After what has felt like forever, especially for my fellow autumn lovers, the leaves are finally starting to change and the crisp air has just begun to embrace Fairfield.
Fall has decided to grace us with its presence and I cannot imagine a better way to welcome it than to envelop it with a selection of our favorite seasonal recipes. Regardless of your position on all things pumpkin, there is always a fall recipe for everyone.
This first recipe is a personal favorite and one that is near and dear to my heart: homemade cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are the perfect flakey fall delicacy and can be paired with a latte and an episode of Gilmore Girls. This recipe tastes like home, having been directly extracted from my mother’s cookbook.
To make the dough you will need four-and-a-half to five cups of all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup sugar, two packets of Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast, one teaspoon salt, one ½ cups water, six tablespoons butter or margarine and one egg.
To make the filling you will need ⅓ cup sugar, two teaspoons ground cinnamon and 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine.
To make the frosting you will need two ½ cups powdered sugar, two tablespoons of softened butter or margarine, two to three tablespoons of milk and one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
Directions:
- Combine two cups of flour, sugar, dry yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir. Place butter and water in a microwavable bowl and microwave in 15-second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch. Add this to the flour mixture with the egg.
- Beat for two minutes at medium speed with an electric mixer, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add one cup of flour and beat for two minutes at high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and the dough springs back when lightly pressed with two fingers, about six to eight minutes. Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- For the filling, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Roll the dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread three tablespoons butter over the dough, stopping at least ½ inch from the edges on the long side. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Beginning at the long end of each rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch the seams to seal and cut into 12 equal pieces.
- Place the cut sides down in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cover it with a towel and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (approximately one hour).
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350℉ for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rolls are looking scrumptiously golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 20 minutes.
- Combine all the ingredients for the frosting – starting with two tablespoons of milk and adding more if needed – in a large bowl and beat until creamy. Drizzle or spread atop the rolls and enjoy!
Another favorite from our dearest Katie Byrnes and Campus Ministry is Homemade Salted Caramel. Salted caramel can be perfectly paired with fresh apples from local farms in Connecticut!
On that note, be sure to check out The Outdoors Club’s apple-picking trips that support local farms. This homemade salted caramel is a fall staple that is quintessential to all fall gatherings.
If you’re a fan of caramel apples, this whipped caramel apple dip is a must. You can dip anything from graham crackers to apples in it. I recommend making this while listening to Fleetwood Mac or Cage the Elephant. If you are feeling ambitious, you can also incorporate the previous recipe into this one if you choose to prepare homemade caramel sauce in your baking endeavors!
This article would not be complete without a pumpkin recipe to top it off. For all you pumpkin lovers out there, this Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake makes me think of cozy sweaters, good literature and auburn leaves. This is a super simple recipe that incorporates the best flavors of the season.
Happy autumn baking!
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