Pumpkin Desserts (Not Pie)

25 November 2021

Canned pumpkin, pumpkin puree and solid-pack pumpkin are all the same. They are a cooked pumpkin that has been mashed into a smooth pulp. If you are going to make it on your own, the type of pumpkin will determine the actual taste. Those pumpkins you carve for Halloween can be made into puree but the better choice is if you select a variety that has been hybridized for pies.

If you like, you may substitute butternut squash, sweet potatoes or acorn squash that have been roasted and then pureed in a blender.

Pumpkin Brownie

Pumpkin is very high in Vitamin A, low in calories (until you add the sugar and fat to bake with), and provide beta-carotenes that act as antioxidants.

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup shortening

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup raisins (optional)

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix sugar, pumpkin, shortening and orange peel. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add raisins and/or nuts if desired.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 3 tbsp butter softened
  • 1 tsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, ground ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cloves and cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the eggs, vanilla, oil and pumpkin on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gently add the dry ingredients just until combined.

Pour into a pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

When completely cooled, frost.

Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again.

You may need to add a little milk to make it spreadable if your butter wasn’t soft enough.

Spread frosting evenly on top of cake. Cut the bar into any size you like.

Pumpkin Brownies

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter, melted
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup chopped nuts (optional
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan. Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract; beat in the eggs one at a time with a spoon. Gradually add the flour mixture, and stir the batter until it’s evenly moistened. Divide the batter in half in two separate bowls.

Into one bowl of batter, blend the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. In the second bowl of batter, stir in the pumpkin puree, nuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Spread 1/2 of the chocolate batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, and follow with 1/2 of the pumpkin batter. Repeat the layers, ending with a pumpkin layer, and drag a kitchen knife or small spatula gently through the layers in a swirling motion, to create a marbled appearance.

Bake in the preheated oven until the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan, cut into squares, and serve.

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