A few weekends ago we went apple picking, and I’ve been trying to think of apple recipe ideas because we can’t go through these fast enough! Jordan and I both love hot apple cider, so I thought why not make an adult version of the classic recipe! The alcohol in these is totally optional, so if you’re not drinking alcohol or want to serve this to kids, just omit it. Easy as pie! Oooh, apple pie!
This recipe makes about 16 servings, so reduce accordingly or store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days and reheat as you like. This cider makes the house smell like a delicious fall candle, and is perfect for drinking wrapped in a blanket with your favorite book.
Makes 16 (8 oz) drinks
Ingredients:
1 gallon fresh cider
1 orange
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 inch grated ginger
1 cup bourbon or brandy (optional)
Directions:
Pour the juice into a large saucepan or dutch oven. Cut the orange into fourths, and add to the cider along with the cinnamon sticks, grated ginger and cloves.
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve to remove cinnamon, ginger and cloves, and add bourbon or brandy as desired. Garnish with fresh apple slices and cinnamon if you’re feeling fancy, and serve!
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I can’t do fall without a trip to the apple orchard, so last weekend we drove up to Greenbluff for an afternoon of autumn fun! I always have a list of things I want to do each season, but it seems like unless I specially plan them, time flies and before I know it, it’s over! So this year I’m determined to check off every item on my list, starting with apple picking!
There are a ton of apple orchards in the area, which made choosing one kind of tricky! Luckily I stumbled upon Hidden Acres Orchard, which still had plenty of apples and even a few early pumpkins!
The weather is starting to turn, getting a little chillier and also a little more unpredictable. Since I wasn’t sure if we’d be having summer or fall weather (or a mix of both), I ended up choosing to wear this vest which is one of my fall staples. It’s perfect for in between weather, and even cozier worn over my sweater, which I was thankful for when the breeze picked up!
I was so excited to see that the farm had a few early pumpkins this year! Most of the farms we stopped at were starting their harvest celebrations in a few weeks, and didn’t have their pumpkins out yet. We’re planning a trip to a local pumpkin patch in October, and I literally can’t wait!
The minute we drove up to the orchard, Charlotte spotted a little toy car, and wanted nothing more than to drive herself around. It was so cute, and she had such a blast! It was crazy watching her and remembering our trip to the apple orchard last year when she was so small!
For more autumn inspiration, check out my fall fashion posts here and here, and my pumpkin spice latte cupcake recipe here!
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Well friends, Autumn officially begins in five days, so give me all the pumpkin, all the spice and all the fall things! I wanted to create a pumpkin cupcake that was a little different from the standard, and knowing the popularity of the pumpkin spice latte, I thought that could be a fun twist on the classic!
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that I’m a little obsessed with cupcakes. I think they’re so fun, and I love thinking of cute new ways to decorate them! You can see my other cupcake recipes right here.
The cake is full of pumpkiny goodness and spices, as one would expect! The frosting is a whipped cream frosting (since the pumpkin spice latte is usually topped with whipped cream), but I also mixed in a little cream cheese because pumpkin and cream cheese are such a perfect pairing.
So go ahead and whip up a batch to satisfy that pumpkin spice craving! These cupcakes are super easy, so you’ll probably be enjoying them in the time it would have taken you to get through that crazy drive through line!
Cupcake Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Frosting Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs instant espresso powder
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Directions:
Put the stand mixer whisk attachment in the freezer. Weird direction, but go with it.
Preheat the oven to 350, and line a muffin tin with foil liners (I used these green foil ones). The pumpkin will stick to paper liners, and make for an unhappy baker!
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the wet ingredients, pumpkin puree through vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the mixture in two batches, stirring on low speed until just combined.
Using a cookie scoop, fill each liner until about 2/3 full with batter. I usually get about six extra cupcakes which are perfect for taste testing, am I right?!
Bake for about 14-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack.
For the frosting, you want the stand mixer bowl to be room temp or cold (I wash mine while the cupcakes bake, and then stick it in the freezer). If the bowl or whisk attachment are warm, the whipped cream won’t solidify the way you want it to. Dissolve the espresso powder into the heavy cream, stirring until no pieces remain. Fix the cold whisk attachment, and mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly drizzle in the heavy cream mixture. Once the cream begins to thicken (after a few minutes), increase the speed until the frosting becomes light and fluffy like whipped cream! Frost the completely cooled cupcakes, and enjoy.
These frosted cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge, but can be taken out an hour or two before serving if you prefer them at room temperature.
Love Pumpkin And All Things Fall? Check out more Fall recipes below!
Anyone else feeling especially ready for all things autumn? Fall is definitely my favorite season, but this year I’m way more excited than usual! I can’t wait to get our house all decorated in pumpkin and harvest decor, take out the warm cozy blankets and bake some pumpkin goodies! (By the way, for all the fall feels, check out my pumpkin spice latte cupcake recipe!)
Today I’ve rounded up some of my favorite fall decor pieces for this year. I’m so excited to share them with you, and hopefully spread some fall frenzy! So grab some hot apple cider, cozy up, and let’s dive right in!
These little mini pumpkins are so cute! I can’t wait to set these up as a sweet and easy centerpiece on our table this fall. This year I’ve been loving the dusty blue pumpkin trend, so I think this orange, cream and blue pumpkin trio is perfect.
I love a good fall wreath, and this one is especially cute! It’s so fun and whimsical, and I love the colors of the berries against the leaves. If nothing else, I at least try to get a wreath up for each season because I think they make homes look that much more inviting. You might have caught on my Instagram stories that I accidentally left our Christmas wreath up until July, so I’m being extra sure to get my summer wreath replaced with this fall one haha!
These fall leaf plates give me all the warm fuzzy fall feels! I love adding seasonal salad plates to my tablescapes. They’re easy to put on top of my usual dinner plates, but don’t take much room to store during the off-season. Also, how cute would these look on the table with those mini pumpkins above??
Pillows are such an easy and fun way to add a little fall spirit to the home. I’ve been a little obsessed with buffalo check lately, and I love this white and grey buffalo check pillow! Of course I’m also game for anything pumpkin, so this adorable pumpkin pillow is pretty hard to pass up too, and they would look so perfect together!
I’m a sucker for Pendleton blankets. They are such high quality, and they make the prettiest designs. These blankets really do last a lifetime (my parents have some of these blankets and we cuddled in them my entire childhood, and still do!). Since they’re more of an investment item for me, I’m personally choosing this design because it’s so classic and will never go out of style! But you guys, I just came across this Harry Potter collection on their site, and I literally squealed out loud. So someone please tell my husband this blanket is what I want for my birthday haha! I’m dying!
What are you favorite fall decor finds? I’d love to know – share them in the comments below!
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We’ve been having such hot weather the last month, and it has made me want to spend all of our time inside in the air conditioning! But last week we finally got a little bit of relief, and I was jumping at the opportunity to pull out some fall clothes!
So I slipped on my Tieks, and Jordan and I went out for a morning walk to grab some coffee and enjoy our surprise fall day in August!
I have been obsessed with Tieks for a few years now. I love how comfortable they are, and that they go with every outfit! Perfect for slipping on for coffee and errands!
These Tieks have gone on many journeys with me, including two trips to Europe and a long weekend in New York City! Since they go with every outfit, they’re a perfect travel companion.
We’re back to warmer temperatures, but now that we’ve had a tease of fall I’m full on ready!