Pumpkin Peanut Butter Bars- VEEG Style!!!

It's true. These are vegan friendly... and if you thought life couldn't get any better, you must make these and then watch it improve some more.

These bars somehow encompass three of my favorite foods: peanut butter, pumpkin, and oatmeal, and somehow, don't even taste like a 1rst grader made them. I never knew it was possible.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

{adapted from love veggies and yoga.com}

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup pumpkin

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

½ white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp all spice

Mix all the ingredients together and place in a greased 8 x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (more or less). Remove from the oven and allow these to cool ALL.THE.WAY before cutting, like, an hour at least…I promise. You will die by the smell. This is a true test of patience to see if you can wait all that time before diving into them to taste them. I couldn’t do it.

SOOOOOO GOOOODDDDDD.

Pumpkin Cornbread

I invite you to try this recipe as soon as humanly possible. Make sure your pantry is stocked with pumpkin, cornmeal, flour, and molasses and go to work. Really. I am certain this recipe is new to you. How have I lived 29 autumns already without having this gem of a recipe?? This is what my mystified mind is contemplating and pondering.

It's complicated to find exact words for describing this. It's not dry like most cornbreads- so if that's your qualm, then fear no more. And I know adding molasses to your cornbread mixture seems absolutely goofed and inexact, but you barely taste it- all it does is add slight flavor but big moisture and subtle color. The pumpkin acts similarly too- moisture, color, and slight flavor. The "cornbready" texture is really diffused by so many layers of ingredients.

If you can't already tell then, I think it's sensationally delicious, very tasty, and wildly moist.

Eat with chili, on Halloween night, and you will be spooked-out happy.

Pumpkin Cornbread

{Two Peas and Their Pod}

1 cup flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg

½ cups brown sugar

1 cup cornmeal

2 whole eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

¼ cups olive oil

1 TBSP molasses

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease an 8×8″ baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal.

In a small bowl, 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 out the top as much as possible. Bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

So... evidently, my one-week pumpkin week didn't suffice. Still in my image files are pictures of more pumpkin recipes I've been experimenting with lately. Good news for me, bad news for you?? Pumpkin week continues!!!!!

Have you ever had pumpkin snickerdoodles??

Me neither.

But I am sure glad that I can now say YES with complete bliss streaming from my breath. They are delicious and moist and a perfect little cookie. I personally found that they taste best after you allow them to cool for a few hours. AND... under bake them by a minute or so-- I found they were better if I did that and allowed them to finish their baking on the cookie sheet out of the oven.

One more thing: immediately upon removing them from the oven, use the bottom of a glass to kind of "smash" them down again-I don't love "cakey" cookies.. so under-baking them and then smashing them with a glass out of the oven helps seal the moistness and denseness of the cookie.

Oh you love them.

Ta ta!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

{Annie’s Eats}

For the cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour ( I used just a bit less so they wouldn’t be so cakey)

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

¾ 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

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 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 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through (kate note: I baked them for about 8 minutes, then let them bake longer on the cookie sheet once they had been removed). 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 Chocolate Chip Bars (snack cake)

Three words:

Moist.

Soft.

Dizzingly good.

I went ga-ga for these little pumpkin snack bar thingies- although I would argue they are more like small pieces of cake than actual bars. Whatever they really are, the texture is so wonderfully the opposite of dryness, and they are studded with oozing chocolate chips and bursting with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. I just can't say enough good.

I could eat this for breakfast the rest of my life. Or lunch, or dinner.

You might wanna make a bee line for the store today and get the ingredients.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars (aka, snack cake)

{Martha Stewart}

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Are You Sick of Pumpkin Yet? (please say no)

Today I lovingly bring to you an assortment of delicious pumpkin, tried and true recipes. Each one has been wildly successful with happy after thoughts and comments. Hope you enjoy!!

1. Pumpkin Granola (different, fun, different, and fun)

2.Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (cookie)

3.Dinner in a Pumpkin (the ultimate comfort food)

4. Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Muffins

5. Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake with Glaze (rich with flavor and insanely moist)

6.Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie (there are just no words to even explain)

7. Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter

8. Pumpkin Scones with White Chocolate Chips (yes, very good)

9.Pumpkin Roulade (one of my ultimate favorites)

10. Pumpkin Soup (holy smokes)

Pumpkin Honey Cake

You've never had a pumpkin cake like this before. At least, I don't think you have. It's teeming with honey and spices and sour cream...and let me assure you, it is instantly addictive!

