Um, Fall, is that you? September is here, but we’ve had our warmest summer weather here in Santa Barbara over the last week or so, and we’re still enjoying summer’s giant heirloom tomatoes blueberries, and zucchini. I haven’t even worn my white jeans jet! At the same time, there are a few leaves that have turned red in our front yard, my daughter has started a new year of school, and we’re  getting excited about fall baking and decorating. What a confusing time! When do you switch from summer to fall mode?
              

To celebrate the first week back at school we baked with a favorite fall ingredient: apples. This is a simple recipe that makes a special treat for breakfast, snack, or dessert. I think you could make this even more wholesome by adding some flax seeds or substituting some whole wheat flour. Next time I’ll try replacing some of the butter with applesauce! To make these more of a treat, drizzle with melted white chocolate. Yum!  I so cannot wait to go apple picking in Santa Ynez.

Even Cookie the chicken wants one.

For those of you with kiddos, I made a kiddie printable “recipe”. Have your petite chef trace the letters and color the pictures depending on their age.  Or just read them the ingredients and have your child check them off as you go. My daughter is 4 and interested in learning phonics at the moment so we sounded out the words and traced the letters. Click here to print your copy.

Apple Oat Breakfast Cookies
printer friendly recipe
makes about 10 cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup fresh apples, diced   
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling (I highly recommend it for a nice sweet crunch!)
 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix together butter, milk and egg in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Mix in apples. Scoop heaping tablespoon balls of dough and place on cookie sheet a few inches apart.  Gently flatten. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly on rack.


Weekend Bloggy Reading