Mom’s Pumpkin Squares
This recipe has been part of our family for years now. My mom made them for Thanksgiving every year- and I continue that tradition. Like my mom, I use fresh (or frozen) cooked pumpkin or winter squash. My mom didn’t care much for the taste of canned pumpkin. She would cut up the Halloween pumpkin, cook it, puree it and freeze it- so she could make pumpkin squares anytime she wanted.
The original recipe came from Bisquick, but it had 2 cups of sugar in it. My Mother’s sensibilities kicked in and she cut the sugar down to one cup. Great move on her part. The cake is still plenty sweet with less sugar.
It mixes and bakes up in no time. I normally top it with cream cheese frosting, but it would be good with a simple powdered sugar glaze, a buttercream frosting, or even just a dusting of powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon.
The texture is moist and tender and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
Pumpkin Squares
1 c. sugar
½ c. oil
16 oz. cooked pumpkin, canned, fresh (preferred) or frozen
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. biscuit mix (homemade or Bisquick or Jiffy Mix)
2 t. cinnamon
½ c. raisins, optional
Grease a jelly roll pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat first 4 ingredients for 1 minute. Stir in mix, cinnamon and raisins. Pour in prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool and frost. Frosted cake must be kept refrigerated between servings.
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
2/3 c. butter
2 T. milk
2 t. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar, or more
Beat together until smooth.
“Pumpkin” Fritters
These tasty fritters would be a fun dessert for Halloween. This is also a great recipe when you have a little cooked pumpkin or winter squash to use up. The recipe only uses a cup of cooked pumpkin or winter squash.
It is a pretty simple recipe. I started with cooked butternut squash puree. I added eggs, flour, baking powder and a few other ingredients, then fried them up in oil, and ended up with a really good fritter. Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. I drained them on paper towels and then rolled them in cinnamon sugar while still warm. You could also dip them in a powdered sugar glaze. I think I might make a maple glaze for the next batch.
Pumpkin Fritters
1 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin or winter squash
2 eggs
2 T. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
oil for frying
cinnamon sugar for rolling- powdered sugar would work, too
In mixing bowl combine all ingredients, except the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in flour. Batter will be thick. Heat oil to 350 degrees.* There should be enough oil in the pan top be at least 1 inch deep- or deeper. To save oil I used a smallish pan and cooked 3-4 fritters at a time. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into hot oil and cook, turning once until golden brown on both sides. This will take about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels then roll in cinnamon sugar while warm. Makes 24-30. Best served warm.
* Fun way to know when your oil has hit 350 degrees. Place an un-popped popcorn kernel in the oil. Popcorn pops at 350 degrees.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Pumpkin ice cream is such a nice addition to many fall desserts. It makes a nice topper for apple cake or pumpkin roll. Its also pretty good all on its own. I added some cinnamon and vanilla to mine, but you can certainly add more spices. Colder Fall weather might make us think less about ice cream desserts. I don’t think it is ever too cold for ice cream.
This is a nice, simple recipe. I did not use eggs/custard as the base. You just mix the ingredients and freeze. Easier if you have an ice cream maker, but doable without.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
2 c. whipping cream
2 c. pumpkin puree or winter squash
1 c. sugar, or to taste
1 T. molasses
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
Combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed and sugar is dissolved. Place in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions. My machine can’t take the whole recipe at once so I froze it in 2 batches and kept the rest of the pumpkin mixture chilled until ready to use. Place finished ice cream in the freezer until ready to serve.
Note: If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can place the mixture in a shallow pan and freeze until solid. remove from freezer and allow to thaw a little- about 10 minutes then break up and place in a mixing bowl. Whip with a mixer until smooth and return to the freezer. Repeat process once more to end up with creamy ice cream. You can also use a food processor for this step.
Mom’s Pumpkin Squares
This recipe has been part of our family for years now. My mom made them for Thanksgiving every year- and I continue that tradition. Like my mom, I use fresh (or frozen) cooked pumpkin or winter squash. My mom didn’t care much for the taste of canned pumpkin. She would cut up the Halloween pumpkin, cook it, puree it and freeze it- so she could make pumpkin squares anytime she wanted.
