And okay, I like non-traditional desserts at Thanksgiving! I’m a huge fan of this pumpkin bread pudding — usually I make that and this apple pie. But this year I’m making a plain-Jane pumpkin pie for my dear husband. Sacrifices! So first I made these bars, naturally. Just to get the crazies out of my system.

Holy delicious. First we have a super rich brownie layer, with what basically amounts to pumpkin pie filling spread on top. I can’t think of anything I’d rather eat at the moment (especially straight out of the fridge), except perhaps a slice of pizza, but that’s another story. I realize it’s last minute, but leave your boring pies behind this year and mix it up! I bet you have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge Brownie Bars
How Sweet It Is

For the brownie layer:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
10 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla and set aside. In a double boiler, add butter, cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix until the mixture becomes a batter – this will take approximately 10 minutes and at first will just look like clumps of cocoa power. Be patient! Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the egg mixture (very slowly while whisking, so you don’t have scrambled eggs!) until combined. Stir in flour until batter is smooth, then pour in baking dish. Use a 9×13 dish for thin bars, and an 8×8 for thicker bars. For 9×13 dish, bake for 12-13 minutes. For an 8×8 dish, bake for about 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely! Then make pumpkin layer.

For the pumpkin layer:
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream*

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a bowl, whisk together sugars and egg until smooth. Add in pumpkin and spice, again mixing until combine. Finish by adding in heavy cream, stirring until everything is mixed, then pour on top of the cooled brownie layer and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes (9×13 dish) or 15 minutes (8×8 dish), then reduce heat to 325°F and bake for 18-20 minutes (9×13 dish)/22-25 minutes (8x8dish) or until pumpkin layer is set. Let cool completely (ideally overnight, or about 3-4 hours) then slice and serve.

*I used just under 1/2 cup skim milk, because it was what I had on hand! I added about an extra tablespoon of pumpkin to thicken things up a bit.

I’m all about saving some fat and calories where I can, when it doesn’t make a big difference in my food. But usually I don’t touch low-fat or reduced-calorie cookies…it’s a cookie for crying out loud! But I made these a few days before leaving for our vacation in Mexico. I wanted to look awesome on the beach, and I also wanted to eat cookies. I’ll just be straight with you.

These are certainly not the prettiest cookies I’ve ever made, but they’re kind of a miracle. I don’t understand how they’re so tasty, but they are! The only trouble with low-fat cookies is that I want to eat them all.

Low-fat Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
Adapted from SkinnyTaste

Makes 20-24 cookies

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tablespoons pumpkin butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper, or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.

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 butter and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. Stir in butterscotch chips.

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

I made this a few days ago and it turned out so well! It tastes like pumpkin pie…only better somehow. More pumpkin-y. It’s a beautiful blend of spices and earthy goodness. And it comes together so quickly.

I highly recommend it warmed and spooned over vanilla ice cream…or spread onto a dinner roll! It’s also great on a bagel with a little cream cheese. And I’m pretty sure this would make an awesome gift. Get on it!

Pumpkin Butter
Spoon Fork Bacon

Makes 3 1/2 – 4 cups*

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup 100% apple juice (unfiltered pressed apples are best)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice

Place all ingredients into a medium pot and place over medium heat. Stir.

Allow the mixture to reduce on medium to medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minute or until slightly thickened (the mixture will thicken more as it cools).

Transfer to sterilized jars and store until ready to use.

Serve over toast, muffins, scones, etc.

Refrigerate for about three weeks or freeze for up to three months.

*I made a half-batch using leftover pumpkin and it turned out perfectly! But a full batch would allow you to share some with a friend.

In fact…I kind of hate to share the fact that it’s a lighter version. If I were you, I wouldn’t tell anyone! We have a saying in my family: “don’t tell everything you know.” Sometimes it’s just the truth.

