Cinnamon Chip Bake

Yes, I AM still alive!  Time to dust off Spare Time Baker and get back to baking!
Today, I really wanted some sort of cinnamon roll tasting thing.  But I needed it to be quick, I wanted it to be easy, and I had limited resources in my kitchen.  I tried to find something on Pinterest that fit the bill, but failed.  So I figured I'd experiment a little and see what I could come up with.  I'm pretty pleased with myself; it was quick, easy, and turned out delicious (if I do say so myself!).

I'm going to go ahead and dub this the "Cinnamon Chip Bake" - because I'm not sure what else to call it!  It's made of a YUMMY biscuit-type dough, that is rolled into balls, and baked with cinnamon chips nestled in between, then smothered with a rich glaze.  And there is a minimal amount of dishes dirtied - BONUS!

RECIPE:

2 c. flour
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. cinnamon chips

for glaze: 1/2 c. heavy cream, about 1/2 c. to 1 c. powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla
 

• Preheat oven to 400.  Spray a round or square bake pan (or baking dish) liberally.

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add in 1 c. buttermilk, then 1/2 c. heavy cream.  Stir together until a wet dough forms.  

• Roll dough into balls (about 2") and place them in prepared pan.  You can nestle them all right up together, it's okay.  Sprinkle the cinnamon chips all over the top, letting some fall in between.

• Bake for about 20 minutes, until done (will not brown much).  

Mix together the glaze:  Whisk the 1/4 c. cream with 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and then whisk in the powdered sugar until you get the consistency and taste you want.  Pour liberally over the still-warm biscuits.  Share with a few of your favorite people and enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

I've made a lot of different pumpkin bread recipes.  Most have been really good.  I've even claimed (a few times maybe) that I'd found the "PERFECT RECIPE" and I would love it forever.  Then I'd decide to try something different next time.  I recently tried out this recipe - I loved the moist, dense texture.  I swap out oil for coconut oil in most of my recipes - you should try it!  But just in case you don't have it on hand, or don't want to invest in any just to try my recipes, you CAN use regular oil or an equal amount of applesauce.

This recipe is wonderful - it gives you a loaf to eat and a loaf to share!  My husband's coworkers were lucky enough to get the second loaf of this recipe....but honestly?  I would have eaten the whole thing, given the opportunity!

This would make a terrific side to take with you if you are attending someone else's Thanksgiving Dinner...just saying... ;)


1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 c. coconut oil (can use reg veg oil -- but coconut oil is awesome!)
1/2 c. applesauce
2/3 c. water
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. sugar
3 1/2 c. self rising flour (or ap flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 TBS (yes, Tablespoons!) pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease/flour 2 loaf pans.
Cream together pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, water, vanilla and sugar. Add dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Divide among two pans. Bake for 60-70 min until toothpick comes out clean (you may want to tent foil over them for last 10-20 minutes).

Pumpkin Donuts: Baked, Not Fried

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Updated 9/17/2012: it was brought to my attention that I left out the most important ingredient of these delicious donuts - the pumpkin!!  I have no idea how that happened, but it is now corrected below.  Please make sure you make these WITH pumpkin...they're much better that way.  I'm going to go hide in embarrassment now.  Thanks!  :)

These beautiful gems showed up in my Pinterest feed the other day.  The original recipe can be found on the King Arthur Flour website.  I adjusted a few things to make them "mine."  Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that if it's got pumpkin in it, I'm probably going to make it.  And eat it.  My kids are HUGE pumpkin fans as well - probably because I make everything with pumpkin from September until December.  

I happened to have a large donut pan for baking, and a mini one.  Which is kind of a funny story -- I had insisted on getting them years ago, then never used them and ended up putting them in a yard sale or something.  Then last year, a friend of mine brought these two pans to me and said someone had given them to her as a gift but she never used them and since I'm always baking I should have them!  I'm kind of glad I took them, too, it makes recipes like this so much fun!  And my kids love having donuts for an afternoon snack :) 

Now, if you do not have donut pans, these can be made in a mini muffin pan (think of them as donut holes if you want to), or even regular muffin tins - just don't fill those all the way to the top, and adjust your baking time accordingly.

These are moist, pumpkiny treats coated in a generous shaking of sugar mixed with pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have any on hand, you can make your own by combining 1 tsp of cinnamon with 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg and ginger - this will make you 2 tsp, increase accordingly to what you'll need!)

Recipe
Pumpkin Donuts
1/2 cup *coconut oil (in liquid state)
3 large eggs
1 (15 oz.) can of PURE Pumpkin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

(*regular oil or melted & cooled butter can be used in place of the coconut oil.  I have been using the coconut oil in place of oil and butter in many of recipes with great success - and no, it does not make everything taste like coconut!)

