Thanksgiving was a little bit unusual this year for us — as I’m sure it was for everyone else in the world. So the cookies had to be quirky, too. This little guy was the perfect addition to our dessert table, which also consisted of other new things like gingerbread pudding cake and chocolate mousse bars. No pie? Nope. Not this year. You see, the only kind of pie we all like is banana cream pie, which just didn’t seem like the right pie for the occasion. Enter this goofy-looking turkey cookie to save the day by providing a smile and a sugar rush.

The liquid amber trees in our yard are starting to drop leaves and I find great satisfaction in raking them up ... at least at the beginning of the season. I know I’ll grow weary of it in a week or two, but the first signs of autumn always give me joy. These beautiful, messy trees also inspired me to create cutout cookies and multi-colored Autumn Leaves are the result. I had so much fun making them and decorating them. I must admit that when it comes to leaves...baking them is more satisfying than raking them.

Chocolate and Cinnamon? Absolutely! The combination of chocolate and warm autumn spices make an irresistible bite...and a surprising sandwich cookie. When I gave a plate of these Chocolate-Filled Pumpkin Cookies to a friend, she expected my tried-and-true vanilla bean cookie filled with dark chocolate ganache. She was pleasantly surprised by the cinnamon-sugar coating and the pumpkin spices in the cookie itself and how well these flavors complemented the chocolate. In between bites, she mused on whether she would share a few with her family or keep them all for herself.