pumpkin Archives - The Midnight Baker

Baked Pumpkin Crumb Donuts

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 23:00:15 +0000

Pumpkin crumb donuts that are lower in fat since they’re baked not deep fried.

Pumpkin Donuts–A Fall Tradition

Nothing says autumn like all things pumpkin–especially donuts. Not sure which fall donut is number one; apple cider donuts or pumpkin donuts. For me, I love them both and give each equal time.

These pumpkin donuts do contain less fat since they’re baked not fried. I have to be honest here because what you’re eating is a donut-shaped muffin. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not good. Actually, they are wonderful, but I don’t want anyone to think they’re an exact copycat of traditional cake donuts.

You do need a special donut pan (affiliate link) to make these–that is if you want them donut shaped. How much you fill them is a learning curve. I found that filling the recesses almost to the top resulted in the best shape.

Just think of these, or any baked “donut” as a treat and you’re batting a thousand.

Crumbs Make Them Special

First, it’s up to you whether you ant crumbs. It doesn’t affect the recipe at all.

But I do think they make these donuts a special treat. Most folks love crumbs on cake or muffins so the addition of them is a natural. They are buttery and spicy so they go great and add a little crunch with each bite.

If you decide it’s not your bag, then leave them off but do glaze the donuts if you bypass the crumbs. The glaze will actually help keep them fresh.

Glaze Pulls It Together

If you use the crumbs and glaze these donuts, it’s the glaze that actually pulls it all together.

It adds that extra bit of sweetness that most of us appreciate. Another interesting thing is that the donut becomes a lot like a coffee cake. Cake, crumbs and glaze are what comes to mind (at least to me) as the basic components of a coffee cake.

The Recipe

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Baked Pumpkin Crumb Donuts

Tender and sweet fall treat

Prep Time20

Cook Time18

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, cakes, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked donuts for fall, baked pumpkin donuts, pumpkin donuts

Servings: 12

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree solid pack not pie filling
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in UK use mixed spice
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cups + 2 tbs flour

Crumbs:

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbs butter
3 tbs quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup flour

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar icing sugar in UK
1 tbs milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Spray donut pan with non-stick spray.
Mix all crumb ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Beat the oil, sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
Beat in the flour just until smooth.
Fill the baking pans--each "donut" uses about 1/4 cup to fill almost to the top. Top each with crumbs
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then carefully remove to a cooling rack.
Mix the glaze and drizzle on top of the donuts while they are still warm.
Makes 12-18 donuts (I got 18)

Nutrition

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Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake French Toast

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 23:00:53 +0000

It’s pumpkin spice time again. Why not enjoy that flavor in a cheesecake-filled French toast?

An Iconic Fall Flavor: Pumpkin Spice

Since pumpkin spice has become such an iconic flavor for fall, you often see jokes made about it.

This flavor has been popular for years. It’s only lately that you are able to find practically everything made with the flavor.

I’ve always been a fan of the fall season and everything that goes with it. I’m also a lover of French toast and cheesecake so as a result, this is one of my favorite breakfasts; for fall or any time for that matter!

The Bread Makes A Difference

Challah is usually my go-to bread for most French toast I make. However, with this pumpkin cheesecake variety, I’m pretty partial to–wait for it–French bread!

If you can get a nice substantial loaf of French bread or a baguette, you’re in business.

The reason I prefer French bread to challah for this is that I don’t want a highly flavorful bread, such as challah, to compete with the spiced cheesecake filling. With French bread, the flavor will meld rather than work at cross purposes.

One other important thing here is you want bread that’s not very fresh so what I do is cut the slices the day before and store them in a plastic bag in the fridge. This method produces the perfect texture for the bread.

The Filling

The delicious cheesecake filling is very easy to make. Just make sure to use plain pumpkin–not the canned pie filling.

You might have some left over, depending on how much you want to use to fill the bread slices. The amount you use is totally up to you. I had about a half cup left over. But there’s no waste going on here. The filling makes a wonderful sweet dip for graham crackers or cookies!

