Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Whipped Spice Frosting

These cupcakes are light and fluffy and have just a hint of pumpkin flavor and since they are so light, I wanted a light frosting to go on top.  My Whipped Spice Frosting is perfect and is as light as a cloud.  This stuff is so good you will have to practice some serious willpower to not eat the whole bowl with a spoon. . .

. . . Or you can do what I did and get the BIGGEST spoon you can find and enjoy every last lick.

I opted for mini cupcakes, so they can easily be popped in your mouth.  Hopefully, if you make these you have a mini cupcake pan that bakes at least 24 at a time.  70 mini cupcakes are a lot of cupcakes, but I'm pretty sure a lot of people would be very happy if you shared these with them, but I won't judge if you decide to keep them all for yourself :)

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
adapted from: Jamie Cooks It Up
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 box yellow or white cake mix
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. milk
4 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Whipped Spice Frosting
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
1 (3.4 oz.) box vanilla instant pudding
3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, or to taste
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. milk
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip (I used light)

For the Cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners.  Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.  Fill muffin cups halfway full with batter.  Bake for 8 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely and frost.  Yield: around 70 mini cupcakes.  

For the Frosting:  Combine dry pudding mix and pumpkin pie spice.  Add the vanilla and milk and beat until thickened.  Beat in the powdered sugar.  Gently fold in the Cool Whip until no streaks remain.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before piping onto cupcakes.  Refrigerate cupcakes.      

Jenn's Notes: I cut this recipe in half and I used a yellow cake mix.  I used a kitchen scale to measure out half of the cake mix and pudding mix and I saved the rest for another recipe.  

Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Revel Bars

I have had this recipe idea floating around in my head for quite.some.time.

If you have ever had Chocolate Revel Bars then you know how DIVINE they are.  I knew if I could create a pumpkin version that they would be DIVINE too.

I wanted a chewy base, not cakey, but pumpkin treats tend to lean toward the cakey side.  

I wanted an ooey gooey filling, but did I want chocolate, Nutella or butterscotch?

I decided to just go for it and see what happens.

Let me just tell you that these bars are way too ooey gooey to even think about being cakey.  They are thick and rich and the light whipped cream helps with the heaviness.  A small piece is plenty.

They really need to be eaten on a plate with a fork. 

This time around I went with a classic milk chocolate filling, but I do think Nutella would be divine and I love the flavor of butterscotch mixed with pumpkin.  So, feel free to switch it up.

I thought these were DELICIOUS :)

Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Revel Bars
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. oats
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree

Gooey Chocolate Filling
1 Tbl. unsalted butter
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 
1 1/4 c. chocolate chips 
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang and spray with cooking spray.  These will rise to the top of the pan while they bake, so make sure to use a pan with at least 2 1/2-inch tall sides.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and baking soda; set aside.  

Reserve one Tablespoon of butter for the filling and melt the remaining 1 stick and 7 Tablespoons in the microwave.  In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.  Whisk in the egg, vanilla and pumpkin puree.  Add the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined; set aside.

For the Chocolate Filling: Combine the reserved 1 Tablespoon butter, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Heat until the chocolate is melted, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.  

To Prepare:  Spread 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Pour chocolate filling over the top and carefully spread out evenly.  Drop small spoonfuls of remaining 1/3 of cookie dough over the top.  Carefully spread out a little.  The dough will not cover the entire top.

Bake for 26-28 minutes or until top is browned and dough is set.  The filling will still look moist.  Cool completely before cutting into squares. Serve plain or with a dollop of whipped cream.  

Linked up at Weekend Potluck! and Inspiration Monday!

Bakery Style Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

You know the famous bakery-style soft sugar cookie recipe that has been floating around the internet forever?  Deborah from Taste and Tell took that recipe, but instead of adding sour cream, she added pumpkin puree.  It totally works. 

I really like these cookies!

