Eating with the Season: Pumpkin

Showing posts with label Pumpkin. Show all posts

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! While making a few different pies for the holidays, I stumbled upon this cute idea: pie cookies! While I love pie as much as the next person, sometimes it's not so easy to transport and a "bite size" pie would be ideal. Well, here it is - a little pie filling sandwiched between two dough disks.

This recipe isn't very different from the Traditional Pumpkin Pie I made recently (double the crust and 1/2 the filling). The main difference is a little extra sugar in the pie crust and filling because people usually expect cookies to be a bit sweeter. While it is a little more time consuming than making one large pie, it's well worth the effort because the pie cookies turn out wonderfully!

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

(Yields about 16 cookies using a 3-inch cookie cutter)

Ingredients:
For Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4-1/2 cup ice water

For Filling:

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt

For Topping:

1 large egg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. white sugar

Directions:

For Pie Crust:

Place flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and process until combined
Add cubed butter and process until the mixture is crumbly (about 15 seconds)
Slowly add about 1/4 cup of water through the top of the food processor, just until the dough holds together when pinched. Add remaining water as necessary
Gather dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a disk. Cover each disk with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using (or the day before)

For Filling:

In a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg
Add the remaining ingredients and stir or gently whisk to combine

For Topping:

In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg; set aside
In another small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar; set aside

For Assembly:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
Remove one dough disk from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out until dough is about 1/4-inch thick
Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut circle out of the pie dough.
**I did 8 cookies at a time to keep things under control, so I cut 16 circles in my first batch
Place 8 pie crust circles on your parchment-lined cookie sheet, evenly spaced. Cut small slits onto the 8 remaining top pie crusts
Spoon 1-2 Tbsp. of filling into the center of each bottom pie crust. Wet the edge of the bottom pie crust with water, then place each top crust on top (sandwiching the pumpkin filling)
Press down on the edges with the top of fork (or you can use a lollipop stick to make individual marks). Clean off any filling that may have oozed out during the process
**Make sure you press down very hard to prevent the top and bottom crust from separating while baking!
Brush the top of each cookie with egg, then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture
Bake for 25-30 minute or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom
Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool
Repeat with another batch, using the remaining pie crust and filling

Bottom pie crust with filling (step 6):

Ready to go into the oven (step 7-8):

Yum - the finished cookies:

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

So, I'm sure you were all thinking of the delicious things you could make with the Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe I posted earlier this week. Here is one traditional, albeit delicious, way to use the pumpkin puree.

I baked this for an early Thanksgiving dinner I had last weekend. I wanted to make something new and adventurous, but I was convinced that a traditional pumpkin pie was the best option. My compromise: a traditional pumpkin pie...topped with homemade maple whipped cream and chopped candied pecans!

While it may look like there are a lot of directions here, don't worry - you can do this! A lot of the directions written below are suggestions from things I learned along the way to hopefully help you too.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

(Yields one 9-inch pie)

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (or one 15-oz. can)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Pate Brisee (pie crust)
1 cup maple whipped cream
Chopped candied pecans

Directions:

Allow Pate Brisee dough to warm to room temperature (warm enough to roll out, not too warm that it becomes soft and buttery)
Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 9-inch circle.
Things to keep in mind:
-Roll from the center of the dough out. This will evenly distribute the dough's thickness
-Don't roll over the edges of the dough. This will make the edges thin and/or tear/crack
-Continue turning the dough, or you rolling pin. Keep moving, don't keep rolling back in forth in the same direction, otherwise you dough will be thin in some places and thick in others and/or not round
-Don't roll your dough too thin or too thick. Too thick = dough is too small; too thin = dough will tear when you try to move it. The best way to judge the size is to turn your pie dish upside-down and compare it to the size of your dough
Once your dough is large enough, place your rolling pin in the center of the dough. Fold dough in half (over the rolling pin). Pick up the rolling pin from the ends and gently transfer the dough to your pie pan
**If your dough tears, try again. If you dough is too warm, it will continue to tear. DON'T PANIC! Roll the dough into a disk again and place in the refrigerator or a bit
Trim the pastry to the edge of the pan. Decorate the edge of the pastry. (I used my thumb and forefinger of one hand to pinch the dough into small triangles). Alternatively, you can make decorative cut-outs (leaves or pumpkins) from the extra dough and affix them to the using a little water
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F
While the dough is chilling, make the pumpkin filling. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir or gently whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust
Place the pie on a large baking sheet (to catch any spills) and bake in the lower 1/3 of a preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. Your pie is done when a knife inserted about 1 inch from the side of the pan comes out almost clean. You want your pie to still look a little wet
Place baked pie on a wire rack to cool
Serve at room temperature with maple whipped cream and chopped candied pecans

