Let’s Eat: Bring autumn colors to spiced sweets

Cooler temperatures, beautiful changing leaves and the familiar scent of pumpkin pie spice are all signs of fall. Whether you’re hosting a pumpkin carving party or decorating sweet treats with family, celebrate the season with pumpkin patch cupcakes and maple-flavored leaf-shaped cookies.

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

YIELD: Makes 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened

4 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract

2 boxes (16 ounces each) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, divided 1/2 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, divided

24 unfrosted cupcakes

12 regular marshmallows, halved crosswise

12 small chocolate-flavored taffy roll (Tootsie Roll), halved crosswise

DIRECTIONS: Beat butter and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating well after each addition and scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy. Remove 2 cups of the frosting into medium microwavable bowl. Tint frosting orange using 1 teaspoon of the Sunflower color and 1/4 teaspoon of the Berry color. Set aside.

Tint remaining frosting green using another 1/2 teaspoon of the Sunflower color and 1/4 teaspoon of the Berry color. Spread top of cupcakes with green frosting. Using a fork, gently touch frosting in different directions to resemble grass spikes. To make the pumpkins, microwave the orange frosting on HIGH 10 to 20 seconds or until runny. Using a fork, dip marshmallow halves into frosting mixture, then place on top of frosted cupcakes. Let stand until pumpkin frosting has dried. Press a Tootsie Roll half in center of each pumpkin for the stem. Decorate leaves and vines with remaining green frosting, if desired.

Glazed Autumn Leaf Cookies

YIELD: Makes 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons maple extract

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325 F. Mix flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and maple extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Roll dough on generously floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out leaves with 2- to 3-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

To glaze cookies, hold a cookie by its edge and dip the top into the glaze. Place iced cookies on wire rack set over foil-covered baking sheet to dry. Let stand until glaze is set. For the variations below, dissolve the designated amount of the Color from Nature Food Colors with water in small bowl. Stir in any remaining ingredients until smooth.

Maroon Cookie Glaze: Use 1/2 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, 3 tablespoons water (plus additional to dissolve color), 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon cocoa powder.

Forest Green Cookie Glaze: Use 1/2 teaspoon Sky Blue color and 1/4 teaspoon Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, 3 tablespoons water (plus additional to dissolve color), 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon cocoa powder.

Pumpkin Cookie Glaze: Use 1 teaspoon Sunflower color and 1/4 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature — Assorted Food Colors, 3 tablespoons water (plus additional to dissolve color) and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar.