Pumpkin Yumminess

I have a husband who loves anything made with pumpkin. And I am a person who loves to bake! So over the years I have tried many different pumpkin-themed recipes for everything from pies to brownie-like bars with cream cheese icing, breads, and even soups. Here are our two favorite pumpkin goodies that I always make this time of year.

Pumpkin Muffins (reasonably healthy)

1 can pumpkin

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 egg

2 egg whites

1 Tbs. oil

1 & 2/3 cup flour (I use one cup whole wheat and 2/3 cup white)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 cup raisins

In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, applesauce, egg, egg whites, and oil. Add sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and beat again. Add flour and beat just until mixed. Stir in raisins.

We like mini-muffins around here, but if you prefer the full-sized variety or a loaf bread that works fine too.

For mini-muffins, bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Pumpkin Yo Yo's (Nothing healthy about this one but the pumpkin. But Daniel is giddy when he sees that I am about to make these sandwich cookies. They are a once a year treat. :)

Pumpkin Cookies

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 can pumpkin
• 3 cups flour
• 1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Cream Cheese Filling

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar

Beat eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pumpkin. Add spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat again. Add flour and beat again until smooth.

Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets and use the back of the spoon to flatten each one slightly. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

To make the frosting/filling: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time until frosting is thick, but spreadable.

After cookies have cooled, turn half over, spread a generous amount of the cream cheese filling on each one, and top with a second cookie.