Gingerbread Pound Cake (GF)

How did it get to be December 9th already?!? I’m a bit behind on holiday prep this year, but maybe this gingerbread pound cake will help me get into holiday overdrive.  

Most gingerbread recipes produce cake that is fairly light and delicate, but in this case, I wanted a sturdier cake while still retaining the warm spice & molasses flavor of a traditional gingerbread.

And a loaf-shaped cake somehow feels a bit more relaxed, not to mention eating it on the go is easier (though perhaps that isn’t so much a good thing to mindlessly be eating cake while doing other things).

I’m sure it would be great with a glaze or an icing, but in the spirit of trying to keep things a bit lighter during the holiday season when indulging is inevitable, I decided to forgo any glaze.  It was just the right amount of sweet without any extras.

We enjoyed eating cold slices of the cake just on their own accompanied by piping hot cups of Holiday Tea. But to dress it up a bit for a dinner party with friends, I added a scoop of eggnog ice cream & a drizzle of orange sauce (from this post) --absolutely delicious!

Gingerbread Pound Cake (GF) 
adapted from Channeling Contessa via The Every Girl
Yields one 9x5 inch loaf

8.5 oz / 2c Jeanne’s Gluten Free AP Flour Mix (or substitute cake/AP flour if not GF)
1 tbl Ground Ginger
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Cardamom 
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
6 oz / 12 tbl (1.5 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
8 oz / 1 brick Cream Cheese, softened
3.5 oz / 1/2 c Granulated Sugar
5.6 oz / 3/4 c packed dark brown sugar
4 oz / 1/3 c Molasses
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with pan spray (or additional softened butter).  Line with parchment and grease the parchment too. 
2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, spices, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Place the softened butter & cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth & completely combined. Scrape down the sides.
4. Add the sugars & continue mixing on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the molasses & beat until smooth.  Scrape down the sides.  
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, as well as the vanilla, & mix until completely combined. 
6. On low speed, stir in the dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer & use a spatula to finish mixing by hand.  
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan & place into the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hr and 25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean). 
8. Cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan.  
9. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Store any leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Loaf may also be frozen for longevity. 

Note: this post may contain affiliate links. 

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Cinnamon Chip Scones (GF)

No matter whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, I grew up with the tradition of having a special holiday breakfast.  My mom would make an egg casserole (which we called “egg bake” in the upper midwest) and cinnamon rolls, and there would also be fruit & juice. Mom would set the table with a festive tablecloth, the crystal juice glasses that otherwise lived in the china cabinet, sometimes the fine china, but always with holiday napkins. After my dad said the blessing, we would clink glasses, toast to whatever holiday it happened to be, and then, of course, eat!

With my insatiable sweet tooth, my personal favorite part was the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that Mom would bake in a round cake pan. As most siblings do, my sisters and I would all try to vie for the middle roll which usually had the most frosting. I still have a particular fondness, even to this day, for freshly baked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls.

As a somewhat newly married couple, my husband and I are still developing our own traditions. One of the the traditions I’m trying to pass into our “micro-family” is the holiday breakfast concept. Of course there are a few adaptations my husband and I like to make (coffee is a must and sometimes we mix a little bubbly with the juice), but I still dearly wish to include my beloved cinnamon rolls.  Once I started living mostly gluten free, though, suddenly the options changed.  There are very few gluten free options in our small-ish town, unless you want to make things yourself.

I’ve done a fair amount of gluten free baking & cooking these days, but yeasted products still are a bit of a mystery to me. I’m well versed in how bread flour works in artisan breads & I just haven’t mastered how to mimic those items in gluten free versions. Last weekend, I attempted to adapt a cinnamon roll recipe to be gluten free, but the results were not good. The texture was all off & so was the flavor.... I guess it may take a lot more testing before I am confident in adapted gluten filled yeast products to be gluten free.

