Tag: fall

PUMPKIN HAUPIA PIE

A winning twist on a classic! This recipe turns a delicious, classic pumpkin pie into a whole new experience with the smooth, delicate flavor of coconut haupia. This just might become your new favorite pie!

I absolutely love pumpkin pie! Well, actually, anything made with pumpkin gets me excited! One of the reasons fall is my favorite season is that it is completely acceptable to be obsessed with pumpkin for a few months. When I say obsessed, I mean pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin rolls, pies, cookies, bread, and the list goes on and on. Thank goodness my family shares in my love of pumpkin! And pumpkin haupia pie tops the list of favorites in our house!

Pumpkin haupia pie takes a classic recipe – which on its own is amazing! – and makes it delicious in its own unique way. What is Haupia? Haupia is a classic Hawaiian dessert made with coconut milk, sugar, and a thickener, usually cornstarch. Haupia thickens into a Jell-O-like consistency that is smooth, delicate, and creamy. Haupia is often served as a stand-alone dessert eaten at luaus or served with Hawaiian plate lunches. But you will also find haupia layered on other desserts, like this one, for unique and delicious combinations. Combining pumpkin pie with haupia is a winning combination as the pumpkin and coconut from the haupia complement each other perfectly.

For this Recipe:

You will need a 9-inch deep-dish pie crust. You can make your own or buy a pre-made, frozen crust. I like to make my own, but I will buy a pre-made crust from time to time to save time. The best reason for making your own pie crust is there are fewer ingredients than in a store-bought crust. When you make your own, you don’t need all the preservatives and stabilizers that go into a store-bought crust. A homemade pie crust only has 4 ingredients: flour, salt, butter, and shortening. With some practice, you’ll be making your own pie crust with ease. I am putting together a post on making a homemade pie crust, so stay tuned!

  • Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. If you bought a premade pie crust, allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix your pumpkin pie ingredients. This is half of the normal pumpkin mixture you would make for a full pumpkin pie.
  • In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves.
  • In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and then stir in the pumpkin. Add the sugar mixture to the pumpkin. Then slowly stir in the evaporated milk. Mix well. Pour everything into the prepared pie crust.
  • I always use either a pie crust shield or aluminum foil to protect the pie crust’s edge and keep it from over-browning or burning. If you do not have a pie crust shield, you can cut a circle out of aluminum foil, a little larger than the top of your pie. Fold the circle in half and cut out the center. You’ll want to have an aluminum foil ring that is about an inch wide around the edges. Lay it on top of your pie, and gently bend the foil so it protects the exposed pie crust. You can remove the foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes if you desire a little browning on your pie crust.
  • Bake the pie for 8 minutes at 425°F, then turn down the oven and bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Always check to see if the pumpkin is cooked all the way through by inserting a knife into the center of the pie. If the knife comes out clean, you know the pie is done. If some of the pie filling clings to the knife, bake for an additional 5 minutes and check again. Repeat until done.
  • Allow the pie to completely cool on a wire rack before making the haupia. Typically it takes about 1 1/2 hours to cool to room temperature.

For the Haupia:

  • In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and milk. Mix until the cornstarch is completely dissolved in the milk with no remaining lumps.
  • In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add the coconut milk and sugar, and bring to a simmer – but do not boil (it should just start to bubble). Remove from heat, and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low, and place the haupia back on the heat. Continually whisk for 10 to 15 minutes until the haupia thickens to a yogurt-like consistency. If it is not thickening up enough, turn the heat up slightly. Even if it reaches the desired thickness, you must cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove the haupia from the heat, stir in the vanilla, continue stirring for a couple of minutes while it cools; this step helps it cool slightly before adding it to the pie; it also prevents lumps from forming. Finally, pour the haupia onto the pumpkin pie. Smooth out the top and refrigerate until the haupia is completely set about 3-4 hours.

Haupia not setting?

  • The number one reason haupia does not set is that you did not cook it long enough. Once you’ve added the cornstarch mixture, you should be cooking your haupia for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly – even if it reaches the desired thickness. Cooking for this length of time is critical in getting haupia to set.
  • If you have not fully dissolved the cornstarch in the milk, you may end up with lumps of cornstarch, resulting in lumpy haupia. Make sure that when you mix the cornstarch with milk, that the cornstarch is completely dissolved, and there are no lumps.
  • To ensure a smooth haupia without lumps, be sure to use a whisk. A whisk works to smooth out the haupia and prevents lumps from forming while cooking.