Light Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread
Cooking Light

Seriously, this is my favorite pumpkin bread to date. It’s moist, rich, and perfectly spiced. Give a loaf to a friend and they’ll never know it’s healthy! Or just be like us and eat both loaves in your own dang house. You’re a grownup.

Makes 2 loaves

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute*
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk**
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two loaf pans; set aside.

Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through allspice) in a medium bowl.

Place sugar, egg substitute, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Add water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined.

Spoon batter into pans and spread evenly. Sprinkle pecans evenly over batter.

Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, checking after 50 minutes (you may need to cover the breads with foil at this point if the nuts are starting to burn). Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.

*I did use (liquid) egg substitute as called for, because I normally have it on hand. If you don’t have this, you could use egg whites or even full eggs. Make sure to crack your eggs or whites into a measuring cup to make sure you’re using the correct amount.

**Per usual, I substituted nonfat (vanilla in this case) yogurt for the buttermilk. You could also use skim or nonfat milk with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice (let stand for 5 minutes).

Are you a pumpkin bread junkie like me? Here’s a recipe with some citrus! And this one is vegan.

So far I’ve only seen a slightly creepy looking generic can of pumpkin in my usual grocery store, but I’m hoping the real deal shows up soon! Otherwise it’s okay because I now have 3/4 of a can in my freezer. Let pumpkin hoarding 2011 begin!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Two Peas and Their Pod

I’m in Arkansas visiting the family and brought a bunch of these home with me…which they ate and then asked if we had all the ingredients to make more. These little guys are good.

Makes 10-12 bars

3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8″ x 8″ baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don’t want them to be under baked. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

 Are you pumpkin obsessed like me? Try these recipes, too!

And yes, okay, I put walnuts in it. You can leave them out if you want, but gosh, they’re tasty. I don’t know. I eat weird things like quiche for dinner, so maybe you shouldn’t listen to me after all. But Joy definitely knows what she’s talking about, and this is her recipe. That’s good enough for me.

(Vegan) Pumpkin Walnut Bread
Slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

This is hands-down the moistest, most delicious pumpkin bread I’ve ever made – so moist, in fact, that it can be hard to slice prettily. It may crumble into piles of deliciousness. Not a problem in my house, but to give this as a gift I’d bake it in those cute little disposable mini-loaf pans. Tie a ribbon around it and you’re good to go!

Makes 2 regular loaves

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, and maple syrup.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in. Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan.

Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.

The secret to that crispness that lends itself so well to coffee-dunking is twice-baking (it’s not just for potatoes). The basic idea is to bake the dough in a long loaf, let cool slightly, slice on the diagonal, and bake again. And you’ll be happy to know that neither baking time is very long. I know, you have a life. Not to worry.

This isn’t a traditional biscotti recipe, which wouldn’t contain butter. But it also has way more moisture and depth than a piece of cardboard, which is more than I can say for most coffee shop biscotti. It’s a riff on my usual favorite, mixed up a bit for fall and the start of the holidays. Enjoy with a cup of coffee, and please take some to your boss or anyone else you need to impress.

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti

Makes about 20 cookies

I like to use agave nectar in place of sugar when baking biscotti, but because of the super-moist pumpkin I decided to use part sugar this time. If you’d like to use just sugar instead, use 1 cup of sugar and reduce flour to 3 3/4 cups.

4 cups all-purpose flour (3 3/4 cups if using sugar)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
4 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.

With an electric or stand mixer set on medium high, beat butter, pumpkin, agave nectar, and sugar for about two minutes. Reduce the speed to mixer and add the egg mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until well combined.

Scoop the dough onto the middle of one of the baking sheets. With lightly floured hands, press the dough into a loaf of sorts, about 6″ x 14.” This isn’t an exact figure, but should give you an idea of what to shoot for.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Set the sheet on a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes.

Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Transfer the loaf to a large cutting board. Using a large serrated knife, slice the loaf into 1/2-inch slices on the diagonal. Place the slices flat side down on the two baking sheets. Bake again until golden brown, about 8 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely, and then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

High-Altitude Notes: Reduce baking powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Bake the first time at 375°F for about 30 minutes, and for the second time at 425°F for about 8 minutes.

