Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

I love cinnamon rolls and I love pumpkin. Put the two together and I am literally in breakfast treat heaven! I took what I liked from 2 recipes, added in my own twist on the filling, and ended up with what Nathan and I consider one of the best cinnamon rolls we have EVER tasted!

The pumpkin is noticible but not overwhelming. The filling is classic cinnamon with the addition of some pumpkin pie spice and a dash of cloves. And then there is the frosting. Oh my... the frosting! I considered going with a traditional cream cheese frosting (which you totally could do) but got the caramel idea in my head and couldn't get it out! The frosting is simple to make and pours right over the hot rolls (no spreading required!). After a few minutes, it firms up like a glaze. Oh so good!!!I made this recipe for 6 rolls since I have a family of four but could easily be doubled for a larger group. And you might just want to double it and share. People will seriously love you!

Enjoy!


Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting
Makes 6 LARGE rolls

Rolls:
1 1/8 tsp or 1/2 envelope active dry yeast
1/8 cup warm water
1/2 tsp PLUS 2 TBSP granulated sugar (divided)
1 egg
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
7.5 oz canned pumpkin
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt

Filling:
4 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
2 TBSP granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Dash cloves

Frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 TBSP milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl. Add 1/2 tsp of the granulated sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Mix in remaining 2 TBSP sugar, egg, butter and pumpkin. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt until soft dough forms. Continue to knead for 10 minutes, adding remaining flour as needed, until dough is smooth.

Place dough in large greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled.

Once doubled, roll dough out into a rectangle. Combine all filling ingredients and spread evenly over rectangle. Roll up dough and cut into 6 rolls.

Place rolls in greased 8" pan and allow to rise until doubled.

(At this point, you can either bake or refrigerate the rolls overnight and bake in the morning. If you are refrigerating the rolls, allow them to come to room temperature before baking.)

Bake the rolls at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and make frosting.

To make frosting, melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir until smooth. Add milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Add powdered sugar all at once and whisk until clumps disappear. Pour warm frosting over cinnamon rolls. Let set for 5 minutes and serve.

Recipe adapted from Examiner and Tasty Kitchen.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

I love fall because it means that soups start reappearing. Of course, while the calendar says that it is fall, El Paso doesn't agree. Having lived in Phoenix, Arizona until I was 18, you'd think that I would be used to "desert fall". But, since I was in Germany for 7 years, I got used to a real fall. A fall with cooler temperatures and changing leaves. Even though our temperatures are still in the mid to high 80s, I am going to pretend that it is a real fall and I am going to make soup! :)

This baked potato soup is amazing! It tastes EXACTLY like a baked potato. There is even sour cream mixed in for that delicious tang. It reminded me a little of the Potato-Leek Chowder I make, and I am thrilled to now have 2 potato soups that I love!

Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen

4 - baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all purpose flour
4 - cups milk
2 - cups chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
12 - slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 - cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 - 8oz container sour cream

Bake potatoes in the oven or microwave. Scoop out the inside of the potato and set aside. Cook bacon in the oven while the potatoes bake at 350 degrees until crispy. Crumble and set aside. Melt butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Stir in flour to make a roux. Cook about one minute stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the chicken broth and milk while stirring. Turn the heat to medium and cook the soup until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon and cheese. Stir well and continue to heat for about 15 minutes allowing the flavors to blend. Mix in sour cream until well blended. Serve immediately. Garnish with green onions, additional bacon and shredded cheese.

TWD: Double Apple Bundt Cake

Yes, I realize this doesn't look like a Bundt cake. There are two reasons for that.

Reason #1- I quartered the recipe and used a mini cake tin.

Reason #2- The cake was really moist and didn't unmold well. I am blaming that on the fact that I used homemade apple butter instead of storebought. I don't know for certain if that is what caused it, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

So, what does one do when a cake doesn't unmold well? You crumble the cake, throw it in a pretty dish, and whip up some cream to top it all off. Oh, and maybe a little spoonful of homemade apple butter!

I want to say that the cake was absolutely delicious. Between the apple butter, the grated fresh apples, walnuts, and the raisins... YUM, YUM, and YUM!

Thanks to Lynne of Honey Muffin for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at her blog or on page 184 of Baking:From My Home to Yours.

Pumpkin Latte

A few days ago I posted on Facebook that October is the month that I go crazy with pumpkin. I tend to make as many things with pumpkin that I can. I buy a few cans of pumpkin plus a couple pumpkins that I roast and puree just so I can have some in the freezer. I don't know why I go crazy in October... all I know is that I do! :)

I was surprised at how many people were exicted to see what new pumpkin recipes I was going to post and a friend requested that I post about a pumpkin latte that is similar to a Starbuck's latte. I haven't had one from Starbucks so I can't if this is identical, but I can say that this is a FANTASTIC latte that I will be enjoying over and over again!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Latte

Recipe slightly adapted from DIY Recipe

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Brewed coffee (or hot chocolate)
Whipped cream

Warm milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla bean (scrape seeds out and add seeds AND pod) in pan. (If using extract, add once you remove from heat.) Once warm, add pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract (if using). Beat with whisk until frothy. Pour some of the pumpkin mixture into coffee cup and the fill up the rest of the way with coffee. (Amount is up to you... I did 1 part coffee to 1 part pumpkin mixture. You may want to do more or less depending on how strong you like your lattes.)

Top with whipped cream and extra pumpkin pie spice.

French Fridays with Dorie (FFwD) - Gougeres

It's here!!! French Fridays with Dorie has officially started! I have been baking along with Tuesdays with Dorie for over 2 years now and have been anxiously anticipating Dorie's new book "Around My French Table". When the book came in the mail a few weeks ago, I spent hours reading through each recipe and I am so stoked to finally start cooking/baking from this book. The best part about the new group? No participation requirements! Don't get me wrong... I am going to do my best to participate as much as possible but life gets crazy sometimes so I am grateful for the ablility to be a part of this group regardless of whether I post 1 recipe a month or 4.

The recipes for October were chosen by Dorie Greenspan herself and the first pick is Gougeres. It makes sense that the first recipe for FFwD is also the first recipe in the book.

Gougeres are basically a cream puff without pastry cream but with the addition of cheese. Dorie says that the easiest way to describe these is to call them "cheese puffs".

You start with a pate-a-choux dough and fold in grated cheese (I used cheddar). They are then spooned out onto a baking sheet and baked until browned and puffy. We LOVED these and they didn't last too long. I will definately make them again and again!

What a great way to kick off FFwD! Thanks to Dorie Greenspan for another awesome book and thanks to all the great minds who put together the new group!

Au revoir!