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Posts Tagged ‘pumpkin’

Pumpkin Waffles

Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes, Waffles, & Cereals, tagged , , , on November 12, 2012 | 3 Comments »

Weekend mornings are the best. (I know, today is Monday…sorry about that.) We started off this past weekend with some homemade pumpkin waffles. They were quick and easy to make, and tasted delicious with a drizzle of maple syrup. This batch made enough waffles for the three of us (William can’t have waffles just yet…but soon!), plus plenty of leftovers for the freezer. Thursday night is breakfast for dinner night in our house, and I can’t wait to have another of these waffles. These pumpkin waffles are the perfect breakfast to enjoy on a cool fall morning (or Thursday night :) ).

Pumpkin Waffles

Printable Recipe

Makes at least 6 large waffles

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup lowfat buttermilk
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 6 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly

Directions:

  1. Preheat waffle iron.
  2. Sift flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger together in a medium bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, buttermilk, and pumpkin. Then, whisk in the melted butter.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients over the liquid and whisk until smooth.
  5. Pour about 1/2 cup batter into a waffle iron that’s been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cook according to manufacturer’s directions.
  6. Serve waffles with maple syrup.

Source: very slightly adapted from Weelicious.

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, tagged , , , on October 19, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Have you done any fall baking yet? I’ve been slow to get into the idea of fall being here this year, possibly because we’ve still been having lots of warm weather. We did have a few cool days last week, but now we’re back to temperatures in the 80′s. I’m fully enjoying the sunshine and warm mornings at the park while we still can.  Soon enough I’ll get to savor fall’s crisp air and rainy afternoons spent indoors with a cup of tea.

These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are the first treat I’ve baked with pumpkin this season. They do require a little more effort than most muffins because there are three components to mix up: the pumpkin batter, a cream cheese filling, and a streusel topping. The three different parts are what make these so exceptional, though, so it’s well worth the extra time in the kitchen. Be sure to plan ahead, as you’ll need to freeze the cream cheese filling for at least 2 hours before you can bake the muffins.

The muffins are perfectly spiced and the cream cheese filling is a sweet little surprise to complement the pumpkin muffin. One batch makes 24 muffins, and while that may seem like a lot, I recommend baking a full batch because these freeze really well, plus if you share a few you’ll make someone very happy. :)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Printable Recipe

Makes 24 muffins

Ingredients:

For the cream cheese filling:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree (one 15 oz. can works well)
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

For the topping:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 5 tbsp. flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

  1. To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.
  2. To make the muffin batter, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.
  3. To make the streusel topping, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
  4. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the streusel topping over each of the muffins.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Source: Annie’s Eats

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Pumpkin Bread

Posted in Breads, tagged , , , on October 10, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Pumpkin Bread

Fall is here, and one of my favorite ways to celebrate its arrival is to bake with pumpkin. While officially the first day of Fall was a few weeks ago, the weather here didn’t feel Fall-like until last week. We had chillier temperatures and a few rainy days, so as soon as Saturday morning rolled around I was in the kitchen baking some pumpkin bread.

I love quick breads because you get a delicious result with a fast and easy preparation. I’ve tried a few different pumpkin bread recipes, and this one is now my favorite. I adapted the types and amounts of spices a little bit to suit my preferences, and I think the result was the perfect amount of spice to complement the pumpkin flavor. The next time the weather turns cool and brisk in your area, why don’t you warm up your kitchen by baking up a loaf of this pumpkin bread?

One year ago:  Apple Hand Pies and Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Classic Pumpkin Bread

Printable Recipe

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. allspice
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. cloves
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup pure canned pumpkin

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.
  4. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and beat in eggs, one at a time, then pumpkin until incorporated.
  6. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula when necessary.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on the wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Apple A Day, originally from The All-New Joy of Cooking

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Pumpkin Pie

Posted in Desserts, Pies, Tarts, Crisps, and Crumbles, tagged , , , , , on November 28, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Pumpkin Pie

I was responsible for making the pies for my family’s Thanksgiving celebration this year. I made a cinnamon apple pie with raisins and a crumb topping, which you will see here on the blog soon, as well as this pumpkin pie. I searched for quite a while before deciding upon this recipe. I ended up modifying the recipe just a bit, to make it just a little healthier (but it’s still pie, so it’s still plenty indulgent). I substituted whole milk for part of the heavy whipping cream, and decreased the amount of sugar.

