As the temperatures are cooling slightly, I start getting excited about the flavors of fall. Fall is the time for apple cider, pumpkins and the ever popular candy corn. Since it is no longer too blooming hot to cook, I like to start baking again – cookies, apple pies, pear tarts and all of our fall favorites. Last fall, I discovered two new recipes that are sure to become my fall favorites – spiced cider and candy corn cookies. In lieu of knitting talk, I will share the recipes with you.

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Spiced Cider

This is a modification of the Crockpot Wassail recipe from the Crockpot 356 blog. Basically, I cut down on the sweet a bit.

• 4 quarts unsweetened apple cider
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 8 whole cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 whole orange, washed and cut in rings

Pour liquid ingredients into a 6-quart crock pot and stir to mix. Wash orange thoroughly, slice in rings and float slices on top of liquid. Float spices at top of liquid (you can put the cloves in a cheese cloth bag if you like). Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for about 4.

This is a wonderful warm treat for cool autumn evenings though my kids will slurp it year round.

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Candy Corn and Peanut Cookies

I discovered this recipe on the PieKnits blog last fall. While you are there check out her cute hat patterns. I made notations about some lessons learned along the way (these are in italics) but essentially the recipe is the same.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups sifted flour (140g)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup candy corns

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line cookies sheets with aluminum foil (because the some of the candy corn will ooze out, stick to the pan and become a giant nuisance to clean up if you don’t).

Cream together butter, peanut butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix together well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture stirring until blended. Stir in peanuts. (Chill mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes for easier handling.)

Form 1 inch balls of dough, inserting one or two candy corns into the center. Make sure dough completely covers the candy on all sides (this is extremely important unless you really like peanut butter cookies surrounded by sugar goo). Place on baking sheet and slightly flatten.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. (Don’t overbake because they will continue to cook on the cookie sheet).

Remove from oven and immediately press a few candy corns into the top of each cookie (when she says immediately she means do it in a big, gigantic hurry if you want the candy corn to stay attached). Let cool several minutes (baking sheet should be cool enough to touch. It will take 3 – 5 minutes for the cookies to cool enough to remove.). Carefully transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. These are just as good the next day – assuming they last that long.

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Happy cooking. Hope you enjoy these treats as much as we did.

Almost forgot. The kids wanted me to share this photo of the new friend they found in the back yard. Gotta love living in the country.

He is pretty well camouflaged but you can find him if you look closely.