Harvest Treats

I don't know about you, but I think Michigan has transitioned into winter. The trees are bare-boned and every morning the front yard sparkles with frost (as well as my car windows. Ugh.) As beautiful and as poignant as the changing seasons are, I always feel a little cheated when it comes to fall in the midwest. We have maybe six weeks in September and October of sunny days filtered through bright, fiery leaves, leaving the rest of the season filled with cold, foggy, gray-scale days.

Even though the days are drawing closer to winter, I'm not quite ready to give fall up (I never am.) I find myself wanting to whip up some pumpkin or apple treats, the kind that can fill an entire house with warmth and spice. So of course, I thought I would share are a few of the baked goods that have recently caught my eye.

 

Chai-iced pumpkin cookies. Do I really need to say more?

Hello, apple cider pancakes with cinnamon sugar topping... you look perfect for a chilly fall morning.

I made this quick and easy apple tart last year and it was gone in half an hour, if that. Ree Drummond isn't kidding: it's easy and it's tasty.

Pumpkin pie toffee cheesecake. Genius. This would be a welcomed guest at Thanksgiving.

 This apple cranberry crumble would also be a welcomed guest at Thanksgiving, and it's Weight Watchers friendly for those minding their holiday waistline.

 Nothing is better than a warm cinnamon roll, fresh from the oven. Unless, of course, it's a pumpkin cinnamon roll with caramel frosting.

And of course, I couldn't end this round-up without a treat from Joy the Baker. The cinnamon sugar apple skillet cake she shared earlier this week looks like I would eat half of the pan in one sitting.  

Aside from a simple apple crisp, I haven't done too much baking this fall. I plan on fixing that this weekend, possibly with a batch of those chai-iced pumpkin cookies. Or that apple skillet cake. Or maybe both. Have you done much baking this fall?