Serve with whipped cream and chopped toasted pecans.

Pumpkin Haupia Pie

A winning twist on a classic! This recipe turns a delicious, classic pumpkin pie into a whole new experience with the smooth, delicate flavor of coconut haupia. This just might become your new favorite pie!
4.55 from 11 votes
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Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 1 9-inch deep dish pie crust, frozen or homemade

Pumpkin Pie Filling

  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ¼ cup 100% pure pumpkin
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk

Haupia:

  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 can coconut milk, full fat
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional Toppings:

  • whipped cream
  • toasted, chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • If using a frozen pre-made pie crust, allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.

Pumpkin Layer:

  • In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves.
  • Beat eggs in a medium bowl, then stir in 1 ¼ cup pumpkin and sugar mixture.
  • Slowly stir in ¾ cup evaporated milk. Pour into the prepared pie shell.
  • Cover the edges of your pie crust with either aluminum foil or a pie crust shield. (See notes)
  • Bake for 8 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 30-40 minutes. Check if the pie is done by sticking a knife into the center of the pie. If the knife comes out clean, the pie is done. If the pumpkin filling clings to the knife, bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes and check again, repeating until pie is done.
  • Cool on a wire rack for about 1½ hours.

Haupia Layer:

  • After the pie has cooled for 1½ hours, begin making the haupia.
  • In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and milk. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved in the milk, set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, add coconut milk and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, bringing almost to a boil (you should just start to see bubbles).
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to the stove and turn down the heat to medium-low. Continually whisk for 10-15 minutes. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of thick yogurt. Be sure to cook for the full 10 to 15 minutes!
  • Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue stirring for a couple of minutes while it cools; this step helps it cool slightly before adding it to the pie and prevents lumps from forming.
  • Pour the haupia mixture onto the pumpkin pie, and smooth out the top.
  • Refrigerate for 3-4 hours to allow the haupia to completely set.
  • Serve with whipped cream and chopped toasted pecans.

Notes

I always use either a pie crust shield or aluminum foil to protect the edge of the pie crust and keep it from over-browning or burning. If you do not have a pie crust shield, you can cut a circle out of aluminum foil, a little larger than the top of your pie. Fold the circle in half and cut out the center. You’ll want to have an aluminum foil ring that is about an inch wide around the edges. Lay it on top of your pie and gently bend the foil so it protects the exposed pie crust. You can remove the foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes if you desire a little browning on your pie crust.
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PUMPKIN BREAD

Everyone needs a good pumpkin bread recipe! And this one is just so moist and scrumptious! Adults and kids alike love this recipe. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack…well honestly, it’s good anytime.

We eat pumpkin bread year-round in our house, and I often have a loaf or two in the freezer. I also love to give them away as gifts; because who doesn’t like pumpkin bread! Not that you need any more reasons to make pumpkin bread other than it tastes amazing, but eating pumpkin has many health benefits. Pumpkin is very high in vitamin A and also contains vitamin C, Vitamin B2, and E. Pumpkin is loaded with nutrients that can boost your immune system as well as containing beneficial antioxidants. Pumpkin should be a regular part of our diet, and this pumpkin bread is a good place to start.

About this Recipe:

Pumpkin bread is easy to make. The hardest part is waiting until it’s cool enough to sample. But trust me it is worth the wait.

This recipe makes two loaves and uses two 8×4 loaf pans. This is a smaller loaf pan, as some pans are 9×5. It may seem like a small difference, but it will make a big difference with how your loaves will turn out. If you use the larger-sized pan, the result will be very short, unattractive loaves. Always prepare your loaf pans by greasing and then flouring your pans. This will allow the loaves to be removed easily from the pans when they are done.

I have always made pumpkin bread with raisins. Not only does it add more flavor, but it helps to make this bread so incredibly moist. If you haven’t tried pumpkin bread with raisins, give it a try, you won’t regret it.

Like all quick-bread recipes, mix all your dry ingredients in one bowl and all your wet ingredients in another. Be sure to add the raisins to the flour mixture. I like to mix them in with my hands, breaking up any clumps of raisins. As you know, raisins are sticky, and mixing them into the flour keeps them from sticking to each other. It’s a simple trick but completely necessary to avoid having clumps of raisins in your bread. You then add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. It’s important not to over mix your batter once you’ve added the flour! Over mixing will change the texture of your bread from light and fluffy to tough and chewy.

