Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on October 26, 2014 by HintofNutmegg

I know what you’re thinking.

Believe me, I do.

“Of course she posted another Oreo recipe, they just came out with a new flavor.”

Pretty spot on, huh?

I’d like to think I’m unpredictable, but I’m beginning to realize, I’m not. Not even close. And, you know what, that’s really not a bad thing. At least you know what you’re getting from me. Right? It’s not like I’m giving you the same recipe though. I’ve done lemon bars, cookies, and cupcakes. All with Oreos. Now, that’s variety. Some may even go as far as saying I’m unpredictable with my Oreo baking. Ah ha, unpredictability.

Yeah, I don’t know why all of a sudden it’s important for me to be unpredictable. Maybe I’ve gone crazy? Or, maybe, just maybe, I’m slightly tired, under caffeinated, and really like typing the word unpredictable for some reason. Seriously, it has so many letters.

But, enough of my nonsense.

Lets talk about the other main ingredient in this recipe. Drumroll please.

The pumpkin.

Guys, this is my first pumpkin recipe of the year. Aren’t you proud that I waited until the end of October to share it with you? For those of you that are new to Hint of Nutmegg, let me briefly share the story of the pumpkin craze of 2013.

I went a little overboard on the pumpkin. How overboard? Let’s just say I posted 5 pumpkin recipes in a row. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it totally was. I over-killed the pumpkin. And, even I, the biggest pumpkin fan in the world, was tired of it. It was pretty bad.

Don’t worry though. There won’t be a pumpkin craze of 2014. I’ll be better. But, I hope you know, by being better, I don’t mean this will be my only pumpkin post. I’m planning on at least two more. I think that’s reasonable. Don’t you?

So, lets talk about these Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting.

In three words, to die for.

The cupcakes are super moist and have a subtle pumpkin taste, thanks to the Pumpkin Spice Oreo crumbles that are baked into the cupcake. Each cupcake is then topped with a creamy, pumpkin packed frosting that is out of this world. I repeat, out of this world. I’ll admit I was eating it out of the bowl. It’s the perfect balance between cream cheese and pumpkin spice, and really brings this cupcake to a whole new level of pumpkin yumminess. For a topper, I crumbled some of the Oreos on top of the cupcake to add a little crunch—keep in mind, when putting the cupcakes in the refrigerator though, the Oreo crumbles on top will get soggy.

Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
16 Pumpkin Spice Latte Oreos, roughly chopped

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I used the Organic Pumpkin Puree from Trader Joe’s)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions:
Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in the sugar–the mixture will be very thick…use those muscles!
Add the egg whites, whisking until incorporated, and then add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.
Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined and no lumps remain.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the chopped Oreo pieces.
Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners–about 3 tablespoons per each tin–and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling, start making the pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and spices on medium speed until creamy and combined.
Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and then mix in the flour.
Frost the cupcakes as desired and top with crumbled up Pumpkin Spice Oreos.

*Cupcake batter adapted from this recipe, which was adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies

Posted on October 25, 2013 by HintofNutmegg

Have you heard the song “I Miss You” by Blink-182?

If you haven’t, there is a line that references The Nightmare Before Christmas: “ We can live like Jack and Sally if we want, where you can always find me, and we’ll have Halloween on Christmas”. These cookies remind me of Halloween on Christmas. Or, really it’s more of Christmas on Halloween. It’s the cookie cutters.

Cookie cutters instantly make me think of Christmas time. Specifically, it makes me think of sitting at the table, covered in flour, wearing an over-sized apron, as my two younger cousins and I frost and sprinkle (in an excessive amount that only an eight year old would consider edible) our sugar cookies.

One of my cousins, Jason, was even around as I glazed and took photos of these cookies. Actually, he always seems to be around during my dessert photo shoots. I think it’s so he can pick out which slice or cookie to eat first. In this case, he went for the owl. Followed by two bats. And later, a ghost.

Even though I’m a fan of enjoying each holiday as it comes (unlike the stores, who like to rub holidays in your face months in advance…I’ve seen Valentine’s Day stuff already…Are you kidding me?), it was actually kind of nice to think of these as Christmas on Halloween cookies. It really put me in a festive mood and made me even more excited for my future holiday baking, which I didn’t think was possible.

These Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies are the perfect fall treat! The shortbread cookie itself is simple to make and has a buttery flavor with a subtle hint of pumpkin spice. The glaze is made from pumpkin spice flavored candy melts, giving each bite the perfect punch of pumpkin spice. So, if you’re in need of a pick me up, some festive spirit, or just a delicious pumpkin flavored cookie, make these. Get in your kitchen. You won’t regret it. And your relatives, like mine, will happily devour them.

Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies
Yields: about 40 cookies

Ingredients:
Shortbread Cookies
½ cup (1 stick) salted-butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Glaze & Decorations
1 bag pumpkin spice candy melts
1 cup black candy melts
4 teaspoons shortening (plus some more if melts start to harden)

Directions:
Shortbread Cookies
In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese, until well combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt. Beat until combined.
Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
Slowly beat in flour, until mixture forms into dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let chill for about an hour or until dough is easy to handle.
Once dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough until about ¼ inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out dough.
Place cutouts an inch apart on a ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes (I found the bats cooked faster and were done around 5 ½ minutes, but the bigger cutouts took a little longer) or until the edges start to lightly brown.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely (I let mine sit over night).

Glaze & Decorations
In a microwave safe bowl, melt a cup of pumpkin spice flavored candy melts and two teaspoons of vegetable shortening. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the mixture is smooth (the hotter the mixture, the easier it is to glaze the cookies).
When glazing, I found that pouring the mixture into a piping bag or Ziploc bag (with the tip cut off) was extremely helpful. Pipe the outline of the cookie first and then fill the inside with glaze.
If the glaze begins to harden, add some more vegetable shortening and microwave until it becomes smooth.
Once all the cookies have been glazed orange, melt a cup of the black candy melts and two teaspoons of vegetable shortening. Microwave in 15 second intervals, until smooth.
Using a toothpick (or, a piping bag if that’s easier for you) add faces to your cookies—remember, it’s Halloween, so have fun with your faces and don’t stress if they aren’t perfect!

Isn’t the skeleton cup the cutest thing ever? Don’t even get me started on the napkin…

Pumpkin Crisp

Posted on October 18, 2013 by HintofNutmegg

I’m maybe, just a little bit, pumpkin obsessed.

A pumpkin freak, as my brother calls it.

I like, no, it’s more along the lines of love with my whole heart, pumpkiny things. I’m that girl that walks into the store during fall, sees all the pumpkin flavored things, and then has to restrain herself from buying every single delicious pumpkin thing in sight. It’s hard. Really hard. Do you know what I mean?

If all these pumpkin flavored things didn’t taste so good, then I wouldn’t eat them. Or, want to buy them. Or, hoard them in my cupboard for a later date. See, it’s really out of my control at this point.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I could drink one everyday of the year if Starbucks would let me.

Pumpkin Ice Cream. Have you tried the Trader Joe’s version? It’s magical. And addicting.

Pumpkin Pie. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Am I right?

So, really, the world made me a pumpkin freak. And, you know what, I happily accept that. Want to join me in my pumpkin madness? If you do, you can have a slice (or, two if you’re really nice) of this Pumpkin Crisp.

This Pumpkin Crisp is for all the pumpkin freaks out there. The pumpkin filling itself is very creamy and not too sweet, which allows that warm spicy flavor of the pumpkin to really shine. The crumble topping is made with pumpkin spice flavored granola as well as regular oats giving this crisp the perfect amount of crunch. I served the crisp cold with homemade whipped cream and a little bit of cinnamon…it was devoured pretty quickly. You could also try it with vanilla ice cream. I’m sure that would be pretty darn delicious too.

Pumpkin Crisp
Yields: 9 large servings

Ingredients:
Pumpkin Filling
3 eggs
1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup (6 oz.) evaporated milk
* If you like a sweeter pumpkin flavor you can add another ½ cup of sugar.

Crumble Topping
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
1/8 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup old fashioned oats
¼ cup pumpkin spice granola (I used the Trader Joe’s brand and picked out the raisins)
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
Pumpkin Filling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch square pan.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until well combined.
Whisk in the pumpkin puree, until blended.
In a smaller bowl, combine sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk into the wet ingredients, until mixture is smooth.
Gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Stir until combined.
Pour filling into the greased pan and set aside while you make the crumble topping.

Crumble Topping
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, oats, and pumpkin spice granola.
Pour melted butter over mixture and stir until moistened and well combined.
Sprinkle the doughy mixture evenly over the pumpkin pie filling—I wanted a little extra crunch, so I sprinkled a little bit more pumpkin spice granola on top of the crumble making sure to cover any spots where the pumpkin filling was visible.
Bake for 45 minutes or until center is set and topping is golden brown.
Let crisp cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (this makes it easier to cut square servings).
I suggest serving with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting Yields: 12 cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies Yields: about 40 cookies

Pumpkin Crisp Yields: 9 large servings

Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cupcakes With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Yields: 12 cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies
Yields: about 40 cookies

Pumpkin Crisp
Yields: 9 large servings