The Recipe

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Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake French Toast

A super fall breakfast or brunch

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fancy french toast, holiday breakfasts, holiday brunches, pumpkin spice, weekend breakfasts

Servings: 6

Calories: 464kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 French bread or baguette
2-3 tbs unsalted butter

Custard:

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp vanilla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut the French bread into 1-inch/2.5 cm slices.
Beat together all the filling ingredients.
Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of the filling on HALF the bread slices. Place a plain slice on top of the one with the filling making a “sandwich.”
Whisk together the eggs, milk and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into a large (13 x 9 is good) deep pan.
Place the “sandwiches” in the egg mixture and let it soak in for about 3 minutes; turn and soak the other side.
Melt half the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter starts foaming, place the french toast in the pan but do not overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn, add the remaining butter and brown on the other side for the same time.
To keep warm, place on a cookie sheet in a 200F/100C oven.

Notes

For UK folks--mixed spice is a good substitute for pumpkin pie spice.

Video

Nutrition

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Copycat Marie Callender’s Pumpkin Pie

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 19 May 2020 23:00:27 +0000

Think pumpkin pie is only for Thanksgiving? Try this copycat Marie Callender’s pumpkin pie recipe and you’ll serve it year round.

Not Just For Fall

There’s no reason to wait until autumn to enjoy pumpkin–especially pumpkin pie!

This recipe is so easy to make and it uses many pantry staples. Most folks have these on hand so there’s nothing special to purchase. I always have a can or two of pumpkin puree on the shelf and I bet you do too.

Pumpkin pie is one of those comfort food and don’t we all need a bit of comfort now? That’s a big ‘YES.”

Marie Callender’s restaurant was known for it’s comfort food and you can find many old-time favorites right in your store’s freezer now. This pie is one of them, but why buy it if you can duplicate this copycat Marie Callender’s pumpkin pie in your own kitchen.

Now About Pie Crust

That statement is easy to answer: use your favorite recipe for pie crust or even the refrigerated store-bought kind. Frozen ready-made crusts work well too. The store-bought variety was the one I always chose before I learned how to make great crust. The method works because trust me, I stunk at homemade pie crust before I discovered this trick. You’ll find this method in my peach pie recipe.

If you use the tart pan instead of the traditional American pie dish, you not only get a great presentation, but you won’t louse up the first piece you cut. That’s a win-win for me.

Yes, Regular Milk

Most recipes I’ve seen for traditional pumpkin custard pies calls for evaporated milk. Some call for cream.

While it’s true that those ingredients will make the custard more silky, this recipe uses good old plain milk that you have in the fridge already.

I actually prefer the taste of the custard made with milk instead of the cream/evaporated milk way. The taste–to me at least–is a lot fresher and cleaner. It’s not as dense and tacky. It’s lighter and I like that. I think the reason I never cared too much for the traditional pie was that the filling was dense and gloppy. This one isn’t.

Try it; I think you’ll like it as much as I do.

The Recipe

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Copycat Marie Callender’s Pumpkin Pie

Who says pumpkin pie is only for Thanksgiving?

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: copycat marie callender's recipes, easy pumpkin pie, pumpkin tart

Servings: 8

Calories: 254kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3 eggs
15 oz can pureed pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup milk full-fat milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pie crust deep dish style.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F/200C
Whisk all ingredients, except pie crust, together in a large bowl. Pour into crust
Bake at 400F/200C for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F/180C qnd bake for an additional 35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Nutrition

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Iced Pumpkin Bars

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 23:00:45 +0000

These pumpkin bars are a fall treat and the icing is to die for.

Pumpkin: A Fall Favorite

It’s autumn so all thoughts turn to pumpkin–of course!

These bars are nice and moist so they’re a good keeper, but do store them in your refrigerator for longer keeping.

The moist and spicy cake blends so well with the rich icing that’s on top. This icing is so good, you can eat it alone with a spoon. It’s the perfect icing, in my opinion. It’s rich without being too sweet because it has a nice sharpness from the cream cheese.

Pumpkin Puree

Now is the time that canned pumpkin will be featured in stores at a special price.

These bars use a 15 ounce can, so if you buy that size there will be nothing left over to spoil. I tend to buy the larger 29 ounce can because in my area, that’s the size that seems to go on sale most.

Since most recipes for pies, cookies and cakes call for the smaller can, I tend to have half of the can left over. What I do is simply freeze what’s left. Pumpkin can be used in many recipes–even savory ones. I’ve also heard that you can use it to replace the fat in baking just like apple sauce.

Do you know dogs love pumpkin? Well, they do so add it to their food if you don’t want to freeze any excess. Mixed with rice, it’s the perfect cure for when your pup gets a “stomach” issue. Just mix it with some cold cooked rice.