Like most sugar cookies, you really can't judge them the first night.  It takes them sitting in an air-tight container overnight to really soften up and develop their good texture. 

The cookies have a very light pumpkin flavor and the texture is a mix between a chewy and a cakey cookie.  I was a little unsure about the maple cinnamon buttercream and made 1/2 regular cinnamon and 1/2 maple, but once I tasted that maple buttercream, I ended up adding maple extract to the whole thing.  The maple really was better on these cookies.  

They are DELICIOUS and I can't stop eating them :)   

Bakery-Style Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
adapted from: Taste and Tell
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

6 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree

Maple Cinnamon Buttercream
1 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. maple extract, or to taste
pinch of salt
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
milk, enough to reach desired consistency

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar and light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.  It might look curdled at this point, but that is okay.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Divide dough in two and wrap each half in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly flour work surface and roll out the dough halves to around 1/4-inch thickness.  Flour rolling pin, if needed, but try to use as little flour as possible.  Cut into rounds using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes NO LONGER.  Cool completely and frost.  Yield: around 4 1/2 - 5 dozen cookies.  

For the Buttercream:  Beat butter, cinnamon, maple extract and a pinch of salt until creamy.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at at time, adding milk as you go to reach desired consistency.  Once all the powdered sugar is added, beat for another minute until fluffy.  Taste and add a little more maple extract, if desired.  Spread over cooled cookies.  

Jenn's Notes:  Do not over bake the cookies.  The maple buttercream pairs perfectly with the pumpkin cookie and I highly recommend using it.  These are delicious. 

Linked up at Time to Sparkle! and Weekend Potluck! and Nifty Thrifty Sunday! and Inspiration Monday!

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

Pumpkin season has started early this year!

I usually try and wait until September to start posting pumpkin recipes with the exception of one or two recipes throughout the year.  I couldn't wait this year, but you WILL thank me when you make these bars.

The bottom layer tastes like a chewy, brown sugar, sugar cookie.  It has a rich caramel flavor.  The pumpkin pie layer is not just a creamy pumpkin pie filling.  Thanks to the flour and baking powder, it has some body to it and you can't forget the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.

They hold their shape so-well and can easily be packed in lunches or held in your hand as you vacuum . . . just saying :)

DELISH!

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

Cookie Layer
1 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbl. vanilla
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Pumpkin Pie Layer
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 heaping tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree

Topping
2 Tbl. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.  For the cookie layer:  Cream together butter and brown sugar until creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until blended.  Spread/press cookie mixture evenly into baking pan.  For the pumpkin pie layer:  Cream together butter and sugar until creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add the baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, flour and pumpkin puree and beat until well blended.  Spread evenly over cookie layer.  For the topping: Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over pumpkin layer.  Bake for 38-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Cut and serve.

Jenn's Notes: Recipe can be cut in half and baked in an 8x8-inch baking pan. 

adapted from: Dozen Flours    

Linked up at Weekend Potluck!

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

It's not my fault I made a pumpkin recipe in June.

America's Test Kitchen had to go and show a Fall episode.

Don't they know pumpkin is my weakness and that I can only resist for so long?

I had pumpkin, cream cheese and buttermilk that were all expiring and this recipe couldn't have come about at a better time. 

The smell that permeated through my house while I cooked the pumpkin was intoxicating.  America's Test Kitchen says the reason they cook the pumpkin is to get rid of that canned pumpkin flavor.  I, myself, have never noticed a "canned" pumpkin flavor, but I would cook it any day of the week just to smell that smell again.

The streusel topping is so crunchy and so delicious.  The flavor is ridiculous and the texture is moist, but not gooey.

