Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles.
My dad loves these cookies.
And actually it must be a "Joe" thing, because
my nephew, Joe, loves snickerdoodles too.
Actually, he, like me, just loves cookies.
He's awesome like that.

So whenever cookies come out of the oven,
I picture little happy faces waiting a moment to dig into the cooling cookies.
It's difficult to wait.
Especially when snickerdoodle cookies aren't made very often.
And it's true.
I don't make them often enough for some people.
Somehow, taking the extra time to roll the dough in cinnamon and sugar
used to seem like a complicated step.
But after making so many complex cookies,
these are actually a piece of cake...I mean cookie.

Of course, I can't just leave the cookie alone...all traditional-like.
I needed to spice them up for the winter.
And nothing says winter to me like pumpkin and spices.

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Budget Gourmet Mom

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup pumpkin
• 2 large eggs (use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer for a vegan substitution)
• 1/2 cup butter (or vegan butter)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 2 1/2 cups flour

For Rolling:

• 2 tbls granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a medium bowl mix the pumpkin, eggs (or substitute), sugar, and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl stir together the baking soda, cream of tartar, and the flour. Add to the wet ingredients. and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Now in a small bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar.
5. Form the dough into balls that are tablespoon size. Roll in the cinnamon and sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Flatten cookies by using a glass to flatten the cookies.
7. Bake for 8-9 minutes.
8. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.

If you can't keep little fingers away, go ahead and just give them a cookie or 3.

These cookies are definitely meant to be shared.

Enjoy!

Oh Starbucks...what have you done?

I don't get it.
Why change a good thing?
So, I understand change if it makes something better,
but this is definitely not better.
Nothing is better without a pumpkin scone or pumpkin bread.
I judge the beginning of fall by the amount of
pumpkin items I can find, and consume.
But when I arrived at Starbucks for my first dose of pumpkin overload,
I was extremely disappointed.
Yes, they had my beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte.
But a pumpkin scone? No.
Pumpkin bread?
No, not a crumb.
So what is a girl to do?!
Well, after the tears dried,
I stepped into my kitchen and worked out my feelings by baking.
I think the bread that came out of the oven was as close to perfection as possible.
But I guess you'll have to make it and try it yourself.

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

This bread is just like Starbucks used to make it, 

but actually it's way better than that. 

It's perfectly vegan too!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Egg replacer for 2 eggs (I use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• water to mix sugar into a glaze

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Prepare a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan by spraying with non-stick spray and lined with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl add all of the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, salt, and spices. Sift the dry ingredients together. 
4. In your stand mixer, blend together the egg replacer, the oil, and the vanilla. 
5. Once the liquid ingredients are mixed well, begin to add the flour mixture in.  Make sure that you mix in gradually.  Stir until the lumps are out. 
6. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan. 
7. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of bread. 
8. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center of the loaf. 
9. Cool for approximately 5 minutes in the pan, and then turn the pumpkin bread onto a cooling rack. Allow bread to completely cool before you glaze and slice.

**Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer is a great substitute for vegans and vegetarians, but be aware that it does contain gluten so it's not good for all substitutions.

Pumpkin Bar Muffins

I love pumpkin!  And I mean LOVE PUMPKIN! Sweet little pumpkins, Pumpkin pie, Pumpkin scones, Pumpkin latte', Pumpkin...pumpkin...pumpkin...even adorable Pumpkin, my friends' kitty-cat. It's Fall, and pumpkin is a staple in my cupboard, in my fridge, on my porch and in my muffins. Perfect way to live, right?! I sure think so... that's why I needed to combine two of my favorite pumpkins...muffins and bars. :0)   Pumpkin Bar Muffins Adapted from Paul's Pumpkin Bars Ingredients: 4 eggs 1 2/3 cups white sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.	Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
2.	In a stand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until mixed well.
3.	Fill muffin tins evenly with batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven. Watch closely after 15 minutes so that you don't over bake them.
4.	Need a little something extra on your muffin? You could always make cream cheese frosting and add it to the top, but then I'd have a difficult time justifying it for breakfast.  ;0)  But, heck, go for it!  I won't tell anyone, if you don't tell anyone that I LOVE to add frosting to mine...or at least a pat of butter.  Deal?  Yummy!