Crock Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

Cinnamon Buns

 Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups room temperature buttermilk
1 packet active dry yeast
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour*
3 large egg yolks, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup + 1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tiny pinch of sea salt (optional)

Directions:
To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, yeast and 1 cup flour until well combined; sprinkle an additional 1 cup flour on top.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes or until bubbly and activated.  I place my bowl in the microwave with a hot cup of water.

Stir in remaining flour, egg, salt, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup butter until well combined and a dough ball forms.   Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic - about 5 minutes.  Place in bowl, lightly cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.  Once again, I used my microwave/hot water.  You want a warm, moist environment.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 20x12 inch rectangle. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon until well combined.  Brush melted 2 tablespoons butter on top of dough; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.  Roll up dough, jelly-roll style. Slice into 6 equal pieces. Place in a greased 13x9-inch pan. Lightly cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Drizzle with glaze.
To make the glaze, in a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, maple syrup, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt until well combined.

Makes 6 huge cinnamon rolls

*May use more or less flour depending on humidity

Gingerdoodles

Gingerdoodles

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup walnut halves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided use
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Evenly place flour, oats and walnuts on a large cookie sheet; bake 10-12 minutes, or until ingredients are lightly toasted and fragrant.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently, until butter foams and starts to turn light golden brown.  Transfer butter to a large mixing bowl. 
Add brown sugar and molasses to mixing bowl.  Mix together, using a mixer on medium speed, until well combined and creamy.  Beat in egg until well combined.  Beat in vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground ginger and clove until well combined.

Process flour, oats, walnuts and crystallized ginger in a food processor until finely ground.  On low speed, beat dry ingredients into wet, until just combined.  Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together additional 1 teaspoon cinnamon and granulated sugar until combined.  Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, and roll balls in cinnamon-sugar until well coated.  Place balls on cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until crackled and crisp.
Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Tina's Perfect Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes

Tina's Perfect Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk and lemon juice until combined; allow to sit 10 minutes. Whisk in butter, egg, pumpkin and vanilla until well combined.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Whisk in pecans until combined. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Allow batter to sit 5 minutes.

Heat a greased skillet over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup batter, per pancake, to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and set. Serve with maple syrup and bacon!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Butterscotch-Pumpkin Glaze

It's Friday! Yaay. I hope everyone has a good weekend! I'm looking forward to doing some baking; I've had that baking itch all week, but have been resisting it. There may be a trip or two to Hyvee in my future, too. :)

I can't believe I don't have a recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls on my blog. I searched and searched, and couldn't find one. Well today is the day. You have to make these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Butterscotch-Pumpkin Glaze.



They're amazing! I actually tested this recipe a couple of times before I got it right. They're flavorful, flaky and moist. The dough is a sweet yeast dough made from pumpkin, milk, yeast, sugar, oil, eggs, flour and lots of spices.

The dough is rolled out and slathered in brown sugar-cinnamon butter, then rolled up, sliced and baked. The glaze is made from melted butterscotch chips, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla, and a little bit of pumpkin. I love that the glaze uses pumpkin, too.



These rolls would be perfect for an autumn weekend brunch, served with coffee. Or pumpkin spice lattes. They're great as a dessert, too. I had one for dessert one night. Later on I found cinnamon roll icing in my hair. I hate when that happens.

Oh! I forgot to tell you the most important part! These are no-knead cinnamon rolls. No mixer or kneading required!


Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Butterscotch-Pumpkin Glaze

Dough
1/3 cup warm milk (not hot) (around 100-110 degrees F.)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze
3 tablespoons butterscotch chips
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon milk
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl whisk together 1/3 cup milk, yeast and granulated sugar until well combined. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until yeast is activated and bubbly. Whisk in pumpkin, oil, egg, baking powder, salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove until well combined. Stir in flour until combined, and a dough ball forms. Lightly cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. (I used my oven. I preheated it on the lowest temperature, turned it off, then allowed my dough to rise in there.)