Preheat your oven to 350.  Lightly grease your donut (or muffin) tins.
Place your oil, eggs, pumpkin, sugar, spices, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.  Beat together until fully combined and smooth.  Slowly add in the flour, stirring just until combined.

Spoon into wells, not filling them more than 2/3 full.  Bake regular sized donut tins for about 15-18 minutes (mini donut pans for about 13-16 minutes, regular sized muffins for 22-25 minutes), use cake tester or sharp knife in center to test doneness.

Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes so they can be moved easily.  Remove from pan and cool on rack a little bit longer.  While still warm (but not so hot they'll fall apart when handled), toss with the pumpkin spice cinnamon sugar coating:

Coating:
1 c. white sugar
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
Add both to gallon size ziplock bag.  Close and shake well, until spice is even distributed.  

Toss donuts one or two at a time in bag.  

This recipe made 12 regular sized donuts (yes I had to wait until the first 6 were done before and out of the pan before I could make the rest of them) AND 12 mini donuts.  

And they all disappeared as soon as the kids were home from school...

My Favorite Cookie

Today is a very, very cold day.  We needed to bake to keep things toasty and warm in our big old drafty house. The kiddos helped me decide on a few things to make - first up?  My favorite cookie EVER!  I used Jessica's recipe from How Sweet It Is, and we whipped up a batch!  They smell sooooo good, and don't tell the kids (because I said we couldn't eat them yet) but they taste delicious too!

Recipe (adapted from How Sweet It Is - Original recipe)

1 stick butter, room temp

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 1/2 Tbs. milk

1 Tbs. cinnamon (I used Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus which also has nutmeg & cloves in it!)

1/4 c. white sugar

Cream together butter and sugars.  Add in egg and vanilla and beat until fully combined.

Add in flour, baking powder and 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Stir until dough begins to form.  Add in milk, and mix until smooth dough forms (if crumbly, add a little milk at a time until dough is uniform).  Chill dough for 30 min.

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 Tbs. cinnamon in small bowl.  Roll chilled dough into 1" balls.    Roll dough balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating fully.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 11-13 minutes until they just begin to turn golden and the tops are slightly cracked.  Remove to cooling rack.

Makes about 20 cookies.

Countdown to Valentines Day ~ Homemade Hot Chocolate

Day 6 ♥  
The big V-Day is one week from tomorrow, peeps!  Are you ready?
Here is something to warm you and your sweetie up.

 HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE LOVER'S HOT CHOCOLATE (w/ a little kick)
There are lots of recipes out there, I've tried a few.  I absolutely adore this concoction I put together tonight!!  It's thick and rich, with just a hint of extra heat.  And the whipped cream on top is positively necessary.  This is not a drink for the faint of heart, or for those trying to lose weight (I will be one of those people again in the morning - this was my "day off").  But once you have it, you will not want any others!

Recipe
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (or 3 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate)
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch chipotle chili powder
1/3 to 1/2 c. additional milk
whipped cream

Combine chocolate chips and 1/2 c. milk in a glass microwave-safe container.  Heat 1 minute.  Whisk, then return to microwave for 1 additional minute.  Whisk in cinnamon, salt and chili powder, whisking until smooth and frothy.  Add additional milk.  Heat 45 seconds, until hot.  Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Glaze

I happened upon this recipe, and I had to try it!  It does, after all, combine two of my most favorite things -- pumpkin and cinnamon rolls!  They were a hit with everyone I shared them with and I'm excited to make them again (maybe tomorrow!).  

PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS WITH CARAMEL GLAZE
2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup solid-pack pumpkin
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Hershey's cinnamon chips (optional)

In a bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour and yeast; set aside.
In a saucepan, heat and stir pumpkin, milk, sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and salt until warm (120°-130°) and butter is almost melted.
Add to flour/yeast mixture along with egg.
Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
Stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Roll into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle.
Melt remaining butter; brush on dough.
Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough.
Sprinkle cinnamon chips on top.
Roll dough, jelly roll style, starting with the longer side.
Cut into 12 equal slices.
Place rolls, cut side down, in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan (I like gooey bottom cinnamon rolls, so I usually make a syrup of brown sugar and warm water and put that in the bottom of pan before placing the cut rolls in the pan).
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

For glaze:
4 Tbs butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar

For frosting, melt butter in a saucepan; stir in brown sugar and milk.
Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 1 minute.
Stir in vanilla, salt and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; beat until well blended.
Add more sugar, if necessary, to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over rolls.

Yield: 1 dozen.