The Sweet Taste of Pumpkin Spice

Oh my gourd, it’s October and that means it’s time for Pumpkin Spice Everything. We love the muffins, the lattes, the candles, and all the other Pumpkin Spice goodies Target has to offer. This Saturday we are making a box of Pumpkin Spice Cookies. Nothing is ever too much when baking the Sister Sweetly way so we’ll take these basic boxed Pumpkin Spice cookies and add Heath Buts, butterscotch, and pecan pieces and top each cookie with cream cheese frosting and a caramel drizzle. Pumpkin Spice Everything in a yummy little cookie!!! Happy Fall Y’all!

Sweet Fix

Are you hooked? Pumpkin spice is all the rage and we’re not immune to it. We’re skipping the coffee shop drive thru this morning and getting our fix from the oven instead. Our doctored up Pumpkin Spice Latte Mini Loaves with definitely satisfy our sweet tooth and caffeine cravings all in one!

Bread Ingredients

• 1 box Libby’s Pumpkin Bread Mix, plus ingredients on the back of the box
• 2 Starbucks Vias
• Follow the directions on the back of the box. Stir in Vias.
• Fill a greased mini loaf pan 3/4 full. Tip each loaf with streusel topping. Directions below.

Streusel Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup light brown, dark brown

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1 Place the butter in a small pot over medium-low heat, until melted.

2 Stir in the remaining ingredients with a fork, until evenly distributed.

Bake the loaves for 18 min at 350 or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool then top with cream cheese frosting.

Sweet Seasonal Switch

Have you ever wished for something you can hardly stand it? That’s us this Saturday! Now that summer is unofficially over, it’s PUMPKIN SEASON! We’ve been waiting months and months for this and now it’s here! Baking Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins are pumpkin spice and everything nice! A true wish come true!

Ingredients

• 2¾ cups all purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2 cups sugar

• ⅔ cup brown sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 15 oz can pumpkin

• ¾ cup coconut oil

• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• ⅔ cups sugar

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

•. 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

•cream cheese frosting

•Heath Bits

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 350F.

2 Line two muffin pans with muffin liners (24 total) and set aside.

3 Combine flour, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

4 In a large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin, coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.

5 Slowly fold dry mixture into wet mixture just until combined.

6 Fill muffin liners about three-quarters full.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1 Combine sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in small bowl. Stir.

2 Sprinkle a teaspoon or more of the topping on top of the muffins.

3 Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in muffin pan before removing to a cooling rack.

Once cool frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with Heath Bits.

*recipe inspired by Mom ON Timeout

The Sweet Side of Gathering

The countdown is on. Thanksgiving is just 12 days away.  We’re lucky enough that we don’t have to host this year. However, we’ve never had to be bribed to bring a dessert. Against better judgement, we believe it’s never too early to start preparing! While searching through our recipe cards (truthfully Pinterest pins) we selected Pumpkin-Pear Crumble as the lucky winner in this Saturday’s bake off. We’ve lightened up this old favorite saving us plenty of calories to spend on what else-more treats! What are you making for dessert this Turkey Day? We’ll be over! 

Pumpkin-Pear Crumble

  
Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

6 pears chopped 

1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup agave syrup

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan 

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. 

Add pears and stir to toss pears with pumpkin mixture.

Spread into prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine oats, nuts, and sea salt.

Add agave syrup, and stir to combine.

Spread on top of fruit mixture.

Bake 35 minutes, or until lightly golden and crispy on top.
* Recipe adapted from Kim’s Welcoming Kitchen

Sweet Obsession

It’s official! Our pumpkin obsession has set in full force! Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins seemed the obvious choice to ease into this addiction. Who are we kidding?  We are going to “fall” in face first! 

Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins

  
Makes 2 dozen muffins.

INGREDIENTS
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted 
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 

• 1 teaspoon baking powder 

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 cup canned pumpkin

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips

 DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, mace, baking soda, salt and cloves in a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Whisk the pumpkin, butter and eggs in a bowl until combined. Stir in the butterscotch chips and pecans. Add the pumpkin mixture to the well and fold just until the batter is moistened; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into greased muffin cups. 
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and frost with cream      cheese frosting.

*recipe from Texas Tables

 

Sweet Relief

We know what the calendar says, but it feels more like October around here! We’re getting a much needed break from the summer swelt making it feel more like Indian Summer instead of mid-August weather. With this relief comes the hankering for pumpkin. Since we are still keeping things healthy(ier), our sweet treat this week is a waist-friendly version of our favorite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars. With this recipe why stop with one! 

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

  
Ingredients

3 cups gluten free oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup agave syrup

1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil

1/3 cup carob chips 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8×11 or 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.