Luckily, scones ARE easily adapted to be gluten free.  This particular cinnamon chip variation tastes surprisingly a lot like my favorite pillsbury cinnamon rolls.  I added a bit of leftover pumpkin puree to the dough.  Rather than tasting “pumpkin-y,” the puree just adds a bit of extra moisture & helps deepen the complexity of the flavors.  Once the glaze is added they became a perfect substitution--in fact, I couldn’t stop eating my test batch! I had to put the leftovers in the freezer to curb myself.  Since scones fit in the non-yeasted “quickbread” category of baking, they don’t require rising time! I love recipes that save time during busy holidays. These scones absolutely will be making an appearance on this year’s Thanksgiving brunch table.

I hope that wherever you are this Thanksgiving and holiday season, you are able to spend time laughing and giving thanks with friends & family, and that you take time to make & eat good food. Perhaps you can start your own holiday breakfast tradition.

Cinnamon Chip Scones (GF) 
yields 12 to 16 scones, depending on the size

Scones
4 oz / 1 stick Unsalted butter, cold
2/3 c Whole Milk + 1 tsp Lemon Juice (or substitute Buttermilk )
8.5 oz / 2 c Jeanne’s Gluten Free AP Flour Mix (or substitute regular AP flour, if not gluten free) {LINK} 
1.85 oz / 1/4 c Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
120 g / 1/2 c Cinnamon Chips
122 g / 1/2 c Pumpkin Puree 
Tapioca Starch, for dusting

Glaze
Confectioners’ Sugar
Milk 

1. Grate the cold butter, using the large grate part of a box grater, onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place the grated butter into the freezer while measuring & preparing the remaining ingredients. If not using buttermilk, mix the whole milk with the lemon juice & let stand at room temp. 
2. Measure the remaining ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper & set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, soda, powder, salt & cinnamon.  Add the frozen butter pieces & toss quickly with your hands to combine.  Break up any large clumps.  Add the cinnamon chips & briefly toss to combine. 
4. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk with the pumpkin puree. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients & quickly mix with your hands until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Be careful not to overwork the dough or let the heat from your hands melt all the butter.  
5. Dust the clean counter or board with additional tapioca starch (or AP flour, if not gluten free).  Pat the dough out, adding tapioca starch on top of the dough & onto your hands, until the dough is approximately an inch tall.  Use a small round cutter (or any shape you like) to cut out scones.  Place the cut scones onto the prepared baking sheets. Carefully gather the scraps & re-pat them out, repeating the process until the dough is all used.  (Note: re-rolling works well with the gluten free dough, but if regular flour is used, the re-rolled scones may be a bit tougher.) Alternately, you can use a large cookie scoop to make drop scones by scooping the scone dough out of the bowl & portioning it directly onto the sheet pan. 
6. Use a try pastry brush to brush off any excess tapioca starch.  Bake both pans in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, rotating the pans & swapping the top and bottom pans halfway through.  The scones are done when they are lightly brown & the cinnamon chips begin to caramelize.  
7. Remove the pans from the oven & allow to cool slightly while the glaze is made.    
8. In a separate bowl, sift a little confectioners’ sugar to remove any lumps. Add a splash of milk & whisk until combined. Adjust the amount of milk & confectioners sugar until you achieve a thick glaze. Either stripe the glaze across the slightly warm scones, using either a cornet paper piping bag, a zip-top bag with a corner cut off, or a pastry bag.  Alternately, dip the slightly warm scones into the glaze.  Allow the glaze to set & serve. 
9. Store any leftover scones at room temperature in a covered container for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer.  

Note: As far as cinnamon chips go, I usually use Hershey’s brand.  However, they can be a bit difficult to find sometimes...   In some areas, like I discovered in South Carolina, they are only available during the holiday season, so I recommend stocking up.  Or, King Arthur has they available to order from their website (as does Amazon. ).  

This post contains affiliate links.

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Spiced Parsnip & Apple Muffins (GF)

For the final installment of  my“Week in the [Project] Life”series for Project Life 365, today’s prompt is #incognito.  For background on this project, please read my previous #breakfast, #lunch, #dinner, #dessert, #whatever, and #cloud posts. You can find me on Instagram at @lauravein and Project Life 365 at @projectlife365. Thanks for reading along this week! 

Veggies go #incognito in these Spiced Parsnip & Apple muffins.

