FROSTED: Skip the Latte...Spice Up Your Fall With Pumpkin Spice Treats!

For some people, the first sign of Fall is seeing the leaves on all of the trees turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange; watching those nail-biting Sunday afternoon football games, or putting on a sweater on a cool evening for the first time.  But I feel the first sign that Fall has begun is when I see all of those advertisements for Pumpkin Spice Lattes at the coffee shops around town.  I can slowly see my wallet shrink every time I take a gulp of that sweet, creamy pumpkin coffee.

But just in case you want to get that fabulous Fall flavor without breaking the bank, today I am sharing some Pumpkin Spice Dessert recipes with you. These yummy treats not only look scrumptious, but are a great way to incorporate that spicy pumpkin taste without staying up all night from caffeine or drinking a hot beverage if you live in a state where the temperatures are still soaring!

So put down that pricey latte....and try a bite of these mouth-watering pumpkin spice goodies.

Pumpkin Spice Pretzels
(Courtesy of Alaska From Scratch)

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz) bag of bite-sized pretzels
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup of cinnamon sugar
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1.  Set aside two large baking sheets. Into a large microwave-safe bowl, pour the pretzels. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Drizzle mixture over pretzels and toss to coat.

2.  Microwave the pretzels for 60 seconds. Stir well and microwave again, another 45 seconds. Pour the pretzels out onto two large baking sheets. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar while still hot. Melt the white chocolate (over low heat or in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, being careful not to burn). Drizzle white chocolate over the pretzels. Then, sprinkle the pretzels with sprinkles, if using.

3.  Allow white chocolate to set and cool completely. Break apart and store in bags or airtight containers.

Pumpkin Spice Thumbprint Cookies
(Recipe by Pass The Sushi)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 of cup sugar
• 1/4 cup of chai concentrate
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of chai spice mix
• 22-24 Pumpkin spice Hershey’s Kisses

 Directions:

1.  Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and cream at medium speed until fluffy, or with a hand mixer, for about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, chai concentrate,  and the vanilla, mix until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using your hands, roll the dough into 22 to 24 1 inch round balls. Place the dough balls on parchment paper lined baking sheets and sprinkle chai spice mix lightly over cookies.

3.  Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, unwrap kisses. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately place pumpkin kisses in the center of each cookie. Don’t touch or the kisses will turn into puddles! Cool completely.

 Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
(Via Shugary Sweets)

 Ingredients:
(Serves approximately 16)

•  1/4 cup of unsalted butter
• 10 oz bag of marshmallows
• 1 box (3.4oz) of pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
• 5 cups of rice krispies cereal
• 1 cup of white chocolate, melted
• sprinkles

Directions:

1.  Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil. Grease the foil with butter. Set aside.

2.  In large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add in marshmallows and stir constantly until melted (lower heat to low-medium). Remove from heat and quickly stir in pudding mix. Fold in cereal.

3.  Pour mixture into buttered foil pan. Press treats into pan (but not too hard, that will dry them out).

Spread melted white chocolate over top of treats and sprinkle immediately with sprinkles. Allow to set about 1 hour. Cut and serve.

 Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
(Recipe by Pennies On A Platter)

Donut Ingredients:

•  1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/8 teaspoons of ground cloves
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 cup of low-fat milk 

Coating Ingredients:

• 1 stick of of unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. In a separate large bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. 

3.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, about 1 tablespoon in each cup. (You will have batter left over for about another dozen.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until passes the toothpick test.

4.  Remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. With the melted butter in one bowl and the sugar and cinnamon combined in another, dip each muffin into the butter then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately. 

Pumpkin Spice Truffles

(Courtesy of Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:

(Makes about 30 truffles)

• 1 cup of white chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 5 oz)
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup of finely ground gingersnaps
• 3/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of orange zest
• 4 oz. of cream cheese, softened

Dipping Ingredients:

• About 16 oz. chopped white chocolate, melted (or white candy melts)

Garnish Ingredients:

• Additional gingersnap crumbs

Directions:

1.  To make the truffle filling, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water just until smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.  Add the pumpkin, gingersnap and graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, orange zest and cream cheese.  Mix well until completely blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator or freezer until it has thickened up enough to scoop and roll into balls (about 1 hour).

2.   Scoop the filling mixture and roll into balls, about 1 inch in diameter.  Transfer to a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet.  Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and let chill until firm, about 2 hours.

3.  When you are ready to dip the truffles, melt the white chocolate or candy melts for coating in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Once completely melted and smooth, carefully dip one of the balls of filling into the chocolate.  Turn quickly to coat and balance on the tines of a fork to shake off the excess.  Transfer to a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with additional gingersnap crumbs, if desired.  Repeat with the remaining filling balls.  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill until the coating is set.

 Low Fat Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Courtesy of SkinnyTaste.com)

Ingredients:

(Around 12 Servings)

• 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoon of butter, melted
• 1 egg white
• 2 Tablespoons of pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Line two cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners (such as Silpats) or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. 

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice; stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, pumpkin puree and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

3.   Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.

4.  Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies
( Via Kitchen Heals Soul)

 Whoopie Pie Ingredients:
(Makes approximately 18-20 assembled whoopie pies)

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of  baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of puréed roasted pumpkin
• 1/2 cup of buttermilk 

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of butter
• 7/8 cup of full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup–1 cup  icing sugar, sifted   

Whoopie Pie Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the whoopie pie pan with cooking spray. Set aside for later. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar for about 5 minutes.Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula. In another small bowl, combine the pumpkin and buttermilk.

3.   To the mixer, add the flour mixture and the pumpkin mixture, alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.

4.  Fill each whoopie pie mold no more than half full, spreading the mixture into all the nooks and crannies. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Let the whoopie pies cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then tap them out onto a rack to cool completely before filling.

Filling Directions:

1.  Begin by browning the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the milk solids turn a nutty brown. Set aside to cool.

2.  Beat together the cream cheese and the cooled brown butter (be sure to add all those nutty brown bits!) in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, slowly add the icing sugar. Beat until the desired consistency and level of sweetness is achieved.

Assembly Directions:

1.  Spread the filling on one cake and sandwich with another. Repeat to assemble remaining whoopie pies.     

 

What a great way to begin this Fall season, with the refreshing creamy spicy flavor we all love, but with a whole new look. These pumpkin spice desserts would compliment any Fall vintage-inspired bridal shower, would be perfect when hosting your own Autumn Harvest Party (like Juneberry Lane showed us this week with the creative hay bale seating), or at your next spooky Halloween cocktail party.

So when you find yourself craving a refreshing spicy Fall beverage from your local coffee shop, just walk into your kitchen, whip up some of your own pumpkin spice inspired treats, and impress your guests with your baking barista skills. Have a wonderful weekend!