Now For The Icing

To get the best results, sift the confectioner’s sugar. This is a step I never used to think was necessary and many times, my icings would leave much to be desired. So now I take the time to sift.

Make sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. It’s also best–for all baking not just here–to use unsalted butter. Different butter brands have different salt amounts. Some are quite salty so it’s safe to stick to unsalted in baked goods and sweets.

The Recipe

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Iced Pumpkin Bars

These pumpkin bars are a fall treat and the icing is to die for.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fall desserts, iced pumpkin bars, pumpkin bars

Servings: 16

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
15 oz canned pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

ICING:

6 oz cream cheese softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbs heavy cream or half-and-half

Instructions

In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Pour into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely.
For icing, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter and vanilla in a small bowl. Add enough cream to achieve spreading consistency. Spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

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Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 23:00:55 +0000

These brownies are the perfect fall treat. Sure to please chocolate and pumpkin lovers.

A Perfect Fall Treat

It’s officially fall now so all thoughts turn to pumpkin!

I’m no different and I’m always looking for ways to get it into recipes at this time of year. There’ll be a lot of sales on the canned variety now that autumn is here and let’s not forget those fresh ones you either grew or picked at a local farm.

This recipe doesn’t use that much pumpkin because it’s basically just a topping. Therefore, unless you are a serious canner or freezer and you have some leftover pumpkin puree, I’d use the can just because it’s easier. And I’m all about “easy” these days.

Gooey Chocolate

Look no further if you love chocolate!

Not only are the brownies chocolate, but you get a double whammy by putting chocolate chips in with the brownie mix. Speaking of the mix, it’s always best to get a good one. Any chocolate flavor will do, but dark chocolate brownie mix will make these very intensely chocolate. Couple that with a high-quality dark morsel and you’re really in business.

One cautionary word here–these brownies must be kept in the fridge. They also must be chilled prior to cutting them. They’re so chocolaty that they become very gooey at room temperature and the topping is cheesecake so make sure store them chilled–that is if you have any left over.

Nice Marbling

To get the nice marbling on the top, less is more.

Getting this effect is quite easy but you must quit while you’re ahead as I implied before. Until I learned that a little goes a long way, I would always louse up things like this.

So what you do is drop bits of the brownie batter and drops of the cheesecake batter on top, then just make a few swirls with a knife–and the less the better. It will come out like a work of art!

Watch The Video

The Recipe

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Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

These brownies are the perfect fall treat. Sure to please chocolate and pumpkin lovers.

Prep Time20

Cook Time42

Total Time1 2

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownie recipe, cheesecake brownies, chocolate, fall desserts, pumpkin cheesecake

Servings: 9

Calories: 360kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Filling:

3 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix
1 egg
3 tbs sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Brownies:

1 box brownie mix I used dark chocolate flavor
1/2 cup chocolate morsels or chunks
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, beat Filling ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Set aside.
Make brownie batter as directed on box. Fold in the chocolate morsels, Spread 2 1/4 cups of the brownie batter in pan. Spoon filling by tablespoonfuls evenly over batter. Spoon remaining brownie batter over filling. Cut through several times with knife for marbled design.
Bake 38 to 42 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool 30 minutes on cooling rack. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until cooled completely. Cut into 3 rows by 3. Store covered in refrigerator.

Nutrition

*Adapted from Betty Crocker

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Pumpkin Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 00:00:52 +0000

Can this moist pumpkin cake get any better? Yes indeed with this delicious frosting!

Moist Pumpkin Cake Is A Good Keeper

This cake is nice and moist and will not go stale very quickly. Not only is it a “keeper” because it’s so darned good, but also because it doesn’t dry out fast as some cakes of this type do.

My Pumpkin Crumb Cake, while similar in taste, has quite a different texture than this one. The crumb cake is more of a coffee cake. This one is more of a standard dessert cake.

Awesome Frosting

First I have to admit that I prefer a plain cake to one that’s frosted.

Frosting (at least to me) is often so sweet with no tempering flavor, that is sweetness overkill. However, I found this icing interesting inasmuch as it had a tempering flavor–the sharpness of the cream cheese.

Another thing that intrigued me was the addition of a small amount of molasses. I’m kind of “meh” about molasses, but molasses having slight bitter undertones seemed perfect to me. The original recipe said you could substitute maple syrup for the molasses. Where I absolutely love maple syrup, I didn’t think it would be as good as the molasses in this frosting.