Vegetables in muffins? Really? It’s not THAT big of a stretch, if you think about it!  Most people enjoy carrot cake, zucchini quick bread, pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole etc.  So why should parsnip muffins be any different.

While I do love zucchini quick bread (and scones, and waffles), I’ll confess, I’m not terribly crazy about carrot desserts? Even my mom has a great carrot quick bread recipe that everyone raves about whenever she makes it, but it just isn’t something my palate enjoys. I guess I’ll just keep my carrot consumption to the savory side of things, like the roasted carrots from my favorite roast chicken.

Parsnips, on the other hand, are a bit more intriguing.  Their natural flavor lends more towards the dessert-y side of the spectrum anyway, in my opinion.  They’re a bit sweeter and at the same time a bit spicier too. They pair well with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & cloves.

As this was my first foray into adding parsnips to a baked good, I decided to add half grated parsnips and half grated apple to the muffin batter. I was so curious about how the muffins would taste that it was torture to wait until they cooled enough to consume.

Upon tasting, neither the parsnips, nor the apples, nor the spices really shown as the most prominent flavor--instead, they all balanced really well.  Others who tasted these muffins had no idea they contained parsnips. Incognito vegetable success!

Actually, the parsnip flavor does become a bit more pronounced the day after the muffins are baked.  It’s up to you whether you feel adventurous enough to add all grated parsnips to the muffin batter or to do the half parsnip/half apple combination I chose.




Spiced Parsnip & Apple Muffins 
adapted from Alton Brown 
yields approximately 9 muffins 

I easily adapted this recipe to be gluten free by swapping the AP Flour for my favorite gluten free flour mix, but if I was not making these gluten free, I might make them with half all purpose flour & half whole wheat flour.... 


4.25 oz Jeanne's GF AP Flour Mix {or substitute AP Flour, if not following gluten free} 
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
scant 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated 
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
3 oz whole eggs (scramble 2 eggs together, then weight out 3 oz... it should be approx 1.5 eggs) 
3 oz Sour Cream or Yogurt (use full fat dairy) 
0.9 oz Vegetable Oil 
4 oz Granulated Sugar 
splash of Vanilla extract 
2.5 oz Grated Parsnip (use a box grater) 
2.5 oz Grated Apple (use a box grater) 
nonstick spray
coarse sugar for sprinkling 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a standard muffin pan with 9 liners.  Generously spray the liners to avoid having the muffins stick to them.  Set aside. Prepare & measure out all ingredients.  
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, powder, nutmeg, cinnamon & salt. Set aside
3. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, sugar, vanilla.  Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture & mix halfway.  Using a spatula, fold in the grated parsnip & apple.  
4. Evenly divide the batter among each muffin cup (using a large cookie scoop/portion scoop makes this job easier). Sprinkle the tops with a little coarse sanding sugar.  
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown.  
6. Remove from the oven, cool slightly in the pan, then remove the muffins and cool on a rack.  Serve slightly warm. 
7. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or freeze for longevity.  

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Cowgirl Cookies

To continue my “Week in the [Project] Life” series for Project Life 365, today’s prompt is #whatever.  For background on this project, please read my previous #breakfast, #lunch, #dinner, and #dessert posts. You can find me on Instagram @lauravein and Project Life 365 at @projectlife365.

"#Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.” -Lord Chesterfield (1694-1773) Life is too short for bad cookies (or bad coffee)...  And if you want to eat a couple for breakfast, I’ll never tell! 

They have oatmeal in them after all :)

I'm not exactly certain about the background on the name of these cookies, but Cowgirl Cookies been one of my favorites since I first made them in culinary school.  They're full of oatmeal, coconut, pecans, chocolate chunks & plenty of spices!  Talk about a flavor explosion in a cookie.

Oats haven't made an appearance in my diet much at all in the past couple of years, nor have I eaten much gluten in the past year.  However, in preparation for some medical testing,  I have been doing some "cheating," because a few of the tests are more accurate if I actually have a little gluten in my system.

