pumpkin truffles

the goods:

filling:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 and 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup white chocolate chips

topping:

12 ounces white chocolate, chopped

2 teaspoons vegetable shortening

For the filling: Place a triple layer of paper towel on a baking sheet. Using an offset spatula, spread the pumpkin puree into a thin, even layer. Place another triple layer of paper towels on top of the puree and lightly press to absorb moisture. Once towels are saturated, carefully peel back top layer and discard. Grasp one side of the bottom towels and fold the pumpkin layer in half into itself. Do this again, flipping pumpkin onto the baking sheet. Transfer the pumpkin to the bowl of a food processor. Add the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cream cheese; process until smooth. Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the melted chocolate to the pumpkin mixture and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process until completely combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl, cover and freeze for 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop, shape the dough into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to coat.
Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate and shortening together in a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Place pumpkin ball on a fork and hold over the bowl of melted chocolate. Spoon the chocolate over the ball and carefully dip the bottom of the ball into the chocolate. Gently tap the fork on the side of the bowl to shake off excess. Use a toothpick to slide the truffle off the fork and onto the prepared baking sheet. Garnish with a few gingersnap crumbs before the chocolate sets; repeat with remaining pumpkin balls. Chill truffles in the fridge until set.

pumpkin chocolate cupcakes

the goods:

chocolate batter:
1 and 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup light brown sugar
1 and 1/3 cups buttermilk
4 egg yolks (save whites for pumpkin batter)

pumpkin spice batter:
2 cups (scant) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 egg whites
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar

vanilla bean buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
2 vanilla beans, scraped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Make the chocolate batter by combining the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and espresso powder in a large bowl. Whisk together, then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil, vanilla, brown sugar, buttermilk, and egg yolk. Stir together with a wooden spoon until combined. Set aside.
Make the pumpkin batter by combining the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk together, then make a well in the center and add egg whites, pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, and granulated sugar. Stir together with a wooden spoon until combined. Set aside.
Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon), drop a dollop of chocolate in the bottom of each paper liner. Next, drop a dollop of pumpkin batter on top of each chocolate layer. Continue with another dollop of chocolate and another dollop of pumpkin until all the cups are filled and the batter is used up.
Bake the cupcakes for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and salt while continuously beating. Add the heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated. Scrape the bowl down and whip for 1 minute more until light and fluffy.
Frost cooled cupcakes with the vanilla bean frosting and serve.

american flag cookie cake

the goods:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup blueberries

2 cups strawberries, hulled, and halved

1 can whipped cream

Beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer one medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar, and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture while mixer is on low speed. Beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking sheet with cooking spray. Press dough evenly into baking sheet, forming a slight edge on all sides. Bake until edges are very lightly browned, 18-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup butter on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons cream; beat 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and tablespoon of cream. Beat 1 minute. Spread in a thick layer over cookie.

Arrange blueberries in a square in the top left corner of the cookie. Arrange strawberry halves in parallel horizontal lines, leaving about an inch between each row. Then squirt whipped cream stars in between each strawberry row. Slice and serve.

cadbury egg cookies

the goods:

1 and 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 bag of cadbury eggs, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and shortening and mix until well combined. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in cadbury eggs. Scoop heaping tablespoons onto a baking sheet, 2-inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

mini heart pie pockets

the goods:

basic pie dough:

1 and 1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

5 tablespoons very cold water

1/4 cup strawberry jam

1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water

raw sugar 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, or 2 butter knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until butter is the size of peas. Add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring dough with a fork until it comes together. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough out to an even thickness, (fairly thin). Using a heart shaped cutter (smallest you have), cut out as many hearts as you can (preferably an even number). On half the hearts, drop a 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the center. Dab outer edges of hearts with egg wash and place a topper on each jam-filled heart. Use a fork to seal the edges together. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cut tiny slits or x's in the hearts, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake at 370 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

candy cane kiss cookies

the goods:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

20 hershey candy cane kisses

In a large bowl using a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the dry ingredients, then add the milk. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. put confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, then roll each ball in confectioners' sugar to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheet, then press a hershey candy cane kiss into the center of each cookie.

brownie peppermint cookies

the goods:

1 box fudge brownie mix

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

vanilla cream frosting:

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup crushed peppermints, or candy canes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a cookie sheet and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brownie mix, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add in eggs and milk and stir with a wooden spoon. Add in melted butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract, stir until well blended. Spoon heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

While brownie cookies are baking and cooling, make frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together butter, sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and salt.