This bread stays fabulous for several days and the top remains crunchy.   I can't wait to use this streusel on other breads like banana and cinnamon swirl.  This recipe is a winner.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread
adapted from: America's Test Kitchen
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground clove
1 c. sugar
1 c. light brown sugar
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. buttermilk
4 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

Streusel
5 Tbl. light brown sugar
1 Tbl. all-purpose flour
1 Tbl. unsalted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt

Add pumpkin puree to a large saucepan along with the cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ground cloves.  Heat over medium heat until mixture measures 1 1/2 cups; about 6 minutes.  Measure and add back to the saucepan.  Stir in the sugar, brown sugar, cream cheese and vegetable oil.  Heat until cream cheese is melted.  Whisk until smooth.  In a separate dish, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs.  Slowly add mixture into to the pumpkin puree, whisking constantly.  Remove from heat.  Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda and fold into wet mixture.  Allow to cool for a few minutes while you make the streusel.

For the streusel: combine all ingredients and using your clean hands, work the butter into the other ingredients until it resembles coarse sand.

Quickly stir the chocolate chips into the slightly cooled pumpkin mixture.  They will begin to melt, so stir quickly.  Divide batter between two, well greased, 9x5-inch loaf pans.  Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over loaves.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool in pan 20 minutes, remove and cool completely.  Yield: 2 loaves.        

Jenn's Notes: I made this exactly as I typed it above and it is fabulous.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

Up until the other day, I had only eaten a pumpkin roll once in my entire life.  Several years ago, my cousin made a pumpkin roll as one of the treats at my other cousin's baby shower.  First of all, this was before I started cooking and baking and 2nd I was way impressed with this beautiful orange and white swirled round cake and thought she was amazing that she could make something so fancy looking and so delicious tasting (P.S. I still think you are amazing)!

I finally attempted this intimidating cake last night.  Guess what?  It was actually way easy to make and I know you can do it too.  I wouldn't lie to you - there is no reason to be intimidated.  I went with the tried-and-true Libby's recipe that is on the back of their cans of pumpkin.  It was delicious.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

adapted from: Very Best Baking
(Printable Recipe) and (Printable with Picture)

1/4 c. powdered sugar (for sprinkling over cake)

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. canned pumpkin puree

Filling:

1 stick (8 Tbl.) unsalted butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with parchment paper.  Grease and flour paper.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl.  Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick.  Beat in pumpkin.  Stir in flour mixture.  Spread evenly into prepared pan.  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched.  

Immediately loosen cake from pan.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup of powdered sugar over cake, top with a thin cotton kitchen towel and place a cooling rack upside down on top of the cake.  Invert pan.  Now, your cake will be sitting on top of a towel on a wire rack.  Carefully peel off parchment paper.  Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Meanwhile, beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and well blended.  

Carefully unroll cooled cake.  Spread filling evenly over cake.  Re-roll cake, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.  Sprinkle with more powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Jenn's Notes:  The original filling recipe called for more cream cheese and less butter, but I prefer the opposite, so I made the recipe as I typed it above.

Cutler's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The other day, one of my co-workers was asking if anyone had ever seen a big, soft, cakey, pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that called for butter?  I started thinking of all the recipes I have tried and realized they all called for either shortening or vegetable oil.  

Then, I came across this recipe.  Guess What?  It calls for butter.  It comes from Cutler's Bakery.  I guess it is NOT a copycat, it is the REAL DEAL.  

Since this recipe makes A LOT of cookies, I brought them into work. 

One of my co-workers tried them and said "These are Amazing", I then told her that the recipe is from Cutler's.  She about died when I told her that, because apparently, she loves that place.  She always has to go there when she visits her grandparents up in Bountiful.

Well, now you have their pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe :)

Cutler's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from: Cutler's Cookies, Bountiful, Utah 
as seen on A Bountiful Kitchen
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 c. butter, softened

3 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 c. canned pumpkin puree

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves (I added 1/4 tsp.)

5 c. cake flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes or until smooth.  Add eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and the spices.  Continue beating for about 2 additional minutes.  Add rest of ingredients to bowl and beat only until flour disappears and all ingredients are combined.  Using a large cookie scoop, place dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet or greased baking sheet,  Bake 10 minutes (I baked mine 16 minutes) or until done.  Let cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to plate.

