting a pumpkin carving party or decorating sweet treats with family, maple-flavored leaf-shaped cookies, pumpkin patch cupcakes and hot apple cider will bring out the festive spirit of the season.
Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 minutes Servings: 24 cupcakes
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened 4 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 boxes (16 ounces each) confectioners’ sugar, sifted 3 tablespoons milk 1 1/2 teaspoons Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, divided
1/4 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors
1 teaspoon Sky Blue color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors 24 unfrosted cupcakes 12 regular marshmallows, halved crosswise
12 small chocolate flavored taffy rolls (Tootsie Roll), halved crosswise
Beat butter and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating well after each addition and scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy.
Remove 2 cups of the frosting into medium microwavable bowl. Tint frosting orange using 1 teaspoon Sunflower color and 1/4 teaspoon Berry color. Set aside.
Tint remaining frosting green using 1 teaspoon Sky Blue color and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Sunflower color. Spread top of cupcakes with green frosting. Using a fork, gently touch frosting in different directions to resemble grass spikes.
To make the pumpkins, microwave the orange frosting on HIGH 10 to 20 seconds or until runny. Using a fork, dip marshmallow halves into frosting mixture, then place on top of frosted cupcakes. Let stand until pumpkin frosting has dried. Press a tootsie roll half in center of each pumpkin for the stem. Decorate leaves and vines with remaining green frosting, if desired.
Glazed Autumn Leaf Cookies
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 36 cookies
2 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons maple extract
Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and maple extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.
Roll dough on generously floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out leaves with 2- to 3-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
Prepare desired colors of glazes. Decorate cooled cookies with glazes.
To glaze cookies, hold a cookie by its edge and dip the top into the glaze. (Or spoon the glaze onto cookies using a teaspoon.) Place iced cookies on wire rack set over foil-covered baking sheet to dry. (The foil-covered baking sheet will catch drips.) Let stand until glaze is set.
Maroon Cookie Glaze: Use 1/2 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food
Colors, 3 tablespoons water (plus additional to dissolve color), 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon cocoa powder.
Forest Green Cookie Glaze: Use 1/2 teaspoon Sky Blue color and 1/4 teaspoon Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, 3 tablespoons water (plus additional to dissolve color), 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon cocoa powder. Pumpkin Cookie Glaze: Use 1 teaspoon Sunflower color and 1/4 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, 3 tablespoons water (plus additional to dissolve color) and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar. Test kitchen tips: Use glaze soon after preparing. Do not refrigerate glaze, as it will begin to harden. Allow glaze to dry before storing cookies in airtight containers.
Spiced Caramel Apple Cider
Prep time: 5 minutes Servings: 4
4 cups apple cider 1/4 cup caramel topping 1 teaspoon apple pie spice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Bring apple cider, caramel topping and apple pie spice to simmer in medium saucepan. Stir in vanilla. Pour into serving cups. Serve topped with whipped cream, additional caramel topping and apple pie spice, if desired.
Flavor Variations: For the variations below, use the following extract in place of the vanilla: Spiced Caramel Orange Cider:
Use 1/4 teaspoon orange extract. Spiced Caramel Maple Cider:
Use 3/4 teaspoon maple extract. Spiced Caramel Rum Cider:
Use 3/4 teaspoon rum extract.