Recipe of the Month: Pumpkin Sweet Treats

Everyone loves a good pumpkin pie around the holidays, but if you’re looking for some alternatives to pumpkin pie – or ways to use that leftover canned pumpkin – here are two sweet pumpkin treats.

 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Here’s what you need:

For the cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

For rolling

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Here’s what you do:

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer cream butter until smooth.
2. Add sugars, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Mix ingredients with a mixer until fully combined.
3. Add vanilla and egg and mix well.
4. Add flour slowly, about 1 cup at a time, and mix well to combine.
5. Chill cookie dough in the fridge for at least one hour.
6. Once chilled for at least an hour, preheat the oven to 350 F.
7. Scoop dough into about 2 TB round balls. Roll the cookie dough balls into the cinnamon/sugar/pumpkin spice mixture.
8. Place dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes. When cookies are done, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing them onto a cooling rack.

 

Pumpkin Bars Cream Cheese Swirl Bars

Here’s what you need:

For the pumpkin bars

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 tsp. salt

For the cream cheese swirl

• 8 oz. full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg

Here’s what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla and then add in pumpkin. Mix well until combined
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined – don’t overmix!
5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan into a thin layer.
6. Now, it’s time to make the cream cheese topping! In a new bowl, beat the cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
7. Add the vanilla, sugar, and egg to the cream cheese and beat until combined.
8. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture on top of the pumpkin layer. Then, using a knife, swirl the cream cheese and pumpkin batter together. You may need to go back and forth the batter a few times so they are combined and make a nice pattern.
9. Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Let cool completely before cutting.