I took my liberties seriously and decided to use a bundt cake pan instead of what the recipe suggested and after one slice of the cake, me, of all people, decided to also FORGO the frosting portion of the cake. Part of the reasoning behind this was that we ate it too quickly when it was warm to even have time to make the frosting. A likely situation.

But attached to the cake recipe is also the frosting and I can't imagine you'd go astray by adding it!!!!

I truly hope you like this one! It's going down in history as a favorite autumnal cake.

Pumpkin Honey Cake with Frosting

{via Epicurious}

For the cake:

2 1/4 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

For frosting

1 pound Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin

1/4 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon (scant) ground allspice

1 cup chilled whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil, leaving overhang on short sides; butter and flour foil ( Kate note: I used bundt cake pan and it worked wonderfully!). Sift 2 1/4 cups flour and next 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Whisk pumpkin, sour cream, honey and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with pumpkin mixture.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.

Make frosting (Kate note: I DID not make this frosting, but here are the instructions if you are interested!)

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1/3 cup pumpkin, honey and allspice in large bowl until fluffy. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in 2 additions. Spoon 1 1/2 cups frosting into small bowl to use for decorating; cover and refrigerate.

Using foil as aid, lift cake onto work surface. Cut cake crosswise into three 10 x 4-inch rectangles (reserve remaining cake for another use). Slide spatula under 1 rectangle; transfer cake to platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with second cake. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with third cake. Spread 1 cup frosting in thin layer over top and sides of cake to anchor crumbs. Chill 1 hour.

Spread remaining frosting from large bowl decoratively onto sides of cake. Spoon 3/4 cup reserved frosting from small bowl into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe frosting in diagonal lines on top of cake, spacing about 3/4 inch apart. Squeeze frosting from pastry bag back into small bowl of frosting. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup pumpkin. Spoon pumpkin frosting into pastry bag and pipe lines of shells or rosettes between frosting lines on cake. Refrigerate until frosting sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with foil dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.)

Pumpkin Trifle

Could there be anything better than a pumpkin trifle?? Let's talk about this.

There isn't anything better. Conversation over.

If having Heath-bar bits, pumpkin cake, AND butterscotch pudding all together in the same bite is too much for you, then swap out the Heath bar bits for something else.

But how could it be too much? This dessert screams autumn.

Enjoy. I know there won't be a problem doing so!:)

Pumpkin Trifle

1 recipe pumpkin cake, baked and cooled (recipe follows)

1 carton whipped cream, whipped, OR 1 big tub cool whip

2 smaller packages butterscotch-flavored pudding made according to package directions

1 bag Heath toffee bits

In a trifle bowl, layer as follows: chunks of pumpkin cake, butterscotch pudding, whipped cream and toffee bits. You should have two of these layers. Finish with toffee bits on top of whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves a LOT.

Pumpkin Cake

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup canned, mashed pumpkin

1 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup oil (or applesauce)

1/2 cup water

3 eggs

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp all cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix on high speed for at least 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass dish (or a bundt cake pan works too), and bake until done.

First Up: Pumpkin Doughnuts. For Reals.

Welcome to Pumpkin Week...where all your greatest pumpkin recipes will hopefully/maybe/maybe-not come true!

Today’s first recipe will make you fatter and happier than life itself: pumpkin donuts (yes, slang spelling, I know I know)... and yes they are as good as it sounds.

These taste like pure Autumn in the most casual way possible. I have no other idea of how to explain it. You know how good a donut from the local joint can taste straight from the mill? Try a homemade one, spiced with fall’s essences and pumpkin, fried up before your eyes, then mercilessly dipped in either sugar/cinnamon or a delicious glaze. I really had to stop myself cold from eating more than I was.

Our niece and nephew, S & C, came over to help us. Oh we had so much fun making these. Perhaps too much. And it further concluded in my mind that if you make these in your home, please have people around to help you and to laugh with joy along with you when that boiling oil gives birth to your first homemade pumpkin donut. It’s a memory you won’t want to relish alone. Homemade donuts are made for people who love each other and want to spend time with each other. This recipe is, no doubt in my mind, going down as a Halloween tradition from this time forth. You heard me!

