Autumn Sweets

Ah...the air is getting cool, the leaves are red and crunchy, the evenings are coming earlier. Nothing like the Autumn to make you want to cozy up with the family and enjoy some good eats. We think these are some of the most fun, fallish sweets...

How great do these pumpkin cookies look? Mmmm! Recipe here.

Just this week we made a batch of caramel apples with the cousins. Do NOT mess with buying and unwrapping a bunch of caramels. This recipe is tops.

Sugar cookies are a must for the littles. We think Lori's recipe is the softest. Yum!

Aebleskivers are a fun one for a brisk Autumn night. Serve with hot cocoa or cider.

And, get excited because Danielle is sharing her amazing cinnamon roll recipe with us today. Let me say for the record: I've never had better cinnamon rolls than these. I'm serious people, she could put cinnabon in the poorhouse. They take a bit of time and effort and well--mess, but just let your kids get all floured up and make them with you, and enjoy a whole day of fall fun.

(my first try at Danielle's recipe. Not as nicely shaped as hers but ohhhh...ooey gooey goodness)

Danielle's Cinnamon Rolls

Scald 2 c milk,cool
Mix 1c hot water with 1c potato flakes, set aside (or use 1 cup fresh mashed potato).
Mix 1/2 c warm water with 2 T yeast & pinch of sugar, set aside.

Combine
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 T salt
then add yeast mixture, milk (make sure its not hot or it will kill the yeast), and potato.

Then add 6 C flour, switch to dough hook and add 2 more cups (so a total of 8 C flour, +or- depending on humidity....its a pretty sticky dough though so don't add too much flour or they will be tough).

Cover, and let dough rise till double in size, then beat down and knead a bit and let rise again.
Then divide in 2 and roll each piece out into a large rectangle (on a well floured surface) about the size of a jelly roll sheet.

Spread soft butter on the rolled out dough, making sure you get it all the way out to the edges. Then sprinkle with lots of cinnamon and dark brown sugar. (Also you can add raisins and walnuts if you like them, but make sure you boil your raisins first so they are soft.)

Then roll them up and divide each roll into 12 rolls. (Dental floss works best to cut them!) Place them on Jelly roll sheets or you can use whatever pan you have. If placed in a deeper pan closer together they will just be taller and narrower, and likewise a shallow wide pan will make them a bit wider and flatter. I usually put 12 rolls to a Jelly roll pan.

Cover with plastic and let rise till they are big and fat, then back at 375 till for about 15-20 min (just watch them...you don't want to over cook them..they will be just light brown).

Cream cheese frosting:

1 box powdered sugar
1 8oz. cream cheese (room temp!)
1 cube butter (room temp!)
1t. vanilla

Thanks, Danielle!

xo,
anne

What about you? What Autumn deliciousness are you baking up?