Pumpkin Bread Five Ways

 

Pumpkin bread is such a perfect thing to bake in the fall.  Your kitchen will smell like all the cozy spices, and it is the perfect snack, breakfast item or dessert.  I recently baked some pumpkin bread using this delicious recipe from Kroll's Korner.  I have also made a variation straight from the Libby's pumpkin website.  Today I'm posting these recipes, as well as several variations you may want to try.  These recipes

Here is the Kroll's Korner recipe, which makes 2 loaves.  The secret ingredient is vanilla pudding.

5 eggs

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

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2 cups flour

1 cup sugar 

1 5.1 oz pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 325.

2.  Beat eggs with mixer.  Add ingredients through vanilla and mix.

3.  Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add more spice if you want to.  Then slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture.  Mix.

4.  Spray bread pans or use parchment paper.  Add batter to the two loaf pans.

5.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Let cool before removing from pans.

Here is the Libby's recipe.  Double this in order to make 2 loaves and use the whole can of pumpkin. 

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup water

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

2.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, combine vegetable oil, eggs and sugar. Stir in pumpkin. Then add flour mixture alternating with the water in two installments.

3. Spray loaf pan or use parchment paper. Add batter to pan and bake for 60-70 minutes. Let cool before removing from pans.

Variations

- Additions: chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, craisins, or raisins

- Add a streusel topping. 

  From Paula Deen

2 1/2 T brown sugar

2 1/2 T flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 T cold butter

Chopped pecans or walnuts to taste (optional)

Cut butter into dry ingredients to make a crumble.

Add to top of batter in loaf pan before baking.

-Add a cream cheese swirl.

From Magnolia Table

4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

4 T sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat ingredients.  Add a third of the batter to pan.  Then add half of the swirl.  Then another third of batter and the rest of the swirl.  Top with dollops of remaining batter then swirl slightly with a knife.

-Add a cream cheese icing.

From Sally's Baking Addiction

4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 cup softened butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Homemade Bread

This is the best recipe I have found for homemade, sandwich bread.  I originally found it on this Instagram account.

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/4 cup honey

5-6 cups unbleached flour

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter 

*I used salted butter, but decreased the amount of salt a little.

In a large bowl, mix yeast, honey and warm water.  Let sit about 15 minutes covered with a towel.  It should be foamy before you go to next step.

Add melted butter, salt and flour.  Mix well in bowl, and then knead together on counter.  Place back in the bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, punch the center down.  Separate into two sections.  Flatten each section and the roll up into a loaf.  Place in 2 loaf pans and cover with a towel for another hour.  

Bake at 360 for 40 minutes.  (I lightly laid a piece of foil over top for the last 15 minutes so they didn't get too brown.)

Scones

I found a great recipe for scones in my Better Homes and Garden cookbook.  (I find that this cookbook has the BEST basic recipes...such a good resource.)  There are lots of variations of scones, but generally they are a little denser than a biscuit and a little sweeter too.  The key to this recipe is using cold, cold butter to make tender layers.

Banana Muffins

We have a family recipe for banana bread that is delicious, but I was recently looking for a more bakery-style muffin recipe to use some ripe bananas.  I made a few modifications to this one I found on All Recipes, and this recipe will definitely be a keeper!  Light, fluffy, flaky and flavorful with a crunchy crumb topping...these banana muffins are delicious!

Magnolia Table's Cinnamon Bread

Whether you like a sweet cinnamon swirl bread or raisin cinnamon bread, this is a delicious recipe for you!  The covid time at home has given me time to practice making yeast breads, and I really love it.  I don't usually repost a recipe straight from a cookbook, but I couldn't find this one ANYWHERE online so I wanted to share it with you.

Healthier Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was looking for a healthier muffin recipe to make for the first day of school.  I love to make a huge batch of muffins and then freeze them for future breakfasts.  My Healthy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins are always a big hit, so I was looking for something similar.

I found a recipe for Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins on Little Sweet Baker.  I made a few tweaks to help make them a little less sinful.