Bake the bread for about 60 minutes. I always set my timer for 50 minutes and check my bread. I stick a knife in the center; if it comes out clean, the bread is done. If some batter clings to the knife, the bread needs another 5 to 10 minutes (then check again). Be sure to check both loaves. Do not overbake the bread or end up with dry pumpkin bread. When the bread is done, set the loaves on cooling racks for 15 minutes before removing them from the loaf pans. If you used enough grease and flour, they should come right out. Allow the bread to cool for another 30 minutes before sampling.

This bread freezes very well. I have two loaves in the freezer as I type this. Allow the bread to cool completely. Place in a freezer storage bag, press all the extra air out, and seal it uptight. Eat within 3 months.

My favorite 8×4 bread pans:

 

Pumpkin Bread

Everyone needs a good pumpkin bread recipe! And this one is just scrumptious! Adults and kids alike love this recipe – it's perfect for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack!
No ratings yet
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Bread
Servings 2 loaves

Equipment

  • 2 – 8 X 4 loaf pans

Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 can pure pumpkin, 15 ounces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8 X 4 loaf pans. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
  • Gradually add the sugars, beat well.
  • Add room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.
  • Add in the vanilla and vinegar and mix.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add the raisins and toss with your hands, breaking up any clumps of raisins.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the pumpkin, with the lowest setting on the mixer – beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, do not over mix.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans, filling about ⅔ full. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes (or a little more) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool bread on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from pans and let the bread cool completely.

Notes

This bread freezes well. Allow the bread to cool completely, wrap the bread in foil, and place in a ziplock freezer bag, pressing out all the air. Eat within 3 months.
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PUMPKIN SPICE DONUTS

A quick and easy pumpkin donut recipe that is perfect for those chilly fall mornings. Tossed in sugar and spice, these donuts have all the flavors of fall!

Fall is the perfect time of year to make all things pumpkin! I love having a good and acceptable excuse to serve pumpkin for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- oh, and don’t forget dessert!

These donuts are so delicious, but better yet, they are easy to make. So in less than an hour, you’ll have warm, scrumptious donuts ready to serve your family!

To Make these Donuts:

  • The oil will take a while to heat up, so get it started while you make the dough for the donuts. Pour enough oil into a large pot to give you about an inch of oil. Heat the oil to 365°F, over medium-high heat. You must use a thermometer – no guesswork allowed here! Use a frying thermometer or a candy thermometer to ensure proper temperature. While the oil is heating, you can prepare the donuts (keep an eye on the oil temperature).
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together all of your wet ingredients: pumpkin, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter.
  • Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture; using a fork, mix until combined. Do not over-mix. If the dough is too wet, you can add more flour. Start with adding 1 tablespoon, and mix. If you still need more, repeat by adding another tablespoon of flour. The dough should be sticky but easy to work with.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ½-inch thickness with a floured rolling pin. Then, using a 2 ¾-inch pastry cutter and a 1-inch pastry cutter, cut out donuts and donut holes, placing cut donuts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or cutting board. Re-roll as needed to use all the dough. You can use a bigger donut cutter, but keep in mind the recipe will yield fewer donuts than the recipe indicates.
  • Once your oil has reached 365°F, place no more than 3 donuts in the oil at a time, or you run the risk of cooling your oil too much. Fry for about 2 minutes, flipping once after 1 minute. Donuts are done when they are golden brown on both sides. Move to a paper towel-lined cooling rack to cool. **Keep an eye on your oil temperature and adjust the heat up or down to maintain a temperature of 355°F to 365°F.** (See Tips and Tricks below for more information on frying).
  • Allow fried donuts to cool for 1 minute before rolling them in the sugar. Be sure to coat all sides. If you allow them to cool too much, the sugar will not stick to the donuts.
  • Continue the process until all donuts are fried and coated with sugar.
  • Fry donut holes using the same method, frying no more than 12 at a time.

Tips and Tricks:

Tools: You’ll need to be able to cut out your donuts. You can buy a donut cutter to cut out the donut and donut hole simultaneously. These tend to measure from 3 inches to 3 1/2 inches, so you will get fewer donuts. The cutter I use is 2 3/4 inches. Or you can use pastry cutters. I have a set of pastry cutters with 12 different sizes of circular cutters. I find that the 2 3/4-inch cutter and the smallest 1-inch cutter make the perfect size donuts and donut holes. They will be smaller than the large bakery donuts, but then I can have two and not feel too guilty about it! You can always make larger donuts, but remember, this recipe will yield fewer donuts than the recipe indicates. You can always whip up another batch if you need a few more donuts, as this recipe is so quick and easy to make.