The original recipe came from Bisquick, but it had 2 cups of sugar in it. My Mother’s sensibilities kicked in and she cut the sugar down to one cup. Great move on her part. The cake is still plenty sweet with less sugar.
It mixes and bakes up in no time. I normally top it with cream cheese frosting, but it would be good with a simple powdered sugar glaze, a buttercream frosting, or even just a dusting of powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon.
The texture is moist and tender and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
Pumpkin Squares
1 c. sugar
½ c. oil
16 oz. cooked pumpkin, canned, fresh (preferred) or frozen
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. biscuit mix (homemade or Bisquick or Jiffy Mix)
2 t. cinnamon
½ c. raisins, optional
Grease a jelly roll pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat first 4 ingredients for 1 minute. Stir in mix, cinnamon and raisins. Pour in prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool and frost. Frosted cake must be kept refrigerated between servings.
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
2/3 c. butter
2 T. milk
2 t. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar, or more
Beat together until smooth.
Pumpkin Chiffon- Gluten Free
I fondly remember when my Mom used to make this dessert. I think of her whenever I make it. From a technical cooking standpoint, it’s not really a chiffon, but that is what my Mom called it, so I will leave it as Pumpkin Chiffon.
It’s more like a pumpkin pie, without the crust. Super easy to make and quite tasty. I bake it in a casserole dish but you could also make it in individual ramekins. This recipe is always a big hit when I make it for friends.
You could use canned or fresh cooked pumpkin or winter squash, like butternut or Hubbard. I always cook up and freeze pumpkin and squash for later use, so frozen would work, too. Because there is no crust, it is also gluten-free. I sometimes serve it with gingersnaps and whipped cream. It is a lovely Fall dessert. Perfect for Thanksgiving, too.
Mom’s Pumpkin Chiffon
½ c. applesauce
1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin or squash
¾ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. nutmeg
1/8 t. cloves
4 eggs, well beaten
1 c. half and half or evaporated milk
Stir together first seven ingredients. Beat in eggs and stir in milk. Place mixture in 1 ½ quart casserole and bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve alone or with cookies. Serves 6-8.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Pumpkin ice cream is such a nice addition to many fall desserts. I made a batch to serve with apple cake and butterscotch sauce for a birthday dinner. It is also a nice way to use up some of your Halloween pumpkins.
It has been a while since I made pumpkin ice cream. I think colder Fall weather makes me think less about ice cream desserts. Still, I don’t think it is ever too cold for ice cream.
This is a pretty simple recipe. I did not use eggs/custard as the base. You just mix the ingredients and freeze. Easier if you have an ice cream maker, but doable without.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
2 c. whipping cream
2 c. pumpkin puree or winter squash
1 c. sugar, or to taste
1 T. molasses
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
Combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed and sugar is dissolved. Place in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions. My machine can’t take the whole recipe at once so I froze it in 2 batches and kept the rest of the pumpkin mixture chilled until ready to use. Place finished ice cream in the freezer until ready to serve.
Note: If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can place the mixture in a shallow pan and freeze until solid. remove from freezer and allow to that a little- about 10 minutes then break up and place in a mixing bowl. Whip with a mixer until smooth and return to the freezer. Repeat process once more to end up with creamy ice cream.
Pumpkin Chiffon
Pumpkin Chiffon
I have been making this for a long time and really love it. From a technical foodie standpoint it’s not really a chiffon, but that is what my Mom called it so I will leave it as Pumpkin Chiffon. It’s really a sort of pumpkin pie without the crust. Super easy to make and quite tasty. I make it in a casserole dish but you could also make it in individual ramekins. We had it in my squash class last night and everybody liked it a lot. You could use canned or fresh cooked pumpkin or butternut squash. I sometimes serve it with gingersnaps and whipped cream. It is a lovely Fall dessert.
Pumpkin Chiffon
½ c. applesauce
1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin or squash
¾ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. nutmeg
1/8 t. cloves
4 eggs, well beaten
1 c. light cream or evaporated milk
Stir together first seven ingredients. Beat in eggs and stir in milk. Place mixture in 1 ½ quart casserole and bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve alone or with cookies. Serves 6-8.
