Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg)

¼ teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups mashed pumpkin

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

8 ounce package cream cheese

1 egg

3 tablespoons sugar

Chopped roasted pecans (2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons brown sugar) roasted for 30 minutes at 300º  - turning half-way through cooking.

Beat cream cheese with one egg and 3 tablespoons of sugar until well blended.  Place on waxed paper and roll into log.  Place in freezer.

In large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, salt and baking soda.  Mix and create a well in the center of the mixture.

In a medium bowl beat four eggs, add sugar, oil and pumpkin.  Add to dry ingredients and blend well.  Spoon into greased muffin tin, filling about three quarter’s full.  Slice the cream cheese into ½ inch disks and press into the center of each muffin.  Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans.  Baked in preheated oven 20-25 minutes (22 worked perfect for me) until toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean.  Do not insert into cream cheese.  Remove from oven and let stand in tins for 5 minutes then carefully remove and cool on wire racks.  Store in refrigerator.

©Crackerberries 2016

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

3½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. baking powder

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup butter flavored Crisco

4 eggs

2 cups pumpkin, cooked, mashed, cooled

1 cup fig conserves

*Preheat confection oven to 325º.

Spray two bread loaf pans (9x5”) with cooking spray, or grease with shortening.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder; set aside.  Beat Crisco and sugar together until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time and then add pumpkin. Blend well.  Stir in flour mixture and conserves.  Divide amongst the two loaf pans.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes and remove from pans to cool on wire racks completely.

*If using a conventional oven preheat to 350º and cook 55-60 minutes.

© Crackerberries 2014

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

       Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

1½ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup canola oil

1½ tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

15 oz can pumpkin

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ginger

1 8 oz package cream cheese

½ stick butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

4½ cups confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven 350°

Mix brown sugar and oil together until well blended.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add pumpkin and blend to incorporate.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices together in bowl and mix well.  Add to pumpkin mixture a little at a time, and mix until smooth.

Using small ice cream scoop, drop on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350° 11-13 minutes until puffed and set.  Let cakes cool for three minutes on cookie sheets then move to wire racks to cool completely.

Once completely cool frost with cream cheese frosting.

In large bowl, mix butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar a little at a time.

Can be stored at room temperature for two days or in freezer for two months

© Crackerberries 2012

Pumpkin Banana Bread

"We're not falling for the banana in the tail pipe trick" ~~ who remembers what movie?

3½ cups flour
2 mashed bananas
2 cups pumpkin
2 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp baking powder
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco
2 cups sugar
1 cup raisins



Preheat oven 350º. In small bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon; set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition; add pumpkin and banana; mix well. Add flour mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in raisins. Pour into two greased 9x5 bread pans. Bake 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

© Crackerberries 2009

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Being the week of Halloween I thought this would be a good time for some festive spook-tacular recipes. Tall Cool One likes cherry filling on his cheesecake. Believe me, when he put it on pumpkin cheesecake I thought that just sounded gross, but it actually tasted okay. I prefer a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with mine, but you go ahead and have it however you like it.



1½ cup graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 Tbsp sugar

16 oz cream cheese softened
¾ cup sugar
16 oz pumpkin
¼ tsp salt
1¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
3 eggs



Preheat oven to 350º

Combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp sugar and melted margarine and mix well. Press into 9 inch spring form pan and bake in 350º oven for 8 minutes.

In large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until well combined. Add pumpkin and spices and mix well. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Mix until smooth.

Pour into prepared crust and bake at 350º for 50-55 minutes until center is set. Turn oven off and crack oven door, let cool in oven for one hour. Using butter knife, loosen sides before opening spring. Garnish with caramel apple flavored candy corn.


© Crackerberries 2009