If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator...if being the operative word here!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Monday, November 18, 2013

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree

If you didn't know already, I love pumpkin. Aside from pumpkin's obvious use in pumpkin pie, pumpkin is great in cookies, breads, oatmeal, muffins, pancakes, pumpkin butter, etc! Not only is pumpkin delicious but it's incredible healthy and nutritious.

I've heard that canned pumpkin puree is just as good, or even better than, fresh pumpkin puree. While I can understand the convenience of using canned pumpkin, I just can't believe any canned product to be better than fresh! So, I decided to test out this theory and make homemade pumpkin puree. The results: creamy, deliciousness. If you have the time to make pumpkin puree from scratch - do it!

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

(A 3-4 pound pumpkin yields about 4 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F
Thoroughly wash your pie pumpkin
Carefully remove the stem from the top of the pumpkin, then cut pumpkin in half from top to bottom
Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits around the seeds (save the seeds and roast them!)
Lay pumpkin halves flesh-side down on a baking sheet and pour some water on the sheet. The water will steam and cook the pumpkin.
**Add the water after you put the baking sheet in the oven so you won't spill the water while carrying your baking sheet!
Roast pumpkin for 30-45 minutes, or until a sharp knife can be inserted into the flesh with little resistance
Remove the baking sheet and allow pumpkin to cool for about an hour
Use a large spoon to remove the roasted pumpkin flesh from the skin and place into a food processor. Process the flesh until smooth, about 3-4 minutes
Place pureed pumpkin in a fine mesh strainer to remove any excess water

Now that you have lots of delicious pumpkin puree, you can eat it (keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week) or freeze it (for up to 3 months). If you plan to freeze it, measure out portions before freezing or pour pumpkin puree into an ice cube tray - that way you can access the pumpkin easily in the future!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Roasted Pumpkin (and Squash) Seeds

Don't throw away your pumpkin and squash seeds! Roasted seeds make a delicious, and healthy, fall treat!! Squash seeds are packed with protein and iron, and fulfill that craving for something crunchy without all the calories. While most people are familiar with pumpkin seeds, I recently discovered that seeds from many other winter squash can also be roasted (just make sure the seeds are plump and not too small).

Roasted Squash Seeds

Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Directions:

Scoop seeds from the inner cavity of the squash
Clean off the chunks of squash flesh and strings
Place into a colander under cool running water to remove any additional squash flesh
Dump the seeds on a towel and pat to dry
While the seeds are drying, preheat oven to 300°F
Place seeds into a bowl and drizzle with a small amount of oil and seasoning/salt (my favorite is garlic powder and salt but feel free to get creative!)
Toss the seeds until they are evenly coated with oil and seasoning. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet
Place baking sheet in the oven and roast seeds until they are just beginning to brown, about 20-25 minutes
Remove seeds from oven and let cool on the baking sheet
Enjoy right away or keep seeds in an airtight container for a few days

Here are my seeds after removing them from the squash (step 1):

Laying the seeds out to dry (step 4):

The finished seeds!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

First and foremost, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Halloween is my favorite holiday. It might seem like one's adoration for Halloween would end once one's ability to trick-or-treat ends, but no, I still love it. I love the history behind Halloween and Jack-O-Lanterns. I love pumpkins, finding and making creative costumes, and watching Hocus Pocus. But most of all, I love how everyone can enjoy the festivities!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

(Yields 10-12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
Maple Frosting
Optional: chopped candied pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with 12 cupcake papers
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt; set aside
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
Beat in vanilla extract then scrape down the sides of the bowl
Alternate adding flour mixture and pumpkin puree into the wet ingredients (i.e. add 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1/2 of the pumpkin, 1/3 flour mixture, remaining pumpkin, remaining flour mixture)
Fill each cupcake 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes are springy to the touch and a cake tester inserted into the cupcake comes out clean
Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool
Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe maple frosting on the cupcakes. Sprinkle with chopped candied pecans

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Pumpkin Risotto

Risotto is a classic Italian rice dish which has a wonderfully creamy consistency. I figured, what could make risotto better - oh yes, pumpkin! While this dish requires constant attention, it is not difficult to make and well worth the input of effort.