I was so pleased with the results, that this will now be my go-to pumpkin pie recipe. The pie had a wonderfully smooth texture with the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice flavors. If you are planning to make pie for an upcoming holiday celebration, I highly recommend this recipe. Or, you can always save it for next Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Pie

Makes one pie

Ingredients:

  • One recipe flaky pie dough
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • One 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Directions:

  1. Roll out pie dough to a 14- to 15-inch circle. Transfer to a pie dish by gently wrapping the dough around a rolling pin and then carefully unrolling it. Gently press dough down into pie dish and trim excess dough around edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp to make a decorative edge. Chill unbaked crust in freezer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and position oven rack in bottom third of oven.
  2. Line the chilled pie shell with foil, pressing the foil firmly and smoothly into the crevices of the pan. Fill the foil with pie weights or uncooked rice, making sure the weights reach up the sides of the pan (the center does not need to be quite as full). Bake for 20 minutes, until the foil comes away from the dough easily. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking the empty pie shell for 6-10 more minutes, until lightly golden. Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  3. While the pie crust is baking, prepare the filling. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl to break them up. Add the cinnamon,  nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt and whisk to blend evenly. Whisk in cream, milk, and both sugars. Strain the mixture through a strainer into a medium saucepan. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until custard mixture is thoroughly blended.
  4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula to prevent the eggs from scrambling, about 7-9 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat.
  5. Pour the hot custard into the warm pre-baked pie shell. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the custard is set. You will know it’s done when the center of the pan looks firm and moves in one piece if you gently tap the sides of the pan. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Recipe adapted from Sur la Table

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Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Soups, Stews, and Chilis, tagged , on November 24, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Do you ever have really high hopes for a new recipe, but at the same time worry that it might not turn out well at all? That was my thinking about this pumpkin soup recipe before I tried it. For some reason, I wasn’t sure if the ingredients were going to meld together well into the flavor I wanted. Happily, this pumpkin soup exceeded my highest expectations. It was so delicious, I could hardly wait until the next night when I could eat the leftovers for dinner.

Another positive aspect of this recipe is that it is so easy! The only chopping involved is the chopping of one onion and two garlic cloves. After sauteing the onion and adding the other ingredients, a quick 15 minute simmer allows the flavors to come together. Finally, you puree the soup, stir in a little half-and-half, and you’re done! (By the way, if you don’t have an immersion hand blender, I highly recommend getting one. It is so much easier to puree soups using an immersion blender than by transferring the soup to a blender or food processor, and saves a lot of clean-up!)

Toasted walnuts make a nice garnish for this pumpkin soup, which was just perfect with these honey yeast rolls and a simple green salad.

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped or pressed through a garlic press
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • Toasted walnuts (optional garnish)

Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2. Stir in the broth, pumpkin, and maple syrup, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the flavors have come together, about 15 minutes.
  3. Puree the soup until smooth, either with an immersion hand blender, or by transferring it in batches to a blender or food processor.
  4. Stir in the half-and-half. If the soup has cooled, heat it gently over low heat until hot, but do not boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with toasted walnuts, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated:  Soups, Stews & Chilis

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Posted in Cookies, Desserts, tagged , , , , on October 5, 2010 | 6 Comments »

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

As the seasons have started to change, I have seen so many wonderful pumpkin recipes featured on the blogs I read. Since we’ve finally had some fall-like temperatures here over the past few days (before that we had a number of 100-degree plus days!), I decided that it was finally time for me to bake something with pumpkin. There were so many recipes to choose from, and I finally decided on these pumpkin cookies.

The pumpkin flavor of these cookies is enhanced with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, as well as dried cherries and white chocolate chips. I think they would also be good with come chopped pecans or walnuts.

The pumpkin cookies have a very soft, moist texture. I stored mine in the freezer and they are perfect either right out of the freezer or defrosted on the counter for just a few minutes. The next time you have a few minutes to spare on a chilly fall afternoon, I recommend that you bake some of these pumpkin cookies. They will make your kitchen smell amazing, and they taste delicious with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 48 cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed 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

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a 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 2 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe from My Baking Addiction

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