Pumpkin Cream Cheese Recipe (Starbucks-a-like)

These Starbucks copies are so delicious, and make your house smell amazing! I make them every fall and bring them to holiday parties and family get-togethers.

Candied Pepitas:
3 tablespoons table sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pepitas (can sub sunflower seeds)

Cream Cheese Topping:
4 oz cream cheese softened
2 tablespoons table sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


Muffin Mixture:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 teaspoon allspice 

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
3/4 cup vegetable oil
12 cup muffin tin
Paper muffin cups

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Cream Cheese:  

combine cream cheese (by mixer or by hand), sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. 

Candied Pumpkin Seeds: 

Put 1/2 pepitas in pan with 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil. Stir constantly until lightly browned. Remove. Add sugar and cinnamon and mix.

Muffin Mixture: 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add pumpkin and oil and continue to mix until thoroughly blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until batter is semi-smooth.

Bake: 

Spoon batter into muffin cups, making batter level with top of the muffin cup. Add 1 tablespoon of cream cheese to the top of each muffin and press cream cheese down into the middle of each muffin cup. Sprinkle muffins with candied pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

To test for doneness insert a toothpick into center of muffin

Lemony Snickerdoodle Cookies - HOLIDAY COOKIE TREAT (Healthier Alternative)

Makes 4 dozen

2 1/2 cups King Arthurs All wheat flour*
1/4 cup white flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp baking powder
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 Large Organic eggs
2 1/2 tbs Organic coconut oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix together the flours, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer (or hand mixer) and beat on medium for 2 minutes until well mixed.

3. Add the organic eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. 

4. Add the coconut oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well. Then add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until all incorporated and smooth.

5. Cover the dough or roll into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate two hours or overnight, if you can wait that long.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Shape the dough into 1 inch round balls and place about 2 inches apart on the parchment paper lined sheets. Use your hand or the bottom of a glass to flatten the dough just a wee bit.

8. In a bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over each cookie. Bake the cookies for 8 – 10 minutes until they are light golden brown and firm around the edges. I prefer my cookies to be a bit chewy in the center. YUM. Place on cool counter with parchment or cooling rack until cool. If you can wait that long ;)

*I always use King Arthur Flours.

The base of this recipe follows most snickerdoodle recipes. In the spirit of healthy alternatives, we go organic, free range, sub organic coconut oil for vegetable or canola oil, and whole wheat flour over bleached white flour. While I wouldn't call these healthy exactly....they ARE a healthier alternative to your average Christmas cookie.