On a crisp fall weekend day, my family and I hosted a cookie taste-test for our neighbors. We asked them to rate three recipes that we made for the neighborhood Octoberfest. We baked three different type of fall cookies that included: mini apple pie cookies, pumpkin cake pops dipped in melted white chocolate and pumpkin cream cheese cookies.. Neighbors happily voted and the winner is our first recipe: mini apple pie cookies. Enjoy making these wonderful desserts over this year’s holiday festivities and don’t forget to share with your neighbors this holiday season!
Mini Apple Pie Cookies
Mini apple pie cookies have just the perfect balance between sweet and fruity. They were also a hit at our neighborhood event. An easy bite sized 40-minute recipe that anyone can make for the holiday or for really any occasion in the fall season. Warm and cozy, these delicious cookies can be paired with a nice big scoop of ice cream on movie night. Skip the apple pie this Thanksgiving dinner and replace with these yummy mini apple pie cookies!
Julie, one of the neighbors who attended the neighborhood Octoberfest get-together said, “A perfect mixture for the ones who don’t want something too sweet and still satisfies that sweet tooth.”
| Total Time | 40 min | |
| Rating | 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
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PreparationStep one: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Step two: Peel and cut three Honeycrisp apples into small cube-sized pieces. Step three: Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and the apples prepared, add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice, ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Stir well for 6-7 minutes until it begins to boil. Step four: Cover the saucepan and let the mixture simmer for 7 more minutes, or until the apples are tender. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and continue to stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Once it has thickened, remove the mixture from the heat. Step five: Prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and place your two pie crusts onto parchment leaving about an inch between them. Use a cookie cutter to shape 20 small circles and scoop one tablespoon into the center of each crust. Leave a border around the edges of the cookie and brush with beaten egg. Step six: Take the remaining pieces from the pie crust and roll them out so you can slice them into small strips. Lay strips three vertically and two horizontally over the apple mixture to make a pie-like appearance. Step seven: Once you have completed making your pies, brush the beaten egg over the top. Step eight: In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup of granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle generously over each cookie. Step nine: Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. |
Pumpkin Graham Cake Pops With Melted White Chocolate Coating and Gold Sprinkles on Top
Cake pops are a quick, easy, and fun fall recipe. The cake pops make a cute and tasty on-the-go treat for any event. This sweet treat will satisfy you in one bite, and it is great for kids and those who like sugar. “These are really good,” a boy attending the October fest exclaimed after taking his first bite.
| Total Time | 35 min | |
| Rating | 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
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PreparationStep one: Blend 6 graham crackers in a mixer until fully crumbled and add more, if needed. Step two: Mash a small-sized pumpkin pie in a medium-sized bowl add a graham cracker and mix until moldable. Step three: Mold the pumpkin graham cracker mix into small balls and place in the freezer for 20 min until hardened. Step four: Melt vanilla chocolate in a bowl for 30 seconds in a microwave. Step five: Take out pumpkin balls from the freezer and place a cake pop stick in the center of each ball, then dip into the melted white chocolate until fully covered. Step six: Put fall-colored sprinkles of your choice on top of the cake pops, place in the freezer for 15 minutes until the chocolate has hardened and then serve. They will go awfully quick! |
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies
These pumpkin cream cheese cookies create a perfect fall feeling for the season. This is a favorite dessert recipe for any upcoming fall-themed party. It is also a fun baking project to make with family and friends. The cookies smell like fall, taste like fall, and even look like fall! This 30 minute recipe will leave everyone in the mood for the holidays.
Another neighbor, Kristy, munching on these yummy cookies at the neighborhood fall festival said, “ This is a great blend of cream cheeses and pumpkin and it’s the perfect amount of moisture. “
| Total Time | 20 min | |
| Rating | 4⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
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PreparationStep one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Step two: Combine your dry ingredients: 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, a pinch of salt, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ granulated sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ground cloves. Step three: Combine your wet ingredients: 1 cup of pumpkin puree, ½ cup of unsalted butter (softened), and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Step four: Combine your bowl of wet ingredients with your dry ingredients. Step five: Form your mixture into small bowls and lay them on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Spread each out with at least an inch of space between them. Step six: Place your cookies in the oven for 14 min. Step seven: While your cookies are in the oven, start making your cream cheese frosting: combine 4 oz of cream cheese at room temperature, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp butter, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and ½ cup powdered sugar stir well until creamy. Step eight: Once the cookies are done, scoop ½ tbsp of cream cheese frosting on each cookie and then serve .
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These cookie recipes do not take long to make and, since they are so delicious, they won’t take too long to eat, either. Happy Holidays!