The views expressed in this article belong to the reporter, and do not reflect the views held by Rockbridge County High School, the Prowler Staff, and its members.

How many times have I heard someone tell me that their family recipes will “change my life?” Or that their warm chocolate chip cookies are “the best in town”? Well the truth is, most often when I hear these phrases and try the delectable delicacies they put before me, it really is just average. I hate to admit it but my best friend’s cookies are plain. They lack flavor and could use some more chocolate chips. My aunt….well her mac’n cheese is okay but I definitely won’t be asking mom to make it anytime soon. Moral of the story, it’s hard to find an honest opinion regarding recipes and which ones are really worth my time and effort. 

Today we will be examining Prowler Online Layout Editor Maxwell Pearson’s most recent article: “Fall Baking Guide” to determine if his holiday favorites are a yes please or an average squeeze. 

The first thing that Pearson recommended was a swiss roll with a pumpkin cinnamon chiffon cake spiraled around cream cheese frosting.  Honestly, this didn’t sound too bad. How could a cake roll with pumpkin and cream cheese frosting go wrong? This was delicious and lasted around 10 minutes after being given to my family. It’s a definite crowd pleaser and worth your time and effort to create. Not to mention, it sounds fancy and is sure to impress any and all guests. 

The next recipe Pearson recommended was a pureed applesauce and homemade apple cider. The recipe he recommended for both was very simple and didn’t blow me away. They were pretty mediocre and could use some more ingredients to elevate the flavors. I think that part of what makes baking fun is when you are creating treats that not everyone will be lagging to the neighborhood potluck. With that in mind, both of these recipes can most likely be found sprawled across any fall baking cookbook and in every American household. If you’re looking for a classy and simple recipe then these are for you. However, if you are looking to impress and go beyond the traditional apples and cinnamon then you might want to check out a different holiday baking site. 

Pearson gave many ideas on how to use your leftover Halloween candy including homemade chocolate bark, elevated chocolate chip cookies, and even a chocolate fondue sauce. After making all three I have to admit, I have no negative comments. All of these were fairly simple but they were also very efficient and left me and my guests wanting more. While the idea of using your candy to elevate every chocolate dish in existence is not original, the satisfaction that it leaves you with makes you forget the simplicity and typicality of the actual idea. 

At the end of the day, Pearson did a great job giving ideas on how to make the most of your Halloween candy and gave us some pretty reliable and timeless apple and pumpkin recipes. While I found these recipes to be a bit basic, they all tasted good. If you don’t mind housing an average assortment of fall treats then these are for you. However, if you want to go beyond the basics then I would recommend doing some more digging. 

Maxwell Pearson’s Fall Baking Guide: https://rchsprowler.com/features/2021/10/27/fall-baking-guide/