Now let's get this straight...if I were making these for a special occasion or to take to someone, I would stick to the original recipe.  I'm sure it is fluffier and richer tasting.  But for an everyday recipe, I wanted something just a little lighter.

I typed out the original recipe and put my changes in italics.  The recipe says it makes 12 muffins, but I got about 15 out of the batter.

Applesauce Muffins

I had some unsweetened applesauce I wanted to use, so I searched Pinterest for a muffin recipe with applesauce.  I found a delicious sounding recipe from Lil Luna.

I made a few changes to make it just a little healthier.  I know buttery muffins topped with cinnamon sugar are not the best breakfast choice, but the small changes might help a little.  I also doubled the recipe.

Makes 2 dozen.

1/4 cup softened butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 kids cup or 1/2 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened.)
1 cup flour (I used white-whole wheat flour.)
1/4 t salt
1/2 T baking powder
Optional:  I added a splash of vanilla and dash of cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray mini muffin pan with Pam.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and applesauce.  Add dry ingredients.  Bake for 11-13 minutes.

After baking, dip in melted butter and cinnamon sugar.  (1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 t cinnamon)

Banana Bread

One of my greatest treasures is my grandmother's old recipe box.  I don't use the recipes very often, but I love looking through all the old recipe cards, magazine clippings, and newspaper recipes.

How wonderful it is to reminisce while recognizing different family members' handwriting.  And what care must have been taken to type out individual recipe cards.  I love Pinterest, the internet, and cooking websites.  It's so easy to print out the latest recipe.  But what a treasure it is to have these old recipe cards, these memories on paper.  The food splotches and corrections just add to their character.

Banana bread is an old favorite in our family.  Sometimes with nuts, sometimes without.  Super simple, with ingredients almost always found in the pantry.  Just wait a few days for the bananas to ripen and then it's time to make some moist, yummy bread.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3 mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs.  Stir in nuts and bananas.  Sift flour and soda.  Add and mix well. Pour into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for about an hour.

The Best Dinner Rolls

I don't make homemade bread very often, but I might start after trying this recipe.  Wow, this was a winner!  These buttery rolls melt in your mouth and are fairly easy to make.  They remind me of the rolls from the Texas Roadhouse restaurant.

When I made these, I was very busy making lots of Thanksgiving casseroles and pies so I didn't take any pictures.  But I still wanted to put the recipe on for my future reference.  Sooo good!

I cut the recipe in half with no problems to make 1 9x13 pan of 12 rolls.  The recipe is from Our Best Bites, an excellent resource for all kinds of cooking!


2 c whole milk
1/2 c + 1T sugar (divided)
1/3 c butter
2 t kosher salt
2 packages active dry yeast
2/3 c warm water
8-9 c all purpose flour
3 beaten eggs

Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm.

While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour and milk mixture. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.  Add beaten eggs. 

Stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft–it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out onto surface. Divide in half.

Spray 2 9×13 glass pans with cooking spray. Roll first portion of dough into a rectangle and then cut it into 12 equal-sized pieces using a pizza cutter.  Shape each piece into a ball and place in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough in the second pan.

Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Or you can cover and put in the fridge til you are ready to bake.  If refrigerating, take out at least 30 minutes before baking.  

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until golden-brown.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

During the fall, I can't seem to get enough pumpkin...pumpkin spice latte's, pumpkin candles, and pumpkin baked goods!  In the past, I have made pumpkin pie (of course!), pumpkin bread, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin doughnut muffins, and pumpkin cranberry bread.  Yum!

I thought the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins on the Life in Grace blog looked delicious.  And they were!

Unfortunately, only half of our family are big pumpkin lovers - myself and Jack.  Michael and Grace don't share the love.  These muffins have a very mild pumpkin flavor and they were a big hit with everyone.  I guess the chocolate chips don't hurt!

I like that this recipe has whole wheat flour.  I might even try to make them a little healthier next time by substituting some apple sauce for part of the oil, like my healthy chocolate muffins.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups oil
1 t salt
1 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
2 t vanilla
1 can pumpkin
1 t cinnamon
2 cups choc chips (I only added a heaping cup)

Mix sugar, eggs, and oil in a mixer until light and smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix well.  Add the chocolate chips.  Bake in muffin tins for 14-18 minutes at 400F.  Made 24 muffins.

