Every season has something to love but fall has a special place in our hearts. After all, it’s harvest season here in Wisconsin and that means trips to the pumpkin patch, warm fuzzy flannels, apple-picking, and of course—lots of cheese. This recipe guide features four of our most treasured autumn recipes featuring seasonal staples like pumpkins and butternut squash. Don’t forget to check out our harvest issue of Grate.Pair.Share for even more autumn-themed inspiration.
Harvest Pumpkin Cheese Board
We’re sort of the experts when it comes to building the perfect seasonal cheese board, and with so many things to love about the harvest season we thought it was nothing less than our civic duty to bring some of them together.
This cheese board features rustic, hearty cheeses that fit the fall vibe and complement other seasonal goodies like pumpkin butter and pumpkin seeds.
The seasonal accompaniments make this the ultimate cheese board celebrating the harvest season. Feel free to add your own cheeses to supplement our featured cheeses—the more the merrier!
Featured Cheeses
Carr Valley Apple Smoked Fontina: Infused with fresh apples and a slight smokiness that reminds you of breezy nights around the fire pit, this one-of-a-kind fontina belongs on any autumn-themed cheese board. Led by Master Cheesemaker, Sid Cook, Carr Valley Cheese is one of Wisconsin’s oldest and most decorated cheesemakers so you know this is one fantastic fontina.
Saxon® Saxony Alpine Style: Every fall cheese board deserves a hearty alpine-style cheese. This alpine-style from Saxon Creamery is particularly special. Saxon Creamery took inspiration from traditional methods but gave it their own Wisconsin flare. The result? A slightly sweeter and brighter cheese with hints of hazelnut and butterscotch.
Deppeler’s Baby Swiss: This snackable and mellow baby swiss from Cedar Valley Cheese is one of those cheeses that simply everyone will like. It’s soft, slightly sweet, and every bite tastes better than the last. Buy extra, you’ll need it.
Cheese board Accompaniments
Thinly sliced salami
Pumpkin butter
Thinly sliced capicola
Pirouette cookies
Toffee or candied pecans
Fresh sage leaves
Get the recipe for our Harvest Pumpkin Cheese Board.
Parmesan Roasted Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix
What makes a good snack? For us, it’s the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and crunchy that keeps you coming back for just one more bite. Plus, nothing says fall like the smell of freshly toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.
This recipe takes two of our favorite fall snacks: pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries, and craft a cheesy snack mix that will take you back to tractor rides around the pumpkin patch.
Featured Cheese
Nordic Creamery Parmesan: Everything tastes better with parmesan, case in point: pumpkin seeds. Nordic Creamery’s Parmesan coaxes the subtle nuttiness of toasted pumpkin seeds into a truly flavorful snack that’s great on its own, but even better alongside some dried cranberries and dark chocolate chunks. We love Nordic Creamery’s handcrafted parmesan for its approachable mild flavor and creamy texture that makes it a perfect alternative to traditional flaky parmesan.
Fun Fact: Having trouble finding a specific cheese featured in our recipes? You can get your favorite Wisconsin cheeses delivered right to your door with our constantly updated list of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers that offer online ordering and shipping. Award-winning Wisconsin cheese is just a click away.
Get the recipe for our Parmesan-Roasted Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix.
Mascarpone Pumpkin Pie Squares
We’re suckers for tradition, but regular ole pumpkin pie can leave you wanting a little something more. Enter our Mascarpone-Pumpkin Pie Squares. As always—the magic starts with the cheese.
This recipe is everything you love about pumpkin pie, turned up to 11.
Adding mascarpone to our pumpkin filling gives it a light fluffiness and subtle sweetness that the regular pie can’t quite match. That’s not all though. We mix our graham cracker pie crust with gingersnap cookies for some extra zing to balance the richness of the filling. We like baking our Mascarpone Pumpkin Pie in a 13 x 9 baking pan, but you can easily bake it in a regular pie tin as well.
Featured Cheese
Cello® Rich and Creamy Mascarpone: This award-winning mascarpone from Cello Cheese is soft, airy, and perfectly balanced with sweet and tart flavors. It’s the ideal addition for any desert—but especially pumpkin pie.
Get the recipe for our Mascarpone Pumpkin Pie Squares.
Butternut Squash Parmesan Pasta
If there’s one thing we know about amazing pasta dishes, it’s that you never need to ask parmesan to add cheese. Our Butternut Squash Parmesan Pasta capitalizes on everything that makes this classic fall pasta dish so great.
Here's an impressive seasonal dish that's simple, fast, and most importantly—delicious.
The combination of starchy al-dente pasta, semi-sweet butternut squash, and nutty parmesan will warm your heart even on a brisk autumn evening. Best of all, this recipe is super easy to make. One pot and 35 minutes is all it takes. You can prep it ahead of time as well—just be careful—one quick bite turns into a whole bowl before you know it.
Featured Cheese
Nordic Creamery Parmesan: When most of us think of parmesan, we think of crystalline, dense cheese. Not this variety of fresh parmesan from Nordic Creamery. This semi-hard cheese has all the nutty goodness of parmesan but toned down to be more approachable and creamy. All the better to melt on top of our pasta.
Recipe Tip: While pre-grated cheese works great in a pinch, it’s no replacement for fresh cheese. Pre-grated cheese often contains additional ingredients that prevent them from incorporating completely when melted.
Get the recipe for our Butternut Squash Parmesan Pasta.
Conclusion
Fall is in the air and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a home-cooked meal with Wisconsin Cheese. If you’re feeling inspired to find something else, try our selection of over 300 handcrafted recipes featuring Wisconsin Cheese. Share your creation with us on Instagram or Facebook and become part of the largest cheese community in the world.
Get all your favorite Wisconsin cheeses delivered right to your door with our continuously updated list of cheesemakers and retailers that allow you to order cheese online. Award-winning Wisconsin cheese is just a click away.