If I'm having a last hurrah with gluten (I'll find out once I complete my testing & the results come back), I want to be certain I am making and eating things that are worth it! Things that I will miss if I'm officially told to say goodbye to gluten forever. Things that use good, high quality ingredients. Not just eating gluten-y things for gluten sake. With wheat flour from King Arthur, locally sourced pecans, oats from Bobs Red Mill, and good chocolate, I'm confident these cookies fit the bill :)

Cowgirl Cookies


I cut down this recipe from the giant culinary school batch to a more manageable home batch.  I’m sorry I don’t have a yield amount.... We started eating the cookies before I could get an accurate count! 

4 oz Unsalted Butter, room temperature
3.65  oz Granulated Sugar
4 oz Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
5.30 oz AP Flour {you could also make these Gluten Free by using a GF baking mix}
4 g Baking Powder
4 g Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
scant 1/2 tsp Salt
6.65 oz Chocolate Chunks {I chopped up some Trader Joe’s chocolate} 
2.5 oz Oats {use Gluten Free, if you like} 
2.65 oz Sweetened Shredded Coconut
2.35 oz Chopped Pecans  

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugars on medium low speed until the ingredients completely mix together, become lighter in color & increase in volume.  Scrape down the bowl. 
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix at low speed until just incorporated.  Add vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and mix a few more seconds. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & salt.  
4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl & mix on low speed until half way combined.  
5. Combine the chocolate, oats, coconut & pecans and add them to the mixing bowl.  Mix on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.  
6. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes while the oven is preheating to 350 F. Line to baking sheets with parchment paper. 
7. For large cookies (which I believe have the best combinations of textures: crunchy edges & soft centers), use a large cookie scoop (mine is 3oz) and pan the cookies 6 to a half sheet pan. 
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan & bake an additional 4 to 6 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven & cool completely. 
9. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer. (I happen to think these cookies are fabulous when eaten straight from the freezer... though don’t damage your teeth in the process!). 

Note: if you make smaller cookies, pan them in 4 rows of 3 & bake them less time, rotating as necessary, until the cookie edges are just beginning to brown.  

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Pumpkin Pancakes (GF) & Project Life 365

Things have been a little quieter around here lately, but it has been for good reason!  Recently, I showed a couple of teaser shots on Instagram about a special project I’ve been working on, and today I finally get to explain what that is!  AND there will be a blog post every day (!) this week, so don’t forget to check back.

#breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes with butter & maple syrup.  

In January, I started a photo-a-day project called Project Life 365.  I had been following their parent company Design Aglow for several years & I was intrigued by PL365‘s “spin” on the concept. Yes, I’ve tried (and failed at) photo-a-day projects in the past, but PL365 is unique...  Not only do I take a photo each day, but PL365 has a specific word or phrase or prompt for each day. Having specific direction helps to keep me creative and challenges me to perhaps photograph things I wouldn’t normally shoot.  I also really enjoy the community aspect of knowing people throughout the world are participating in this same photo project. While I don’t normally do the whole multiple hashtags thing, I now really enjoy clicking on the #projectlife365 hashtag on Instagram each day & seeing what other artists are creating & how different people interpret each hashtag.  There are some seriously amazing photographers working on Project Life 365!

About a month ago, Project Life 365 contacted me, asking if I’d like to participate in their “Week in the [Project] Life” series.  Me? Really? I was so humbled & so honored!  As I looked ahead to the weeks that were available for my feature, I saw that one week in particular (November 10-17) was full of food words. Obviously, that week was meant for me :) To take the project a step further, I decided to shoot each day’s prompts with my iPhone for PL365 AND to do a blog post with the recipe for each item I’d photographed.  So, today I’m beginning with #breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes. 

I dearly love experimenting with new breakfast recipes on most weekends. I first began making these pumpkin pancakes when I discovered a container of extra pumpkin puree in the refrigerator one Saturday morning.  I made a few easy adaptions to the original recipe, swapping the AP flour for GF flour and increasing both the spices & pumpkin amounts. We thoroughly enjoyed eating them for brunch that Saturday & the leftovers were great during the following week.

Something about fall just begs for as many pumpkin recipes as possible! Check back tomorrow for my #lunch post (and for a link to my "Week in the [Project] Life" interview).


