Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins

These are super tasty!  Moist and great gingerbread flavor.  Will make these again!



PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD MUFFINS
adapted from:  http://bakingdom.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup+ 2TBSP brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 3 TSBP plain greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Streusel Topping:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 TBSP Turbinado (coarse) sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBSP melted butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.   Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour, or grease and flour each one, or line with muffin liners; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the sugars.  Add the pumpkin and oil and stir.  Add eggs, vanilla, yogurt and water and stir. Sprinkle about half of the flour mixture over the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture, and mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Place three tablespoons batter into each muffin mold and set aside while you mix the streusel topping.

To make the streusel: In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, and cinnamon together, whisking until thoroughly combined. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and stir with a spoon until you have a mixture that resembles lumpy wet sand. Do not break up the clumps too much.

Divide the streusel evenly between the pans, sprinkling it over the top of the batter.

Bake mini muffins 13-15, regular muffin 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan (they come out easy).  Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Bread (better than Starbucks)

 Pumpkin Season had begun.  AHHH!  I am glad my husband will be here to share in a little bit of it before he leaves (sob!).  Drowning my sorrows in pumpkin baked goods and pumpkin pie creamer sounds about right.

Which brings me to Starbucks pumpkin bread.  Moist, dense, sweet, soooo good.  I could eat it everyday and not tire of it.  I have tried a few recipes to fine my own version and have been disappointed.  So, here I went and adapted one to become my own.  It is better than Starbucks.  Yes... hard to beat, big claim.  But seriously, this bread was so good.

Now it took FOR-E-V-E-R to bake.  Just remember, good things come to those who wait!



PUMPKIN BREAD
yield: 1 glorious loaf

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups flour (I used my mixed grains)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 TBSP
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup canola oil (I subbed less than half of oil for drained applesauce)
• 1 small package cook and serve vanilla pudding

Top with seeds or streusel.

TOPPPING:
1/4-1/3 cup chopped pumpkin seeds, optional

 FOR THE STREUSEL (optional, this bread is still amazing without it)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup pepitas (or pecans, walnuts, or any other nut, chopped)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, room temp (or margarine for vegan/dairy free*)

 DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour (or grantulated sugar) 1 bread pan.
Drain applesauce if using.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, pudding mix, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and sale.  In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and oil (and applesauce is subbing).  Dump dry ingredients into wet.  Stir until flour disappears.
Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Top with pumpkin seeds (Pepitas) or streusel.   (For Streusel: mix it all with your fingers until coarse crumb.  Sprinkle over generously.

Bake at 350 for 70-80 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin Bread (Starbucks)

I think my third pumpkin bread recipe that I have posted.  This recipe is the one I used to spawn off of for my "better than starbucks" recipe.

This is a great recipe for Pumpkin bread.  Not as good as the other I posted, but pretty darn good.  The texture was moist and flavor was very good.  I felt mine was a bit truer to the texture of starbucks, which is what I really wanted to nail.  Anyone else, would make this bread and say it was like starbucks...  I am a bit more picky than the average joe (who is that anyway!?), but this is a fantastic loaf.  Bonus is, it takes less time than "my version", so you can be enjoying pumpkin bread that much sooner. 



PUMPKIN BREAD
 adapted slightly from: likemotherlikedaughters

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup canola oil (I sub. some drained applesauce)
• 1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds, optional or Streusel

 FOR THE STREUSEL (optional, this bread is still amazing without it)

• 1/2 cup ( 127 grams) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (half a stick or 56 grams) unsalted butter, softened

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.
Combine the flour, soda, powder, spices and salt in a bowl.
Beat the eggs, sugars and vanilla together in an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin and the oil and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, or streusel if desired.
Bake 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool in pan 10 minutes, and then turn onto cooling rack to cool completely.
Cut into 8 thick slices for a Starbucks pumpkin experience!