PW's Pizza Crust

We have been on a "homemade pizza" kick around here.  Grace and Jack can't seem to get enough of creating their own personal pizzas.  I have always bought either the Pillsbury ready-to-bake crusts or the crust mix I found here in the UK.

On Friday, rather than go to the store to buy more pizza crust mix, I decided to try Pioneer Woman's recipe. (It's also in her first cookbook.)  I had all the ingredients I needed...all four of them.  Salt, flour, olive oil, and yeast are all you need.  I am always hesitant to try any yeast-based recipes, but now I will fear no more!

This was SO easy and SO good.  We could all tell a difference in the fresh, homemade crust.  Yummy!

A few changes I made:

-I mixed it by hand with no problem.  Sadly, I don't think my little hand mixer could handle a dough!
-I let it rise on the counter for awhile, but then covered the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.  This made it less sticky and easier to handle.
-I kneaded it with some flour a few times before rolling it out into a pizza crust.
-I suggest you roll or stretch it very thin.  This pizza crust rises as it bakes.
-I divided the dough into thirds to make smaller pizzas.

The pizza dough after mixing.

After rising for about an hour

I divided the dough into thirds and then kneaded a few times.

The dough rolled out.  I used a rolling pin instead of stretching with my hands.  I did manage to toss it a few times in the air like a real pizza chef!

Starting to assemble the pizza.  My kids like to roll up the edges of the crust.

A basic cheese pizza

Makes 2 large crusts

Ingredients
1 teaspoon (half packet) yeast
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.

In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil.

Cover with a moist kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 1-2 hours.  Or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. 

Divide the dough in half.  Press or roll out the dough to desired size.  Cover with toppings.  Bake at 500F for 8-10 minutes.  (I baked at about 220C.)

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts

These little morsels of pumpkin yumminess are sooo good!  The recipe is from Craving Chronicles, via Christine on Pinterest.  And it looks like they were also inspired by the Pioneer Woman via Tasty Kitchen.  Needless to say, you just can't go wrong with these pumpkin muffins.  They could be a sweet breakfast, a scrumptious snack or a small dessert.  That is if you can just eat one!

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk

For Coating
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 24-mini-muffin tin with Pam.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices (through cloves). In a separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined – do not over mix!

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (Using a 2-tablespoon scoop will ensure uniform size.) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Dip each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

This recipe is a winner!  Moist and delicious with the added tartness of cranberries.  This recipe is from Libby's Pumpkin on All Recipes.com.  The only change I made was to use Craisins instead of fresh cranberries.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (CRAISINS)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
2. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and orange juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Blueberry Muffins

• Blueberry Muffins from All Recipes. I used brown sugar instead of white for the topping. Not very healthy, but very yummy!
• 
  
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Healthy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

I am always on the lookout for healthy breakfast items, especially for the picky eater in the family. How many options do you have for someone who doesn't eat eggs, cereal, oatmeal, granola bars, or yogurt?

So when I saw this recipe for Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins from Taste of Home, I thought I might be onto something. Hmmm, let's see...chocolate and more chocolate? Sure enough, the muffins were devoured.

These have 160 calories, with 3 g protein and 2 g fiber. Not bad for a sweet treat. They do have a certain "whole grain" flavor to them, but the kids didn't notice. Just don't expect them to taste like the jumbo muffins from the bakery!

This was very quick, just taking a few minutes to mix up in the morning. It makes 32 muffins, so I froze them in zip loc bags of 2-3 muffins.

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1-3/4 cups fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used the whole bag)

In a large bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites, egg, applesauce, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

Coat muffin cups with cooking spray; fill three-fourths full with batter. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: 32 muffins.

Pumpkin Bread

Thanks to Grace Violet for this delicious pumkin bread recipe. I have made it twice now...once in mini-loaves and once as muffins. Yummy!

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 5 mini loaf pans (also makes great muffins).

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Mine took closer to 40 minutes and maybe even could've gone for a few more. The muffins baked for about 25 minutes.)