Pumpkin Snickerdoodles!!!

If you have ever had a  Snickerdoodle you know they are yummy cookies with just the right touch of cinnamon and spice to them!!!   I started thinking about things to do with pumpkin when I was brainstorming Fall recipes and I thought "Pumpkin Snickerdooles" would be interesting!!!  

I love the 'pumpkin spice' craze we have seen the last few years in the foodie world!   The lattes and frappes, breads, cookies, cakes pies, all of it works for me!!!  However, as I have  told you before, I cook for picky eaters and pumpkin is not on the top of their 'likes' list, so I have to disguise it and make it extra tasty for them to eat it.

 These "Pumpkin Snickerdoodles" passed the test and Mr. Sweet Tea even saw the can of pumpkin on the counter and questioned what I was putting it in.   He said something about why did you have to mess those up with that pumpkin and he would pass on those then...lol!!!   Well, let me tell you, he ate more "Pumpkin Snickerdoodles" than anybody!!! 

These are really yummy!!  They are a soft cookie with just the right amount of spice that is not overwhelming! 

Here is what you will need:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1  1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer.   Add in the pumpkin, egg, spices and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture gradually and mix well until a dough forms.

Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes before making the cookies!

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.  Scoop the chilled cookie dough and roll into a ball about the size of a small walnut.  Roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture!

Place on the cookie sheets about an inch apart.  Slightly flatten the cookies.   The bottom of a glass is perfect for this.  Don't flatten them too much, just a little.  Then sprinkle each one with a little more of the sugar mixture.    Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 11 to 13 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing with a spatula to a plate!

Serve immediately!!!  These are so delicious!!!  

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread!

So many of you have been asking for pumpkin recipes and it is that time of year.  While I like most things involving the use of pumpkin...pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin roll, I think pumpkin bread is one of my favorites which is why I am starting with it.

This is a really moist pumpkin bread recipe and is wonderful just by itself, but if you want to kick it up to a whole new level, make the 'Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread' to slather on it...oh my, it is good stuff!   It's perfect for breakfast or a late afternoon snack.

This recipe makes two big loaves of bread or I made one big loaf and four mini loaves to share with other people.  You could make eight mini loaves for little gifts or to place in a gift basket with other sweets or a gourmet coffee or tea sampler.  Wouldn't that make a nice inexpensive gift for those folks you want to show some gratitude for during the holidays?

Here is what you will need for this pumpkin bread and the cream cheese spread:

1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups sugar
3  1/2 cups all purpose flour
1  1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1  16 oz. can pumpkin
1 cup nuts, chopped  ( walnuts or pecans work best)

Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread
1  8oz block of cream cheese, softened (I used light)
3 Tbs. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the oil, eggs, water and sugar,  Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.   Add the pumpkin and the wet mixture (eggs, oil, water, sugar).  Blend just until the dry ingredients are wet.  Stir in the chopped nuts.

Grease 2   9" x 5" loaf pans well.   Divide the mixture evenly between the two pans.   Bake for 1 hour.   A pick inserted into the middle should come out clean. 

Or you can do mini loaves.  I did one large loaf and 4 mini loaves.  The mini loaf pan only needs to bake about 50 minutes. 



To make the cream cheese spread, blend the softened cream cheese with the honey and cinnamon.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread! 



Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cake!

I love trying new recipes using pumpkin, especially for Fall!  This one is a 'poke cake'!  You know the cake you poke holes all over while it's warm and then pour something creamy and yummy over it to soak into the cake!  The creamy and yummy something just happens to be caramel in this recipe and I do love anything caramel also!  This turned out to be a wonderful, moist and delicious cake!  You will want to try this one for sure!  Here is what you will need:  

1 box spice cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup Sprite or 7-Up (or any lemon lime soda), can substitute water

3 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (8 oz.) jar caramel ice cream topping

Frosting

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

2 Tbs. butter, softened 

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1  (8 oz.) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

1  1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl mix cake mix, pumpkin, lemon lime soda or water, eggs, oil, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until nice and smooth, but don't over beat this.