When brownie cookies are cooled, frost and sprinkle with peppermints.

pumpkin walnut crunch cake

the goods:

crunch topping:

3 cups walnuts

3 cups mini Nilla wafers

3 cups brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

pumpkin cake:

1 and 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin puree

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

frosting:

2 blocks (16 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

8 ounces marscapone cheese

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Make the crunch topping: In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb. Add walnuts and pulse to a fine chop. Add in brown sugar and mix well. Add in melted butter and blend together. Divide mixture into four 9-inch cake pans (1 very full cup per pan), reserving about 1 cup for the top of the cake. Press it into the bottoms of the pans in an even layer (I use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Make cake: In a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl a few times as needed. Add in pumpkin, flour, sour cream, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking, soda, and salt. Mix just until blended. Add in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Divide batter equally into your 4 prepared pans, smooth it out and make it as level as possible. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Put remaining crunch in a baking pan and bake for about 10 minutes. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Break up extra crunch mix into small bits to decorate cake with.

Make the frosting: Whip cream cheese, marscapone, and butter until very smooth and creamy. Slowly add in the sugar while mixer is on low. Add in vanilla and mix well.

Assemble the cake: Place your first layer crunch-side-up on a serving plate. Spread a generous amount of frosting to cover entire surface. Place second layer crunch-side-up and repeat until all layers are stacked. Put remaining frosting on top and sprinkle with broken up crunch. Refrigerate any uneaten (if there is any) cake.

soft glazed pumpkin sugar cookies

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

glaze:

3 cups confectioners' sugar

4 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla, and eggs until incorporated and smooth. Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until completely incorporated. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using a 1 and 1/2 tablespoon scoop and flatten to 1/2-inch thick using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 8-9 minutes. While cookies back, whisk together glaze ingredients until smooth. Once cookies are out of the oven, cool for 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack set over wax paper.  Spread a couple teaspoons of glaze over each warm cookie. Let glaze set a couple of hours before serving.

dessert tacos

the goods:

shells:

6 large flour tortillas

oil for frying

1 package graham crackers

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

topping:

1 can cherry pie filling

In a food processor, combine graham crackers, cinnamon, and sugar until crumbled and fine. Place mixture in a bowl and set aside.

In a heavy cast-iron skillet heat about an inch of oil over medium heat. Using a 3.5 inch circle cutter, cut out circles from your tortillas. Using tongs, place one circle in the oil for about 5 seconds, flip it over and fold in half holding it in a taco shell shape in the oil for another 5 seconds or until browned. Immediately remove from the oil and toss in the bowl with the crumbs and cinnamon sugar. Set in an upside-down muffin tin to cool.

To make the filling, in a stand mixer, cream together cream cheese and lemon juice until soft. Add in whipping cream and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Add in sugar and beat until stiff and fluffy. Place in a zipl-loc bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, snip a hole in the corner of the bag and pipe filling into shells. Top with a cherry and some pie filling. Ole!

hot cocoa cupcakes

the goods:

cupcakes:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1 cup prepared hot cocoa, cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

whipped cream:

1 and 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

garnishes:

mini marshmallows

mini chocolate chips

crushed peppermints

mini candy canes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with 18 paper liners. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.  Add the oil, prepared hot cocoa (cooled), vanilla, and eggs. Whisk until well incorporated and no lumps remain. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a scoop, divide batter evenly among paper-lined tins. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; then transfer from tins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the whipped cream: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine whipping cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla. Whisk on medium speed until stiff peaks form.

Pipe the whipped cream onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish by sprinkling with mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, and crushed peppermints. Stick a mini candy cane into the side of each one. Refrigerate any leftovers.

candy corn cookies

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

11 ounces candy corn (1 and 1/2 cups)

1 cup white chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add cream, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the candy corn and white chocolate chips and gently stir to combine. Using a s-inch cookie scoop, form mounds and place on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly and freeze for 15 minutes while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and place cold cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake for 9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

monster peanut butter cookies

the goods:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 bag Reese's pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat to combine. Slowly ad dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Stir in oats, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes, meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour Reese's pieces onto a plate or into a wide bowl. Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) drop cookie dough into the bowl of Reese's pieces. Gently use your hand to press the dough down into the candies and flatten the dough into a disc, then transfer to the cookie sheet. Bake, six at a time, for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to darken. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

carrot patch pudding cups

the goods:

2 packets Instant Chocolate Pudding (5 oz. each)

1 package Cool Whip (8 oz.), thawed

2 cups whole milk

2 cups Oreos

orange icing

edible grass

Whisk together chocolate pudding and milk. Fold in Cool Whip. Place Oreos in a ziploc bag and crush using a rolling pin. Add 1/3 of the crushed Oreos to the pudding and fold to combine. Spoon the mixture into plastic cups and top with remaining crushed Oreos. Pipe orange "carrots" on top of the dirt and stick small clippings of edible grass into each carrot. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

white chocolate raspberry cheesecake

 

the goods:

 

1 store-bought pre-made oreo crust (save the lid)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup cold water

1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

12 ounces cream cheese (1 and 1/2 packages), softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 tablespoon sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Stir in cold water and add raspberries. Cook over medium heat whisking frequently, until mixture reaches a boil. Allow mixture to gently boil about 5 minutes whisking constantly and reducing temperature slightly if necessary to reduce splattering, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and force sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in egg and egg white. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Set mixture aside. Melt white chocolate with cream in a bowl set over a pot with 1-inch of simmering water in it until melted and smooth. Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture and blend until smooth. 

