These scones are the very definition of fall.

They are filled with all the warm spices that make your house smell amazing. They gain their pretty orange color from the pumpkin puree and are topped with a maple glaze and sprinkled with toasted pecans. I mean, it really doesn’t get much more seasonal then that!

The minute I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it and then after I took the pictures and fell even more in love, I knew I had to share them with you immediately.

I have been OVERWHELMED by all the support and followers I have been gaining every day! Thank you so much for being so kind and for supporting my quirky hobby. Gaining so many followers each day has put me under pressure to bake and update often! It’s good pressure, I tend to get lazy so the love keeps me in the kitchen.

Let me know if you have any holiday recipe requests! Thanks again for all the support, I’m continually encouraged and inspired by you!

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It is rainy and gloomy in Chicago.

When it is rainy and cold I want things that are warm and comforting like Lasagna Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Pasta E Fagioli or these toasted  S’mores cupcakes.

Just like a real S’more, these cupcakes are a bit messy when you first bite into them. You will probably end up with marshmallow frosting somewhere on your face or fingers…but isn’t that what a S’more is all about?

When I was a kid growing up in the northwoods of Wisconsin, we would make campfires in the woods behind our house on the weekends. No matter what time of year or weather,  S’mores were always involved (because what is the point of a campfire if you don’t toast marshmallows?).

No matter how careful I tried to be I would always end up with sticky marshmallow on my face…which my hair would inevitably get stuck to. So then I would try to move the hair out of the marshmallow on my face…but I also had marshmallow on my fingers, so my fingers would get stuck to my hair…and the cycle continued all over my body and then onto my clothes. The night would end with me coated in a mixture of  sticky marshmallow covered by grass, dirt, leaves and sticks.

It was awesome.

Lets talk more about these cupcakes now.

I bought a kitchen torch a couple months ago and was really excited to try it out. I knew I wanted to toast something with marshmallow and decided to do a cupcake. I combined a couple recipes I had found on the internet and love the way these cupcakes turned out.

Don’t be intimidated by a kitchen torch! I was at first but once you get used to it you won’t be able to stop toasting things (be careful with the cupcake liners…they catch on fire super easily).

These cupcakes taste great, look fun and would work year round for any event!

You should stock up on these ingredients so you can make cupcakes this weekend. The fall and winter are my favorite times of year to lock myself in my apartment and bake and cook all day!

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Halloween is just around the corner so I figured I would share this cute cheese ball with you!

It is a mixture of cheese, cumin, jalapeno, salsa and onion rolled in crushed Dorito chips.

This would be a super fun appetizer at any Halloween, harvest or fall party. You could even serve it as an appetizer before Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s easy, fun and delicious. Plus, who doesn’t love an excuse to buy a bag of Doritos. I served this with blue corn tortilla chips (because they looked festive) but then we also used leftover Doritos and crackers to dip into this ball as well. It would also taste great with apple slices.

I hope you are enjoying this (freezing) fall weather! Do you have any favorite cheese ball or fall appetizer recipes? I’d love if you shared them with me! I’m always on the hunt for delicious appetizers!

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