Pumpkin Donut (Doughnut) Muffins

I saw these and instantly wanted to make them.  I made them the same time I made the pumpkin cinnamon rolls, so these had some stiff competition.  The pumpkin cinnamon rolls won, but these are really delicious.  My kids loved them, and chowed them down.  I tried rolling the batter in the cinnamon sugar before and dipping without the butter as well.  While both work, if you are not wanting to add another half stick of butter, they really are great dipped in the butter.  But that is kind of a no brainer.  A little goes a long way with these babies, so I really enjoyed the mini muffins.  The batter made 12 regular sized muffins and about 12-15 baby muffins.  You could also roll these babies in powdered sugar for a little switch up, or make a glaze for them.  But they will be yummy no matter which way you bite them.

PUMPKIN DONUT (DOUGHNUT) MUFFIN
adapted from faithfulnessfarm
yield: 12 regular muffins and 12-15 mini

• 10 TBSP softened butter
• 3 cups Flour (I used some whole grain)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

SUGAR COATING

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups or spray with baking spray. Make batter: In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture; and beat to combine.

I dipped this one before baking.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup, or use ice cream scoop, and bake until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes for mini muffins and 23-28 minutes for large.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush (I dipped, sometimes the whole muffin and other times just the top) all over with melted butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. If not using butter in coating, dip in sugar as soon as possible after removing from oven, as the steam helps the sugar stick.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel and Cream Cheese Icing

These rolls are delicious!  Will be making these every fall for sure!  We all really love the caramel icing and the cream cheese over that.  You could probably half the cream cheese icing.  I had it from pumpkin cinnamon swirl pancakes I had made and thought it would be a nice addition to these.  It was!  This is plenty of sweet for breakfast, so make sure you have some fruit or something savory to offset all this sugar! 
I made these when some friends came into town.  They joked that they were "delectable".  I think so.  Thanks Cristine for the inspiration! 
We actually ate some of the leftovers for dessert too!  Your mouth will be watering far before these reach your mouth.

PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS WITH CARAMEL AND CREAM CHEESE ICING

For the rolls:

• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• scant 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
• 3 1/2-4 cups bread flour (you can use regular all purpose flour but bread flour makes them lighter)

Cinnamon filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 TBSP ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup soft butter

Caramel Frosting:

upside down after turning out of pan

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• dash salt
• 1 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

• 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• milk to thin to drizzly consistency

DIRECTIONS:

Heat milk in microwave briefly to be warm. Sprinkle yeast over and some sugar over and stir.  In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt with paddle attachment. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.

Add the flour to pumpkin mixture. Switch to kneading attachment and knead for 5 minutes.  Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.

Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down. Spray a surface with cooking spray or turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy enough to handle and so it won't stick to the rolling surface. Roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.

In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Smear surface of dough with soft butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, or wax dental floss, cut roll into 12-15 1- inch thick slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 11X17 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled for 30 to 45 minutes, or chill overnight and take out 45 minutes before baking.
Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20-25 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12-15 rolls (mine made 14).

For Caramel Frosting:

In small saucepan, heat butter cook over until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.
Stir in brown sugar and milk. Whisk over medium low heat 1 minute until smooth.  Whisk in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Whisk until all the white clumps disappear.    Mix cream cheese icing ingredients.  Drizzle caramel icing over warm rolls, and drizzle over cream cheese icing over caramel icing.  Serve warm.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Bars

Pumpkin mania continues.  These bars are awesome.  They are the marriage of a bunch of recipes I saw online, and they are addictive.  I usually am okay with a taste of dessert.  I ate like 3 of these bars after having 2 bowls of soup.  Yes, I am a gluttonous pig, and you will join me in that title if you make these.  I put out a plateful for the kids and my husband at the whole plateful. I like them chilled, because you get the crunch of the gingersnap crust, the chewiness of a caramel layer, and the creaminess of the pumpkin topping.  If you are not a cheesecake lover, you will still like these.  The cream cheese lends a creaminess, but you cannot taste it.  Excuse me, I need to go get another one now! You need to make these! 

