cinnamon sugar cookies . . . and apples, apples, apples for Teacher!

I'm re-sharing this post from last year's back-to-school week.

Our 6 and 7-year-old will be attending a new school this year, and it starts a few weeks after the rest of the school district, so we're enjoying these last few days of Summer break . . . and prepping for back-to-school!

I hope you enjoy this first tribute to apple season!

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WARNING . . . There are a lot of photos of apples!

I like to send a "Welcome back!" gift with my kids on their first day of school to give to their teachers.

Last year, I sent a big bag of home-made chewy chocolate chip and toffee cookies.

And this year, we baked cinnamon sugar cookies in the shape of apples!

I bought several varieties of apples at the Farmer's Market earlier in the week . . . Gala, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious.

The kids had no idea that there are so many varieties. We even had an apple taste-testing!

Pink Lady and Granny Smith were our favorite!

We decorated our cookies based on the apples we brought home from the Market.

And these were the home-made APPLES our 5- and-6-year old brought their teachers on the first day of school . . .

I packaged them in clear cellophane bags and then tied them with rustic rope. We carefully placed them in a simple brown gift bag cushioned with brown shredded paper.  They were darling!

Here are the kids' interpretations of the apples. They did a great job!

Braeburn 

Golden Delicious & Granny Smith 

Gala

Pink Lady

Did you notice the pink sanding sugar?

This was the girls' favorite apple!

I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe, and added cinnamon and a little nutmeg to give the dough warm hints of Fall. These spices were a great addition!

cinnamon sugar cookies

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2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

12 Tablespoons (1 ½  sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature

 powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough
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Preparation

To make the cookies, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt . . . set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a flattened ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly floured powder sugar surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until just golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pans and let cool completely.

Makes 10 to 20 cookies, depending on cutter size.

Sugar Cookie GLAZE

2 ¼  cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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Combine ingredients and mix until smooth
Using a small paint brush (or the tip of your finger), spread on top of cookies

Sprinkle sanding sugar on top of GLAZE when it's wet

The secret to a 'clean' sugar edge is not letting the glaze drip down the sides of the cookie.
A thick glaze is also key.
After the glaze has been mixed, add 1 Tablespoon of confectioners' sugar at a time, 
until you get the desired consistency.
Have fun!

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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cinnamon apple dutch baby

Our little family loves oven-baked Dutch Baby's!

Their mild-flavored and tender base make them perfect for adding sweet and savory ingredients.

I shared a simple Dutch Baby several months ago, and then experimented with a delicious asparagus and Fontina in early Spring.  Both are favorites of ours!

Now that early Fall is upon us, I thought it would be fun to add warm flavors like vanilla, maple syrup, and caramelized apples . . . to make the perfect Fall-inspired Dutch Baby!

 

With so many beautiful and delicious varieties of apples in our neighborhood markets and Farmer's Markets, I couldn't think of a better dish (or dessert) to share with family and friends. 

The base of my cinnamon apple dutch baby is caramelized apples! 

Granny Smith and Fuji apples slices are sauteed in brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter for several minutes until tender and caramelized . . . and then the cinnamon Dutch Baby batter is slowly poured over the top and placed in the oven - where all the magic happens. 

Dutch Baby's are most impressive right out of the oven with their billowing pillow tops. They slowly deflate as they cool, resembling a large oven-baked pancake; and that's the perfect time to add a topping, or two.

They're extra delicious topped with powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh berry syrups, and fresh berries; and when I'm serving one as a dessert, I love to add fresh whipped cream and/or ice cream. 

My husband and our Littles dress up their cinnamon apple dutch baby's with a little drizzle of caramel sauce and a scoop of no-churn vanilla bean ice cream. 

~ Did you notice the caramelized sides? Yum! ~

I love humble and rustic dishes like this one! 

Along with the heavenly aroma of apples caramelizing on the stove-top, Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby's are such a fun and delicious way to celebrate apple season!

cinnamon apple dutch baby

oven-baked pancakes

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apple mixture
1/2 Granny Smith, sliced (peel optional)
1/2 Gala or Fuji apple, sliced (peel optional)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, salted
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dutch baby
3 large eggs

¾ cup whole milk

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange zest (optional, but recommended)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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toppings, optional
caramel sauce
powdered sugar
ice cream
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Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Melt butter in a 10” skillet, preferably cast iron. Add the apple slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Gently stir until apple slices are coated in butter, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Saute the apples, butter, and brown sugar for 8 - 10 minutes.

While the apples are sauteing, WHISK eggs, milk, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. 

Carefully pour pancake mixture over melted butter and apples. Place pan in oven. 

Bake until pancake is puffed and golden brown around the edges and center is set but still custardy, 12–15 minutes.

Slice and serve with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and/or no-churn vanilla bean ice cream. Enjoy!

**If baking in a glass dish, add 3-5 minutes to baking time.

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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Welcome, September!

Welcome, September!

It feels like a 'Welcome Back' is in order too, as I took several weeks off from blogging this Summer to spend time with my little ones and family . . . and to tend to some health issues.

There are times in our lives when we need to cut back on 'activities' and re-prioritize so that we can spend extra time on (and with) what really matters . . . and that's what I had to do over the Summer months. I'm so grateful for the loving support of my mom, mother-in-law, husband, and kids, as I worked on gaining a better understanding of a recent diagnosis that has drastically changed my diet and daily activities.

I feel like I had a nice 'break' . . . and I'm ready to get back to blogging about my favorite things again (BIG smile!) . . . and sharing bits and pieces from my home and family life.

Today is our 6 and 7-year-old's first FULL day of school.

So as I write this post, my littlest and I are baking Pumpkin Spice Browned Butter Cookies.  We thought it would be fun (and special) to surprise them with cookies when they come home. Our home smells like the best of Fall!

My littlest spotted these pretty orange spray roses at our local WholeFoods market. I wanted to buy sunflowers, as they remind me most of late Summer . . . but she insisted on 'the orange ones.'

I think they look quite pretty next to the apples I bought for the kids to enjoy with their school lunches.

I've slowly been adding early Fall touches ~ here and there ~ to our home.

I love all the sights and smells of this beautiful season! Don't you?

Although I haven't been blogging, I've still been baking and cooking . . . and, of course, taking photos!

So I thought it would be fun to share what will be on the blog next week (and in the coming weeks) . . . I hope you come by again and visit! Until then, have a great week!

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almond chocolate chip cookies 

. . . a gluten free treat!

cilantro lime roasted chicken
with root vegetables
pumpkin spice browned butter cookies
cinnamon apple dutch baby
soft spiced pumpkin cookies
caramel & spiced pumpkin cookies
SLOW cooker pumpkin & caramel bread pudding

no-churn vanilla bean ice cream 

with pumpkin caramel sauce
a Fall dinner . . . Indian Masala Chili

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LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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& Pinterest

Thank you for stopping by!

I love reading your comments and appreciate them so much!