It’s officially fall! One of our favorite things about this season is the yummy food, from pumpkin pie, to turkey for Thanksgiving, to all the Halloween sweet treats. It’s time to snuggle up on the sofa with some delicious homemade goodies, courtesy of Half Baked Harvest…

Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies

INGREDIENTS

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 eggs, at room temperature

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 ounces milk chocolate, melted

METHOD

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, beat until combined and the dough forms a ball.

2. Generously flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you're using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies using a pumpkin cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cut eyes and a mouth in half the cookies using a pairing knife or cookie cutter. Cover the baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer, freeze until firm, about 15-20 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining disk of dough.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 8-12 minutes (for soft cookies) or until just lightly golden brown. Do not over bake. Cool on the baking sheet five minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

4, Add the butter to medium pot. Allow the butter to slightly brown until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and let cool 5 minutes. Brush the butter over the top half of the cookies and then sprinkle the cookies with cinnamon sugar.

5. To assemble, spread the melted milk chocolate over the half of the cookies with no face. Place the top pumpkin faced cookies over the chocolate, gently pressing to adhere. Cookies can be served immediately or let the chocolate firm up and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Spiced Pumpkin Maple Latte

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups of your favorite full fat milk (coconut milk is my favorite)

1/4 cup spiced pumpkin butter, homemade or store-bought

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3-1/2 cup brewed black coffee

cinnamon, for serving

Maple Cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or coconut cream

1 tablespoon real maple syrup

METHOD

1. Combine the milk, pumpkin butter, and vanilla in a medium pot and bring to a simmer, heating the mixture until it is steaming. When the mixture is steaming hot, remove it from the heat. Using a small whisk or a fork, whisk until frothy.

2. Pour the hot coffee between 2 mugs and then pour over the frothed pumpkin milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon... or cinnamon sugar.

Maple Cream

1. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the maple syrup and whip once more until combined and fluffy.