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Now You’re Cooking: Baking With Apples and Pumpkins

Ah, fall. Break out the brown sugar and cinnamon because it’s officially apple and pumpkin season!

This apple bread recipe is a wonderful way to showcase fresh apples. Soft and tender, and moderately sweet, this bread is delicious as is or served warm with a pat of butter. The apple butter adds moisture, and the combo of fresh apples with apple butter ensures apple flavor in every bite!

Apple butter is thicker and more concentrated in flavor when compared to applesauce. Look for it in the peanut butter and jelly section in most grocery stores.

Apple Butter Quick Bread

(Makes 1 loaf)

APPLES

1 ½ cups peeled and finely chopped tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 1 large)

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

BATTER

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup apple butter or cinnamon applesauce

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Place the oven rack in the middle position of the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray (a smaller loaf pan will not work with this recipe).

FOR APPLES: Combine apples, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.

FOR BATTER: Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl; stir well.

Beat butter with sugar in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in apple butter and vanilla extract (mixture will look curdled). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually beat in flour mixture and buttermilk until just combined.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the apple mixture and accumulated juices. Spoon the remaining batter over apples. Using a knife, swirl the batter down the center of the loaf pan. 

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Slice and serve. Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Or, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and then place in a plastic zip-top food storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Classic snickerdoodle cookies get an autumn spin thanks to the addition of pumpkin and pumpkin spice. They are crisp around the edges and pillowy soft on the inside and have pure pumpkin baked right inside. Hints of brown butter and pumpkin spice come through in every bite. Easily one of my favorite cookies!

Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

(Makes about 3 dozen cookies)

1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

½ teaspoon kosher salt

⅔ cup pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

FOR ROLLING

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until milk solids have a toasty aroma. Pour into a large mixer bowl (making sure to get all the brown bits!) to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt in a separate bowl; stir well.

Squeeze water out of the pumpkin by placing it in between several layers of paper towels. Press the paper towels into the pumpkin until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. You should have about 1/3 cup pumpkin left.

Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to the mixer bowl with the brown butter; beat well. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Place the oven rack in the middle position of the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

FOR ROLLING: Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl (a cake pan works well too). Scoop dough by rounded tablespoon or with a small cookie scoop and form into a ball. Drop the ball into cinnamon sugar and swirl to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets; flatten balls slightly with palm of hand.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center. Cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Enjoy the tastes of fall!

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