Dough: Donut dough should be sticky but not so sticky that you find it hard to work with. The key is flour. If the dough seems a bit sticky, add a little flour no more than a tablespoon at a time. Also, it is important that you lightly flour the surface you plan on rolling the dough out on – including the top of the dough and the rolling pin. Before you use the cutters, dip them in flour. After cutting two or three donuts, dip the cutters in flour again to keep the dough from sticking. Once you cut the donuts, place them on a cutting board or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The dough will not stick to the parchment paper.

Frying: *Honest moment* Frying things in oil used to intimidate me. But I’ve done it enough times that I am pretty comfortable with it now. Just use common sense and be careful. Here are a couple of tips on frying:

  • First, the temperature is so important! When frying anything in oil, you’ll have to use a frying thermometer or candy thermometer. You’ll also have to know the temperature of your oil to cook the food correctly. If your oil is not hot enough, your food will be under-cooked. If the oil is too hot, you will burn your food. For frying donuts, you’ll want your oil to be between 355F and 365F. The hardest part of making donuts is keeping your oil between those two temperatures. You will discover that your temperature will drop as soon as you put the donuts in the oil. That is why you should never fry more than three donuts at a time because your temperature will drop too low. Just keep a close eye on your thermometer, and take the time to adjust the oil temperature. If you need to, wait a few minutes between batches to allow your oil to get back to 365F. But you also don’t want to put your donuts in oil over 365F because they will be overcooked on the outside and most likely undercooked on the inside. If your oil is getting too hot, you can carefully remove it from the burner for a few minutes to let the oil cool down.
  • Never drop the donuts into the hot oil! You will get splashed and burned. Most people, myself included, assume that the oil will sizzle and pop when you add the donuts, kind of like the trials of frying bacon. However, if the temperature is correct (not too hot), when you put the donuts in the hot oil, they will sizzle, but under the surface, and it will not splatter or spit at you. Simply lay the donuts gently in the oil. They will initially sink to the bottom, but they will float to the top after a few seconds.
  • Flip the donuts after about a minute or when they are golden brown. You will need something to flip and remove the donuts from the oil when they are done. A pair of forks will work or even a large meat fork. They even make a tool called a spider strainer made for frying food. The strainer looks like a spider web, hence the name.
  • When you are done frying your donuts, don’t throw the oil out! You can reuse it. Once you’ve finished frying, let the oil cool. When it’s reached a safe temperature, place a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth (even better if you use both!) over the container you plan to store it in and strain the oil. Label the oil with the date and what you fried in the oil; you don’t want to fry donuts in oil that previously was used for frying fish…gross! Store the oil in a cool, dry place for no longer than 3 months. Always check your oil before reusing it. If it is cloudy or rancid smelling, throw it out!

The one downside to donuts is that they don’t make good leftovers. They just don’t taste the same the next day. I have tried heating them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to see if I could revive them. It helped a little, but they were not as good as a freshly made donut. So I would not recommend making these with the intent to have leftovers, but instead, make as many as you think you will eat for breakfast that morning.

 

       

 

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

A quick and easy pumpkin donut recipe that is perfect for those chilly fall mornings. Tossed in sugar and spice, these donuts have all the flavors of fall!
No ratings yet
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Servings 15 donuts + 15 donut holes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 4-5 cups vegetable oil, for frying (see notes)

For Coating Donuts:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Pour enough oil into a large pot to give you about an inch of oil. Heat the oil to 365°F, over medium-high heat. Use a frying thermometer or a candy thermometer to ensure proper temperature. While oil is heating, prepare donuts, keeping an eye on the oil temperature.
  • In a small bowl, mix ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (for dipping finished donuts in). Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter.
  • Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, and using a fork, mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll dough to ½-inch thickness. The dough is sticky, so be generous with the flour. Then, using a 2¾-inch pastry cutter and a 1-inch pastry cutter, cut out donuts and donut holes, placing cut donuts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or cutting board. Re-roll as needed to use all the dough.
  • Once your oil has reached 365°F, place no more than 3 donuts in the oil at a time (or you run the risk of cooling your oil too much). Fry for about 2 minutes, flipping once. Donuts are done when they are golden brown on both sides. Move to a paper towel-lined cooling rack to cool.
    **Keep an eye on your oil temperature and adjust the heat up or down to maintain a temperature of 355°F to 365°F.**
  • Allow fried donuts to cool for 1 minute before dipping them in sugar and spices, coating all sides.
  • Continue the process until all donuts are fried and coated with sugar.
  • Fry donut holes using the same method, frying no more than 10 at a time.