Thanksgiving Dessert? Why Not!

If you’re looking for something different from the usual pumpkin pie for a Thanksgiving dessert, why not make this instead or in addition to the pie?

This cake keeps with tradition because of the pumpkin, but it’s different enough if you want to get a bit radical–while keeping some traditions!

It can be made well in advance and it’s easy too–another boon at the holidays when there is so much preparation there aren’t enough hours in the day!

The Recipe

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Pumpkin Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

This pumpkin cake is nice and moist and will not go stale very quickly. Not only is it a “keeper” because it’s so darned good, but also because it doesn’t dry out fast as some cakes of this type do.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cream cheese frosting, fall desserts, pumpkin cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
15 oz canned pumpkin puree not pie filling

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbs molasses
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar, butter and grapeseed oil. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between each. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée and mix until well combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
Turn the mixer to low, and add the dry ingredients. Stir until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to finish folding in the dry ingredients. The batter will be thick and fluffy, so make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure it is evenly mixed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and firmly tap the pan on the countertop a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool the cake, still in the pan, on a rack for 15 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and carefully invert it onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: Add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high until smooth. Turn the speed to low and slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, mix until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip until smooth. Add the molasses, lemon juice and vanilla, and whip until smooth.
Invert the cooled cake to a serving platter, frost and serve. Alternately, you can also frost and serve this cake in the pan it was baked in, if you’d rather not transfer it to a serving platter.

Nutrition

*Adapted from NYT Cooking

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Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 23:00:41 +0000

Your house will smell like fall when you bake this pumpkin crumb cake and the family will love it!

Fall Means Pumpkin

Since autumn is upon us, that means tons of pumpkins and recipes for using them!

There’s no exception in this house. I love pumpkin anything and I don’t just reserve that love for fall, but I will admit to eating more of it during that season.

I always like to add new recipes to my repertoire. Sometimes you don’t have to search for them because they come to you. That’s the way it was with this pumpkin crumb cake recipe.

Pumpkin, Nuts And Oats

As a pinning partner for BHG, I pin lots of their content.

This little gem of a cake came up in a “you may like these” suggestions at the end of another recipe. This looked so good, I knew I had to make it.

First, as I mentioned before, I’m a sucker for anything pumpkin, and when I read the ingredients in the crumbs, I knew I had to have this and have it soon!

The topping contains the usual sugar, butter and flour but in addition, it works in some pecans and oats. Well, when oats and nuts toast, as they do in this topping, the taste is unbelievably good.

Great With Coffee Or For Breakfast

This pumpkin crumb cake is so good with a nice hot cup of coffee since it’s got a typical coffee cake texture. It’s equally good for breakfast as well because it’s got the nuts, oats and pumpkin that’ll give you energy you need in the morning.

I might add that this cake keeps very well, but since it’s so good, it won’t hang around for long!

The Recipe

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Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Your house will smell like fall when you bake this pumpkin crumb cake and the family will love it!

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: cakes, desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crumb cake, pumpkin

Servings: 12

Calories: 526kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup regular rolled oats
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 15 ounce can pumpkin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. For topping, in a bowl combine 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, 2/3 cup flour, and oats. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until pieces are pea size. Stir in pecans.
In a large bowl combine next five ingredients (through pumpkin pie spice).
In an extra-large bowl beat next three ingredients (through eggs) and remaining 1 cup brown sugar with a mixer on medium 2 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Add flour mixture and pumpkin alternately, beating on low after each addition just until combined.
Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with topping. Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and topping is golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Nutrition

*Adapted from BHG.com

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

Judith Hannemann — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:00:33 +0000

These pumpkin chocolate chip energy bites are a great healthy snack and are delicious too!

A Mini Muffin That’s An Energy Bite

Here’s a mini muffin that fills two roles.

If you look no further, it’s just a delicious chocolate chip pumpkin mini muffin. But a closer look shows it’s other side–it’s a healthy snack that fills the bill for an energy bite.

These “bites” are filled with pumpkin, oats and dark chocolate. I understand all those things are quite healthy too!

So these muffin bites are not only delicious, but good for you too!

