Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I love pumpkin... pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin soup. I found this delicious recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cookies that I made for Halloween. I also added some spooky sprinkles for the occasion.

PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

                                                            

2 1/2 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1 1/2 Cups white sugar

1 Cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING

2 Cups confectioners sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl, cream together  butter and white sugar.
4. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla to butter mixture and beat until creamy.
5. Mix in dry ingredients.
6. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
7. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

To make frosting - Combine confectioners sugar, milk, melted butter and vanilla.

Add milk as needed to achieve drizzling consistency.

Apple Crisp

Autumn is such a wonderful time of year. A crisp wind blowing on a sunny afternoon while colourful leaves dance from the trees. Apple picking is also a fun activity that fall brings. I can't remember the last time I went. I'm sure I was a little girl when I last spent the afternoon in the orchards with my family finding that perfect apple. So, to relive my youth I took a special someone to pick apples with me, and after we made a delicious apple crisp.

APPLE CRISP

APPLES                                           

4 large apples                                                                    

1 TBSP lemon juice                 

4 TBSP white sugar                

1/4 tsp cinnamon                      

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Peel, core and slice apples thinly.

2. Pour lemon juice into bowl.
3. Add sugar and spices. Mix well.
4. Spread apples evenly in a buttered and sugared baking dish.

TOPPING and BAKING

2/3 C rolled oats                    

1/3 C flour                               

4 TBSP butter                          

1/3 C white sugar                     

1/3 C brown sugar                   

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Blend cold butter, flour and oats together until crumbly.

2. Add both sugars and cinnamon.

3. Mix lightly with a fork.

4. Sprinkle immediately over apples.

5. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours. Keep checking back for more adventures and recipes from Sweet Treats!

~*HAPPY THANKSGIVING*~

Plum Cake

A few weeks ago when it was still warm out, I spent the day with my grandmother and we went to visit a friend of hers. We sat in the backyard talking and drinking orange juice. I noticed my grandma's friend had 3 fruit  trees in her back yard. Two apple trees and a plum tree. I went to look around and the lady asked me if I wanted to pick some plums to take home. So I told her yes and she immediately brought me a basket so I could start picking. Once I got home I started wondering what I would do with a basket full of plums, so I decided to make a cake. I looked for a recipe and decided to give a shot at baking my first Plum Cake.

PLUM CAKE

CAKE

1/4 Cup soft butter

1/2 Cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Cup flour

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 Pound of plums pitted and quartered

FILLING

1 1/4 Cup sour cream

1 egg

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

STREUSEL TOPPING

1 Cup flour

1/2 Cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon

1/2 Cup butter

METHOD
Line side of greased 10-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper just to rim. Set aside.

TOPPING - In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Using pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.

CAKE - In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat eggs, orange juice and vanilla.

In separate bowl, stir together flour, orange rind, baking powder and nutmeg; gradually beat into egg mixture until smooth and thick. Scrape into pan. Nestle plums into batter, skin side up.

FILLING - In mixing bowl, beat sour cream, egg, orange juice and cornstarch. Pour over plums. Sprinkle with streusel topping.

Bake at 350F for 60 to 70 min - ready when tester comes out clean and topping is golden brown.