Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Scone

I love the Holidays. Extra days off for my Husband so I get to make fun things for breakfast and this was definitely fun and definitely delicious. I'm going to even say that this isn't too bad for you. I mean there are worse things you could eat but these made a great breakfast treat.

 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Scones 

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

3 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
14 Tablespoons Butter, Divided
2  Egg Whites
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, Divided
¾ cups Pumpkin Puree
¼ cups Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
2  Egg Yolks
½ cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk

Preheat oven to 425ºF and cover a sheet tray in parchment paper (or a reusable Silpat mat).
In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. Cut in 12 tablespoons of butter (using pastry blender, two knives, or my favorite—your hands) until butter is in little pea size pieces. In a smaller bowl, whisk together egg white, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, pumpkin, and buttermilk. Stir into dry ingredients until dough pulls together.
Scoop out onto a floured surface and carefully pat dough into a rough 20×8 rectangle. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and combine with 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and cinnamon. Brush about half onto the rectangle. Starting with the end closest to you, roll the dough (like you would a cinnamon roll).
Once you have a round log, carefully shape into a rectangle log that stands about 1 1/2″ high and that has a width of about 3″. Cut log in half and divide each half into six triangles.
Whisk together any remaining filling mixture with egg yolks. This gives you a nice golden color on the scones. Place on the baking tray, brush with the butter/egg mixture.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the scone has a harder outer shell and has browned. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before icing.
To make icing, combine powdered sugar and remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add milk if it’s too thick or powdered sugar if it’s too thin. You want to reach a thick yet pourable consistency. Drizzle glaze over the scones.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I love the fall time. It is my favorite season. All of my favorite things. Sweaters, tea, apples, pumpkins. The smells are amazing. The colors changing. It makes me so happy.

These muffins make me happy. Don't be surprised if I find out you are making them and I happen to stop over for a visit. Seriously they are that good. Not only are they that good but I had everything in my pantry already which is an added bonus. Well, except for cupcake liners but I like these better without. Just some spray grease and pan.

Another reason I like these so much is the fact that I have a very helpful 4 year old girl who wants to help bake everything. Sometimes she is helpful and sometimes she's a hindrance. This time she was a helper and an added bonus is that it's her favorite kind of helping. The kind where your fingers get dirty and you get to lick them clean which is okay because germs are killed when baked right???  Either way they are great for the whole family.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins
source: Brye Crockett

Note: The first time I ever made these I filled the tins 1/4 of the way up then added the cream cheese mixture and then added more muffin mix and it hid the cream cheese as a surprise. This time I filled them 1/2 up and added the cream cheese. Even though I tried to cover up the cream cheese it wasn't as successful. Both ways are equally good. It jut depends on preference.

3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. pumpkin puree
1 1/4 c. applesauce (or oil)

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. butter

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter well. Spread in to log on freezer paper, roll it up and put it in the freezer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Fill muffin pan (see note) and scoop in 1-2 tsp. cream cheese mixture in to the muffin batter. Bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool and eat.

These freeze well and just microwave them to warm them up but ours never last that long.

Fruit and Honey Bars

I got this recipe from my Mom and Dad (they always have a million recipes for me to try). They found it on the weight watchers website. I am not typically a "healthy" bar type person. I love my butter and sugar so I was pleasantly surprised with how great these are and everyone that has tried them has loved them to. Normally I bake these in a pan but I wanted to see how they worked baked in a cupcake pan and I have to say I love them. It's nice to pop them out of the pan rather than wait for them to cool to cut them. I did decrease my bake time to about 10-12 minutes.

Fruit and Honey Bars
1/3 c. honey
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c. instant non fat dry milk powder
1/2 c. shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c.ground flaxseeds
1/2 c. dried apricots chopped
1/2 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 in. square baking pan with nonstick foil. Beat honey, eggs and salt in small bowl until blended. Put oats, dry milk, pumpkin seeds, coconut,flax seeds,apricots, cherries and flour in food processor and pulse until evenly moistened. Transfer dough to baking pan; press into even layer with damp fingers. Bake until center is set and edges are brown, about 20 min. Let cool slightly on rack, 10 min.. Holding foil, transfer bar from pan to cutting board. Cut into bars.

Options:
*1/2 c. mini chocolate chips: add after done baking but don't cut until cooled or you'll smear the chocolate/

*Less sweet option 1/4 c. cherries and 1/4 c. cranberries