Pans And Liners

You will need a mini muffin pan to make these. In fact, you’ll probably need two pans because this recipe makes a large amount,

I used mini muffin papers mainly because I didn’t want to have to clean the pan, but if you don’t have the paper liners, then a light spray will prevent the muffins from sticking.

I was able to find mini muffin papers in my local dollar store of all places, but you can find them anywhere cake decorating supplies are sold. Just be aware that sometimes the papers can be labeled as “candy” papers as they are often used for chocolate-dipped candies and nut clusters.

Freeze The Extras

While these will disappear quickly because they are so delicious, this recipe makes about 36 to 40 mini muffins (depending on how much you fill each cup).

They will keep about 4-5 days if kept in an air-tight container such as a Lock & Lock container.

However, if you want to preserve freshness so you can serve them at a later date, these mini muffins freeze well with no loss of flavor.

The Recipe

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bites

These pumpkin chocolate chip energy bites are a great healthy snack and are delicious too!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Breakfast, cupcakes, desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate chips, cupcakes, energy bites, pumpkin

Servings: 36 mini muffins

Calories: 154kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar packed
1 egg
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup quick oats
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1½ cups chocolate chips
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Spray or line 2 24 cup mini muffin pans with mini muffin papers.
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon in a separate bowl; mix well.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing well. Fold in chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin well 3/4 full.
You will probably end up with empty cups in one mini muffin pan--fill those 3/4 full with water.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Nutrition

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Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 06 Nov 2016 00:00:45 +0000

Creamy pumpkin cheesecake crowned with a rich praline topping is the perfect dessert for the holidays. So good you’ll make it year round!

Traditional Desserts For The Holidays

This time of the year, many of us are planning our Thanksgiving dinners.

While turkey and trimmings is pretty much the standard for the main course, many of us turn our more creative thoughts to the desserts. A custard pumpkin pie is the traditional American favorite, but do you have anyone on your guest list who’s not a big fan of the traditional pie?

This cheesecake may be just what you’re looking for. While most of my guests love the traditional, I always had one or two who were not fans. Funny enough, neither my late husband nor I were big fans of the standard pumpkin pie so I was always looking for alternatives.

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake–Traditional But Different

This cheesecake is traditional enough to satisfy pumpkin pie lovers, yet it’s different enough for those who want something different.

It’s got a graham cracker crust, but you can also make it with cinnamon grahams for a more intense spiciness. You could also use ginger snaps in place of the grahams for a more intense flavor. Whenever I’ve made this with the ginger snap crust, it always got rave reviews. I’ve never used Oreo crumbs for the crust, but if you have any lovers of pumpkin paired with chocolate, it’d be an interesting combination.

Some Cheesecake Baking Caveats

You will always bake a successful cheesecake if you follow these rules. With this cheesecake, it is very important because the second part of the baking process is “blind” so you won’t be able to judge it’s doneness. Just follow these rules and you’ll be OK.

Have all ingredients at room temperature–cream cheese, eggs and cream
Don’t overbeat–if you do, the cake will rise due to the air incorporated and as it cools, it will fall in the center. This isn’t very tragic. It just won’t look as good as it should
Don’t skip the waterbath–it’s essential. Cheesecakes are actually custards and using a water bath (aka bain marie) keeps the cake creamy from stem to stern
Have a large roasting pan to use for the waterbath. Place a folded kitchen towel, dish cloth or washcloth in the center to set the springform pan on. This prevents the crust from scorching (and will also sterilize your towel LOL). It’s easier to place the springform pan in the roasting pan BEFORE adding the batter and the boiling water for the waterbath. Place the roasting pan (with the filled springform pan inside) on the oven rack then pour in the boiling water. You will need about 1-2-inches of water.
Don’t open the oven door until the minimum bake time is up. This cake must bake for a set time before adding the topping. And don’t add the topping at the beginning. You can’t cheat with this one.
After the baking time is complete, TURN OFF THE OVEN and leave everything in the oven (no peeking) for ONE HOUR. This is the most important step of all. Don’t try to save time.

Pan Size Is Important

The original recipe I based this cheesecake on called for a 9-inch springform pan.

I didn’t like the results the first time I made it because it required MUCH longer to bake, the cake rose almost to the top of the pan and the topping spilled over the sides. While the cake came out OK, I was not pleased with the final results–the crust was very hard and the cake did not adhere to the crust, therefore, I began using a 10-inch springform pan and the cheesecake turns out perfectly each and every time.

