Fall Themed Dorm-Friendly Recipes

1 package of Oreos (or chocolate cream sandwich cookies)
1 package of 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1 package unsweetened baking squares
Milk
Sugar (to sprinkle on top)
Fall colored sprinkles
 
Put Oreo cookies in a bowl and crush as best as possible with a fork and/or your hands.  If you have a blender, pulse Oreo crumbles until fine.  If you don’t have a blender available, take Oreo crumbs and empty into a Ziploc bag.  Make sure there is no air in the bag and lay flat.  Take something heavy (a book, mug, etc.) and crush the Oreos until fine.

Combine the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese in a bowl.  Use your hands to incorporate the cream cheese into the crumbs as if kneading bread.  Continue until the cream cheese is completely incorporated and the texture is somewhat chunky. 

Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment or wax paper.

Take spoonful amounts of the Oreo and cream cheese mixture and use your hands to form a small ball.  Set aside on the baking sheet/plate.  Continue until all of the mixture is gone.  Refrigerate.
In a microwave safe bowl heat 4 baking squares for about 1 minute.  Add a splash of milk and stir.  Continue to heat and add milk until your chocolate has a silky and smooth texture.  Make sure you don’t heat the chocolate too quickly—it will burn!

Working quickly, dip cooled truffle balls into the melted chocolate and place it back on the parchment paper.  If the chocolate hardens put it back in the microwave, add a splash of milk, and stir to get the smooth texture again.  Continue until all the truffle balls have been completely dipped in chocolate.
Shake a little sugar and sprinkles in fall colors on top.  Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.  If you can, put the truffles in the freezer for about 10 minutes or so.

Serve and enjoy!  These truffles are an amazing no-bake treat for every season!  They’re bittersweet on the outside and have the perfect amount of fudgy chocolate on the inside.  Try pumpkin shaped sprinkles for a cute Halloween snack.
 

*Adapted from The Avid Appetite

2-3 T. canned pumpkin
½ C water
¼ C brown sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground nutmeg
Ground coffee or hot chocolate mix
Creamer/milk (whatever your preference is)
 
For syrup:
Over medium heat, combine pumpkin, water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Keep stirring mixture until melted.  Keep cooking and stirring so it thickens, but make sure it doesn’t burn.

Once the mixture resembles thick syrup, turn off heat and let cool.
 
For coffee/hot chocolate:
Make coffee or hot chocolate to your liking and pour into a mug.  Add a spoonful (or more!) of the pumpkin syrup.  Stir until the syrup has melted into the drink.
 
Enjoy the fall flavor in a cup o’ Joe…or tasty hot chocolate! 

*Adapted from The Avid Appetite

1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix
2 C milk (any kind you’d like)
1 C pumpkin puree
2 dashes of cinnamon
1 sleeve of graham crackers
1 T. butter, melted
Whipped cream or Cool Whip
 
In a bowl, mix together instant pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes as directed on pudding box.  Make sure you mix with a fork as if you are whisking.  While the mixture sets, stir in the pumpkin puree and add a couple dashes of cinnamon (as much or as little as you’d like).  Refrigerate.
 
In a separate bowl, crush graham crackers until fine.  Melt the butter in the microwave and add to the graham crackers to moisten.
 
Once your pumpkin pudding has been cooling for at least 5 minutes, you’re ready to make your trifles!  In individual cups (or bowls) start by layering graham crackers on the bottom.  Top with pumpkin pudding and then the whipped cream or Cool Whip.  Repeat the layers until your cup or bowl is full.  Top with a few more sprinkles of graham crackers for decoration.
 
Makes about 4 trifles.  Enjoy!