Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Nothing says fall like apple picking!!!  I bought about 16 pounds of McIntosh and Macoun apples ($0.79/lb) while I was at home visiting my parents in NY.  I decided that I would use a few of the apples to make some dried apple rings in my dehydrator.  You don’t need a dehydrator to dry apple rings though; you can always bake them on a baking sheet at very low heat, just be sure to soak them in some sort of acidic solution like lemon juice and water before drying.  I left my apples in the dehydrator for about 10 hours.  I ate a few of them, but then decided that I wanted to bake some Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies.  Dried apple rings and cinnamon chips make for a delicious oatmeal cookie that is perfect for the season.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup cinnamon chips
• 1 cup roughly chopped dried apple rings

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.  Remove the melted butter from the heat and with a wooden spoon, beat in the sugars until blended.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until blended.
2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir until combined.  Add the cinnamon chips and dried apple and mix with a wooden spoon.
3. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line to baking sheets with parchment paper.  With a cookie scoop, drop 1 tbsp dough onto the baking sheets about 2″ apart.  With a metal spatula, flatten each cookie into a disk.
5. Bake cookies for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Makes about 3 dozen cookies

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Maple Walnut Fudge

It wouldn’t be fall without maple syrup!  I love this stuff, so I decided to make some Maple Walnut Fudge.  I based this recipe off of my Cherry Vanilla Fudge and Thin Mint Cookie Fudge.  This fudge is creamy, delicious, and tastes just like maple walnut ice cream.  Enjoy!

Do you like maple syrup?  What do you like to use it on?

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for swirling in fudge

Directions:

1. Line a 9-in. square pan with foil. Grease the foil with cooking spray.
2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, sour cream and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil and cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234 degrees, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat; stir in white chocolate and marshmallow creme until melted.
4. Fold in walnuts and maple syrup.  Pour into prepared pan.  Drizzle maple syrup over top of fudge and with a knife, swirl into fudge.
5. Chill until firm.
6. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares and store in the refrigerator.
   

*Yield: 2 pounds