The Recipe

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Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake

Creamy pumpkin cheesecake crowned with a rich praline topping is the perfect dessert for the holidays. So good you’ll make it year round!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 40

Total Time2 10

Course: cakes, desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesecake recipe, praline, pumpkin cake

Servings: 12 -16

Calories: 690kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

CRUST

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter melted

FILLING

3 packages 8 ounces each cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
15 oz can solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
5 large eggs lightly beaten

TOPPING

6 tablespoons butter softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

IMPORTANT--see post for cheesecake baking instructions!!!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Boil a large pot of water.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Cut a circle of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Wrap the pan in a double layer of heavy-duty foil.
Mix the crust ingredients and press them into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the prepared pan.
Beat the cream cheese pumpkin,cream, pie spice and sugars until just incorporated. Blend in the eggs on low speed.
Pour on top of the crust. Place pan in roasting pan and add boiling water for waterbath (see post)
Bake for 1 hour.
In a small bowl, mix the softened butter and brown sugar well. Blend in the pecans.
When the cake has baked 1 hour, carefully distribute the topping on the top of the cake. Don’t worry if you have bare spots; the topping will melt to cover the cake.
Bake an additional 40 minutes. Shut off the oven and let the cake sit in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove cake from oven and cool 10-20 minutes on a rack. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the side of the pan.
Cool completely then cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Notes

Substitute ginger snaps for the graham crackers for the crust for an even better flavor.

Nutrition

The post Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 23:00:56 +0000

These moist and tender pumpkin oat muffins are the taste of fall. The crunchy oat topping is to die for!

Pumpkin Oat Muffins; The Taste Of Fall

When fall arrives, thoughts go to all things pumpkin.

Pumpkin is something I tend to use year round, but somehow it just tastes better when you eat it during autumn! This is also the time of year that you find it fresh, and most stores feature the canned variety at lower prices too. I tend to stock up when the canned pumpkin goes on sale. Since pumpkin puree freezes well, don’t fret if you don’t use the whole can.

The taste of these muffins is superb. They are flavored with warming aromatic spices. You use nutmeg and cinnamon in addition to pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice. The texture is smooth and velvety because they’re actually more like cake than traditional muffins.

Great Topping

The crumb topping is to die for!

Rather than the usual streusel crumbs, these muffins have oats mixed in with the crumbs. I add no other flavorings to them because as the muffins bake, the oats toast and that gives them a deeper flavor.

I load my muffin tops up with crumbs, but I still had some crumb mixture left over. It will keep, refrigerated, for about a week, so if you plan to make these pumpkin muffins again or any other muffins, they can be used for that. However, if you don’t plan on making more muffins and don’t have the fridge space to share, just place the leftovers on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 for about 10-15 minutes. It makes a delicious snack!

Bakery Style Or Regular

All the muffins I make are made in a “Texas” or jumbo muffin pan. If you want to make them the traditional size, you will get double the yield. The jumbo pan makes six muffins, so if you are using traditional-sized pans, you’ll get twelve. You will also have to reduce the bake time. About 18-25 minutes should do, but always test them with a toothpick or cake tester.

As far as paper liners go, you can buy jumbo liners. I tend to use parchment liners, either lotus or tulip shaped. I believe those shapes are made for regular muffin pans, but I have found they work very well in the larger pans as well.

The Recipe

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Pumpkin Oat Muffins

These moist and tender pumpkin oat muffins are the taste of fall. The crunchy oat topping is to die for!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: breads, cakes, desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: muffin recipe, oats, pumpkin cake

Servings: 6

Calories: 590kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp each baking soda salt, nutmeg, cinnamon
1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

WET INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 of a 15 oz can about 1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs vegetable oil

OAT CRUMBS

1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbsp flour
1/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oats

Instructions

Mix together all ingredients of crumb mixture. You may need to use slightly more flour to get a proper crumb consistency. This is due to atmospheric conditions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients. Beat the wet ingredients until well blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Line or grease muffin tins. Fill each cup 3/4 full. I use an old-fashioned ice cream scoop to do this. Sprinkle top of each muffin with crumb mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 min for regular sized muffins. Bake 35-40 min for Texas sized muffins (check for doneness at minimum time).
Remove from oven and cool on racks.

Nutrition

The post Pumpkin Oat Muffins appeared first on The Midnight Baker.