As someone who loves fall and everything it entails, fall-themed desserts are my favorite thing in the world. Thanksgiving is the best holiday because of all the sweets that people bring. I always end up eating more dessert than food. So I’ll share a few of my favorites with you. 

1. Apple Dumplings

8 servings, 40 min 

Ingredients:

2 granny smith apples

2 cans of crescent dough

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, plus more for the pan

1 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

8 oz. lemon-lime soda

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a large baking dish with butter. Peel and core apples then cut each apple into eighths. 
2. Separate crescent dough into triangles. Starting at the wider end, roll one apple slice up in a crescent triangle. Repeat with remaining apple slices and crescents. Place into prepared pan. 
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt together. Pour mixture over apples. 
4. Pour soda around the edge of the pan, trying to avoid pouring on top of the dumplings. Bake dumplings until golden, 30 minutes.
5. Serve warm with ice cream and spoon sauce from the pan over the dumplings.

2. Apple Crisp

6 servings, 1 hour

Ingredients:

6 golden delicious apples, peeled and chopped (other varieties can be used, can also be sliced)

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes

pinch of kosher salt

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Butter an 8×8 baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of cinnamon and lemon juice.  Stir to combine, then transfer to the prepared baking dish.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, add the topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter).  Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until the mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs.  Alternatively, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture.
4. Spread topping over apples in the baking dish, and gently pat to even it out.  Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
5. Serve warm and enjoy!

3. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies 

(I’ve always loved whoopie pies, then my aunt made this and I fell in love) 

(They taste like the Pumpkin Crumbl Cookie)

12 whoopie pies, 1hr 45 mins

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cloves

2 cups packed dark-brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups chilled pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar and oil together until combined. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
4. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.
5. Use a medium ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to drop the dough onto prepared baking sheets, about one inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling.
6. For the Cream Cheese Filling: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl and set aside.
7. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until it’s completely smooth, with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined.
8. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat the filling, or it will lose structure. (The filling can be made one day ahead. Cover the bowl tightly and put it in the refrigerator. Let the filling soften at room temperature before using.)
9. Assembling the Whoopie Pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down (flat side facing up).
10. Use an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to drop a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of the cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up before serving.
11. The whoopie pies will keep for up to 3 days, on a parchment-lined baking sheet covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.

4. Apple Galette (French pastries are superior)

8 servings, 1hr 15 mins

Ingredients: 

1 basic pie dough

3 apples, cored and sliced

3 tbsp. packed brown sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp. ground cinnamon 

Pinch kosher salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp water 

1 tbsp. demerara sugar 

Directions: 

1. Make basic pie dough, and let chill for 2 hours. 
2. Meanwhile, prep your fruit filling: Combine sliced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Gently fold to coat apples.
3. Preheat oven to 400° and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 12″ circle about 1/8″ thick. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
4. Arrange apple slices on top of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2″ border around the edge. Fold the edge nearest to you towards the center. Rotate the sheet plan slightly and repeat, until all edges are folded towards the fruit.
5. Brush egg wash over the crust and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake until crust is golden and fruit is tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing.

5. Pumpkin Muffins (Not as mushy as pie)

12 muffins, 42 minutes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place 12 paper liners into each well of your standard-size muffin baking pan.
2. Measure out the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Do not over-mix, just stir until everything is incorporated into the batter.
5. It is helpful to use a large scoop (like an ice cream scoop) to evenly distribute the batter into each well. They will be nearly full. This will help give your muffins a nice puffy dome.
6. Bake your muffins for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.