Desserts

Gram’s Pumpkin Pie

I have a secret. Are you ready for it? I rarely use pumpkin to make pumpkin pie. Sound the alarms! But, really, I don’t. I typically use butternut squash because that’s usually what I have on-hand. And I can promise you, you won’t taste the difference. I think my gram makes the best pumpkin pie — rich, creamy, and not overly spiced — so her recipe is my go-to. Plus, you just don’t mess with tradition.

Gram's Pumpkin Pie
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Ingredients
  1. 1 pie crust, fitted into a 9-inch pie pan
  2. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  5. 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  6. 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  7. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  8. 1 1/2 cups pumpkin (or butternut squash puree)
  9. 1 cup evaporated milk
  10. 3 eggs, beaten
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt.
  3. Add in the pumpkin, evaporated milk, and eggs. Stir together until ingredients are well-blended.
  4. Pour pumpkin mixture into pie crust.
  5. Set pie pan on a rimmed baking sheet (in case filling cooks over), and bake for 15 minutes. Then decrease oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes.
  6. Let cool before refrigerating.
Seasoned to Impress https://seasonedtoimpress.com/

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

 If you’re planning on making any pumpkin desserts this fall, make these whoopie pies. They taste like a pumpkin roll but are easier to make, plus I love that they’re single serving — no cutting or even plates or forks required! If you follow the recipe and use tablespoons of batter, you’ll get about two dozen medium-sized (3-inch diameter) whoopie pies. If you want them bite-sized, use a heaping teaspoon of batter, and decrease the baking time a minute or two. 

*This recipe was clipped out of a newspaper, so, unfortunately, I don’t know its original source. If you think you know where it’s from, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Icing
Yields 24
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups brown sugar
  2. 1 cup vegetable oil
  3. 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  5. 2 large eggs
  6. 3 cups all-purpose flour
  7. 1 teaspoon salt
  8. 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  9. 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  10. 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  11. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  12. 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Icing
  1. 1 stick of butter, softened
  2. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  3. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  4. 3 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oil, pumpkin, vanilla, and eggs.
  3. Add in the flour, salt, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
  4. Stir together until smooth.
  5. Drop tablespoons of batter onto lightly greased baking sheets, and bake for 10-12 minutes.
  6. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and place on a cooling rack.
  7. Let cool thoroughly before icing.
  8. Store in refrigerator.
For the Icing
  1. Beat together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.
  2. With the mixer on low, add in confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time.
  3. Increase mixer speed, and beat until smooth.
  4. Spread between two cookies, and press together like a sandwich.
Notes
  1. Wrap whoopie pies individually with plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking to each other.
  2. For mini whoopie pies, use a teaspoon rather than a tablespoon of batter, and decrease baking time by 1-2 minutes.
Seasoned to Impress https://seasonedtoimpress.com/

Peanut Butter Cookie Cupcakes

These cupcakes are hands-down my favorite cupcakes ever! If you love the combo of chocolate and peanut butter, you need to make them immediately. I found the recipe on Annie’s Eats, one of my go-to food blogs, and, as usual with her recipes, I didn’t need to change a thing. They were perfect!

Peanut Butter "Cookie" Cupcakes
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For the Cupcakes
  1. 1½ cups hot brewed coffee
  2. ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  3. 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  4. 1½ teaspoon baking soda
  5. ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  6. ½ teaspoon salt
  7. 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  8. 1½ cup packed brown sugar
  9. ¾ cup granulated sugar
  10. 3 large eggs
  11. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Ganache
  1. 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  2. ½ cup heavy cream
For the Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting
  1. 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  2. 1½ cups creamy peanut butter
  3. 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
  2. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
  3. In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the hot brewed coffee and cocoa powder until dissolved. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla.
  6. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the coffee-cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix each addition just until incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
  7. Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds of the way full. Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. When the cupcakes are cool, make the ganache by placing the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer, pour over the chocolate, and let stand about 2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. If needed, let cool briefly at room temperature to thicken slightly before using.
  9. To make the peanut butter cookie frosting, combine the peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high for 1 minute. Turn off the mixer, add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Place the "cookie dough" in between two pieces of wax paper and roll to about 1/2 inch thick. Place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  10. In the meantime, using a butter knife or an offset spatula, spread a layer of ganache over the top of each cupcake.
  11. Remove the "cookie dough" from refrigerator and use a small cup or a biscuit cutter to cut dough into rounds just smaller than the top of the cupcake. Use the tines of a fork to make the classic crisscross pattern on top of the “cookie.” Top each cupcake with a peanut butter "cookie."
Seasoned to Impress https://seasonedtoimpress.com/