Ahh fall, that wonderful season that transforms half of the population into “basic” girls swooning over pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin patches and falling leaves. A whole movement that arises from the ashes of summer to revel in the last glorious gasp of nature as the year begins its slow demise at the chilly fingertips of impending winter. While I’m down for a russet-tone Instagram picture and flannel shirts as much as the next person, my love of the season stems mainly from the culinary delights it provides. Cooler days and even colder nights invite a feeling of coziness and comfort, and what better way to enjoy fall than with a home-baked treat. While grocery stores and farmers markets stock plenty of seasonal baked goods, there is nothing quite like the warm, cinnamon-spiced scents of freshly baked pies and muffins to create the perfect autumn ambience.
I collected my favourite fall recipes, one I have been making since childhood and one that’s a more recent find. Both are super easy, so even the most inexperienced baker can impress their friends and family with a delicious seasonal treat!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
These muffins are delightfully moist and pumpkin-y, and if you choose to use mini muffin cups, these bite-sized morsels with melted chocolate chips sprinkled throughout will have everyone coming back for more. This recipe is from Joy of Cooking (Rombauer, Becker, Becker, 2006). The original recipe does not call for chocolate chips, but I have added them here as that is what I do when I make this recipe.
What you’ll need:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (optional)
Heat your oven to 375℉ and prepare a 12-muffin tin with paper muffin cups or by greasing the pan (or, if you’re fancy, you can use mini-muffin pans instead, which is my personal preference). Combine the dry ingredients (the first seven), in a large mixing bowl. In a different bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Then combine the two mixtures together and add the chocolate chips, stirring gently until the batter is smooth, without over mixing. Distribute the muffin batter evenly, each cup should be approximately 2/3 full, then bake for 15-20 minutes (size of muffin dependent) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan, then enjoy!
Apple Pie
Correct me if I’m wrong, but there are few things better than a hot apple pie oozing with cinnamon, baked in a flaky, buttery crust. This recipe is super simple with stellar results. Have a few friends come around to help with chopping the apples and you’ll have a delicious dessert in no time! I’ve used this particular recipe since I was nine years old, it has been passed down my family for years and adjusted to perfection.
Simple Pie Crust
1 ¾ cups flour
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold water
¼ cup flour
Crumble the flour, butter and salt together until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the cold water and ¼ cup of flour together, ensuring that there are no lumps. Add the flour and water mixture to the crumble mixture and gently combine until the dough sticks together. Be careful not to overwork the dough, or your crust will not be flaky. Divide the pie dough into 2 balls, and roll each one out into a circle large enough to fit a regular pie tin.
Apple Filling
7-8 large cooking apples, peeled and chopped into small chunks
¾ cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Combine the apple filling and place in the unbaked pie shell. Lay the second circle of pie dough over the filling, and pinch the two layers of dough together at the edges with your fingers or a fork to seal in the filling. Using a fork, pierce the top crust in the pattern of your choice to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes. For a shiny crust, brush the crust with beaten egg before baking. Place the pie in an oven preheated to 400℉ and bake for one hour, or until crust is golden brown, the apples feel soft when a knife is inserted into the pie, and the juice bubbling from the filling is clear. Serve fresh with vanilla ice cream or custard.
Fall is one of the best seasons, and these fabulous home-baked goods only make it better.
References
Rombauer, I. S.; Becker, M. R.; Becker, E. (2006) Joy of Cooking. New York, New York: Scribner.