Pumpkin Pancakes
adapted from Martha Stewart

5.30 oz / 1 1/4 c AP Flour {I used Jeanne’s GF AP Mix to make them Gluten Free}
39 g / 3 Tbl Brown
9 g / 2 tsp Baking Powder
8 g / 2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
10 oz / 1 1/4 c Milk, room temperature, if possible 
293 g / scant 1 cupPumpkin Puree 
1.5 oz / 3 Tbl Butter, melted, plus additional for the pan
1 large egg, room temperature, if possible 

Butter & maple syrup for serving 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices & salt. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, butter & egg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & whisk until just combined.  
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat & grease generously with butter.  Pour in 1/4 cup of batter & gently spread out.  Cook until browned, approximately 3 minutes per side.  
4. Hold finished pancakes in a 200 F oven until ready to serve. Greas
5. Serve pancakes with additional butter & maple syrup. 
6. Store any leftovers, wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for longer periods of time.  

Note: The cooking process for these pancakes can be a bit tedious, but they are very tasty in the end!  They are not the easiest pancakes to flip, but with some practice, the flipping becomes easier. Also, the can go from golden to almost burned very quickly. After experimenting with different pan types & discovered that a nonstick skillet, greased with a little butter (clarified, if possible) works the best.  If using a regular stainless steel skillet, make sure to generously butter it between each batch of pancakes.

Prop sources
Dishes: vintage
background: handwoven towel from Whimsy & Tea. 

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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

I once read an article stating that 80% of Americans live within 20 miles of a Starbucks.  Well, I happen to be part of that lingering 20% that don’t live within 20 miles.  In fact, I’d have to drive a couple hours to get to the nearest true “coffee shop” (I’m not sure that McDonalds will ever count as a coffee shop in my book).  Oh one of the many “joys” of living in the middle-of-nowhere Texas :) 

I love coffee & coffee shops.  One of my most favorite jobs was in a coffee shop. I love creating & producing fancy beverages, as well as serving them to people.

Imagine my excitement and then sadness (plus a teensy bit of envy) when at the beginning of September, pumpkin spice lattes invaded social media. In south Texas, the beginning of September means we’re still in the thick of summer with temperatures remaining steady in the triple digits. All the pictures and mention of pumpkin spice anything made me really nostalgic for fall & for slightly cooler weather. I would have loved to taste a fall-themed beverage, even if I had to get it iced due to the scorching heat.  I even dreamed one night about getting a pumpkin spice latte....   

Instead of moping about not being able to buy a pumpkin spice latte, I decided to make my own!  I found a great post online for recreating the pumpkin spice syrup & I made a big batch one weekend. I cold brewed some coffee (which is better on my system these day) and mixed it with a generous portion of homemade foamed milk (all you need is a clean jar with a lid, a microwave & some milk).  A couple spoonfuls of the syrup & a sprinkling of cinnamon and I had my very own homemade pumpkin spice latte.

While traveling a couple of weeks ago, I finally bought myself a pumpkin spice latte.  But I realized that I may even prefer my homemade version! Thank goodness the batch of syrup is such a large amount--now I’m able to enjoy many, many PSLs at home, which I have been doing on a daily regular basis. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup 

adapted from A Beautiful Mess

2 cups water

10.5 oz / 1.5 c granulated sugar

3.75 oz / 0.5 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 whole clove

3.5 oz / 4 heaping Tbl pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling!) 

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir just briefly to combine. 
2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, not stirring. 
3. Strain into a jar & refrigerate once cool. Add back the cinnamon stick, if you like. 
4. Syrup will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks (in fact, I think the flavor improves after a couple days).  Shake/mix well before using.  

PS Latte/Cafe au lait
Due to some health issues, I have to make my coffee beverages more milky.  Feel free to adjust these ratios to your preferences.  

