Winter holidays get billed as the biggest baking season, but let me encourage you to rethink this. Fall—which is right around the corner—is the finest time to turn on your ovens, not just for the warmth it spreads through your kitchen, but to make the most of the bountiful produce and big fall flavors. Autumnal ingredients are the coziest ones; it feels like being wrapped in a big hug every time I bite into a warm muffin spiced with cinnamon, or a sugary apple cider doughnut.
Photo by Julia Gartland

Nordic Ware Muffin Pan
$29–$34
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Mosser 3-Piece Colored Glass Mixing Bowl Set
$86–$119
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The queen of all fall flavors is, of course, pumpkin spice. And my new favorite way to pay tribute to the queen? These tender-crumbed muffins filled with a sweet cream cheese maple frosting and topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel. Before you scoff at yet another pumpkin spice recipe, wearily shaking your head at its omnipresence, let me assure you that this recipe will leave you thinking, “Oh! So that’s why pumpkin spice got so popular!”