Notes

The amount of oil you’ll actually need will depend on the sized pot you use. You’ll want the pot big enough for three donuts to float freely. So an easy rule of thumb is to use enough oil to have at least an inch in your pot.
You can reuse your oil. First, allow the oil to cool completely. Then, strain it to remove any food particles and store it in an airtight jar.  I recommend labeling your oil jar with what was cooked in it and the date. 
I don’t recommend keeping leftover donuts. They just do not taste the same the next day. So if you need to, make half of a recipe.
 
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PUMPKIN PIE BARS

If you love pumpkin pie, you’ll love these pumpkin pie bars…You might even like them better. With a crust made from ginger snap cookies and pecans, what’s not to love?

I had so much fun creating this recipe! I love pumpkin pie, and I love thinking of different ways to enjoy the amazing flavor! The filling of these bars is similar to your standard pumpkin pie filling, but I didn’t want to do the typical graham cracker crust. Instead, I wanted the crust’s flavor to complement the pumpkin and add its own unique layer of flavor. I thought ginger snaps would be a great accompaniment, and the flavor would also stand out. Also, pecans, in my opinion, always go well with pumpkin. So I made a ginger snap and pecan crust. And it is incredible!

Most of the tweaking of this recipe was figuring out how to keep the crust from burning while allowing enough cooking time to cook the pumpkin filling all the way through. But finally, I found the trick and the perfect oven temperature! And the results are just heavenly! I’ll tell you exactly how to do it below!

On a side note: If you currently don’t have a kitchen scale, I strongly encourage you to get one. Some recipes give you measurements in ounces, like this one, and it saves you from having to guess the right amount of ingredients. You don’t need a scale with all the bells and whistles. I probably have the most straightforward scale out there (also known as the cheapest), and it gets the job done!

To make this recipe:

The first thing you’ll want to do is prepare your pan. This step will prevent your crust from burning, so don’t skip this step! Take a piece of aluminum foil, and fold it so that it only covers the inside bottom of the pan. The foil acts as a layer of insulation that keeps the crust from baking directly on the hot pan. Next, place a long piece of parchment paper on the foil. You’ll want it long enough, with enough overhang, so it will be easy to grab the ends and lift the bars out of the pan when they are cooled. Why not just use the foil to take the bars out of the pan? Aluminum foil isn’t non-stick (unless you specifically buy non-stick foil), and the bars will not easily come off the foil. However, the bars will slide right off with parchment paper, which is made to be non-stick. This makes it much easier to serve individual bars that look as good as they taste!

  • Once your pan is prepared, use a food processor and process the gingersnap cookies and pecans into crumbs. In case you don’t have a kitchen scale, I’ve included the amount of crumbs you should have for both the cookies and the pecans. Next, add the crumbs to a medium bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Finally, add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moist.
  • Press the crumbs firmly into the prepared 9×13 pan, and bake for 8 minutes. When the crust is done, remove it from the oven and set it aside. Be sure to leave the oven on since you will be putting the bars right back in – no need to wait for the crust to cool.
  • While the crust is baking, begin preparing the pumpkin filling. This is made pretty much the same way you make pumpkin pie.
  • Combine the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Set it aside.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk or a handheld mixer. Add the eggs to the pumpkin and sugar mixture. Stir it well. Then add the evaporated milk, and stir until completely incorporated.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crust, and return the pan to the oven, baking for 30 to 40 minutes. Your pumpkin bars are done when the center is no longer jiggly, and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow the bars to cool completely on a cooling rack. Once they have cooled, cover and put them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to chill.

When you are ready to serve the bars, pull up on each side of the parchment paper – and in a quick motion – lift the bars out and onto a cutting board. Cut the bars into the size of squares you want. Add a dollop of cool whip or whipped cream, and sprinkle with chopped, toasted pecans.