On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, into a rectangle. In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar and 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon until well combined; evenly spread on top of dough. Roll up dough, jelly-roll style. Slice into 10 equal pieces. Place in a greased 9-inch cake pan. Lightly cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool pan on a wire rack. To make the glaze, in a medium bowl, stir together butterscotch chips, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon pumpkin and 1 tablespoon milk until combined. Microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently until melted (It doesn't take long! Don't scorch your butterscotch!). Whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Drizzle glaze over cinnamon rolls.

Makes 10 cinnamon rolls

Crispy & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crispy & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup ground gingersnaps
1/3 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (You could sub. 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for all of these spices)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon clove
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together melted 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, walnuts, gingersnap crumbs, and oats until well incorporated. Place crumbs on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes or until very light golden brown and toasted; set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until butter foams and turns golden brown. Pour into a large mixing bowl and cool for 5 minutes.

Place pumpkin in a small saucepan over medium heat, and cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until some of the moisture evaporates from pumpkin.

Place pumpkin, brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, corn syrup and egg in bowl with browned butter; mix together using a mixer on medium high speed for 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour until well incorporated - about 1 minute. Stir in walnut-gingersnap crumbs and chocolate chips until combined.

Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Drop tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 6-7 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate Dipped-Sweet Potato Macaroons

Chocolate Dipped-Sweet Potato Macaroons

2 cups shredded sweetened flaked coconut
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated peeled sweet potato
1/2 cup pecan chips, toasted
3 ounces orange flavored dark chocolate
1 tablespoon oil

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with foil, and generously coat with cooking spray.

Process coconut in a food processor until finely ground.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg whites, brown sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Stir in coconut, sweet potato and pecans until well combined. Drop golf ball sized mounds of dough onto cookie sheets, using an ice cream scoop. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer macaroons to wire racks to cool.

Heat chocolate and oil in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate into a small bowl or ramekin. Dip half of each macaroon into chocolate. Place on waxed paper to dry.

Makes about 16 macaroons

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (I used Kerrygold)
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon, divided use
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup whole milk, or half-n-half, or coconut milk
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy - about 1 minute. Beat in egg and milk until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough onto cookie sheets. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on top of cookies. Bake 8 minutes or until light golden brown and set. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 20 cookies

Spiced Sweet Potato-Snickerdoodle Milkshake

Spiced Sweet Potato-Snickerdoodle Milkshake

3/4 cup mashed cooked North Carolina Sweet Potato
1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1 cup skim milk
1 cup coarsely chopped snickerdoodle cookies
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whipped cream, for topping (preferably lower in fat)
Cinnamon-sugar, for topping

In a blender, combine sweet potato, ice cream, milk, cookie, walnuts (save a few walnut pieces for topping) and cinnamon and blend until well combined and smooth.

Pour into two glasses and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with walnut pieces and cinnamon sugar.

Makes 2 milkshakes

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove

3 cups cranberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 ounces cold reduced fat cream cheese, cut into chunks
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together apples, 1/2 cup sugar, and spices until well combined; set aside.

Stir together cranberries and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until cranberries start to break down and get juicy.

Pour apple mixture and cranberry mixture into baking dish and stir until combined.

To make the biscuit topping, in a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Knead in butter and cream cheese using fingertips or a pastry blender until well incorporated and mixture starts to clump together. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well combined; add wet ingredient to dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.

Drop spoonfuls of biscuit topping evenly over fruit. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Makes 8 servings

Persimmon Cookies

Persimmon Cookies
“Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook. Copyright © 2005 by Kathleen King. All rights reserved.”

1 1/4 cups Hachiya persimmon pulp (about 2 or 3 persimmons)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets or line them with Silpat.

For the persimmon puree, remove the stems from the persimmons and cut the fruit into chunks. Puree the chunks in a food processor till they are smooth.

Cream the butter and sugars till creamy. Add the orange rind, egg, vanilla, and persimmon pulp, and mix it. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix it all together. Add the walnuts and cranberries. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix it together until it is combined.

Drop the dough, using an ice cream scoop or two tablespoons, onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size. The cookies will spring back slightly when they are done.

Makes 34 cookies