Sweet Fall Treats

Fall in love with the best of fall flavor with our favorite desserts.

Photo: Tara Sgroi
























Plum Upside-Down Pudding Cake
Ingredients
4 small red or black plums, sliced
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole or low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Sweetened whipped cream

Preparation
Combine plums, 1 Tbsp. sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a bowl, tossing gently.
Grease sides and bottom of a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or deep-dish pie pan. Cover bottom with plum slices, overlapping slightly.

Whisk together eggs, remaining sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and butter until well blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; whisk into egg mixture. Pour batter over fruit. Bake at 375° for 30 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan about 30 minutes.

Run tip of knife around edge of cake to loosen. Invert onto a platter, and serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Related: 19 Flavorful Apple Recipes

Photo: Howard L. Puckett
























Coconut-Buttermilk Pie
Ingredients
1/2 (15-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Preparation
Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

Toast coconut at 350° for 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring twice. Set aside.

Beat butter, sugar, and flour at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended; add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla, beating well.

Stir in toasted coconut and chocolate morsels. Pour mixture into prepared piecrust.

Bake at 325° for 30 minutes; shield edges with foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake 25 to 30 more minutes or until set.

Related: Bourbon Recipes: Beyond the Highball Glass

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
























Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Napoleons
Ingredients
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 (9-oz.) jar pumpkin butter
1/2 cup pumpkin pie filling
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Garnishes: powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, chopped crystallized ginger


Preparation
Place puff pastry sheet on flour surface. Cut into 9 (3-inch) squares. Place squares on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until brown; cool on wire rack.

Combine pumpkin butter and next 4 ingredients; beat until light and fluffy.

Combine cream, vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat until soft peaks form. Set aside 1/2 cup whipped cream and gently fold remaining whipped cream into pumpking mixture. Cover and chill pumpkin filling at least 1 hour.

Carefully slice 1 pastry square in half to make 2 layers. Spoon about 3 Tbsp. filling onto bottom layer; top with second puff pastry layer. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin filling and remaining pastry squares. Chill up to 2 hours. Top each Napoleon with a dollop of reserved whipped cream. Garnish, if desired.

Related: 10 Decadent Chocolate Desserts

Photo: Wyatt Counts
























Cranberry-Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (18-oz.) container uncooked regular oats
1 (12-oz.) bag fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and next 3 ingredients, beating until blended.

Gradually add flour and oats, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in cranberries, raisins, orange rind, and walnuts. Shape dough by 1/3 cupfuls into 1/2-inch-thick rounds on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Related: 15 Mouthwatering Cranberry Recipes

Photo: Ralph Anderson























Macadamia Nut Tart
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, cubed
1/8 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup butter
1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
Whipped cream

Preparation
Process first 4 ingredients in food processor until dough forms ball. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Place dough in 10-inch tart pan; trim edges, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang inside pan, and press against sides, forming a thick edge. Line pastry with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake at 375° for 18 minutes. Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until mixture turns a dark amber color. Wash down sides of pan once with a small brush dipped in hot water. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in cream and butter until smooth.

Place nuts in bottom of tart shell. Place tart on a baking sheet. Pour caramel mixture over nuts. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Carefully remove tart from oven, and place on wire rack. Cool completely. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

See 11 More Sweet Fall Treats

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