Spray a 9"x13" baking pan with nonstick baking spray.   Pour cake batter in the pan and spread evenly.  Bake for about 30 minutes.  When a pick comes out clean in the center, it's done.

Remove from oven and while warm, poke holes evenly all over the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon or with a straw.   Remove the lid on the caramel topping and microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds just to soften enough to pour.   Pour evenly all over the top of the cake.  It will run into the holes and that's a good thing!  Let the cake cool completely before frosting!

Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well blended.   Add in the vanilla.  Fold in the whipped topping.   Spread evenly over the cooled cake.

Sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts or pecans!   Refrigerate until ready to serve!  This cake just gets better as it sits!  It becomes even more moist and yummy!

This is a perfect Fall dessert and it would be wonderful for the holidays!  

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake!

Today is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day and this is my easy peasy "No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake"!    Nothing tastes more like Fall and reminds you of the upcoming holidays than anything pumpkin!  

I love cheesecake and I love pumpkin so I knew this one would be so good!  I love the easy part also.  

Here is what you will need:

1 (9 oz.) prepared graham cracker crust (the one that says two extra servings on it)

2 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)

1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk (like Eagle Brand)

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and smooth.  Beat in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth. 

 Add the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and beat until completely smooth.  Pour into the pie shell.   This will not fit into a regular 6 oz. crust. 

Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight to set.  If you are in a hurry, you can put it in the freezer for about 3 hours to set up sooner.  I actually like to freeze it myself.  Remove from freezer about 20 -30 minutes before serving! 

Garnish with whipped cream and serve!  It's delish and could it be any easier?





My Favorite Pumpkin Recipes!





Today is National Pumpkin Day, so it's only fitting that I feature some of my favorite pumpkin recipes!   Pumpkin is an ingredient that some love and some just do not care for, but many of these recipes will make even your biggest pumpkin hater learn to love it! 

Baking with pumpkin so that it's really tasty has several keys to it.  First of all, you need to season pumpkin well, but not over do it at the same time.  That sounds very contradictory, right?  What I mean is go a little heavier on the cinnamon and a little lighter on things like nutmeg and ginger or better yet, use pumpkin pie spice instead.  Pumpkin pie spice is your friend, because it is a combination of all of those stronger spices in just the right blend so they don't just choke you to death when you try to eat it. 

Don't get me wrong, I love a hint of cloves, a touch of ginger, quite a bit of cinnamon, a pinch of allspice and a very little bit of nutmeg.   In case I haven't mentioned it, I do not like nutmeg much at all.  There is just something about it that doesn't taste good to me if it is used alone or too much.  However, if you balance it with a lot of cinnamon and a bit of other  seasonings it becomes something good.  So, invest in that little can of pumpkin pie spice and use it when a recipe calls for nutmeg and ginger and such.   Be sure to use only fresh pumpkin pie spice.  If it doesn't still smell very fragrant, throw it out.  I would say a new one each Fall is in order.  The other thing about cooking with pumpkin is not to over do the pumpkin in a recipe, a little goes a long way.

Click the link under each picture for the recipes:

Nana's Pumpkin Roll!

 



Pumpkin Spice Chess Squares!

 

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes!

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie!

 

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread!

 

Pumpkin Crunch!

 



The Absolutely Perfect Pumpkin Pie!

Pumpkin Spice Chess Squares!

These "Pumpkin Spice Chess Squares"  taste just like Fall should taste!  They have just a bit of pumpkin and a hint of spice that makes them so yummy!   This is an adaptation of the original recipe for what we have always called Chess Squares and have been making for years.  That basic recipe can be adapted in various ways to create so many great flavors!  This would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu!   Here is what you will need:

1 (15.25 oz.) yellow or butter cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

1 egg

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1  (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

3 eggs

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

pinch of salt

3 cups confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the butter, cake mix and egg together and press it into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish you have sprayed with nonstick baking spray.

Beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar until well combined. Pour over the crust.  Place in the preheated 350 degree oven for 40 -45 minutes!

The top will just be starting to crack a little. It might still look a little jiggly, but as it cools it will firm up.  Allow to cool completely before serving. 

Slice in squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream!