Prep: 25 mins | Bake: 10 mins / Batch + cooling | Makes: about 7 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Frosting

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup 2% milk

2 1/2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in pecans.
2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2″ apart onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. In a saucepan, bring brown sugar and butter to a boil. Cook and stir over medium heat 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; beat in milk. Gradually beat in enough confectioners’ sugar to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cookies.

Prep time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins | Makes: 1 9″ pie

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups pumpkin purée (a 14 oz. can is equal to 1 3/4 cups; do not use pumpkin pie filling)

3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (see notes for substitutions and more info)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 Recipe easy vegan pie crust, or 1 9″ frozen vegan pie crust (gluten-free if preferred)

Vegan coconut whipped cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Have your unbaked 9″ pie shell ready (there is no need to pre-bake it).
2. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, brown sugar, cornstarch, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt to a blender or a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust. Use a spatula to spread the pumpkin evenly and smooth out the top.
4. Bake for 60 minutes. When you remove it from the oven, the edges will be slightly cracked and the middle will still look wobbly. Let cool, and then chill uncovered in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight until completely set. Serve plain or with coconut whipped cream.

Notes:

Coconut Milk: use a full-fat coconut milk (the kind in a can) and make sure to shake the can before using. The richness of coconut milk will make the pie cream and delicious.

Coconut milk substitute: If you can’t use coconut milk, substitute with a rich vegan heavy cream or a barista-style soy or oat milk. Be sure to choose a plant-based milk with a higher fat content so so the pie stays creamy and delicious. You can also use an equal amount of plain vegan yoghurt. The texture may be slightly softer, so be sure to chill thoroughly to set.

Storage: The pie will keep fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezing the Pie: You can also freeze the pie. Cook the pie, allow it to set and cool overnight in the fridge. Place the pie on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, 3-4 hours. Wrap in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag, aluminum foil, or an air-tight container and return it to the freezer. The pie should keep for up to 2 months.

Ingredients:

8 graham crackers

11 tbsp butter, divided

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

Dark Chocolate shavings, optional

Instructions:

1. Crush graham crackers in a food processor in a Ziploc bag. Stir with 5 tbsp melted butter and spread in the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
2. Next, make the caramel layer while the crust cooks. Place remaining 6 tbsp butter, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for the next 6 minutes or so, until it becomes the thickness of a pudding. Spread in the base of the cooked pie crust. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. For the mousse layer, melt chocolate chips over a double broiler, stirring constantly to not scorch the chocolate. Set aside. Whip whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gradually whip in melted chocolate. Spread chocolate mixture on top of caramel layer. Refrigerate at least one hour or until ready to serve.
4. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top of pie as desired,

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 50 mins | Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins | Servings: 10

Ingredients:

Pumpkin filling

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup half and half

Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in he center of the oven. Grease a 8×11″ baking dish and set aside.
2. Pumpkin filling: Whisk all ingredients until combined. Pour into greased baking dish and set aside.
3. Topping: In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, pecans, oats, cinnamon and salt. Add softened. butter and mix until crumbly and combined — I start with a spoon or silicone spatula then use my fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients.
4. Sprinkle the topping over the pumpkin mixture, be gentle so that it doesn’t sink. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the very center is just a tiny bit jiggly. Place the pan on a wire tack to cool. Serve warm (not hot) or at room temperature.

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins | Total Time: 55 mins | Servings: 9

Ingredients:

Cherries

4 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved, a little over 1 lb. (see notes)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

Batter

6 tbsp butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Make cherry filling: Add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract to a saucepan and stir. Add cherries and cook for a few minutes, until sugar is dissolved into a sauce and sauce has slightly thickened (see notes if using canned or frozen cherries).
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice butter into pieces and add to a 9×13″ baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the oven.
3. Make the batter: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Pour the mixture over melted butter in pan and smooth it into an even layer.
4. Spoon the cherries and sauce mixture over the batter. (the batter will rise up and over the cherries, while baking). Sprinkle cinnamon generously over the top. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

Notes:

Cherries: Sweet (dark red) or tart cherries will work (or a combination). If using tart cherries, you may want to add a little more sugar to the filling.

• Frozen cherries: Prepare as directed but add 1 tbsp additional cornstarch to the saucepan.
• Canned Cherries: Use 2 (14.5 oz.) cans of cherries, reserving 1/4 cup. Stir cornstarch into reserved juice, then add to a saucepan with sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in cherries.
• Uncooked Cherry Filling: You can mix the cherry fillings together and add to the cobbler without cooking in saucepan, but I think cooling first produces a better result.

Gluten Free Cherry Cobbler: Substitute a gluten-free baking flour mix.

Make-ahead instructions: This cherry cobbler is best served immediately, but it can be kept, covered, in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Reheating Instructions: The microwave is the easiest and quickest way to heat a serving, but you can also use the oven. Take the cobbler out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until heat through. Place a sheet of foil over the cobbler if it starts getting too brown.

Freezing Instructions: Baked cobbler can be frozen, covered well, for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge, then reheat in the oven.

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins | Total Time: 50 mins | Servings: 8

Ingredients:

Filling

5-6 cups sweet cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen thawed, see note)

2-4 tbsp granulated sugar, adjust based on the sweetness of your cherries

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp all-purpose flour, or 3 tbsp if using frozen cherries

Topping (see note)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions:

1. Filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, gently stir together all the filling ingredients (make sure you read notes regarding fresh vs frozen cherries). Transfer to an 8″ square baking pan and spread into an even layer.
2. Topping: In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and melted butter and stir until fully combine. The mixture will resemble a cross between a crumb topping and a sugar cookie dough.
3. Press pieces of the topping together to form flat, irregular-shaped pieces. Place the pieces of topping all over the top of the cherries. bake for 30-45 minutes, until the cherries are bubbling around the edges and topping is light golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes. The juices will thicken up a bit as it cools.

Notes:

Fresh Cherries: If using fresh cherries (my preference) I recommend using around 5 cups; just under 2 lbs. The fresh cherries will hold their shape better while baking.

Frozen Cherries: If using frozen cherries I recommend measuring them out while frozen and using around 6 cups. They will slump down quite a bit while baking. Thaw them in a large bowl in the refrigerator for several hours. IMPORTANT: After thawing, drain off the excess juice before proceeding with the recipe.

Topping: If you prefer your cobbler a little heavier on the topping, use the following measurements for the topping portion of the recipe. Preparation and bake time will be about the same.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Serving and Storage: Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note: the topping will soften over time.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 23 minutes | Total Time: 43 minutes | Servings: 9-12

Ingredients:

Cake

1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cpu canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup sour cream, or plain yoghurt (not nonfat)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp milk, or more if needed

2 tsp espresso powder, adjust to taste

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pie spice and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and whisk until combine (don’t over-mix). Tap the excess batter off the whisk and use a rubber / silicone spatula to stir the batter a couple of times, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Grease a 9″ square baking pan and pour the batter into the pan. Tap the pan gently but firmly on the countertop a couple times to remove air bubbles. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Frosting: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, followed by milk, espresso powder (see note) and vanilla. Beat on high speed for one full minute. If desired, you can adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or more milk (to thin).
6. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake.

Notes:

Espresso Powder: Espresso powder / instant espresso is finely ground coffee crystals that have a strong and concentrated coffee flavor. This ingredient is sold in most well-stocked grocery stores near the coffee on the baking aisle. You can also purchase it on Amazon.

Using 2 tsp in the frosting will create a bold-flavored frosting. If you’d like the coffee flavor to be less strong, start with 1 tsp, taste the frosting, and increase from there.

If you’d prefer to skip the coffee flavor, you can swap the espresso powder for 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

Serving: Serve this cake chilled or at room temperature. It’s best within 2 days of being made.

Storage: Store this cake at cool room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Total Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

1 loaf (1 lb.) stale Louisiana-style French bread, broken into chunks

8 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanila extract

1 cup pecans, coarsely broken

1 cup raisins

about 2 cups milk

Cinnamon (optional)

Nutmeg (optional)

Hard sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tbsp bourbon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the bread, eggs, sugar, vanilla, pecans and raisins. Add enough milk so that the mixture “breaks milk” when squeezed (the bread can absorb no more milk). Add a shake of cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired.
2. Scrape into a greased shallow 10-cup baking pan and bake for 35 minutes or unto cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small bowl, with an electric mixer, cram the butter and confectioners’ sugar. Add the bourbon and beat until the texture of sour cream.

Prep: 25 mins | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Cooling: 8 hours | Total Time: 9 hrs 15 mins | Servings: 18

Ingredients:

Crust

15 whole rectangular graham crackers

1/4 cup granulated sugar

8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 8-oz. pkgs. full fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup full fat sour cream

1/8 tsp salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13″ baking pan with foil and lightly grease the foil. I prefer a metal pan. A glass pan will work but bake time might be a few minutes longer.
2. Crust: Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and process until the graham crackers are in fine crumbs (you should have just over 2 cups of crumbs). In a separate bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and press it into an even layer (I use the back of a measuring cup).
3. Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes until it is just beginning to turn golden brown and fragrant. Place the crust on a wire rack to cool slightly while you make the filling.
4. Filling: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, spices and flour. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, sour cream and salt and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, and turning off the mixer as soon as the last egg is fully incorporated.
6. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture and add it to the reserved pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined.
7. Alternate scoops of cream cheese filling and the pumpkin filling all over the top of the crust. Use a sharp knife to drag / swirl the two mixtures together (I do figure eights). Be careful not to drag the knife all the way down into the crust.
8. Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes, until the center still has a very slight jiggle but edges are set. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill (this will take several hours).

Prep: 25 mins + chilling | Makes: 9 servings

Ingredients:

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 carton (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

27 Girl Scout Thanks-A-Lot cookies

1 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee

2 tbsp baking cocoa

Instructions:

1. In a double boiler or metal bowl over simmering water, mix yolks and sugar; whisk constantly until a thermometer reads 160°F and the mixture is thick and holds a ribbon. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely.
2. Gently stir in mascarpone cheese into egg yolk mixture. In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into cheese mixture.
3. Quickly dip 9 cookies into coffee (for about 5 seconds), allowing excess to drip off. Arrange in a single layer in a 8″ square baking dish. Spread with 3/4 cup cheese mixture; sprinkle with baking cocoa. Repeat layers twice. Refrigerate, covered, at least 8 hours or overnight.