Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: pumpkin

  • Vegan Pumpkin Apple Pie

    Vegan Pumpkin Apple Pie

    Pumpkin and apple pie are both Thanksgiving essentials as far as I’m concerned. My Grandma always served both, along with pecan pie and when I was little I would always have a little slice of each. This year I made some pecan baklava for thanksgiving but I also wanted to have pumpkin and apple pie, so I made a Vegan Pumpkin Apple Pie last weekend and it turned out so delicious!

    I made a home made pie crust, then I made some apple pie filling with cinnamon and vanilla I cooked on the stove and poured that over the crust for the first layer.

    For the second layer I made an easy vegan pumpkin pie filling that is made rich with coconut cream, and flavored with warming pumpkin pie spices and vanilla. It’s really easy to make you just blend it in a blender, pour it over the crust and bake!

    It smelled amazing while baking! Once it cooled down, I topped it off with vegan whipped cream before serving! It is so heavenly! The perfect dessert to include with your Thanksgiving spread! If you love pie, definitely give this Vegan Pumpkin Apple Pie a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Apple Pie

    Makes one 9 inch pie

    Crust:

    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegan butter
    • about 3-6 Tbsp cold water

    Apples:

    • 3 medium tart sweet apples, diced
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    • pinch sea salt
    • juice of one lemon

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup coconut cream
    • 2 tsp vegan butter, melted
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

     

    For Serving:

    • vegan whipped cream

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 9 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer it to an 8 inch pie dish.  Flute the edges, and set aside in the refrigerator.
    2. Pre-heat the oven to 375F degrees.
    3. To make the apples, place them in a sautee pan over medium heat with all of the other ingredients, cover with a lid, and cook until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
    4. To make the pumpkin filling, place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
    5. To assemble the pie, scatter the apples over the crust, then pour the filling over that.
    6. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about  40-45 min. until the edges of the crust are lightly brown, and pie is set.  Allow to cool completely.
    7. Serve with vegan whipped cream if desired.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

    As soon as September hits, I am all about the pumpkin goodies!  I love fall and all of it’s delicious treats, it is my favorite season!  So last weekend I decided to make some Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!  Because they just sounded so good!  There is nothing like a nice soft cinnamon scented roll with sweet frosting, especially when you add pumpkin and some more warming spices into the mix!

    I modified the classic cinnamon roll recipe I normally make and added canned pumpkin puree along with all of the wet ingredients, as well as the spices you would find in pumpkin pie like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.  I also added a little bit of maple extract along with the vanilla because it makes things with spices extra good!  For the flour, I used organic whole wheat pastry flour, but you could use regular all purpose flour if you preferred.

    For the cinnamon swirl I used a mixture of maple syrup and sugar, plus the warming pumpkin pie spices along with the usual cinnamon.  It smelled so good, and I knew it would be delicious in these rolls!  I actually made the dough for these, panned them up, covered them and refrigerated them overnight (letting them come to room temperature for an hour before baking).  This is a good option if you want them in the morning but don’t want to go through the whole process in one day and it is something I do often when I make them.

    They smelled amazing while baking, the sweet aroma of pumpkin spices and vanilla filling my home!  They needed a delicious frosting, so I went with a vanilla buttercream and it was perfect!  These rolls turned out so heavenly!  Soft and fluffy with just the right amount of pumpkin spices, the luscious vanilla frosting the perfect topping for them!  These are so wonderful with a cup of coffee for a mid morning treat!  If you are in the mood for all things pumpkin like I am, definitely make some of these Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/4 oz active dry yeast
    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 1/2 cup warm coconut milk (I warmed it up on the stove)
    • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 3 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or as needed

     

    Filling:

