Pumpkin Gingersnap cookies

These look good!

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup of butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
½ cup of pure pumpkin (I used Libby's canned pumpkin)
¼ cup of molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mix until well combined.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days.

3. When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in sugar until well coated and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cookies look cracked and set at the edges. The cookies will still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a 2-3 minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake

This looks good. Maybe I'll make it for thanksgiving!

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake…Getting it Perfect

Posted By Kathy Strahs On November 2, 2010 @ 3:58 PM

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake
Adapted from the recipe booklet inside the KitchenAid Stand Mixer box

Yield: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
3 (8-ounce) packages, cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Pecan Glaze

3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl; press firmly on bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake crust for 15 minutes. Set aside. Reduce the oven heat to 325°F.

In a stand mixer, cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth and fluffy (be careful not to whip too much air into it). Stop and scrape bowl. Gradually pour in condensed milk and mix on medium-low until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix on low speed until well combined.

Put on a kettle of water to boil. Place the springform pan in the middle of two large criss-crossed sheets of aluminum foil (to help prevent moisture from leaking into the pan). Wrap the sides of the pan with aluminum foil and trim. Place the aluminum wrapped pan in a large roasting pan (large enough so that there is room on all sides). Pour the pumpkin cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.

Place the roasting pan containing the springform pan in the oven on the middle rack. Pour boiling water into the pan so that it comes halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until center still jiggles slightly when shaken. Turn off the oven, prop open the door and cool the cheesecake in the oven for an hour. Continue cooling on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

To serve, spoon Maple Pecan Glaze over cheesecake. Garnish with whipped cream and pecans, if desired. Pass remaining sauce. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

To prepare Maple Pecan Glaze, combine maple syrup and whipping cream in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil rapidly for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in chopped pecans. Cool completely.

peanut butter chocolate chip blondies

another one I haven't made yet, but plan to

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch pan and set aside.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter, until creamy and combined. Set mixture aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the peanut butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared dry ingredients, and stir until batter is smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for sprinkling on top.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and lightly press them into the batter.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned. Remove blondies from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares and serve.

apple pie bars

I haven't made these yet but plan to.

Apple Pie Bars

Yield: 4 dozen bars

Prep Time: 50 min

Cook Time: 60 min

These bars freeze well- try putting them in individual zip bags for impromptu snacks or as an easy addition to your child's lunch box.

Ingredients:

CRUST:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

FILLING:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, thinly sliced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 pounds (about 12) Granny Smith apples , peeled, cored & thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated (preferred)
1/2 cup water, as necessary

TOPPING:
3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled

Directions:

1. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. With an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in the flour, spices and salt until a soft dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and 1/2 inch up the side in an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and set. Let cool on a rack.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a very large, deep skillet melt the butter with the brown sugar. (If you don't have a large skillet, divide between 2 skillets). Add the apples to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes longer; scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet and add up to 1/2 cup of water to the pan to prevent scorching. Let cool.

3. Prepare the topping: In a large bowl, mix the oats with the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Using fingers (wash your hands and take off your rings first!), squeeze the butter into the oats & sugar and crumble together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press the mixture into clumps.

4. Assemble the bars: Spread the apple filling over the crust. Scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them lightly into an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden; rotate the pan halfway through baking, and keep an eye on it to make sure the top isn't getting too browned. Let cool completely on a rack before cutting into 2-inch bars.

Tips:

*For this recipe, the 12x17-inch rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan) is easiest to use. It fits perfectly in this pan. If you don't have this pan, you can try and wing it using a couple of smaller ones.
*This recipe makes a large quantity. Make sure you have lots of people to feed :)
*The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or frozen for up to a month.