Cutler's Tips:
-They use cake flour in all of their cookie recipes, because it will create a lighter texture.
-Do not flatten the balls of cookie dough after placing on the baking sheet.  

Jenn's Notes:  I used around 2-3 Tablespoons of dough per cookie and they took 16 minutes to bake.  I ended up with 4 1/2 - 5 dozen cookies.  P.S. Don't try the raw cookie dough, because you might not end up with any cookies.  It is incredible.  

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops

Remember my walk down memory lane when I made these Chai Cupcakes?  Well, it helped me remember that while I was in Seattle I purchased a muffin top pan.  I only used it once or twice before it got pushed to the back of my cabinet and I totally forgot about it.  

I felt like being lazy, yet I wanted something different.  So, instead of the same old pumpkin muffin, I created a muffin top.  Pumpkin Muffins or Bread usually turn out more on the heavy and dense side, but not these muffins.

They turned out extremely light and fluffy and I even impressed myself with how delicious they are.  I made some with butterscotch chips, some with mini chocolate chips and some with a mixture of both.  I loved the butterscotch flavor mixed with the pumpkin and wished I would have made more that way.  These muffins are awesome the first day and the 2nd day, but I would try to eat them up by the 3rd day.

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip 

Muffin Tops

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/4 c. buttermilk
2 c. wheat pastry flour

4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt
chocolate chips or butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the pumpkin and buttermilk and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and add to wet ingredients.  Mix until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Spoon batter into a lightly greased muffin-top pan.  Press chocolate chips or butterscotch chips into the top of each muffin, as many as you like.  Bake for 14-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Yield: 18-20 muffin tops.  

Jenn's Notes: If you do not have a muffin top pan, I would recommend baking these in a mini-muffin tin (bake 10-12 minutes).  Since they are extremely light and fluffy, they might be too hard to eat as a regular-size muffin.  I purchased my wheat pastry flour in the bulk section at Winco.    

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread with Chocolate Drizzle - It's Low-Fat and Amazing -

I am pretty sure this bread is my new BFF.  I can't stop raving about it.  I love it not only because it tastes so good, but it is LOW-FAT (compared to other pumpkin breads).  I promise you would NEVER KNOW IT.  The recipe only calls for 1 TABLESPOON of oil, but it is just as moist as other pumpkin breads that call for up to 1/2 cup of oil.

Now, I am questioning all my other pumpkin bread recipes, why have I been adding so much oil if it is not even needed?  I think it is time to start experimenting!  

This bread is so good by itself that it doesn't even need the chocolate drizzle on top (and it would have even fewer calories, of course).  In fact, I ate half the loaf before I even added the drizzle.  It still tasted perfect on the 4th day when I enjoyed my last slice.

This recipe also comes from my new Favorite Family Recipes Cookbook that I told you about the other day.  They said they prefer this low-fat recipe over regular recipes and I totally understand why.

You better try this so you can rave about it too!  

Hopefully by now you have already printed out the recipe and are heading into the kitchen to whip this up!

**Update (8/22/2013) - I have made this several times and it turns out perfect every time.  I have also made this into mini muffins.  You will get 48 mini muffins - bake for 10-11 minutes.** 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread 

with Chocolate Drizzle

adapted from: Favorite Family Recipes   
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. canned pumpkin puree

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk

1 egg

1 Tbl. canola oil

1/2 c. chocolate chips 

Chocolate Drizzle

1/4 c. chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and oil.  Add dry mixture, stirring just until moistened; do not overmix.  Fold in chocolate chips.   Pour into pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes.  

