Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb, 15 oz pouch chocolate chip cookie mix

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp salt

1 T powdered sugar, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, pumpkin, butter, egg, 1 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice and the salt. On cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls 1″ apart.

3. Bake 9 minutes or until set and slightly cracked on top. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool completely.

4. In small bowl, stir powdered sugar and remaining 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Use fine-mesh strainer to sprinkle mixture over cookies.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

(Paula Deen)

Cake:

18 1/4 oz package yellow cake mix

1 egg

8 T butter, melted

Filling:

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

15 oz can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

8 T butter, melted

16 oz box powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Heat oven to 350. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9″ baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40-50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

*Variations:

For Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of pumpkin, add a drained 20 oz can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

I made this last Christmas, too, from my mother-in-law. She pulled the recipe from All Recipes, submitted by Terri.

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease two 9×5″ loaf pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice and cinnamon.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans.

4. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Dreams

This was given to me by my mother-in-law from All Recipes. Jean Kleckner submitted it.

1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

11 oz package white chocolate chips or white vanilla chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbls butter (no substitutes)

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in chips and pecans. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls to 2″ apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.

2. For frosting, combine brown sugar and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Cool for 10 minutes. Add milk; beat until smooth. Beat in enough confectioners’ sugar to reach desired consistency. Frost cookies.

Orange Pumpkin Loaf

My mother-in-law gave this to me from All Recipes.  It was submitted to their website by Carol.

1 large orange

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup orange juice (or water)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped raisins

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9×5″ bread pan.

2. Cut orange into wedges & remove seeds. Place orange, peel & all, in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the pumpkin, water & the ground orange. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, & cloves. Stir into batter just until moistened. Stir in nuts & raisins. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan.

4. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Trifle

2-3 cups leftover crumbled spice cake, muffins or gingerbread (my mother-in-law used a loaf of pumpkin bread)

16 oz can pumpkin

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp allspice

2.5 cups cold milk

4, 3.4 oz packages instant vanilla pudding mix (coconut pudding or butterscotch pudding work fine, too)

2 cups whipping cream (2 cups before it’s whipped, that is)

Set aside 1/4 cup of crumbs for topping. Divide remaining crumbs into 4 portions. Sprinkle 1 portion into the bottom of a glass trifle bowl (or 3 quart serving bowl). In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, spices, milk, and pudding mix. Spoon 1/2 into the serving bowl and sprinkle with the second portion of crumbs. Whip cream until stiff (my mother-in-law added a little sugar & vanilla to the whipped cream) & spoon 1/2 into bowl. Sprinkle with third portion of crumbs and top with remaining pumpkin mixture and the last portion of crumbs. Top with remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup crumbs.