PUMPKIN GINGERSNAP BARS

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

• about 50 gingersnaps run through food processor to make crumbs
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1/8 cup brown sugar

CARAMEL LAYER:

• 1 bag caramels
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 tbsp butter

PUMPKIN LAYER:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened (I nuked for 30 seconds)
• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 heaping cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• dash salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if you like less spice down this to 1 tsp.)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 cup molasses

STREUSEL:

• 1/3 cup sugae
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Crush gingersnaps and pulse in melted butter and brown sugar.  Spread in a 9x13 pan.  Bake for 7-9 minutes until butter bubbles a bit. 
Unwrap caramels and in a double boiler or microwave safe bowl, place caramels, cream and butter.  If using microwave, stir at 30-60 second intervals, and if a double boiler, let it hang out, stirring periodically, while you work on the pumpkin layer.  I did the double boiler and it worked out great.  When caramel is melted  and smooth, dump over gingersnaps.  I tilted the pan and let the caramel pool to one side, then the other, until it was distributed.  The spatula seemed to pull the crust, so this method works great for spreading the caramel. 

This picture is so off center.  ah well!

For the pumpkin layer, whisk cream cheese, and pumpkin together.  Add eggs and vanilla and whisk.  Add brown sugar, vanilla, salt, spices and molasses and whisk until smooth.  Pour over caramel, titling pan if necessary to distribute evenly.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes while preparing streusel.  Mix streusel ingredients together until it is about like bread crumbs, remove pan and sprinkle evenly over top.
Return to oven and bake additional 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  When cooked, remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes and chill for at least an hour before serving.  The crust will need some pressure to cut and a very sharp knife.  Cut and serve chilled.

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti

With an Italian grandmother, I was exposed plenty to biscotti and I was never a fan.  Too dry and I just didn't understand how that could be a cookie.  Alas, I have grown old, and now I like it.  Funny how tastes change, isn't it? Well, even if you don't like biscotti, I dare you not to like this.  It is amazing!  Not going to lie, this was a bit time consuming.  Took me 40 minutes to make the dough.  Of course, with lots of interruptions like wiping noses (I washed my hands people!) and helping with schoolwork.  But, it was not difficult to make.  It smells amazing while cooking.  This recipe is my own version, a mix from a friends fabulous blog-- chasingsomebluesky, and a book Once Upon a Tart.  Enjoy!

PUMPKIN SPICE BISCOTTI

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 1/2 cups flour (I used at least 1/3 mix of whole wheat and oat flour)*
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature and separated
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 stick melted butter, cooled
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• scant 2/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 craisins
• 1 cup white chocolate chips and 1/2 tsp shortening

DIRECTIONS:

A bit of chocolate in each bite!

Remove eggs from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and spices.  Set aside.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Working with a mixer (or by hand if you are looking for some exercise), whisk egg whites until stiff peak forms and beat in about half the sugar.  In another bowl, beat yolks with remaining sugar until pale and sugar is incorporated.  Add vanilla, almond extract and cooled melted butter.  Gently fold in about half the egg whites, then the other half until combined.  Add raisins, craisins and almonds and fold in gently.  Add flour and mix gently until flour disappears.
Flour a surface and your hands and divide dough into 2 equal parts.  Form two somewhat flat loaves about 3" wide and 12 " long.  This is rough... not a science.  Transfer carefully to baking sheet (I put both on one sheet, but you can you 2 if you want) and bake at 350 for 40 minutes until just golden on edges.
Let cool for 30 minutes and slice with a serrated knife carefully on a slight diagonal, pressing down rather than sawing, making about 1/2" slices.  Spread on sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, turning over, then baking another 10-12 minutes,  until crisp and golden brown.  Allow to cool on wire rack.  Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or in microwave and drizzle or dip into it.  Enjoy!