For chocolate drizzle: Add chocolate chips to a small bowl.  Microwave 30-45 seconds until chocolate is melted.  Drizzle over warm bread. (My bread was completely cool when I added the drizzle and I used a fork to drizzle the chocolate)  

Jenn's Notes: This bread browns pretty quickly in the oven thanks to all that brown sugar.  It will look very dark like you burnt it, but it doesn't taste burnt.  You could always tent a little foil over it the last 10 minutes of baking if you don't want it as dark.  Mine was done at 50 minutes.       

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Glaze

I was checking my emails as usual, when I saw one from Sally's Baking Addiction.  It was a new post for Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread.  I was reading through the post when I came across this sentence, 

"Today's bread is unreal.  It's like biting into a huge cinnamon bun but better"

Say what?

Next thing I knew, I was pulling this bread out of the oven.  

I used pumpkin instead of banana.  I would have never thought to do that if it wasn't for one of my lovely readers who told me she made my Favorite Pumpkin Cake recipe, but used bananas instead of pumpkin and she said her husband declared it the best he has ever had.   

So, if that worked for her, why couldn't I do the opposite and use pumpkin instead of bananas?

It turned out FABULOUS.  This bread is delicious and the good news is that it gets better and better as the days go bye.  I wouldn't go as far as to say it is better than biting into a cinnamon bun, but that is just my opinion as I happen to be a HUGE cinnamon bun lover.  I would definitely make it again and it was a nice change from my usual pumpkin chocolate chip bread.  FYI - The glaze does eventually soak into the bread.    

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread

adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 c. wheat flour (I did 1 cup white 1 cup wheat)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. light brown sugar

4 Tbl. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree

1/3 c. Greek yogurt (I used sour cream)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cinnamon Swirl

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Simple Glaze

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 - 1 Tbl. milk

1/2 tsp. cinnamon, opt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.  In a separate bowl combine brown sugar and butter and beat until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each.  Add the pumpkin puree, yogurt and vanilla and mix until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Batter will be very thick.  Spoon half the batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar.  Top with remaining batter and carefully spread out evenly.  Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan 15 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.  While the bread is cooling, make the glaze.  In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, 1/2 Tablespoon milk and cinnamon.  Add more milk if needed to reach desired thickness.  Drizzle over cooled pumpkin bread.    

Jenn's Notes: I am a huge fan of using non-fat yogurt in place of sour cream in baked goods.  Since, I had to make this recipe as soon as I saw it, I ended up using sour cream as that was all I had, but I know it would be great with the yogurt too. 

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Frosting

I had this "genius" idea for some cookies.  I was so proud of myself for coming up with it.  Have you guys seen those cookies where the base is a chocolate cookie, then it is topped with marshmallow creme and then chocolate frosting?  Well, I had this idea to make a pumpkin cookie and top that with marshmallow creme and chocolate frosting.   I have only ever seen pumpkin cookies frosted with cream cheese frosting and I don't know why I have never seen any frosted with chocolate frosting, since chocolate and pumpkin are a PERFECT pair (like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies) and marshmallows taste great with anything, so I figured these cookies would have to be AMAZING.  

I grabbed out my jar of marshmallow creme only to see that the "Best By" date was the month prior.  Only a month?  It still should be good.  I had already made my cookies and my frosting, so, I guess I really didn't have a choice.  I began spreading the marshmallow creme over the cookies, but after I finished the first dozen, I realized that it was running down the sides of the cookies.  Isn't marshmallow creme usually super sticky and stays in place?  Oh well, no big deal, I guess?  I will just wait until it finishes spreading and then I will add the chocolate frosting.  

I finished adding the creme to two dozen of the cookies and I left one dozen plain.  I woke up the next morning to add the chocolate frosting only to find that my pan had more marshmallow creme on it that the cookies did.  It completely ran down every last bit of the cookies.  I added frosting to one and it tasted great, but they were a super sticky mess.  So, my "genius" idea was squashed.  What do you think, should I try again? 

Luckily, I still had that extra dozen cookies that I left plain and I frosted those with my chocolate frosting and they TASTE GREAT. 