Pumpkin Risotto

(Yields 6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 large shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cup butternut squash, 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
10 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a pan oven medium-high heat. Add olive oil (enough to coat pan). Add diced butternut squash and season with salt and pepper. Cook until squash is tender
Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms are soft. Remove mushrooms and their liquid; set aside
Add olive oil (enough to coat pan). Add shallot and garlic, cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant (do not brown). Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, and cook for about 2 minutes
Pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed
Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente (this will take about 20 minutes)
Turn heat to low, add mushrooms and their juices, butternut squash, pumpkin puree, Parmesan cheese and butter - stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Quick Pumpkin Pancakes

What better way to start your morning with some healthy and delicious pumpkin pancakes? These pancakes are adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe from my mum - only 1 WW point per pancake!! Another great benefit of these pancakes - they only take about 15 minutes to make!

Pumpkin Pancakes

(Yields 12 pancakes)

Ingredients:

1 cup low-fat baking mix (such as low-fat Bisquick)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 cup fat-free milk (I used almond milk but dairy milk works well too)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

Whisk together baking mix, sugar and cinnamon; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients
Pour 1/4 cup per pancake onto a hot griddle. Cook pancakes for about 1 1/2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles. Carefully turn pancakes and cook another 1 1/2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned

Serve your pancakes with pumpkin butter, whipped cream, maple syrup, butter or eat plain (toppings increase WW points). I decided to top my pancakes with a spoonful of maple whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon (maple whipped cream recipe below).

Maple Whipped Cream

(Yields about 2 cups whipped cream)

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Directions:

In a medium bowl, beat ingredients until soft peaks form. Be sure NOT to over-beat (cream will become lumpy and butter-like)
**Fun fact: cold cream is faster and easier to whip!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

Lately, I've been craving pumpkin pie. But not a slice of pumpkin pie, an entire bowl of pumpkin pie filling. Obviously that isn't the healthiest food choice, so I decided to create something better...and this pudding is great! This tastes so much like pumpkin pie filling with less fat and sugar, and more calcium and protein. If you've never heard of chia seeds, refer to this post to read about what they are and why they're great.

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

(Yields 2 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk but dairy milk works too)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin, vanilla, maple syrup and spices
Add the chia seeds and stir to combine
Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight - stir the pudding after 2-3 hours
Serve chilled

You can also add raisins or walnuts to the pudding mixture. For an extra delicious treat, use this pudding to make a parfait using crumbled homemade gingersnap cookies (although store-bought gingersnaps works just as well)!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Monday, October 14, 2013

Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins

Another great way to use one of my favorite, healthy, flavorful and versatile ingredients: pumpkin. These muffins are great for breakfast or dessert!

Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins

(Yields 16-18 muffins)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cups white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/3 cup water
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp. turbino sugar (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with 16-muffin liners
Whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, 1/2 tsp. ground cinamon, ground clove, nutmeg and ground ginger; set aside
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add melted butter, water and pumpkin puree
Gradually add dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Fold raisins into batter
Mix turbino sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon; set aside
Fill each muffin 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle the top of each cupcake with 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon sugar mixture (optional)
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the muffins are springy to the touch and a cake tester inserted into a muffin comes out clean
Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Pumpkin Pie Refrigerator Oatmeal

As I'm sure you might be wondering - what is refrigerator oatmeal? It's an easy, no-cook oatmeal that is healthy, nutritious and can be made ahead for grab-and-go convenience! The oatmeal is made in individual mason jars (a perfect individual serving size) and is eaten straight from the refrigerator (great for those mornings when you're on the run). Also, this breakfast is high in calcium and protein, while being low in sugar and fat. Are you sold yet?

Being someone that eats a lot for breakfast, I wasn't sure that this would be filling enough for me, but I was full for hours! One of the keys to this breakfast being so filling are the chia seeds. Chia seeds are wonderful and can be added to many different dishes. And yes, while these are the same chia seeds from those infamous Chia Pets years ago, they also have many nutritional benefits.

