Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

Another scone recipe! Sorry, but I'm loving these scones. Flavored with pumpkin and chocolate, these scones are more decadent -- more of a dessert scone. They are still quite good with tea and butter, or a glass of milk! The chocolate chips could easily be replaced with some pecans or dried cranberries, if chocolate isn't your thing.

Makes about 8 medium scones.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
6 tbsp salted butter (or used unsalted and add 1/2 tsp salt)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Cut in the butter, mashing it in with a pastry cutter or your fingers. (This step can also be done with a food processor).

In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and yogurt, whisking until slightly foamy. Pour the mixture into the flour-butter mix, and combine well. Add the chocolate chips, if desired.

Roll the dough onto a cutting board, and cut into triangles or biscuit shapes. Spray a baking sheet or use a silicone liner, placing the scones about 1 inch apart. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until very slightly brown.

Enjoy warm!

Redheads (Pumpkin Blondies)

If you keep up with my posts, you know that I recently made blondies. Until now, I was resigned to the fact that blondies are indeed one of the most unhealthy baked goods around, with a stick of butter and cup of brown sugar! However, in my quest to make them a little healthier, I discovered a third realm of the baked bar sweet -- redheads (thanks to April for helping me think of the name!).

Redheads are as simple to make as blondies -- mainly, the butter in the blondies is replaced by pumpkin and coconut oil. I know that pumpkin is usually something people eat in autumn, but come on! It's so delicious, and available year-round courtesy of Libby's. 

Yes, I used chocolate chips again, but I am very curious to try butterscotch chips, as I think that they would make a nice foil to the pumpkin.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup sucanat or brown sugar (I used sucanat)

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

3 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp pumpkin spice

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate or butterscotch chips

Yield is 9 large squares or 18 small.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the chips, stirring until well combined.

Add the chips, and spread the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is firm. Cool completely and enjoy! 

Pumpkin Pie!

What's Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? We spent Thanksgiving with some generous friends that kindly did all of the big cooking, but I was assigned to bring pumpkin pie and dinner rolls (recipe to come). I searched the web for some good ideas, wanting to be semi-healthy with my offerings this year. I'm not sure how healthy my pie was, but it was absolutely incredible! I wanted to share these awesome recipes with my readers.

First, the crust. I wanted a whole wheat crust, as I've been trying to incorporate more whole grains into our diet, and I figured that the crust could be improved by the rich taste of whole wheat flour. It was a great bet, because this crust was fabulous! Crispy and almost cookie-like, the crust was as wonderful as the filling!


Crust recipe adapted from Chef in You


Crust
2/3 cup Oat flour (I ground up old-fashioned rolled oats to make it!)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp dark brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter
3-4 tbsp cold milk


Mix together the flours, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter unto small cubes and using the fingers – work into the dough until it resembles unevenly like bread crumbs. Slowly sprinkle in the milk, mix into the dough until it becomes cohesive. You know its just right when the dough holds together and does not seem dry or crumbly. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it overnight or for up to 3 days. About 30 minutes before ready to make the pie, remove from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Preheat the Oven to 425F. On a floured surface, roll out the dough using a rolling pin- to about 12 inch circle. It might crack a bit around the edges, but patch it up, its fine. Transfer the dough to a 9 inch (that’s at least 1-1/4 inches deep).  Trim and crimp the edges. Chill the crust until ready to use.

Filling
For the filling, I did this amazing molasses pumpkin pie recipe. Va-va-voom! So rich and satisfying; I think that everyone had huge pieces and seconds.  


1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch each of allspice, cloves and ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup pumpkin
2 Tbl molasses
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
chopped pecans, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Combine sugars, flour, spices and salt in a large bowl.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, vanilla,  and eggs. Pour in the evaporated milk.

Pour batter into chilled pie crust and bake for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 45  to 50 minutes.  The middle should be set, with no liquid.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans to cover the crack in the center ;)

Whipped Topping

Adding cinnamon really completes the taste!!!

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar, more to taste

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until thickened. Add sugar and cinnamon. Continue to beat until consistency is fluffy and light. Serve chilled on top of pie!