Are you the kind of person who jumps for joy during pumpkin season? Do you love everything pumpkin flavored?! This post is for you! Celebrate Halloween at home any time of year with these Disney Park inspired recipes.
Pumpkin Twists
Makes 18 Twists
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant pectin
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 3 (17.3 ounce) boxes frozen puff pastry, thawed (6 sheets)
- 1/4 cup sanding sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Directions:
- Combine brown sugar, sugar, instant pectin, 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin purée in medium bowl until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Line baking sheet with wax paper; set aside.
- Lightly dust large cutting board with flour. Carefully unroll one sheet of puff pastry and gently roll with rolling pin to flatten any creases. Spread 1/3 of pumpkin/sugar filling onto puff pastry, leaving 1/4-inch border around edges. Move to wax paper-lined baking sheet.
- Carefully unroll second sheet of puff pastry onto floured cutting board to flatten any creases. Carefully lift and place on top of pumpkin filling and press to seal. Cover with sheet of wax paper.
- Repeat two more times with remaining puff pastry and pumpkin filling to make three filled pastries (stacked on top of each other). Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Mix remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice with sanding sugar in small bowl; set aside.
- Mix egg and milk together in small bowl; set aside.
- Working with one filled pastry at a time, place on cutting board and cut each one into six 1 1/2-inch strips. Place on prepared baking sheet 1 1/2-inches apart. Gently twist each strip 3 times.
- Brush each twist with egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with sanding sugar mixture.
- Bake for 22 to 24 minutes until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before serving.
- Repeat with remaining filled pastries.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Make 10- 4″ Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
- Combine milk, egg, melted butter, pumpkin, and vanilla extract in small bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves in medium bowl. Fold wet ingredients into flour mixture.
- Heat lightly-oiled large skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot. Add 1/4 cup scoops of pancake batter onto griddle. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Jack Skellington Sugar Cookies
Makes 18 cookies
Ingredients:
COOKIES
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
ICING
- 2 egg whites
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Black food coloring paste
Directions:
FOR COOKIES
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Combine butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three parts. Once dough comes together, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using round cookie cutter or an overturned cup, cut dough into circles about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before icing.
FOR ICING
- Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer; whisk until frothy. Add confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, until thick but still spreadable.
- Place 1/3 of icing in a separate bowl. Add black food coloring paste to reserved icing and stir until color is uniform.
FOR DECORATING
- Decorate cooled cookies by covering with white icing and letting it dry (placing cookies in the refrigerator will speed up this process).
- Place black icing in pastry bag or a plastic resealable bag and cut off a tiny bit of the corner to create a very small hole. Use black icing to draw eyes, nostrils, and stitched mouth on each cookie.
Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 cup diced butternut squash (skin and seeds removed)
- 3 cups canned pumpkin (approximately 1 ½ 15-ounce cans)
- 1 tablespoon honey or light agave syrup
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup apple juice concentrate
- 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 6 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), roasted and salted (for garnish)
Cook’s Notes: This recipe is gluten- and vegan-friendly
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and butternut squash and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and bring just to a boil.
- Reduce to medium low heat. Simmer for 30-45 minutes until completely cooked and tender. Stir occasionally.
- Blend with immersion blender until smooth or transfer soup to blender and purée until smooth.
- Evenly divide soup into 6 bowls and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of pepitas.
Pumpkin Bars
Serves 6
Ingredients:
CRUST
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 1/2 of a 14-ounce box)
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
PUMPKIN FILLING
- 2 large eggs
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
FOR CRUST
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Spray 9 inch x 13 inch bottom and sides of baking dish with cooking spray. Line bottom of sprayed baking dish with parchment paper that comes up 1 to 2 inches on 2 sides – so you can easily lift out Pumpkin Bars once cooled. Lightly spray parchment paper with cooking spray.
- Pulse graham crackers in blender until finely chopped crumbs.
- Mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar in medium bowl until completely combined.
- Firmly press crust mixture evenly onto bottom of baking dish.
- Bake 10 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes.
FOR PUMPKIN FILLING
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Whisk eggs, pumpkin purée, and evaporated milk together in large bowl.
- Mix remaining dry ingredients together in small bowl, making sure to break up any lumps in the spices.
- Add dry sugar mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine.
- Pour filling into baked graham cracker crust, tilting the pan slightly to evenly distribute over the crust.
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is set when you gently shake the pan.
- Cool completely in refrigerator. Once cooled, carefully lift Pumpkin Bars out of baking dish using exposed parchment paper and place on large cutting board. Cut into bars.
photos: Disney Parks Blog
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