3 fall flavors to celebrate the season right

BY BRENNA DEMPSEY/ Multimedia Journalist

Desserts bring friends, family and even strangers together over the fall season. The good feelings it brings to the table is something to celebrate.

Shelby Bredfield is a student at Tarleton State University who also works in the kitchen at Oma Leen’s, a restaurant in Hico. 

“A really important part of the menu is seasonality; what’s in season, what’s ready, what sort of things are comforting and warm and kind of cozy,” Bredfield said. “It gives you almost a nostalgic feel and it kind of does bring a sense of comfort I feel like.” 

The colder seasons are often focused on shared meals and there are a lot of recipes that become traditions to people.

A few of the staple flavors that make people think of fall are apple, pumpkin, cinnamon, chai, maple and caramel. 

Ava Painovich, a Tarleton student, enjoys baking and uses it to relax when she is stressed.

“If the recipe doesn’t call for it, my secret ingredient in almost all of my sweet baking dishes is nutmeg,” Painovich said.

One of her favorite fall recipes is a traditional pumpkin chocolate chip bread. 

“I definitely recommend it because it’s on the sweeter side compared to some other holiday breads,” Painovich said.

Here are some recipes for pumpkin chocolate chip bread, apple cinnamon muffins and a pecan pie.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
15 ounces canned pumpkin
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
12 ounce package chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with a piece of parchment paper. Spray all over with cooking spray.

Add the sugar and butter to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add eggs, pumpkin and vanilla and mix to combine. 

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Alternate adding the flour mixture, then milk to pumpkin mixture, starting and ending with flour. Fold in chocolate chips at the end.

Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool.

Mini loaves will bake for around 25-35 minutes or for 2 dozen muffins. Bake at 350 degrees F for 28-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few moist crumbs.

Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients:
1 ¾  cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 cups peeled and chopped apples (about 2 apples)
Topping:
½ cup white sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1⁄3 cup butter, cubed
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line 6 large (3½-inch) muffin cups with paper muffin liners.

To make the muffins: Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. Mix in egg, oil, and milk. Fold in chopped apples.

Spoon ½ cup of batter into each muffin liner.

To make the streusel topping: Place sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon into a small bowl; mash mixture with a fork until mixture begins to cling together. Sprinkle topping evenly over unbaked muffins.

Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan briefly; remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

Pecan Pie Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup light or dark corn syrup
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1–1/2 cups (6 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans
1 (9-inch) unbaked OR frozen deep-dish pie crust

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix Karo light corn syrup, eggs, sugar, salt, butter and vanilla using a spoon or a rubber spatula.

Stir in pecans.

Pour the mixture into pie crust.

Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes.

Cool for at least 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

Notes:
If you are using a prepared frozen pie crust, place cookie sheet in oven and preheat oven as directed. Pour filling into frozen crust and bake on preheated cookie sheet.

The pie is done when center reaches 200°F. Tap center surface of pie lightly – it should spring back when done. If pie crust is over-browning, cover edges with foil.

These sweet treats are some great options to get into the fall spirit and will surely impress people at any holiday gathering you bring them to.