Feel full: chia seeds absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a gel-like substance (great for hydration too)
Easier to digest: chia seeds can be more easily digested than flax seeds and don't need to be ground up to receive their nutritional benefit
Omega-3: chia seeds are the richest plant source of Omega-3 - containing more Omega-3 than salmon!
Balance blood sugar: chia seeds slow down the body's conversion of carbohydrates into simple sugars
Neutral taste: chia seeds have a neutral taste so they can be added to nearly anything

I found the original recipe here and was instantly sold by the ability to play with different flavor combinations. Given that it's October, I decided to try a "pumpkin pie" flavor first. And given how much I loved this recipe, I'll be experimenting with other flavors soon!

Pumpkin Pie Refrigerator Oatmeal

(Yields 1 serving)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (vanilla or unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

In a small jar, add all ingredients. Put on lid and shake well until combined
Refrigerate overnight (or up to 3 days). Eat chilled

Easy and delicious!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Homemade Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin lovers, this recipe is delicious, simple and so versatile. Add pumpkin butter to toast, bagels, scones, oatmeal, yogurt...have I captivated you yet? Added bonus: your kitchen will smell delicious while making this!

Homemade Pumpkin Butter

(Yields about 3.5 cups)

Ingredients:

1 (29 oz) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice or apple cider
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. clove
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Combine pumpkin, juice, spices, sugar and vanilla in a medium pot and stir well to combine
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat a simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened (stir frequently)
Cool completely, stir in lemon juice, then store in a jar of your choice. Keep refrigerated

Not too difficult, right? Here is the (delicious) final product:

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Monday, October 7, 2013

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies epitomize fall! The pumpkin in these cookies give them a soft, almost cake-like texture, and the spices give them the smell and taste of the season (adapted from this recipe).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Yields 3-4 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves and salt; set aside
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy
Add vanilla, oil and pumpkin
Gradually add dry ingredients; beat until just incorporated
Fold in chocolate chips
Drop tablespoons on dough onto prepared baking sheets
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into a cookie come out clean
Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool

Here are the finished cookies!

Variations: You can add chopped walnuts in addition to or in place of the chocolate chips. Also, you can forego the chocolate chips and walnuts and frost the tops of the cookies, which I did last year (frosting recipe follows).

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Whip softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with a hand mixer
Add powdered sugar and vanilla
Fill small piping bag with frosting and pipe a swirls of frosting on the tops of each cookie
Keep frosted cookies in the refrigerator

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

As indulgent as this may sound, this recipe is actually very healthy. By replacing some of the eggs with egg whites, using mostly whole wheat flour in place of white flour and relying on pumpkin to moisten the cake instead of oil, you end up with a healthy but still incredibly tasty dessert! Thanks for the recipe mum!

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

(Yields 2 loaves)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup white flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
3 egg whites
1 egg
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups zucchini, shredded (I used 1 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2/3 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8x4-inch bread pans with non-stick spray
Whisk flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon together; set aside
Shred zucchini (I used a food processor); set aside
In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar, whole egg, vanilla, oil and pumpkin
Gradually add dry ingredients
By hand, stir in the shredded zucchini, chopped walnuts and raisins
Pour into two greased loaf pans
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until bread is springy to the tough and a cake tester inserted into the bread comes out clean

And here is the finished product!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

It's October!! Every year, for the month of October, I celebrate fall by indulging in "31 Days of Pumpkin." This basically entails me eating pumpkin every day for 31 days...or longer because I love pumpkin. Caveat: I won't be posting a different recipe every day for 31 days because I usually end up with leftovers and can't single-handedly consume 12 pumpkin muffins and a batch of pumpkin soup (yes, those are things I'll be posting). But stay tuned for a number of tasty pumpkin recipes to follow!!

To start the celebration of pumpkin off right, I made pumpkin spice syrup - the deliciousness that's added to your coffee to create pumpkin spice lattes! While I don't like coffee, I do like using this to create my favorite drink of the season, pumpkin chai tea (adapted from this recipe).

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

(Yields about 12 servings - 2 Tbsp. per serving)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp. ground cinnamon)
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree

Directions:

Combine water and sugar in a small pot and heat over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved
Add spices, pumpkin puree and cinnamon sticks, stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure you do not let mixture boil
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes
Strain the syrup through a mesh strainer and store in a bottle or jar. Keep refrigerated

Before adding the syrup to your coffee/tea/beverage, stir the syrup in case the spices settle to the bottom of the jar. Add 2 Tbsp. of the syrup to an 8 oz. beverage of your choice and enjoy!

Enjoy and thanks for reading!