1 tbl Pumpkin Spice Syrup
3 oz strong coffee (recipe for cold brew follows, or use french press coffee) 
5 oz foamed milk (recipe follows) 
ground cinnamon, for garnish

1.  Add a tablespoon of pumpkin spice syrup to the bottom of a coffee cup.  Top with the strong coffee & microwave to warm. 
2. Make the foamed milk (recipe follows). Add the milk part of the foamed milk & stir to combine the milk with the syrup & coffee. 
3. Spoon the remaining milk foam over the drink & sprinkle with a little cinnamon.
4. Taste & add more syrup, if desired.  

Homemade Foamed Milk
adapted from The Kitchn

Milk
Small Jar with a Lid 
Microwave

1. Fill the jar just shy of half way full of fresh, cold milk.  Tightly screw on the cover. 
2. Vigorously shake the milk for 30 seconds.  (I usually do this over the sink just in case the lid leaks at all). 
3. Remove the lid & microwave the jar for 30 seconds. 
4. Pour the milk into hot coffee & spoon the foam on top.  

Note: do this just before serving & make only as much as needed--it really doesn't keep.

Cold Brew Coffee
Adapted from Food52

1/3 c Coffee Grounds (coarse ground is best)

1 1/2 c Cold Water

1. Mix the coffee and cold water in a mason jar. Cover and refrigerate 12 hours. 
2. Pour through a strainer lined with a coffee filter & place back into a jar. 
3. The concentrated coffee will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 
4. To use, mix with equal parts cold or hot water, adjusting the amount of concentrated coffee to taste.  

This post contains affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after an Amazon link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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Waffle Weekend: Spiced Pumpkin Waffle Doughnuts (GF)

We have reached the time of year where everything turns to pumpkin.  Sweet pumpkin desserts. Savory pumpkin dishes. Drinkable pumpkin. Pumpkin decor.  (if you don’t believe me, just check Pinterest or Instagram).

Personally, I’ve been craving pumpkin doughnuts. And pumpkin spice lattes (but that will come in a future post....).  Sadly, I have not found too many gluten free pumpkin options, but that means I simply must make something myself!

Three years ago, I fried pumpkin spice cake doughnuts  for a Daring Bakers challenge.  I liked the recipe so much that I included it in the doughnut day of Laminated Doughs when I taught that class at the Culinary Institute of Charleston.

I’ve been thinking about those doughnuts lately, but I haven’t been so keen on the frying part.  While I don’t mind frying (since I conquered my fear of frying), but I do hate the mess it makes & how the smell of oil permeates our small open concept apartment.  And opening the windows is not an option since temperatures are still in the upper 90s....

Remembering the waffle doughnut method I concocted early last summer, I decided to turn the fried cake doughnuts into waffle doughnuts!  Less messy and smelly yet still delicious.  They’re even better when they're dunked in maple glaze & paired with a homemade pumpkin spice latte :)

Pumpkin Spice Waffle Doughnuts 
adapted from here

14.9 oz / 3.5 c Jeanne's GF AP Flour Mix (or use AP flour, if you're not GF) 
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbl Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
0.5 tsp Baking Soda
0.5 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
pinch Cloves

3 Tbl Butter 
1 c Sugar

1 ea Egg
2 ea Yolks
1 tspVanilla

1/2 c + 1 Tbl Buttermilk
8.7 oz / 244 g / 1 c Canned Pumpkin 

1.  In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside. 
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar on low speed--the mixture will be lumpy. 
3. Add the egg & yolks, one at a time, mixing on low.  Scrape down the sides. 
4. Add the buttermilk, mixing on low. Add the pumpkin, mixing on low. 
5. Add the dry ingredients in two batches. 
6. Let the batter rest while the waffle iron preheats. If you can, set the temperature to medium high. 
7. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto the waffle iron. Cook until very lightly browned
8. Cool slightly. Glaze, if desired. These waffle doughnuts are best consumed the day they are made. 

Maple Glaze
8 oz, 2 c Powdered Sugar
4 Tbl Milk
4 Tbl Real Maple Syrup
sprinkle of Cinnamon  & freshly grated Nutmeg 

1.  Sift the sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in the milk & maple syrup. 
2. Add the cinnamon & nutmeg. 
3. Use immediately, or cover & refrigerate until ready to use.  

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