Pour 2/3 cup cheesecake mixture into oreo crust and spread over bottom. Drizzle or spoon 2 tablespoons raspberry sauce over top. Slowly ladle remaining cheesecake mixture over the drizzled raspberry sauce, covering all the raspberry sauce (you don't want any red showing). Swirl cheesecake with a toothpick. Carefully jiggle the pan to even out the top. Now, fill a clean medicine syringe with raspberry sauce and begin to drop small circles in a swirl pattern over cheesecake. Take a toothpick and beginning at the center or very outer circle, run the toothpick through the center of each circle to create a heart (don't lift the toothpick until you finish the last heart). 

I baked my cheesecake for 40 minutes and it cracked, so I would probably bake it for 30-35 minutes or until just set, then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in there for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cover with the saved lid and refrigerate until fully set, about 6 hours. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

pumpkin caramel kiss cookies

 

the goods:

 

3 and 2/3 cups flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

cinnamon sugar to coat the cookies (1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

bag of Hershey Caramel Kisses

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and shortening. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat well. Add the egg, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and pumpkin puree. Mix until combined. Gradually add the flour while mixer is on low until all the flour is incorporated. Scoop out by the tablespoonful, and roll into a ball. Coat in cinnamon sugar and place 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass. Bake 10 minutes. While still hot from the oven, place a kiss in the center of each cookie pressing down slightly. Let cool on baking sheet. 

pumpkin cream cheese muffins

 

the goods:

 

filling:

8 ounce cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

 

muffins:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 and 1/4 cups vegetable oil

 

topping:

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons sold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

 

Prepare the filling: combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1.5-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic tightly around the log and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until slightly firm, 2 hours.

Make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Make the topping: combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add the butter pieces and pinch with your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble the muffins: fill each muffin cup with a small amount of batter (I used my 1-tablespoon cookie scooper), just enough to cover the bottom. Slice the log of cream cheese into 24 equal pieces. Place a piece of cream cheese into each muffin cup. Divide the remaining muffin batter among the cups to completely cover the cream cheese.. Sprinkle a small amount of crumb topping over each.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

pumpkin cheesecake snickerdoodles

 

the goods:

 

3 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

cinnamon-sugar coating:

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

dash of allspice

 

 

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside. In an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy. Blend in pumpkin puree, beat in egg and then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for an hour.

Make the cream cheese filling by blending the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until combined. Chill for an hour.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.

To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of batter, flatten it like a pancake between your palms. Place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center. Form another tablespoon of batter into a little pancake and place on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together sealing in the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon-sugar coating and place on prepared baking sheets 2-inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is gone.

 

Flatten cookies with the bottom of a heavy glass and bake for 10 minutes or until the tops start to crack. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

chocolate oatmeal sandwich cookies with pumpkin buttercream

 

the goods:

 

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

4 tablespoons pumpkin puree

orange food coloring

 

Beat 1/2 cup butter along with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until blended. Reduce speed to low; add milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats with flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough evenly in 2 tablespoon mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter and confectioners' sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add pumpkin; beat until blended. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and orange food coloring, as desired; beat well.

Arrange half the cookies upside down on a work surface. Spoon frosting over center of cookies. Top with remaining cookies pressing gently to distribute frosting.

ultimate caramel apples

 

the goods:

 

10 Granny Smith apples

12 ounces white chocolate chips

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

assorted toppings for coating (I used snickers, butterfingers, and oreos)

10 craft sticks, popsicle sticks, or twigs

 

homemade caramel:

1 cup butter

2 cups granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 cups corn syrup

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Insert 1 craft stick vertically through the center of each apple, set apples aside. Butter a rimmed baking sheet and clear enough room in the refrigerator for it to sit evenly.

 

Prepare homemade caramel: In a large saucepan (or small pot), combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and 1 cup heavy cream. Heat mixture to a boil just over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once mixture has reached a boil, stir in remaining 1 cup heavy cream. Then without stirring, bring mixture to exactly 239 degrees on a candy thermometer, then immediately remove from heat. This should take 20-25 minutes. You can reduce heat if it's about to bubble over, but ideally, keep it on medium. Carefully pour caramel to a medium saucepan to allow to cool and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool 10 minutes before dipping apples.

 

Immediately, and quickly (the caramel does not reheat well, so you really get one shot), dip the apples in the caramel. Swirl the apple to coat all of the edges, allow excess to drip off, run the bottom of the apple along the inside edge of the pan. Tilt the apple upside down and swirl just until the caramel is about to run off, then immediately turn upright and transfer to buttered baking dish in the fridge. Repeat with remaining apples and allow caramel to set in the fridge.

 

Prepare toppings, by chopping or crushing them. Heat chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Using a small rubber spatula or butter knife, coat edges with melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle or roll in desired toppings. Return to refrigerator to set completely.

 

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