Here’s a few pointers to hopefully assuage any anxiety about making these:

+You don’t need a fryer. Use a large saucepan and leave the oil only 2-3 inches deep.

+You will want a candy thermometer. Promise. It’s the only way to determine if the oil is at the right temperature- believe me- if it’s too hot, you’ll not just fry the donut, you’ll kill it, but if it’s too cool, the donut won’t fluff up properly. And you don’t wanna do the “finger” test to see if the oil is hot. You’ll need that finger in the future!

+The cinnamon/sugar topping as well as the glaze are imperative. They MAKE the donut what it is. And they are both winners. I highly recommend preparing both and seeing which one you like best. Personally, I found the sugar mix was fabulous with the donut holes and the glaze fit perfectly with the actual donut.

+You don’t need fancy biscuit cutters or fancy cookie cutters to make these- you may use the rim of a drinking glass to cut out donut shapes from your dough (which is what we did). You may also use the edge of a frosting tip to cut out the middle of the donut hole… this worked wonderfully- then use those little dots for donut holes. Yum!

+Don’t wimp out! Try it! Try it! Try it! The oil burning at 350 degrees is nothing to be too scared of!

Pumpkin Doughnuts

For the doughnuts:

3½ cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

Canola oil or peanut oil, for frying

For the cinnamon-sugar:

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the spiced glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Dash of ground nutmeg

Dash of ground ginger

Dash of ground cloves

2 tbsp. milk

To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat until well blended. Stir in the egg, then the egg yolks, and then the vanilla until incorporated. Combine the buttermilk and pumpkin in a liquid measuring cup and whisk together. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Once the dough is mixed, cover and chill for at least 3 hours or until firm.

On a well-floured work surface, roll or pat out the dough to a ½-inch thick round. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Using a 2½ to 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Use a smaller cutter (or a wide pastry tip) to cut a hole out of the center. Reroll and cut the dough scraps as necessary.

Add oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2-3 inches. Attach a thermometer to the side of the pan and heat the oil to 365-370˚ F. Add the rings of dough to the hot oil so that they are in a single layer and not touching. Fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and doughnuts are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes total. Use a skimmer/strainer to remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined rack. Bring the oil temperature back up to the target range before repeating with the next batch of doughnuts. Use the same process for the doughnut holes, frying for a shorter time.

To make the cinnamon-sugar, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and whisk to blend. When the doughnuts are just cool enough to handle, dip half of them in the cinnamon-sugar to coat completely, shaking off the excess.

To make the spiced glaze, combine the powdered sugar and spices in a small bowl. Add the milk and whisk to combine, until a thick glaze is formed. If necessary, add a bit more milk to thin the glaze out. Dip the remaining half of the doughnuts in the glaze. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Ahhh... can't wait to make them again. See ya in '12 beautiful pumpkin pastry!

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies. Triple Yum.

I have a really cute 3 year old who is pressing me to watch "Curious George" right this very second and so, I must be concisely brief right now and save the rambling for another post.

But.

Let's just say this.

Pumpkin + butterscotch chips = dynamite- out- of -this- world glorious perfection of autumnal blissful raptures.

Do it. I may never use chocolate chips again in my pumpkin cookies.

Ever.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
{Annie’s Eats}

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk to blend. In a the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and light in color, about 1 minute. Blend in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips with a spatula.

Drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (I used a medium-sized dough scoop), spacing them a few inches apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the tops feel set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 14-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Muffins

Okay, really? Without mincing words, these little babies reign supreme in all things pumpkin. Like you, I have a constant craving during September, all the way through at least November, for my tongue to touch something with this orange squash delicately baked in it. Pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ice cream.. you know. Pumpkin is ubiquitous during this extraordinarily fun time of the year!

And these pumpkin streusel-topped muffins coming with that extra bonus of cream cheese inside are like the fun it would be to make a BMW drive faster. Not that I've experienced that. But imagination goes far and being absolutely lovely and delish and a really nice change from the common- not boring-but very typical, I'm sorry to add, pumpkin muffin. I am hooked to this recipe here on out. It requires hardly any additional effort compared to other basic pumpkin-loaded treats.

Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Streusel Muffins

{ Recipe directly taken from Annie's Eats}

For the 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

1¼ cups vegetable oil

For the topping:

½ cup sugar

5 tbsp. flour

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

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 1½-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.

To make the muffins, 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 just until incorporated.

To make the 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.

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 topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.