I'm not here to hate on Pumpkin Spice; personally, I think it's delicious in everything except coffee. But there are so many other sweet, delicious fall flavors that aren't plastered in memes across the internet and I think they deserve some attention. Here is a collection of some of my favorite personal recipes that incorporate the other wonderful foods and spices of the autumn season.

Butternut Squash Bread

• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cups pureed cooked butternut squash
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/3 cup raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. Beat sugar and shortening together in a bowl until fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, then butternut squash, and water.
3. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, pecans and raisins.
4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture slowly and mix until just blended. Pour batter into loaf pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on wire rack.
   
   

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 ¼ cups dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine oats, flour, salt, and baking soda; stir into butter mixture one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Ginger Apple Crisp

Apples

• 10 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced (granny smith or honey crisp recommended)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ cup water

Crisp

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Combine sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly to cover all of the apples.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apples.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Chai Banana Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup chai tea
• ½ teaspoon ground clove
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 Degrees C). Place paper baking cups into 2 12 count muffin trays and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a seperate dish combine: clove, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon.
3. In medium bowl combine: flour, salt, baking powder, and 2 tsp of the spice mixture, set aside.
4. In a large bowl beat butter until fluffy and add eggs one at a time until combined then beat in vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture alternating between that and milk until all ingredients are combined.
5. Divide batter evenly into 24 muffin cups, bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool on drying rack

Banana Frosting

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup mashed bananas
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• remaining spice mixture from cupcakes

Cream together butter, banana, lemon juice, vanilla and spice mixture. Slowly add confectioners sugar, adding more if needed to lighten density of frosting. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.