Bites from other Blogs

Fall is in the air and, while many bloggers are still sticking with summery fruits while they can still get them, others are diving headfirst into fall flavors like pumpkin and apple. It has been very hot and summery in my neck of the woods for the last few weeks, so I am just collecting inspiration from fall-themed recipes before starting my own fall baking when the weather cools down!

• Baking Yummies has a summery recipe in these Wild Blueberry and Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars. These beautiful bars are as lovely to look at as they are to eat. The cheesecake filling is packed with blueberries and topped off with a swirl of strawberry jam for a colorful finish. You can eat these bars any time of year, but they definitely remind me of early summer and the 4th of July with their colors – and I wouldn’t mind having a little more summer and more excuses for summertime recipes!
• The Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars from Cooking Classy are a great variation on pumpkin pie for pumpkin lovers. These bar cookies have a pumpkin pie filling that is sandwiched on either side by a buttery oatmeal crumble. The crumble is pressed down firmly into the bottom of the pan to create an even crust, then simply sprinkled over the top of the filling to give the bars a textured look. The additional bonus of the crumb crust and topping is that this is a pumpkin pie you can pickup and eat with your hands – no plate required.
• I am a fan of pumpkin donuts during pumpkin season, and Peaches and Cream‘s Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Spice look like they would be a great addition to a fall breakfast. The donuts are cake donuts that are loaded up with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, in addition to pumpkin and buttermilk. They’re deep fried so you get a crispy exterior and a moist, soft interior where you can taste all those warm spices. You could finish these off with a glaze, but here they’re finished with a sprinkle of spiced cinnamon sugar.
• I heart Eating also made pumpkin donuts, but these are Baked Pumpkin Donuts that don’t require the use of a deep frier. Like the fried donuts above, these cake donuts are made with plenty of spices and real pumpkin puree, but they are baked in a donut pan to give them that classic donut look without any added fat. They’re finished off with a generous splash of chocolate glaze.
• Another pumpkin breakfast option is La Creme de la Crumb‘s Puffy Pumpkin Waffles. These aren’t light and delicate waffles, they’re thick and hearty waffles that will fill you up on a cool morning and are meant to be loaded up with maple syrup – which is a great flavor match for the pumpkin in the waffle recipe. The recipe is easy to whip up and makes a relatively small batch, so you can easily treat yourself to some homemade waffles for breakfast without having to wait for a special occasion.