Pumpkin Bars

If you love pumpkin pie, you'll love these pumpkin pie bars...You might even like them better. With a crust made from ginger snap cookies and pecans, what's not to love?
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12 servings

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 inch pan

Ingredients
 

Crust:

  • 12 ounces ginger snap cookies, about 2 ½ cups of crumbs
  • 4 ounces pecan halves, or one rounded cup about 1 cup of crumbs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter, melted

Pumpkin Filling:

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon cloves
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 can pure pumpkin, 15 ounces
  • 1 can evaporated milk, 12 ounces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line only the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with aluminum foil, folding the foil so it just covers the bottom. This helps to keep the crust from burning during the long baking time. On top of the foil, add parchment paper, allowing for enough overhang to easily remove the bars from the pan. Set aside.

To make the crust:

  • Using a food processor, pulse the cookies and pecans together into crumbs.
  • Add the crumbs to a medium bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Then add the melted butter, and stir with a fork until everything is evenly incorporated.
  • Press tightly into the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan. Bake crust for 8 minutes. Leave the oven on for baking the bars.

To make the pumpkin filling:

  • In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, beat the eggs well. Stir the canned pumpkin and the sugar mixture into the eggs. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture onto the warm crust, and return to the oven, baking for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggly - and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the filling does stick to the knife, bake for an additional 5 minutes and check again.
  • When done, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Remove the chilled bars from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream and chopped pecans.
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PUMPKIN CRUNCH CAKE

Soft pumpkin on the bottom and crunchy cake and pecans on top…This recipe has all the fantastic flavors of fall in one dish. Perfect for serving at your next fall gathering.

Fall is here! I absolutely love fall! I love everything about fall: cool crisp air, cozy sweaters, changing leaves, harvest parties, the anticipation of the coming holidays, and pumpkin everything–pumpkin pie, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin bread – I could go on and on! And I am beyond excited to work on my delicious pumpkin recipes to share with you!

Funny thing, we don’t really have a true fall season in Hawaii. The leaves don’t change, and the air doesn’t get cool and crisp here, but having grown up in the Northwest and having experienced fall almost my whole life, it’s kind of ingrained in me. I have very vivid memories of fall; I can still smell the smells, feel the cold air, and hear the leaves crunching under my feet. So taking those memories, I recreate fall in our home, decorating with beautiful fall leaves and pumpkins and making delicious fall desserts! And here is one recipe that I make every fall.

For this recipe:

This recipe is really easy–it only tastes like it was a lot of work! But that will be our little secret.

  • In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until completely incorporated and smooth. Then, pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared 9×13 baking dish.
  • With your hands, sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin. DO NOT STIR! Equally distribute the cake batter (you want it as flat and level as possible, so when you pour the butter on top, it spreads out evenly and doesn’t puddle).
  • Melt 1 cup of butter and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon of melted butter (from the butter you just melted), and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Stir until the pecans are evenly coated. This creates candied pecans, which will have a nice, sweet crunch when baked.
  • Pour the remaining butter over the top of the dry cake batter. Without mixing it into the cake batter, spread it out evenly, avoiding large puddles of butter forming.
  • Evenly distribute the sugar-coated pecans on top of the butter.
  • Bake for 40 minutes, then check the cake. If the top is browning, cover with tin foil and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes (total of 50 minutes of cooking time). To check for doneness, insert a knife to check. If the blade comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
  • On a wire cooling rack, allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled, place in refrigerator to chill and to finish setting up for a few hours before serving.
  • Top with whipped cream and chopped pecans (optional). Serve.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Soft pumpkin on the bottom and crunchy cake and pecans on top...This recipe has all the fantastic flavors of fall in one dish. Perfect for serving at your next fall gathering.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin
  • 1 (12 ounce) can of evaporated milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 box french vanilla cake mix, (you can also use yellow)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  • Whisk together in a large bowl the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until completely incorporated and smooth.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared 9x13 baking dish.
  • With your hands, sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin. DO NOT STIR! Try to get the dry cake mix as even and level as possible.
  • Melt 1 cup of butter and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon melted butter (from the butter you just melted), and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Stir together until the pecans are evenly coated.
  • Pour the remaining butter over the top of the dry cake batter. Without mixing it into the cake batter, try to spread it out evenly.
  • Evenly distribute the sugar-coated pecans on top of the butter.
  • Bake for 40 minutes, then check the cake; if the top is browning, cover with tin foil, return to the oven and finish baking for an additional 10 minutes (for a total of 50 minutes). Insert a knife; if it comes out clean, the cake is done; if not, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Allow cake to cool on a wire cooling rack. Once the cake is cooled, place it in the refrigerator to chill and finish setting up for a few hours before serving.
  • Top with whip cream and additional chopped pecans (optional), and serve.
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