just a smidgen

Sugar-Pie Pumpkins

 

 

This Thanksgiving…

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous day of
giving thanks
for those who are near and those in our hearts.

I searched far and wide  (not really, they were at the second store I phoned) for

Sugar Pie Pumpkins

{ I their name! }

and found some at Planet Organic Market

I wanted to make a { real } pumpkin pie this year..

which led to a roasted pumpkin purée (as easy as  roasting any other squash)
which led me to a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Muffin Recipe (for the fam)
which then ended up in a decadent Maple Frosted Pumpkin Sugar-Pie Cookie for volunteering.

Pumpkin Purée

First things first.. the sweetest pumpkin are these cute little “Sugar Pie” Pumpkins,
although I’ve read that any old pumpkin will do..

preheat the oven to 350° F and whack off the tops

split down the middle

scoop

slice

lay in a roasting pan, up or down or sideways

don’t add a thing, just seal with foil

bake at 350° F for 35-45 minutes (mine took 45) until the flesh pierces easily

allow to cool, then slice or peel off the skin, pop into a food processor or blender
or use your immersion hand-held blender (that’s what I used) and blast away.

Several sites recommended storing them in 1 cup quantities in plastic zip-loc bags, then they can be labelled and frozen.

Simply thaw the amount you need before using.. you can drain the purée in a cheesecloth if it seems a little runny.

3 Sugar Pie Pumpkins yielded 10 1/2 cups of purée

This purée is heavenly and no comparison to the stuff in a tin.

Pumpkin Cookies

Maple Frosted Sugar Pie Cookies
 
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Frosting
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 4 tsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream shortening, sugar, and pumpkin together. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
  4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Blend only until smooth.
  5. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, the batter will be quite soft. Makes about 34 cookies.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes and allow cookies to cool completely. Beat frosting ingredients until smooth and frost the cooled cookies.
Frosting
  1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter over low heat, allowing the butter and sugar to melt. Whisk in the milk and stir until the mixture is runny and sugar has completely melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool somewhat.Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Then, working quickly before the frosting sets, spread about a teaspoon of icing over each cookie. Immediately garnish with chopped walnuts by pressing them into the top of the frosting while it is still warm.
  2. If the icing sets and becomes less spreadable, heat gently for only about 30 seconds on the stove until the mixture becomes smooth again.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Muffins
 
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 pinch cloves
  • 2 tbsp grape seed oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
  3. In a food processor, blend together the oil, maple syrup, eggs and pumpkin until smooth.
  4. Stir the wet ingredients gently into the dry ingredients.
  5. Scoop batter into silpat or paper lined muffin tins. This makes about 12 muffins.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the tops are quite browned and the center is baked. (Let them cook for this length of time, I pulled mine out early and, although the tops were browned, the centers weren’t quite cooked through.)
Notes
Adapted from Elana's Pantry

 

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