PUMPKIN SQUARES WITH OAT CRUST AND CRUMB TOPPING
This is from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "Many versions of pumpkin bars are crowned with a cream cheese topping, but this version features a buttery and chewy oat-crumble—both as the bottom and top crust. The pumpkin filling in these delicious pumpkin squares is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and other typical "pumpkin pie" spices, making for a quintessential fall treat.
"These pumpkin bars with oat crumble crust can be enjoyed almost any time of day, whether an indulgent breakfast, late morning snack, afternoon pick-me-up, or tasty dessert. They're also perfect for packing in the lunch box. Feel free to use store-bought pumpkin spice or make your own from scratch."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Makes 24 servings
To view this inline, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/pumpkin-squares-3052040.
Ingredients
For the Oat Crumble:
1 1/2 cups oats (quick-cooking)
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar (light, firmly packed)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
For the Filling:
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin puree (2 cups)
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup brown sugar (light, packed)
1 egg
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan.
Make the oat crumble. Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, salt, baking soda, and butter. Beat until the mixture is crumbly.
Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture and press the remaining mixture into the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Beat the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended and smooth.
Spread filling over the crust and sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture.
Return to the oven and bake 25 minutes longer. Cool and cut into bars.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice
To make the spice mix from scratch, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.
Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling
Although both of these canned products can sit side-by-side on the grocery store shelf, pumpkin puree and pie filling are two different things. Pumpkin puree, which can also be labeled "100 percent pure pumpkin," "solid pack pumpkin," or simply "pumpkin," is simply cooked and mashed squash without any sweeteners or seasonings added. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, does include ingredients to add sweetness and flavor, making it a convenience when baking pumpkin pie or other pumpkin desserts. Although you can use pumpkin puree in place of pie filling (and add the necessary spices and sweeteners), it is trickier to substitute the pie filling for the puree as it's more difficult to eliminate flavorings and maintain the integrity of the recipe.
SINGLE-SERVE PUMPKIN SPICED LATTE
This yumminess is from Folgers. Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 1 minute; Servings: 1; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.folgerscoffee.com/recipes/drinks/single-serving-pumpkin-spiced-latte.
Ingredients
1 Folgers Gourmet Selections® Lively Colombian Coffee K-Cup® pod
Pinch pumpkin pie spice, plus additional for garnish
Vanilla-flavored coffee creamer
whipped cream
Directions
Brew coffee on smallest cup setting into coffee cup.
Stir in pumpkin pie spice and creamer to taste.
Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice.
THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD
This is from the Food Network, and begins, "This pumpkin bread is perfectly moist, not-too-sweet and couldn't be easier. It's perfect for toasting and slathering with butter or cream cheese, and maybe a drizzle of honey or maple syrup."
Active Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 2 loaves; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pumpkin-bread-recipe-1957866.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for the pans
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan (see Cook's Note)
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons fine salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.
Whisk together the sugar and oil in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk in the eggs and pumpkin until combined.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and cloves in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Add half the water and stir to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour and water.
Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans. Bake until cake tester comes out clean and the loaves are golden brown, about 1 hour. Let the loaves cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
EASY PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE
This is from Ashley, a high school teacher turned blogger, on her wonderful site, The Recipe Rebel. This recipe begins, “This Easy Pumpkin Pudding Cake takes just 10 minutes prep and makes it’s own caramel pudding sauce as it bakes! Perfect hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat!)
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 1/4 cup hot or boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9" pie plate or baking dish.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves with a spoon.
Add in pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla and stir until a thick batter forms. Spread into prepared pie plate.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until there are no clumps. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Add butter to hot water and stir until melted. Pour over brown sugar mixture in pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is completely set (keep in mind that there is a thick layer of caramel sauce in the bottom, so it may jiggle). Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheat perfectly!
HALLOWEEN PUNCH
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 10-1/2 cups.
Ingredients
4 cups Apple cider
1 1/2 cup Orange juice
1 cup Pineapple juice
2 tablespoons Sugar
4 cups Ginger ale
Ice cubes
Directions
Stir together the apple cider, orange juice, pineapple juice and sugar in a punch bowl.
Pour in the ginger ale. Add ice cubes.
Data per 1/2-cup serving: 59 calories, 0g protein, 0g fat, 15g carbohydrates, 6mg sodium, 0g saturated fat, 0g monounsaturated fat, 0g polyunsaturated fat, 0mg cholesterol.
PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
This is from Diana Rattray in The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "These pumpkin cupcakes are a perfect choice for a Halloween party treat or fall dessert. The moist pumpkin cupcakes are perfectly spiced with a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and they get extra texture from chopped walnuts or pecans.
"Top these cupcakes with fluffy caramel cream cheese frosting or a basic cream cheese frosting. Or top with a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Servings: 24 servings; Yield: 24 cupcakes
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/homemade-pumpkin-cupcakes-3060003.
Ingredients
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1-1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten until frothy
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Directions
Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in mashed pumpkin.
Stir in the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending until batter is smooth after each addition; stir in chopped walnuts or pecans.
Spoon batter into well-greased and floured or paper-lined muffin pan cups. Fill about 2/3 full.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool and frost the cupcakes with a simple cream cheese frosting or top with a dollop of whipped cream.
