Pumpkin Recipes

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!  What are you doing for the Halloween weekend?  Although Halloween isn't necessarily my favorite holiday (I could live without the stress of picking out a costume and carving messy pumpkins), I enjoy fall decorating, seeing kids on their costumes, and baking delicious pumpkin treats!  The past few weeks I have experimented with a few varieties of pumpkin cookies and some delicious pumpkin bread.  Hope you enjoy!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles 
(from the Recipe Critic)
Soft and fluffy pumpkin cookies with cream cheese filling, rolled in cinnamon sugar... I think the serving size is 10 cookies.

INGREDIENTS:
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

      FILLING INGREDIENTS:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

      COATING INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Dash of allspice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
2. In a Kitchenaid mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
3. Blend in pumpkin puree, beat in egg and then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for an hour.
4. To make the cream cheese filling, blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Chill for an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.
6. To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of the cookie batter. Flatten it like a pancake and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese in center. Form another tablespoon of the cookie batter into a flat pancake shape and place on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together sealing in the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and place on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
7. Repeat until the dough is gone and flatten the cookie dough balls with a heavy bottomed glass or measuring cup.
8. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the tops start to crack. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy!

Mixing up the pumpkin-y flavors

Rolling out the dough, making the mini pancakes, filling with cream cheese

First batch complete!

Yum!  (Don't eat the pumpkin.)

Pumpkin Bread 
(from The Brown Eyed Baker)
Moist and hearty bread made up of perfect blend of fall flavors -- nutmeg, pumpkin, and pecans.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup vegetable oil

2 2/3 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 cups (15 ounces) canned pumpkin

2/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 8½x4½-inch loaf pans.
2.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and sugar until combined. Add the eggs, pumpkin, water and vanilla and whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix gently until combined. Using a large spoon or spatula, stir in the nuts.
4.  Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove the bread from the oven and place the pans on a cooling rack. Once the breads are completely cool, turn out of the pans. You can serve immediately or, for even better flavor and moistness, wrap the loaves in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.

This recipe makes a very large batch...

Folding in the nuts

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

(from My Baking Addiction)

Add a fall flavor to your favorite chewy oatmeal cookies, and the rich white chocolate provides a perfect complement to the tangy dried cherries.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries; roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

     1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

     2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.

     3. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well. Add flour mixture; combine until all ingredients are incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips and dried cherries.

     4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.

     5. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

The cherries and white chocolate chips are so beautiful!

I've recently started using parchment paper.

Yum!  This plate will not last long when Jaycob gets home...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!!