*HINT:  In my canister, I mix my all-purpose unbleached flour with oat flour and whole wheat.  At least half all purpose flour.  That way, when I make baked goods, I am doing part whole grains without even thinking about it.  And know what?  I can't even tell with any of the sweets.  They are still fabulous.

Pumpkin Cornbread

 We all really loved this cornbread.  The kids were calling it cake.  It is great just slathered with some butter, or a bit of honey, or even honey butter.  This comes together quickly and is a winner cornbread.  Would go great with a cup of chili.  Pumpkin is chock full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, so bake away!  BTW, I don't eat this obscene amount of butter on my cornbread... though I wish I could.  *sigh*

PUMPKIN CORNBREAD

 from yummly.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (more if you like a sweeter cornbread)
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon molasses

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8×8″ cake pan or round cake pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,or a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, and molasses.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top.
Bake 23-30 minutes (mine was 25 minutes and I would have like it a little less done) or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Risotto with Pan Seared Sea Scallops

This is one of those dishes I wished I could keep eating.  I wanted to lick my plate and did run my finger along it and lick it.  Gross, I know, but it was that good.  Super creamy, and the rice was done perfectly.  It was tender, but still firm, and was just really great.  The sea scallops are optional, but I think they added a lot to the dish.  They added a lightness.  It was also to have something "meaty" against the creaminess of the risotto.  I will so be making this again!  This is a time consuming dish.  Took 35-45 minutes all told, and you are kinda tied to the stove.  But it is pretty easy.  A wonderful fall dish!

PUMPKIN RISOTTO WITH PAN SEARED SEA SCALLOPS
adapted from: http://straightfromthefarm.net 
serves 4-6 adults


INGREDIENTS:

For the risotto:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 4 TBSP butter, divided
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large (or 5 small)garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup diced pumpkin, roasted
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• 1 bag or scant 2 cups risotto
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped (opt)

for scallops:

• scallops
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 TBSP olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

 Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Cut the pumpkin in half with a very sharp knife (be careful!) and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon.
Use a good vegetable peeler to remove the skin and cut the pumpkin into small cubes.  Place pumpkin cubes on baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and toss to coat evenly.  Add salt, rosemary, and pepper.   Place in preheated oven and bake until tender and golden at the edges, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile,(I love that word, so story teller-ish) put the stock in a saucepan over low heat to come to a simmer.
Melt 3 TBSP butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 TBSP olive oil.  When it is melted, add the onion and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the rice and stir for about two minutes so it can get coated with the butter and toast.  Add the wine, and let simmer for a minute or two until the wine is absorbed.
Add  the pumpkin puree and 2 ladle-fuls of hot stock to the risotto and stir constantly until it is absorbed.  Add another 2 ladles of stock and repeat until rice is cooked but still has a little firmness.  Add the last TBSP of butter, the Parmesan cheese, parsley if desired and cubed pumpkin. Finally, finish the risotto by adding pepper and salt to taste. 

the scallops had a nice browned crust... perfect!

For Scallops:
Have scallops thawed, remove the tough band, and patted very dry with paper towels.  Season with some salt and pepper. When about half the stock is gone place butter and oil in pan and turn on medium high.  Wait until it is screaming hot but not smoking, and add scallops to pan.  Cook on each side 4-7 minutes depending on how big they are.  Mine were huge so they had to go longer.  Cook until a deep golden brown and turn.  Do the same on the other side.  Serve over the risotto. 
Serve immediately while hot.

Pumpkin Scones (like Starbucks)

These scones are amazingly awesome and I think they are every bit as good as the Starbucks ones, which really surprised me.  They are tender, full of pumpkin flavor and have just the right amount of spice for me. 
Love the icings.  My only complaint about these is you have to wait forever to eat them after they are done.  You have to wait for them to cool before icing them, and then wait for the icing to harden to eat them. Way too long.  So, mine were not as pretty as they should be because I certainly did not wait until they were cool to ice them, and there was no way I was going to wait an hour to eat them.  And, they were still delish!