Measure out just 2 1/2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, agave, vanilla extract, oil, and applesauce for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Slowly add in oat flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in 1/3 cup of carob chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of carob chips on top. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Timing will depend on what size pan you use, but definitely check around 15 minutes. Once finished baking, cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Cut into 16 slices.

*recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

Too Many Sweets

The holiday hangover is in full force around here. If indulging in chocolate was a job then we’ve earned overtime. So much so that we are chocolated out! However, we can’t let a Saturday go by without baking. We decide that pumpkin bread baked in a crock pot was the perfect recipe to satisfy our weekend sweet craving without overdoing it yet again. We hope you had a wonderful holiday season!

Crock Pot Pumpkin Bread Recipe

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
1 can pumpkin
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
I jar of cream cheese frosting

Blend the oil and both of the sugars into a large bowl.

Then, stir in the beaten eggs and canned pumpkin. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour the batter into a greased bread pan.

Now add two cups of water to your slow cooker and place the pan into the slow cooker.

Cover the top of the Crock-Pot with eight to ten paper towels. This is to trap condensation and keep the bread from becoming mushy.

Place the Crock-Pot lid on top (try to make sure the paper towels were trapped around the lid so they didn’t slip) and bake on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Once cooled top with cream cheese frosting.

Recipe adapted from The Stir

A Sweet Rehearsal

Do you have a favorite Christmas morning treat? One that’s easy, yet yummy? Monkey bread has always been our go-to, but this year we thought we might spice things up a bit and try making Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donut Holes. This Saturday we are doing a trial run by baking up a batch. We want to make certain our new breakfast treat is as delicious as our old-stand-by. I mean, why make a change if it isn’t better than the original. Guess what? After sampling many, many, many, we have undoubtedly deemed them our newest Christmas morning breakfast treat. “Do-not” know why we didn’t make them sooner.

Happy holidays!
Love,
Sister Sweetly

doughnuts
5 tablespoons melted butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour

coating
Cinnamon-Sugar

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan.

2) Beat together the butter, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spice, salt, and baking powder until smooth.

3) Gently stir in the flour.

4) Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups almost full.

5) Bake the doughnuts for 10 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

6) Allow the pan to cool slightly. Loosen the edges of the doughnuts if necessary, and gently turn them onto a rack to cool briefly.

7) Grease the pan again, and bake as many more batches as necessary to use up the batter.

8) For sugar-coated doughnut holes, roll them in cinnamon-sugar while still warm.

9) For glazed doughnut holes, roll them in glaze once they’re completely cool.

Yield: 30 to 32 doughnut holes.

*recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Farewell Pumpkin, My Sweet

Can you believe Christmas has come and gone? We hope you had a happy one. We sure did! We’re ready for all the new year has to offer. But we’re certainly not ready for it to be the end of “pumpkin dessert season”, as we like to call it. We decided to share one last one.  Ring in 2014 with these scumptous Pumpkin Streusel Caramel Bars.

Pumpkin Streusel Caramel Bars

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Ingredients:
•1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
•1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•3 large eggs
•1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
•1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•3/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola or corn oil

•Streusel Topping:
•3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
•6 tablespoons butter, softened
•1 scant teaspoon cinnamon
•3/4 cup chopped pecans

• caramel syrup
• vanilla frosting

Preparation:

Grease and flour a 13×9-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350°.
In a bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar and granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, and oil until well blended, scraping the bowl a few times. Stir in the dry ingredients until blended. Spread in prepared baking pan.

In another bowl, combine the 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until crumbly; mix in the pecans with your fingers. Sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Cool in pan on a rack. Drizzle with caramel syrup and vanilla frosting. Cut in squares to serve.

*recipe adapted from Southern Food

A Sweet Experiment

There’s only one thing to do when you get a mad craving for both brownies and pumpkin cookies, make both of them! Today we decided to do an experiment and make Pumpkin Cookie Dough Brownies.  Since Tina went out of town this weekend, I thought it was a great opportunity to try something new. As you know, when it comes to baking on Saturday we go all out, so of course I had to add more chocolate to the recipe to make it even gooier! After lots of sampling, we declared this experiment a success! If you were given a choice of combining two of your favorite treats, what would you choose?

Pumpkin Cookie Dough Brownies

• 1 box of your favorite brownie mix (We used Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Brownies Mix)
• 1 package of pumpkin spice cookie mix (We used Betty Crocker Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix)
• dark chocolate chips
• Heath Bits
• cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make pumpkin spice cookies according to directions on the package. Put a large spoonful or two of cookie dough in the bottom of a greased muffin pan. Sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top of cookie dough. Prepare brownie mix. Add a few scoops of brownie batter on top of chocolate chips. Top with Heath Bits. Bake for 15-18 min. Allow to cool for 2 min in pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting.