Cinnamon Vanilla Pancakes:
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Honey Butter:
1 stick butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey

Cinnamon Vanilla Pancakes:
In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients. Spoon desired amount of batter onto a lightly oiled pan. Cook, over medium heat until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook for about a minute longer.

Honey Butter:
Using a hand mixer, blend together the butter and honey. Top warm pancakes with a pat or two of honey butter and serve.

Yields 8 4-inch pancakes.

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.

In a small bowl, lightly coat the blueberries in flour. This will help them stay suspended in the muffins. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir in the sugar and melted butter.

Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and combine until flour is just moistened. Fold in the blueberries. Batter will be lumpy.

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tops are golden. Remove from oven and let muffins cool on a wire rack.

Yields 12 muffins.

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray four ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and 1/4 cup of the honey, cinnamon and salt until well blended. Set aside.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of honey into each ramekin. Pour the milk mixture into the ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a baking pan. Pour water into the pan so that it comes three-quarters up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the flans are almost set. Let them cool, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

To serve: invert ramekins onto a serving plate and garnish with toasted coconut.

Yields 4 servings.

Don’t ask me why or how, but I dreamt about this cake last night. Soft spongey-cakey goodness accompanied by silky whipped cream flavored with cinnamon and chocolate. Oh yes, dreaming was bliss last eve.

Cake:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
5 eggs, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Chocolate Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup semi-sweet OR bitter-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled (but still liquid)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow and thickened. Fold the yolk mixture into the egg white mixture. Fold in the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently touched.

Let the cake cool in the baking pan for about 15 minutes then invert onto a sheet of parchment or waxed paper, dusted with powdered sugar. Gently roll the cake and let sit while preparing the filling.

Chocolate Cream:
Using an electric hand mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate. Add in the sugar. Stir the chocolate mixture back into the reserved whipped cream.

Assembly:
Unroll the cake and peel the top sheet of  parchment paper away from the cake (if haven’t done so already). Spread the cinnamon chocolate cream to within 1 inch of the edges. Starting from a short end, gently roll the cake and slide onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Chill, covered, until ready to serve. Slice into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Yields about 6 servings.

I love, love, love making cookies. For me, they are the easiest sweet treat to make. While trying to fins some inspiration for holiday baking within my cupboards, I cam across some Quaker oats and a bag of dried cranberries. I figured if raisins can go in oatmeal cookies, so can dried cranberries. The hint of orange and clove add a little something special.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
3 cups quick-cooking OR old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla and orange zest. Stir in flour mixture. Add in oats and cranberries; mix well.

Drop cookies by the spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a wire rack.

Yields about 4 dozen cookies.

1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
Blueberry jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the egg, milk and vanilla. Stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil.

Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and combine until flour is just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

Fill 1/3 of each muffin cup with batter. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of blueberry jam and fill with remaining batter, until muffin cup is 3/4 full.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops are golden. Remove from oven and let muffins cool on a wire rack.

Yields 10-12 muffins.

1 cup (2 sticks) salted sweet cream butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups mini maple chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients; mix until just incorporated. Fold in maple chips.

Drop spoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a wire rack.

Yields about 3 dozen cookies.

Apples and cinnamon are a classic flavor combination. I love the way they work together in this recipe. If you prefer there to be some apple chunks in your ice cream, do not puree all of the apples and wait to add the apple chunks until the ice cream is near done freezing.

1 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. Stirring occasionally, cook the apples until they are very soft. Using a food processor or blender, puree the apples and their cooking liquid together until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, heavy cream, milk, vanilla and lemon juice until sugar dissolves. Stir in the apple puree.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow maker’s directions.

Yields about 1 quart.

Brownies are delicious. So is cinnamon. And raspberries. All three in combination make a super yummy, mouth-watering, gotta-have-it-now treat.

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) salted sweet cream butter, melted
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon raspberry extract
Powdered sugar (optional)
Whole raspberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, vanilla and raspberry extract until fluffy. Set aside.

In small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and melted butter. Slowly pour chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while whisking. Stir in the flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until done in center. Remove from oven and let cool. Top with raspberries and powdered sugar if desired.

Yields 9 brownies.