Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies
Welcome to an annual tradition at Bready or Not–the autumn pumpkin theme! We begin with Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies.
This recipe makes a small batch (about 30 1-inch cookies) of delicious pumpkin shortbread cookies. I crusted the top with turbinado shortbread to make them extra pretty.
These cookies are not as dry as some shortbread can be, likely because of the pumpkin.
Pumpkin can make some baked cookies quite tacky; that’s not a problem here, in part, because the puree is actually dried a bit prior to being mixed into the dough.
The end result is a cookie that is just moist enough, perfect to go with tea, coffee, or perhaps some cider or cocoa. The orange color of the cookies makes them even more perfectly fall.
In Arizona, hot as it is, it’s important to enjoy some fall traditions like pumpkin goodies, even if it’s 100-degrees out and no trees are dropping leaves!
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 to 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- turbinado or other coarse sugar, optional, for tops
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Measure out pumpkin puree onto a couple of layered paper towels. Gently pat dry, turning over puree to sop moisture from different angles.
- In a medium sauce pan, brown the butter, carefully heating it until it smells nutty. Remove from heat. Whisk in the pumpkin puree until well combined. Note that it might bubble and pop, so take care.
- In a large bowl, combined the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the saucepan items.
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pan to make the dough an even 1/4-inch thickness. Place it in fridge to chill for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Set dough on counter and remove top parchment. Use cookie cutter to portion out cookies. Transfer to baking sheet, spaced out a bit. Mix leftover dough together again, adding a tiny bit of water if needed to make it cohesive, and cut out more cookies.
- If desired, sprinkle turbinado sugar all over the tops of the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set. Cool completely on baking sheet. Store in a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Chewy Filled Bars
I present to you my Chewy Filled Bars: a versatile recipe that can use any number of fruit preserves, fruit butters, or other sweet filling, combined with different nuts or seeds, all to unique, delicious result.
These pictures display the recipe using Sprouts Cherry Preserves (with slivered almonds and almond extract) and Sprouts Maple Pumpkin Butter (with pepitas and almond extract).
However, I also made the same recipe using Trader Joe’s cinnamon bun filling (with chopped pecans and vanilla extract) and Apple Cider Spread (with chopped walnuts and vanilla extract). Every single version was awesome.
The jarred filling I used varied from 12 to 14 ounces. All worked well, though the Cinnamon Bun Filling required a 40 minute bake to set. I liked mixing in different nuts or seeds to pair with the filling, but you could also omit that ingredient completely, if desired.
No matter the mix-ins, the result is a pleasantly thick, chewy bar that is just sweet enough.
Bready or Not Original: Chewy Filled Bars
Equipment
- 13x9 pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or substitute vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds or sliced almonds or substitute other nuts or seeds
- 12 to 14 ounce fruit preserves or fruit butter or other sweet filling; possibilities include cherry preserves, pumpkin butter, cinnamon bun filling, etc
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and baking powder. Follow up with egg and almond extract. Gradually mix in flour, oats, and sliced almonds.
- Set aside 1 cup of dough. Press the rest into the bottom of the prepared pan. A piece of waxed paper and heavy glass will help to compress it into a form, even layer. Spread preserves over top. Crumble the reserved dough over the fruit.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until top is lightly brown and no longer wobbly in the middle. Completely cool at room temperature, speeding process in the fridge, if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto cutting board to slice up.
- Store in sealed containers with waxed paper or parchment between the layers. Keeps at room temperature for days, and can also be frozen for weeks.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin-Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Wake up to lovely autumn flavors with this Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake!
It’s beautiful to behold, and beautiful upon the tongue, too.
This isn’t a straightforward pumpkin cake. The gingerbread flavor is what comes across foremost–that molasses with a warm combination of spices–with the pumpkin flavor underlying it all.
The pumpkin, of course, also permeates the cake with a moist, tender crumb. The crumb topping has all of the spices and acts in lovely contrast (in coloration and flavor) to the cake beneath.
Oh yes, and the dried cranberries sprinkled throughout add little nuggets of tartness with a different kind of chewy texture. I bet this would be great with dried blueberries or cherries, too.
This cake would be incredible for a dessert, snack, and especially as a breakfast–especially on a special occasion like Halloween and Thanksgiving morning.
Greatly modified from original recipe in Fall Baking 2016 by Better Homes & Gardens.
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin-Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9x9 or 8x8 square pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, softened
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line pan with foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine both flours, cornmeal, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper. Cut in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Measure out 1 cup of the mixture; set aside to use as topping.
- In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin, eggs, molasses, and baking soda. Stir together the dry and wet ingredients, then fold in the dried cranberries.
- Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved crumb topping over entire surface.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the center passes the toothpick test. Completely cool at room temperature. Slice within pan, or use foil to lift onto cutting board.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
Halloween is about a week away. Let’s celebrate with a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake!
This is an honest-to-goodness cake, too, light and fluffy and topped with a just-thick-enough layer of frosting.
This cake melds the glorious powers of a spice cake with a chocolate cake, finding a medium that is happy indeed.
As with most of my baked goods, this was packed up and sent with my husband to work. I can report that this cake can be cut into squares and stored in containers with waxed paper between the layers. It traveled surprisingly well.
Most cakes are not that cooperative. I can’t even say how many times I’ve tried a recipe and mangled it when I’ve tried to portion it out to make it more portable. Those cakes don’t typically make it onto Bready or Not.
This one does… and not only is it cooperative for travel, but it’s also darn delicious.
Modified from Taste of Home Desserts Magazine.
Bready or Not: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3 Tablespoons milk or half & half
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- sprinkle cloves
- 1/3 cup baking cocoa sifted
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Making the cake
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 pan with foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, and eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Gradually beat the dry mix into the wet. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the center passes the toothpick test. Let cool to room temperature, or chill in fridge if desired.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add in the milk, vanilla, and cloves. Slowly beat in the cocoa and the base amount of confectioners' sugar, adding more if needed to reach spreadable consistency. Cover the top of the cake. Slice within pan, or use foil to lift cake onto cutting board.
- Store covered in the fridge.
*OM NOM NOM!*
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Raisin Cookies
Pumpkin Raisin Cookies! These delicious treats combine a lot of fall flavors.
I don’t know why I never thought to pair raisins and pumpkin in cookies before. After all, I’ve used them together in bread.
These cookies are all the more delicious because of the use of pumpkin pie spice. That mix is obviously good with pumpkin, but wow, does it go well with raisins!
On the subject of raisins, I am biased toward golden raisins, but really, you can use whatever seedless variety you wish.
Also, using golden raisins makes it less likely that hungry people will endure Cookie Betrayal Syndrome (CBS). This is the condition wherein people who hate raisins accidentally ingest raisins in cookies because they think the raisins are really chocolate chips.
Good bakers are honest bakers. Golden raisins are usually pale enough in color that they won’t mislead people.
Besides, maybe, just maybe, people who’ve endured CBS will think these cookies look so good they’ll give them a try, even knowing what they contain.
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
Topping
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Thoroughly combine. Beat in the flour, then fold in the golden raisins. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours; this is necessary, as the dough is very sticky, and it's even stickier when warm
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. In a small bowl, combine the two topping ingredients. Use a tablespoon (a scoop doesn't work well with such sticky dough) to form 1-inch balls; roll them in the topping mix, and place spaced out in a cookie sheet,
- Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes before moving to a rack. Store in a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars
Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars. Because I will never feature enough iterations of this perfect pairing.
Yeah, every year I do a new take (or a couple) on this lovely Voltron-saving-the-galaxy team-up between pumpkin and chocolate. You know why? Because it’s AWESOME. Like Voltron. With a lot less death and destruction.
This recipe gets extra oomph from cream cheese, but by no means do these taste like cheesecake bars. Here, the cream cheese adds umami richness rather than straight-out cream cheese flavor.
I was amazed by how thick these bars ended up. Really, these are more akin to cake than standard blondies or brownies.
Bake these up and brighten someone’s day. You don’t need to summon up Voltron to save a person’s world. Sometimes, baked goods can do the trick.
Need more pumpkin X chocolate OTP? Check out past posts on Bready or Not!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Muffins
Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Shortbread
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (2 loaves)
Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars
Equipment
- 15x10-x1 jelly roll pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin base layer
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 eggs
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Chocolate swirl
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Topping
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare the base layer
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (15x10x1) with aluminum foil, making sure the edges are covered. Add nonstick spray or grease.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Add the four eggs, the pumpkin, and oil. Pour into the prepared pan.
Start the chocolate swirl
- Microwave 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, zapping in short increments and stirring well between each pass, until it is melted. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar; it's okay if it's still a little lumpy. Follow up with the one egg, milk, and melted chocolate. Dollop the chocolate mixture atop the pumpkin batter. Use a narrow spatula or butter knife to swirl layers together in a marbled effect. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until it looks puffed and the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool on a rack for at least an hour, then chill in fridge before cutting. This will make it easier to cut.
- Use foil to lift onto a cutting board. Slice into bars then store chilled in a sealed container with waxed paper between stacked layers.
OM NOM NOM!
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