Fruit Recipes and Nut Recipes

We are going to explore fruit recipes and nut recipes from the many fruit and nut trees that are ready to harvest in autumn time. Pears, walnuts or figs are some of the few. Nuts are in season in autumn but these days, of course, they are available year round.

Depending on where you live you will see a variety of fruits and vegetables available this time of year. If you visit a farmers market or even your grocery store you will see what is in season for fruits and vegetables on sale now. Enjoy these fruit recipes and nut recipes with your kids and help instill healthy eating and learning about nutrition.

Fruit Recipes: Pears

pear fruit recipes for kids cooking activities

Learn about Pear Food Facts which also includes a fruit recipe.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Pears
Small pkg of strawberry cream cheese
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pear, unpeeled and halved
1 teaspoon lemon juice
In a bowl have child blend cream cheese and brown sugar. Have adult cut pear in half and scoop seeds out. Child can spread lemon juice over pear and then spread cream cheese mixture on top.

Pear and Nut Pizzas
Pizza crust
Chopped pears
Chopped nuts
Brown sugar
Nutmeg
Vanilla yogurt
Bake pizza crust until golden brown. Layer pears and nuts over top of pizza and sprinkle with brown sugar and nutmeg. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until sugar is melted. Serve a slice of pizza with a scoop of vanilla yogurt on the side.

Pear Pancakes
Try adding chopped or pureed pears to your pancake batter for a little extra nutrition and flavor.

Baked Pears in the Crockpot
4 ripe pears baked pears photo for kids cooking fruit recipes

baked pears photo for kids cooking fruit recipes

1 Cup raisins
Ľ Cup walnuts or pecans, optional
˝ Cup maple syrup
Ľ Cup butter
˝ teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon
Core pears and place in crock pot. Fill the center of the pears with raisins and nuts. In bowl mix together syrup, melted butter and vanilla. Pour over pears. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook in crock pot on high for 2 hours.

Fruit Recipes: Cranberries

Learn about Cranberry Food Facts

Cranberry Coconut Bars
Crust:
1 1/4 Cups flour
3/4 Cup oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup butter, melted or softened
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup toasted walnuts or pecans
1 Cup shredded coconut
To prepare crust, stir together flour, oats, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl. In separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add to flour mixture and blend together. Mix in pecans and coconut with a mixing spoon. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of crust mixture. In baking pan, press remaining crust ingredients in bottom of 13 x9 inch greased pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Filling:
2 Cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 Cup dried sweetened cranberries
2/3 Cup white sugar
1/2 Cup water
In saucepan add cranberries, fresh and dried, sugar and water. Cook 10-15 minutes stirring often. Cranberries will pop open and you can mash them while you are stirring. Cool slightly then pour over crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 1/2 crust mixture you set aside earlier on top of the cranberries. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Fruit Recipes: Figs

Learn about Fig Food Facts which also includes a fruit recipe.

If fresh figs are not available in your area, try dried figs from the dried fruit section in your grocery store. They can be chopped up and used in quick breads, cookies or fruit recipes.

Baked Figs Dessert
In a glass, 11x8 or 8x8, pan place figs, stems down, until pan is completely filled tight. Prick each fig with a fork in several places to let steam out and the sugar juices to drip in. Sprinkle all with brown sugar and lemon juice. Bake at 300 degrees for one hour. You can serve with ice cream, if desired.

Fig Cake
2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup oil
3 eggs
1-1/2 Cup pureed fresh figs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Cups flour
1/2 Cup milk
1 Cup chopped pecans
In mixing bowl blend sugar, oil and eggs. Have an adult puree figs in blender. Add figs to sugar mixture. Then add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt. Add in flour and milk and stir until well blended. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Fig Nut Brownies
6 oz. Semisweet chocolate
10 Tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Ľ Cup flour
1 ˝ Cup sugar
˝ teaspoon salt
1 pinch baking powder
1 Cup chopped figs
1/3 Cup chopped nuts
Place butter and chocolate in microwave safe dish and cook in 20 second intervals until melted. Stir until well blended. Pour into mixing bowl. Add eggs, vanilla and sugar. Blend. Then add flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix together. Stir in figs and nuts. Grease 13x9 pan and pour mixture into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Fruit Recipes: Coconuts

photo of coconut fruit recipes

Fresh coconuts are available year round but their peak season starts in October.

Learn about Coconut Food Facts which also includes a fruit recipe.

Coconut Pumpkin Bread or Muffins
3 ˝ Cups all-purpose flour
2 Cups packed brown sugar
2/3 Cup white sugar
1(15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 Cup vegetable oil
2/3 Cup coconut milk (can use plain milk also; coconut milk makes the bread moist)
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ˝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 Cup flaked coconut
1 Cup chopped walnuts, toasted, optional
1 Cup raisins, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans or make into muffins. Combine flour, sugars, pumpkin, oil, coconut milk, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix until well blended. Fold in coconut, raisins and nuts. Pour into prepared pans. Bake loaves about 1 hour. Muffins should bake about 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cover with foil tightly, and allow to steam 10 minutes. Remove foil and turn out onto cooling rack. Tent lightly with the foil. Allow to cool completely.

Coconut Cream Pie
2/3 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup cornstarch
2 Tablespoons flour
Ľ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3 Cups milk
1 Tablespoon butter
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Ľ Cups shredded coconut flakes
baked 9 in pie crust, cooled
In saucepan, stir sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt together. Stir in eggs until mixture is well blended. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until boils. Continue boiling and stirring one minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Stir in coconut until blended; pour into baked pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours. Before serving top pie with whipped topping and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

coconut cream pie photo for kids cooking fruit recipes

How to Toast Coconut
To toast coconut, spread coconut in a ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered in 350° oven 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Use for topping pies, puddings, or ice cream.

Add coconut to your homemade granola.

Learn how to make granola.

Other Autumn Fruits Include

Dates
Pomegranates
Persimmon
Quince
Try finding one of these unique fruits at your grocery store and having a taste test with your family or experiment with some fruit recipes of your own.

Nut Recipes

nut recipes

Learn about Nut Food Facts

Nuts are great in breads, toppings, cakes, casserole dishes and they are a great snack. They are available to us year round thanks to the conveniences of today but autumn time is their true peak season.

Sugared nuts
1 Tablespoon, slightly beaten, large egg whites
2 Cups pecans halves, whole almonds or walnut halves
1/4 Cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Beat egg white in small bowl. Toast egg whites with nuts. Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to the bowl. Toss to coat. Arrange nuts in cookie sheet, laying flat, and toast at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy cooking these autumn fruit recipes and nut recipes with your kids!