Almost-Homemade Pumpkin Squares

Tis the season where the hours fly by even though you need every minute to last longer in order to get everything done. Although, I’m a ‘from scratch’ baker, I never turn down a recipe that turns out great, tastes very homemade yet limits my spare time in the kitchen.
Pumpkin Squares

1 Spice Cake Mix
3/4 Cup mayonnaise
1 16 ounce can pumpkin
3 Eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8oz. Package Cream Cheese (softened)
1/4 Cup Butter, (softened)
3 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Mix all of the pumpkin bar ingredients in a bowl just until combined well. Pour in a greased 13×9 cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until toothpick comes out of the center clean. Cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, cream the cream cheese and the butter together in your mixer bowl until quite fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar ½ cup. at a time until well blended. Add vanilla, orange zest, and mix well. Chill in refrigerator until the cake is completely cool, frost and serve.

Christmas Cookies – Cinnamon Lemon Spiral Cookies

Almost like a cinnamon roll! Perfect for a holiday breakfast addition or just to have around for snacking during the holidays. Would also make a nice statement on a Christmas cookie plate.

Cinnamon Lemon Spiral Cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cups granulated sugar
2 cups butter
1 tablespoon (packet) yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup scalded milk, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

I cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of cloves
Zest of one lemon, finely grated

In a large mixing box, combine Flour ½ cup sugar and cut in the butter until it resembles peas in size. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm 1/4 cup of water and all it to the milk, vanilla, and eggs, mixing together well. Add to the flour mixture and mix into a ball of dough. Cover with greased/vegetable oil sprayed plastic wrap and refrigerate eight hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or use light coating of vegetable oil spray.

On a well-floured board, roll out the dough into a rectangle about one-quarter thick. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and lemon zest and sprinkle liberally over the rolled out dough. Roll the dough up along the long size, pinch the edges closed and roll onto the seamed side. Cut into 1/2-inch to 1-inch slices (thinner is crisper/thicker is more cake-like) Place cut slices on parchment covered baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes depending on your oven and the thickness of your cookies. Cool a few minutes before removing from the baking sheet. Glaze cookies while still a bit warm.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon or so of finely grated lemon zest
Enough fresh lemon juice to form a glaze.

Christmas Baking – German Lebkuchen

German Lebkuchen

A spicy, fruity, Christmas cookie bar. I’ve probably shared this before but it bears repeating. Besides what better way to get the scent of Christmas into your home.

3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups dark, brown sugar
1/4 pound mixed, candied fruit*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
Confectioner’s sugar
Juice of one lemon
Grated rind of one lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8 x 10-inch baking pan, dust it lightly with flour. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs one at a time to the brown sugar, beating well after each addition. Stir in the candied fruit and spices. Into another bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, combining well. Spread the cookie batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 15 minutes or until golden.

Add lemon rind and enough juice to confectioner’s sugar to make a thick icing. Spread the icing over the warm cookies. When the icing has set, cut into serving size squares.

*Soaking the candied fruit in brandy over night greatly enhances the flavor of the finished cookie!

Gluten-Free Christmas Brownies

I’ve been experimenting with ‘translating’ favorite recipes into gluten-free ones and had good luck with this brownie recipe. The recipe has evolved over the years and we missed it in last year’s Christmas Cookie offerings. I had the time and energy, this year, and actually produced a good brownie that no one could tell was missing the wheat flour.

Barbara’s Christmas Brownies

2 sticks of butter (no substitutes)
5 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I always use BetterBatter)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grated zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and either butter, use vegetable oil spray, or line a 9×9 pan with foil or parchment paper. You can use a slightly larger pan if you want thinner brownies.

Melt together the butter and chocolate. Place into a large mixing bowl and stir in the granulated sugar then the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest and beat well. Fold in the flour, salt, and nuts. Spread the brownie batter into your prepared pan. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with only crums, not damp batter. Let brownies cool thoroughly before cutting.

Ideas – The addition of a tablespoon of Espresso powder turns these into grownup brownies. Or, substitute chopped walnuts or pecans for chopped peanuts and add a peanut butter frosting before cutting.

An added bonus to this recipe . . . Not gluten intolerant? The recipe works with regular flour, too.

“A Balanced Diet is a Cookies in Each Hand”

The Scents of Christmas!

As far back as I can remember, cookies have been a part of my Christmas. My mother liked to do her baking late at night when everyone was out from under her feet and sound asleep. We often woke up to what seemingly appeared to our youthful view to be mountains of delectable cookies all over the table and counters. We were not monetarily well off in those days but my mother could literally make something out of nothing . . . or, in this case, wonderful Christmas treats with flour, butter, and imagination. These were our Christmas gifts to friends and were always welcomed.  I was twelve or so when I took over the Christmas baking. To this day, the smell of cinnamon and baking sugar cookies brings back a lot of memories.

Granted, since we have had to observe a gluten-free diet for my husband’s health, there have been a few challenges with the baking. The increase in people having to go gluten-free or wanting to do so, has increased the selection of flours and such in the market place and made life much easier. I haven’t had to give up my Christmas baking tradition. I do, however, miss having little ones tripping me up in the kitchen and begging for cookies. These days, they are like stealthy ninjas who grab and run with a fistful of cookies when they think I’m not looking.

Butterscotch Apple Cookies – Simple and Good!

This is a relatively quick cookie to get into the oven. A nice afternoon surprise with a cold glass of milk. They could even be considered a breakfast snack when you are in a hurry with a cup of coffee. Simple enough for random munching but elegant enough for the holiday cookie place, too.

Butterscotch Apple Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup or honey
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup grated apples (be sure to peel them before grating)
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or use vegetable oil spray.

Cream shortening, brown sugar, corn syrup (or honey) and eggs in a bowl and beat thoroughly. Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Mix well. Stir in the vanilla and the rest of the ingredients.

Drop by small spoonful or use cookie scoop of your size choice onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges and set in the middle. Remove to cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Getting Ready for the Fall Holidays – Spicy Cut-Out Cookies!

Spicy Cut Out Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ground anise seed
3/4 cups softened butter
1 1/4 cups packed, brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, milk, extracts, and zest and mix well. Mix in dry ingredients to form dough. Wrap dough and refrigerate over night.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets.

On lightly-floured board, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out with desired cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake until cookies are golden around the edges, approximately six to eight minutes. These cookies tend to burn easily! Cool on wire rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies, depending on size of cookie cutters.