PUMPKIN SCONES (like Starbucks)
slightly adapted from
http://allsecretrestaurantrecipes.com 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 large egg

ICING I

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

ICING II

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ginger
• 1 pinch ground cloves

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 10-12 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 4 equal pieces in width. Cut those Four slices diagonally so that you have 8 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 14–16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

To make the plain glaze:

1. Mix the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth.
2. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint, or dump carefully, plain glaze over the top of each scone.

To make the spiced icing

Combine the ingredient for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least 1 hour). A squirt bottle works great for this, or you can drizzle with a spoon or whisk.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is wonderful.  Seriously a great drink and made my morning.  I am not a regular coffee drinker.  I adore coffee, but I don't do well with caffeine, so coffee is a treat instead of a daily thing.  Well, this morning, I decided that what those pumpkin snickerdoodles needed was a cup of tea, or better yet, a pumpkin spice latte!
So, I did my norm. . .  looked up some recipes on the internet and made my own.  Now the pumpkin milk concoction is awesome on its own and if you have kids, I think they would love that alone as a warm drink.  Mine were fighting over my leftovers.  So, maybe double this recipe and warm some up for the kiddies?  This makes enough for 2 or three cups of joe, so you will have some leftovers for a second cup, or a cup tomorrow.  And you will want another cup.  I am strategizing now on how I can justify a cookie and latte as my lunch. 

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
adapted from http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com

INGREDIENTS:

• strong coffee (2 TBSP of coffee per cup of water when brewing)
• 1/3- 1/2 cup (I did a bit more because I love pumpkin) pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash nutmeg
• 2 cups milk (I used skim but can use almond, rice or even half and half if you dare!)
• 3 TBSP sugar (I like mine sweet so I used 4 or 5 TBSP, but I have a wicked sweet tooth)
• 1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Brew your coffee.  Combine milk, sugar, vanilla, spices, and pumpkin in a blender or with a whisk until frothy.  Warm over stove or in a measuring cup.  I only warmed what I would need for my coffee in the microwave.  Whisk again to make frothy and do about equal parts coffee and milk concoction.  Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon.    Note: Spices will not disintegrate completely.
*update-  I subbed out 2 TBSP of molasses and 1 TBSP of honey for the sugar and unsweetened vanilla almond milk or the milk.  Still delicious and the kids loved it just as much when I warmed up just the milk concoction!

Pasta with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

This was a nice change for the traditional cream sauce.  The sauce was thick and creamy and had a hint of fall spice, a bit of sweetness, and was tasty.  Next time I make it I will add a veggie of some sort, because I am a veggie girl and missed having a veggie in my pasta.  This is a great way to sneak some vitamin packed pumpkin into your kids!  A side note:  my daughter could taste and did not care for the cinnamon in this.  I liked it in it.  So maybe start small and work your way up if you opt to add it.

PASTA WITH PUMPKIN SAGE CREAM SAUCE
adapted from Washington Post

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 sweet onion, minced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 3 TSBP fresh sage, chopped fine, or 2 tsp. dry sage
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (opt.)
• fresh grated nutmeg or 1/4-1/2 tsp
• 3-4 TBSP white wine to deglaze
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup half and half (fat-free works fine)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to directions (salt the water).  Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook for about 8 minutes, reducing heat to medium after about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another few minutes.  Add wine to deglaze or if pan seems dry.  Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken broth, half and half and 1/2 the sage.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce get thickened.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add nutmeg and cinnamon.  Add about half the cheese and remaining sage and pasta to pan.  Mix.  Top with remaining cheese for serving.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

