Fall Pumpkin Treats!

By Brenda Hyde

Pumpkin is second only to apples as the "Taste of Fall". Though you can buy canned pumpkin year round, it never tastes as good as it does on a cool, crisp autumn day!

A note on canned pumpkin: when you see the ingredients "solid pack pumpkin" or "canned pumpkin" be sure you are not using "pumpkin pie filling".They aren't the same thing and won't have the same results. You can also used your own fresh pumpkin puree if you wish.

Pumpkin Cookie Pops

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup solid pack pumpkin

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

lollipop or popsicle sticks

candied green cherries, sliced

Pumpkin Icing

Chocolate Glaze

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl cream the butter, syrup and sugar until light. Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin; mix well. Combine the dry ingredients; sift together and add to pumpkin mixture, mixing well. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto greased cookie sheets. Insert sticks into the side of the unbaked cookies. At the opposite side, insert a green cherry slice for stem. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from sheets and cool on rack. Frost with the icing and glaze-below.

Pumpkin Icing: Combine 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons water, two drops of yellow food coloring and one drop red coloring; mix until smooth. Frost the cookies and allow to dry.

Chocolate Glaze: Melt 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon butter, mixing well. Using a small clean paint brush or toothpick, dipped in the glaze, paint on faces to each pumpkin cookie.

Great Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

2 cups quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 can, 16 ounce, solid pack pumpkin

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

icing

sprinkles or other cookie decorations

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. Cream butter, add sugars gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla; mix well. Alternate after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Spread into a pumpkin shape using a thin metal spatula or the back of a large metal spoon. Add a bit more dough to form a stem. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cookies are firm and browned. Remove and cool on racks. Decorate using your favorite icing and assorted candies. Makes about 32 large cookies. NOTES: I thought butterscotch chips, white chocolate morsels or toffee bits worked better in these. For icing you can use a plain white icing and add yellow and red food coloring to create orange or caramel frosting is nice too. You can make faces with another color of icing, or sprinkle with cookie decorations.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin

2 tbsp. milk

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix all dry ingredients together and add to the remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

5 tbsp. applesauce, at room temperature

2 egg whites, whipped

1/2 cup apple juice, at room temperature

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins with cooking spray and flour. In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, applesauce, whipped egg whites, and juice. In another bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar as soon as taking out of the oven if you wish.

Pumpkin Orange Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 cups (15-oz can) pumpkin

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Orange glaze (recipe follows)

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl; beat until creamy. Add egg, pumpkin, orange juice and orange peel; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Stir in nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 375 Degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Spread each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon orange glaze.

For orange glaze:

Combine 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel in medium bowl until smooth.

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

2 unbaked 9 inch pie shells

3 cups pumpkin puree, (fresh or canned)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp. ground cloves

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (1 large can)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Beat well. Divide between the two pie shells. Combine all topping ingredients in small bowl of electric mixer. Beat until smooth. Spoon mixture carefully over the pumpkin filling, dividing topping between the two pies. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on racks. Chill for 24 hours before serving.

No-Bake Pumpkin Squares

Ingredients:

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

16 ounce can pumpkin

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften. In a small dish, melt the butter or margarine. Place about 11 large graham crackers in a plastic bag and crush to make 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Add the sugar and cooled butter and mix well. Press this evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch square pan. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Fold in the softened ice cream and stir until smooth. Spread this evenly onto the graham cracker base. Cover and freeze until firm, about two hours.

Twenty minutes before serving, remove the pan from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature. Cut into 3-inch squares. Serve with whipped cream.

More on Pumpkin:

More Pumpkin Recipes

Roasting Pumpkins

The Perfect Pumpkin

Pumpkin Sweets

Pumpkin Sprouts

Pumpkin Traditions

Pumpkin Fudge and More

Herbs With Pumpkin

Harvest Tips and Recipes

About The Author

Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her
husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.

Return To Top