Pumpkin Recipes!

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner today!  She's doing favorite holiday recipes, so you know it'll be a good one!  We've all got our favorites, but this year I discovered two new ones that were a big hit at our house and with friends.  :)  They both involve pumpkin and cream cheese, so how can you go wrong??  


Pumpkin cookies with maple cream cheese frosting! 
I'm hungry just writing the name of them!  These are a yummy, bite-size cake like cookie that remind me of those soft frosted cookies you can get in the grocery store bakery.  The cookie is very soft and not too sweet, and the frosting is HEAVENLY!

Picture from here

COOKIES (I just changed up the spices from this recipe.)

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons Maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt

I was debating between two recipes and accidentally started with the one I didn't want to use, but they turned out great!  I decided to go with the frosting recipe from Annie's Eats Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.  She's right, only do 1/2 or 3/4 and you'll have plenty!  I did 3/4 and had enough left over to frost some pumpkin bread.  Landrie wouldn't call it it bread.  She insisted it was cake. haha!

My little helper!

FROSTING (cut it in 1/2 or double your batch of cookies!)

3 cups powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

The other recipe is from my friend Bethany.  She made this ridiculous pumpkin dip one night and I fell in love. :)  It's perfect with apple slices or would be great with those little graham cracker sticks too.  I haven't been able to find them though.  Does anyone know if they still make them?  This is nice and light to go with all the rich Christmas goodies that we'll be eating!   Oh, and it makes a ton.  I froze 1/2 for later, so it would be a great one to make ahead. :)

Picture from here

Pumpkin Pie Dip

1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. sour cream (or substitute plain Greek yogurt) - I used plain yogurt because that's what I had.

1 t cinnamon

2 t pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t ground ginger

1 c Cool Whip, thawed

 

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth.

Add in pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger.  Mix well.

Fold in Cool Whip.

 

Store in refrigerator.

 

Serve with Granny Smith apples, graham cracker sticks, or gingersnaps. 

I hope you have a Merry Christmas!  I'll be posting pictures from our family session soon, but Jenny already posted a sneak peek here. (Just look for the family in pink!!)