I think calling these snickerdoodles is a little bit of a misnomer.  While these cookies are absolutely delicious, and may resemble the taste of a snickerdoodle, they are very different in texture.  This is far more cakey and less crunchy/chewy cookie.  However, they are still great and I would totally make them again.  I added cream of tartar to the recipe, because a "true" snickerdoodle has cream of tartar ;-)  and I was glad I did.  Also, a side note-- as a lover of chewy and undercooked cookies, these really are not very good unless they are fully cooked.  I underbaked one batch and while we suffered through and ate every last one, they were not as good as the fully baked variety.   These are FABULOUS with a cup of coffee or tea.  I had one for breakfast ;-) So, here is the recipe for this great cookie!

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES
original recipe from 
http://dlynz.com/?p=3288
I found it on:
http://annies-eats.net/2011/09/23/pumpkin-snickerdoodles/

 Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

For the cookies:

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• Dash of allspice

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.  Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. 

 Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes with Apples and Streusel

My family loved these pancakes.  I was concerned because they certainly did not look pretty.  I thought maybe it would be an unsuccessful experiment.  But nope... not pretty, but very tasty! (Sorry about the bad picture, I tried to show both sides of the pancake.) A wonderful fall pancake! It has all things fall in it:  pumpkin, apples and spice.  They are a bit time consuming, but I will be making these again.  They are huge pancakes when you spread the batter, and each of my kids ate 2!  Even my 2 year old.  YUM!

PUMPKIN SPICE PANCAKES WITH APPLES AND STREUSEL



adapted from Annie-eats

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 large egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced very thin

STREUSEL:

• 3 TBSP butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 TBSP flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Peel and core apples, then slice very thin.  In a small  bowl, mix streusel ingredients with fingers of fork.  Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices and stir with a whisk to combine.  Mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, egg and oil or butter in a small bowl.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combine.  (If the batter is too thick, thin with a little bit of milk until it seems workable to you.)
Preheat the oven to 200° F.  Have an oven safe plate or serving dish ready.  Heat a greased skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add a ladleful of batter to the pan, spreading batter out with the backside of the ladle to make the pancake larger.   Place slices of apple around the uncooked side, fanning out from the middle.  Let cook until bubbles begin to form on the top surface.  Carefully flip with a spatula and then sprinkle tops with streusel.  Let cook for a few minutes until apples are tender.  Transfer the cooked pancake to the oven safe dish, and place in the oven to keep warm.  Repeat with the rest of the batter until it has all been cooked, regreasing the pan as needed.  Serve warm maple syrup, and/or whipped cream.

Pumpkin Roll

A wonderful dessert.  I was intimidated to make this.  But it is not really that hard, and very pretty.  My brilliant husband didn't understand how I got the filling in there.  It is so nice to be smarter than him in one area!  ;-)
They say the pumpkin roll gets better as it sits, but I think it was pretty good from the start.  Will definitely be making this again! 

PUMPKIN ROLL
adapted from:
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2008/11/pumpkin-rolls.html

•  3 eggs
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Pumpkin
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Ginger
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg

Filling:

• 1 8oz Cream Cheese- softened
• 1/4 Cup Butter – soften
• 1 Cup Powder Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes.  While that is mixing measure out dry ingredients, and whisk.   Stream in sugar slowly.  Add pumpkin, lemon juice and vanilla.  Mix.  Turn mixer to low and add dry ingredients slowly.   Mix until incorporated.
Grease and flour cookie sheet – pour batter rectangular shape (don’t fill entire length of the cookie sheet, it makes it easier to get off later) Bake 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Sprinkle 1/4-1/2 C Powder Sugar on terrycloth towel. I would put more just to ensure that your roll doesn't stick to your cloth. Loosen with spatula and flip on to the towel, break off any crusty ends and eat them, and gently roll with towel and let cool in fridge.  (Make sure entire thing is loose or you will have a catastrophe like I did with my first.) After about 30-40 minutes, unroll, put in filling, and roll back up.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on a piece of wax paper and wrap it tightly and twist the ends of the wax paper and refrigerate. It's really hard to not crack the dough when rolling but if it does don't stress. Also, slightly dampening the cloth helps. It'll all go back together when you put it in the fridge. It is way better the next day after it's been completely refrigerated. Cut into 1 inch slices to serve.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal with Streusel Topping