The original version of this recipe comes from Maria, another local blogger here in Salt Lake. It looked so delicious and fulfilled my need to make something relatively simple in an afternoon whose agenda also included cleaning house, doing three loads of laundry, writing, and packing for the weekend. I also figured Ryan could use a breakfast treat, since he’s been working around the clock. And it turned out that these are in the running for the best muffins I’ve ever had. Everybody wins!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

I decided to skip Maria’s brown sugar filling, partly because I had a good feeling about the muffins even without it and partly because, hi, I work in a cupcake shop surrounded by sugar all day. And guess what? Still, quite possibly, the best muffins I’ve ever had. Victory!

Makes about 18 muffins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider*
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:

1 1/4 cup oats
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into chunks

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, agave nectar, oil, cider, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and combined. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. Mix until ingredients are combined.

For the streusel topping: in a small bowl mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in the butter with your hands (or a pastry blender) until the mixture is crumbly.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full and sprinkle streusel on top. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove pans from oven and cool on a wire rack.

*The original recipe calls for water here, but I figured cider would be even better. Feel free to use water if you like!

So one day last week, when my mom was here and Ryan took the morning off, I decided to try a pumpkin variation on these cinnamon rolls. They turned out so well the first time around that I figured it was worth a try. And oh my, were they delicious.

These rolls are moist and spicy-sweet with just a hint of pumpkin and the three of us had no problem polishing them off in a couple of days. They’re completely delicious and I’m contemplating making them again this weekend! Consider these for a quick and easy homemade breakfast treat.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from Fine Cooking

For the dough:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/8 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour; more for rolling
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the filling:
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons cold low-fat or soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Make the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the pumpkin, 1/8 cup milk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the flours, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix just until the dough clumps together (don’t overmix). The dough will be soft and moist.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12×15-inch rectangle.

Make the filling:

Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border unbuttered around the edges. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered area of the dough and pat gently into the surface. Sprinkle the nuts over the sugar mixture.

Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open.

With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill the pan and touch slightly, but don’t worry if there are small gaps.

Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring. Transfer the rolls to a serving plate.

Make the glaze:

In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tbs. milk, and vanilla to make a smooth glaze. It should have a thick but pourable consistency, so add up to 1 Tbs. more milk if necessary. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls. Let stand 15 minutes and serve.

I tried out this gem of a recipe last week and now, as I sit here sipping a homegrown pumpkin latte and surrounded by sleeping dogs, I really wish I had one of these blondies. I’m not usually a big fan of white chocolate but this is definitely a notable exception.

These gorgeous little bars are characteristically similar to blondies – except that they taste like pumpkin pie. That’s right; if you’re a weirdo like me who can’t seem to enjoy America’s favorite Thanksgiving treat due to its slimy texture, you’re in luck. These guys seem to have captured all of the wonderful spicy sweetness found in pumpkin pie, but in bar form, with no mixer or pie crust required. You’re welcome.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Blondies
Adapted from Picky Palate

I know it sounds weird, but these taste so much better cold. Chill them completely before adding the glaze – you can even chill them overnight if you’d like.

Makes 12-16 blondies

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate (or chips), divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4-5 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a microwave safe dish until melted and hot. Pour in 3/4 cup white chocolate, let sit for a minute then stir until melted. Set aside. In a large bowl add sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/2 cup white chocolate. Stir in melted chocolate. Beat eggs and sour cream into a small bowl, then mix into main bowl. Stir in pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and kosher salt until just combined then pour into a foil lined 8×8 inch baking pan that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 28-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Let cool completely, refrigerate until chilled (overnight if desired), and cut into squares.

Mix heavy cream and powdered sugar in small bowl until smooth; drizzle over blondies just before serving.

High-Altitude Notes: Bake at 375°F for 28-30 minutes.