I made my pumpkin cookies less sweet than usual, since marshmallow creme is super sweet and so is the chocolate frosting.  I also only added a small amount of spice, because I didn't want that flavor to overpower the chocolate flavor.  I used my favorite chocolate frosting recipe, but I think these cookies would be outstanding with this fudgy chocolate frosting!

Pumpkin Cookies

slightly adapted from: Starting Over
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/4 c. light brown sugar, lightly packed

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Cream together shortening and brown sugar until very light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each.  Add the canned pumpkin and vanilla (mixture may look curdled).  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix together until just combined.  Drop around 2 Tablespoons or so of dough per cookie onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes.  Do not overbake or they might be dry.  Yield: around 3 1/2 dozen cookies.    

Chocolate Frosting

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

12 Tbl. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2-3 Tbl. cocoa powder

pinch of salt

2-3 tsp. vanilla extract

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

a few Tbl. of milk, if needed

Beat the butter until fluffy.  Add the cocoa powder, salt and vanilla and beat to combine.  Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition.  Add a little bit of milk if needed.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Spread over cooled cookies.  

Jenn's Notes: Since I added less sugar and less spice, these cookies aren't the best on their own.  They really need the frosting on top to make them taste yummy.  Make sure you do not overbake them, or they will be slightly dry.  I thought they were best when eaten within a day or two.  Or, if you have a favorite pumpkin cookie recipe, you could always use that instead.    

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies for a Good Cause

Can you believe that I made it four whole months without making a pumpkin recipe?  I am a little shocked myself.  It's not that I haven't craved pumpkin, several times, it's just that I made myself make other recipes.  

Then, the other day, I had seen a few posts on various blogs about a family named the "Fishes".  Two of their daughters were born with a a very rare gene disfunction.  After seeing the Families Blog and watching this You Tube video, my heart melted.  What sweet and innocent and beautiful children and it breaks my heart that they have to go through this.  

Ali from Lemon Poppy put together a great cookbook to help benefit the Fishes.  The recipes come from a group of bloggers, including some of my favorites, that have submitted their favorite recipes.

I purchased a .pdf copy of the cookbook for only $5.99 and 100% of the proceeds from the E-books will be donated to the Fishes.  

If you feel like you can spare $5.99, then you should purchase a copy of "Blogging For Fishes".  It is such a bright and colorful cookbook, full of many things that I can't wait to try.  

These pumpkin cookies were one of the first things that caught my eye and I immediately made them.  I think they are DELICIOUS.  They are very soft, yet chewy from the oats and they include my favorite spices!  Not to mention, they are made with wheat flour, so they are healthy, right?  I will be making these again and again.  I have already eaten three of them in the past hour - no lie!   

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

adapted from: Blogging For Fishes

(Printable Recipe)

2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. allspice (I didn't add)

1/8 tsp. cloves (I didn't add)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. butter, room temperature

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. sugar

1 c. pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. old-fashioned oats

1 c. chocolate chips (I added more)

1 c. dried cranberries (I didn't add)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Beat until combined.  Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Stir in the oats, chocolate chips and dried cranberries.  Drop dough by rounded Tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, since they will be soft.  Remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Jenn's Notes: I made a half of a batch and got 27 cookies.  The first batch, I didn't line my baking sheet with parchment and the cookies were pretty hard to get off the baking sheet.  The next batch, I used parchment paper and the cookies came off very easily, but they were slightly flatter than the first batch.  I baked for exactly 12 minutes and they were perfect.  I did not have wheat pastry flour, so I used regular wheat flour mixed with a few Tablespoons of cake flour (I read that was a substitute), however these cookies are so extremely soft, that I think using a full cup of regular wheat flour would work just fine.  I will try it next time and come back and update this post! DO NOT stack the cookies on top of each other to store them, they will end up sticking to each other.  I REALLY LIKE these cookies!