Light that fall-scented candle, turn on your favorite Halloween classic, and let’s pretend it’s fall in Florida! (Technically it is officially fall, but the Florida weather takes a while to catch up.)
What better way to celebrate than with some braces-friendly, undeniably-delicious, fall-inspired recipes?
If you’re going through orthodontic treatment, you know eating with braces requires some caution. To prevent damage to your brackets or wires, it’s best to avoid any food that’s especially sticky, hard or chewy until your braces are off and your new smile is revealed.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some seasonal sweets! It just means you can branch out and try some different recipes that won’t require a braces repair. You never know which recipe could become your new favorite.
Check out these delicious, fall-inspired recipes from your favorite team here at Wiewiora & Dunn Orthodontics to kick off the season.
Pumpkin Fudge (Delish Recipe)
Fudge ingredients:
- 3.5 cups of white chocolate chips
- 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, plus a little more for dusting (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- A pinch of kosher salt
Instructions:
- Line an 8”-x-8” pan with parchment paper and grease with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Microwave on medium power for 1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until smooth.
- Fold in pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours, or until the fudge is set.
- Sprinkle with more pumpkin spice, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Home-Made Apple Pie (Recipe by Erin Merhar)
Ingredients for the pie crust:
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 c. cold, unsalted butter (cubed)
- 6 tbsp. very cold water
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Ingredients for the apple pie filling:
- 8 large apples, such as Granny Smith or McIntosh (about 4 pounds total), peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp. heavy cream
Directions:
- For the pie crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- With a pastry cutter, gradually cut the cold butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces form.
- In a small bowl, combine the cold water and apple cider vinegar.
- Add the vinegar mixture to the flour/butter mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently in between each addition. Stir together until all of the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture holds together when pinched with your fingers.
- Turn the mixture out onto a clean countertop and knead 4 to 5 times until combined.
- Divide the dough into two evenly sized balls and flatten each to a disk shape, about 1/2-inch thick (with minimal cracks). Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
- Remove one disk of pie crust from the refrigerator and let it temper for 20 minutes until it is soft enough to roll.
- Roll the pie dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate and trim any overhang to ½-inch. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, while you prep the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 425˚ and place a baking sheet on the bottom rack.
- For the apple pie filling: In a large bowl combine the sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Add the filling into the chilled pie crust, arranging the apples tightly together so that there is little space in between. Top with the butter pieces.
- Roll out the remaining disk of dough on a floured surface into a 13-inch round. Carefully lay the dough over the filling, fold the overhanging dough under the overhang from the bottom crust, and crimp the edges of the crust using a fork.
- Cut a few 1-inch slits in the top crust (to release the steam). Brush the top of the pie with heavy cream.
- Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚ and bake, rotating halfway through, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, 50 to 60 more minutes.
- Transfer to a rack and let cool about 2 hours before slicing.
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Cookie Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
- 2 Cups Flour
- 4 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. Ginger
- (Optional) 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Butter (Sweet Cream Salted)
- 8 oz. block of Cream Cheese
- 3 tsp. Vanilla
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
Baking Instructions:
- Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and pumpkin; mix thoroughly!
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together
- Add the two mixes together and mix until blended.
- Once fully blended, drop a spoonful of the cookie batter onto a cookie sheet.
- The cookies will expand in the oven! Create as many cookies as the batter allows.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.
- Wait 15 minutes for them to cool.
- Ice the cookies with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended.
- Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue to mix until sugar is blended.
- Add cinnamon.
Try out one of these recipes. Or try all three recipes in one night… No one’s judging. Carve out some family time and enjoy any of these fall recipes with your loved ones!
Clean teeth reminder: Don’t forget to brush and floss your teeth after eating sweets. It’s important that you clean your teeth and braces thoroughly to prevent bacteria from building up between your teeth, and around your brackets or wires. Excessive sugar can also wear down your enamel, and your enamel is essential for maintaining strong teeth.
If you’re looking for a top orthodontist in Longwood or Lake Mary, we’d love to meet you! Request a complimentary exam for you or your child today.