 

 This oatmeal is delicious.  The best part is the topping so don't skimp on it!  Not too sweet, full of pumpkin flavor.  It is like oatmeal in a cake form.  I suppose you could pour some milk over it as well.  We did just syrup and we enjoyed it very much! 

BAKED PUMPKIN OATMEAL W/ STREUSEL TOPPING

adapted from http://www.recipegirl.com

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• packed 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 apple- peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 3 cups milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 TBSP softened butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine oats, sugar, raisins, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; mix until combined. Pour into prepared dish. Put in oven.  Meanwhile, prepare streusel topping.  

Bake 30 minutes, then sprinkle the streusel on top. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until the oatmeal feels set and firm and streusel is crunchy looking.
Serve warm with plenty of warmed syrup.

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts (Doughnuts) with Cinnamon Vanilla Glaze

So, I bought a donut pan about two months ago and have yet to use it.  My kids love donuts, (what kid doesn't?) and I just have not gotten around to making them.  This was the morning I broke in the pan.
We devoured these as a family. Very sweet and tender.  My husband said they were almost like a mini bundt cake.   The glaze was so good I wanted to like my plate.  How is that for honesty? 


BAKED PUMPKIN DONUTS
yield: about 10
          ADAPTED FROM 
http://culinarycory.com/2008/10/13/baked-pumpkin-donuts/

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP. milk
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Cream together the brown sugar, canned pumpkin, eggs, milk, butter and vanilla extract until the butter is well incorporated.  With your mixer on medium low speed, or by hand like I did, slowly add the dry sifted ingredients to the wet mixture.  Mix until just barely combined.  Be careful of over mixing.
Spray the donut pan with cooking spray.  Put a few big spoonfuls of batter into a sandwich bag.  Cut about 1/2" off a corner and pipe into each donut mold the pumpkin batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the exterior springs back when touched.  Allow to cool for a few minutes then dip into cinnamon glaze.

Cinnamon Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP. milk
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
Mix until smooth and creamy.  The glaze should pour easily from a spoon.  You may need to add additional milk or powder sugar to get the right consistency.

Pumpkin Squares

It's pumpkin and apple season!  Let the baking commence!  So excited, and so glad I stocked up on about 20 cans of pumpkin last holiday season.  No pumpkin available until the end of this month at the earliest at our local grocer.
My mom told me these were great.  A little bit of heaven if you ask me.  The spices are so wonderful and smell AMAZING while baking.  They taste as good as they smell.  Who needs pumpkin pie when I could have these?  A must make this fall season!

PUMPKIN SQUARES

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

• 1 cup cold butter
• 2 cup all pupose flour
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup brown sugar (I used dark)

MIDDLE:

• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla

TOPPING:

• 1/2 cups nuts
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1 TBSP flour

(I think next time I will cut the butter in the crust by a few TBSP's and see if it makes a difference. )

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut butter in small pieces.  Combine flour, oatmeal and brown sugar for the crust with mixer.  Add butter and mix with mixer until crumbly and coarse crumb texture.  Press into 9x13 pan.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix middle layer.  Sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and cloves.  Add eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and condensed milk.  Whisk until well combined and smooth.  Poor over warm crust and bake for 20 minutes.

While that bakes, chop nuts to coarse chop.  Mix with brown sugar, and flour.  Mix in butter with fingers and mix until a coarse crumb and butter is throughout.    After middle layer has cooked 20 minutes, sprinkle over the pumpkin layer (it will still be uncooked in the middle, that's okay).  Bake an additional 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool, cut and serve.