Fun Fall Treats

No matter how old my children get, they never get tired of holiday treats. I still make them hand made Valentines, Shamrock cookies, and Easter baskets, and Halloween is another favorite holiday for festive treats. Here are a couple of fun ideas that travel well, so they are perfect for sending to kids who are off at college, or a friend who you know would love a little holiday spirit. Both of these are coated in candy melts which help to seal them and keep them fresh during their travels.

These mice cakes are also a chance to use the egg cake mold that I only use at Easter. They are easy and cute and my kids have loved these since they were little, Make your favorite cupcakes and bake them in the egg mold pan. I like to chill the fully baked cakes in the refrigerator for an hour or so to help firm them up before dipping in grey candy melts. I use 80 % white to 20 % black candy melts to make gray. Once they are dipped, use sliced almonds for the ears, mini chocolate chip for the nose, and licorice whips for the tail, with red non perils for the eyes. when dry use a food writer to draw on the whiskers, and you have yourself the only mouse you ever want to see in your kitchen.

We all love anything involving peanut butter, so when I saw these a few years ago I knew they would make the perfect addition to a Halloween care package to send to Mini Me. The pumpkins are Ritz crackers with peanut butter sandwiched in between and dipped in orange candy melts. Once they dry, draw on the face details with a food writer or  black candy melts.

In addition to these, I usually tuck in some caramel corn, granola and spiced nuts for a great package of homemade treats that gets everyone ready for fall!

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Candy Corn Cookies

 Candy Corn is one of those things that you love it or you hate it. I am definitely a candy corn lover. It's one of those treats from childhood that I looked forward to each fall, because the only time I got them was in my trick or treat bag. Even though as a kid, we ate all we possibly could in one night, I do have to admit that they are really sweet and a little goes a long way. These Candy Corn cookies have the pretty, layered look of the candies and just the right amount of sweetness. I saw these cookies all over the internet last fall, but got this recipe form Julie at The Sporadic Cook. Since sugar cookies ship pretty well, I know these will be the perfect fall treat to send to Mini Me to help her with her studies.

Candy Corn Cookies

via The Sporadic Cook

1 cup butter softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

1 to 2 tablespoons orange zest

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Orange and Yellow gel food color

In a large bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar, egg and orange zest with an electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.

Divide dough into thirds. Tint one portion orange and one portion yellow; leave remaining portion plain.  Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and press the yellow dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer. top this with the orange dough followed by the white dough. Chill until firm, about 1 hr.

Heat oven to 375. Using the plastic wrap remove the dough from the pan. Slice the loaf into 1/4 inch slices. Then cut each slice into triangles.(I didn't take any how-to picture so I made the diagram below to illustrate the process. I took the two end pieces (A) and placed them together along the straight edge to form a 4th triangle. I lightly rolled over the seam with a rolling pin). Place triangles on ungreased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
printable recipe

Links: Foodies Friday at Designs by Gollum
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