Wikipedia
Happy National Pumpkin Day! A plethora of treats can be created by simply adding a little sweetness or spice to the big orange fruit and what better time to celebrate than right before Halloween?
According to the National Day Calendar, the pumpkin “is native to North America. The oldest evidence of pumpkin-related seeds dates back to somewhere between 7000 and 5500 BC to seeds found in Mexico. The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which means ‘large melon’ in Greek.”
Whether you prefer a classic PSL or a fun pumpkin pie in a cup concoction, there’s a pumpkin recipe for everyone. Take a look at these 12 recipes that will make this autumn holiday super sweet:
1. Pumpkin Pancakes
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Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
2. Pumpkin Breakfast Syrup
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Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups honey
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup butter
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 1/4 cups hot water
Directions:
Stir the honey, sweetened condensed milk, canned pumpkin, butter, brewed coffee, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, maple syrup, half-and-half, and hot water together in a saucepan over low heat; simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fragrant and hot, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or hot.
3. Pumpkin Spice Latte
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Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup hot brewed coffee
Whipped cream
Dash pumpkin pie spice
2 cinnamon sticks
Directions:
In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, pumpkin and sugar over medium heat until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, the vanilla and coffee.
Pour into 2 large mugs. Garnish each with whipped cream, dash pumpkin pie spice and a cinnamon stick.
4. Pumpkin Soup
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Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
Directions:
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes. Stir in flour, curry powder, cumin, nutmeg, and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add sweet potato, salt, broth, and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.
Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return soup to pan; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in juice. Garnish with chives, if desired.
5. Pumpkin Parfaits
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Ingredients:
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin pie mix (not plain pumpkin)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
8 plastic cups (6 oz)
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
4 oz white chocolate baking bar, broken into 8 pieces
Directions:
In medium bowl, beat whipping cream and vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form (thick, but cream still falls onto itself). Refrigerate.
In large bowl, beat pumpkin pie mix and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add powdered sugar; beat until well combined. Taste for sweetness and if necessary, add more powdered sugar.
Gently fold half of the whipped cream into pumpkin mixture.
To assemble parfaits in plastic cups, layer crushed cookies, pumpkin mixture and plain whipped cream. To garnish, top each with whipped cream and 1 piece of white chocolate. Store in refrigerator.
6. Pumpkin Pie
Image/Recipe Source
Ingredients:
Pat-in-the-Pan Pastry
1 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cold water
Filling
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
Sweetened Whipped Cream
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the oil with fork until all flour is moistened. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all water is absorbed. Shape pastry into a ball. Press in bottom and up side of 9-inch glass pie plate.
In large bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk or hand beater. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar, the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ginger, cloves, pumpkin and milk.
To prevent spilling, place pastry-lined pie plate on oven rack before adding filling. Carefully pour pumpkin filling into pie plate. Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake about 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Place pie on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve pie with whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.
7. Pumpkin Spice Latte Bacon Donuts
Image/Recipe Source
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons espresso
3 slices bacon chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a donut pan with cooking spray and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, milk and butter. Beat on low speed until the batter is thick and a little sticky.
Transfer batter to a piping bag or a large ziplock bag with the end cut off. Pipe the batter into the pan, filling about ½ of the way up. Bake for 10-14 minutes, checking periodically. Immediately transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.
Mix together confectioners’ sugar and espresso until you have a smooth but slightly thick frosting. Dip or drizzle the frosting on top of the donut.
Dip or drizzle the frosting on top of the donut.
Add cooked bacon bits to the frosting and enjoy!
8. Pumpkin Pie in a Mug
Image/Recipe Source
Ingredients:
¾ c canned pumpkin puree
¼ milk
1 egg yolk
¼ c sugar
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a medium bowl.
Divide mixture evenly into two mugs or pour into a small bowl (make sure they’re microwave safe!).
Microwave for 2 minutes and then an additional minute until the custard looks firm. Doneness can also be checked by inserting a knife into the center of the pie – knife should come out clean.
Enjoy warm, right out of the microwave, or after chilling in freezer for a few minutes.
9. Paul’s Pumpkin Bars
Image/Recipe Source
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, mix 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 thoroughly combined.
Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 10×15 inch jellyroll pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven. Cool before frosting.
To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, beating until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares.
10. Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispy Treats
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Ingredients:
Treats
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
14 ounces marshmallows
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
7 cups rice crispy cereal
Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Line a bar pan with parchment paper. This recipe will fill half the bar pan, so plan to use only half the space or make a double batch!
Cook the butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat, stirring regularly, until it becomes golden brown and begins to smell nutty. Add the the canned pumpkin, marshmallows, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Stir until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat.
Stir in the cereal and gently fold into marshmallow mixture until fully coated.
Transfer to the prepared pan and press in evenly with a piece of parchment paper. Let cool for at least 20 minutes until set at room temperature.
Once set, mix the icing. Cut the treats into squares and then drizzle the icing on top.
Store in an airtight container.
11. Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Image/Recipe Source
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting)
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
Beat 1/2 cup of butter, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and 1/4 butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.
12. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Image/Recipe Source
Ingredients:
Crust
20 chocolate creme filled cookies (such as Oreos)
2½ tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch baking dish with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the cookies in a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Add in the butter and pulse until combined. Pour out into the prepared dish and pat into the bottom of the dish with your hands. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Beat the cream cheese and the sugar in a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy – about 2 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt just until combined.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Place the baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven. Pour water onto the baking sheet until it is nearly filled.
Bake until the cheesecake is set at the edges and barely jiggles at the center, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firmed, at least 3 hours.
If desired, garnish with whipped cream ghosts. Use mini chocolate chips for the eyes.
How are you celebrating National Pumpkin Day? Will you be trying one of these recipes? Sound off in the comments section below!