    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar or brown sugar plus more for sprinkling
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 cup vegan butter, I used Earth Balance (at room temperature)
    • 1 Tbsp plant based milk (I used Oatly oat milk, but you can use what you prefer), add 1 more Tbsp if needed if frosting comes out too stiff
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the dough, combine the yeast and the warm water plus a pinch of maple sugar and stir to dissolve. Let sit 5-10 minutes until it starts to foam.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, pumpkin, maple sugar, maple extract, salt and flax mixture and mix together to combine.
    3. Add the yeast, spices and 2 cups of flour and mix to combine.
    4. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and mix until you have a smooth dough (you may need to use your hands at the end to mix it in).
    5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and supple. If it is too sticky add a little more flour but you want to add as little as possible because if you add too much the dough gets tough.
    6. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
    7. When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
    8. Mix together the maple syrup, maple sugar and spices and spread it evenly over the dough.  Sprinkle with another Tbsp sugar.
    9. Roll it up, then cut the roll into 12 pieces.
    10. Oil an 8×8 inch square baking pan, and place them in the pan.
    11. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
    12. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    13. When the rolls have risen for 45 minutes, place them in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes until starting to brown and cooked through.
    14. Remove from the oven and let cool.
    15. To make the frosting, beat the butter with the milk and vanilla until fluffy.
    16. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, and beat until completely mixed and light and fluffy (if the frosting is too stiff add that other Tbsp of milk).
    17. Spread the frosting over the rolls and serve!

    These keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

  • Vegan Maple Date Pumpkin Cakes

    Vegan Maple Date Pumpkin Cakes

    I am all about enjoying the pumpkin baked goods lately. It is something I look forward to every year, pumpkin spices and pumpkin treats rolling back around! Last weekend I was in the mood for some pumpkin cake, but I didn’t want to make a giant one, or one I had to frost, so what I decided to make were some individual Vegan Pumpkin Maple Date Cakes! They turned out so good I had to share the recipe with you all!
    I used a pumpkin cake recipe that I normally use for layer cakes. I used plenty of pumpkin spices and vanilla, this is an aromatic wonderful smelling cake! For the flour I used a whole wheat pastry flour because it’s what I have on hand, but if you wanted to use regular all purpose flour or even a gluten free all purpose baking flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour which I’ve used with success) for a gluten free version you could use those instead.
    I used plenty of dates in this cake because I love their caramelly gooey goodness and they are so good in baked goods. I consider them Nature’s caramel!  They are like little pockets of sweet goodness in cakes.  These smelled so delicious while baking!  I could not wait to try them!  I served them warm with some of my home made vegan ice cream and a quick maple pecan sauce!
    These cakes are completely crave worthy and heavenly!  They are sweet and aromatic with pumpkin, soft in texture with gooey caramelly dates throughout, and the sweet pecan maple sauce and rich ice cream are the perfect partners for them!  If you are in the mood for something delicious and pumpkin flavored, definitely give these Vegan Maple Date Pumpkin Cakes a try!
    Vegan Maple Date Pumpkin Cakes
    Makes 4
    Cake:
    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour (or regular AP flour)
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp pureed pumpkin or squash
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp plant based milk
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup chopped soft, pitted medjool dates
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup (or a little more if needed)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • vegan ice cream for serving

     

    Instructions:
    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil 4 8 oz ramakins with nonstick spray.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk pumpkin, oil, maple extract, vanilla extract, and milk together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined.
    4. Fold in chocolate dates.
    5. Transfer cake batter to prepared ramakins and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven.
    6. Whisk together the pecan butter, vanilla and maple syrup.  You want it a pour-able but still thick consistency.  If it is too thick (since nut butters vary in consistency), add a little more maple syrup.
    7. Cool for 15 min before serving, serve warm with vegan ice cream, drizzled with the maple sauce.

     

    Store any leftover cakes in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a covered container.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Fall is in full swing, the trees are so beautiful with all of their warm colors and dropping their leaves like confetti and I am all about the pumpkin treats right now!  Last weekend I decided I needed to make a pumpkin dessert, and I was craving chocolate chip cookies, so I thought I would make some Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!  Why not make chocolate chip cookies with the warming flavors of fall!

    For these cookies, I used my usual chocolate chip cookie dough base, but instead of the apple sauce I added pumpkin since the consistency is similar and I have done this before with good results.  I added my own blend of pumpkin pie spices, which is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.  It is so warming and delicious in all my desserts!  Instead of white sugar in these cookies, I decided to use brown, since I love it with pumpkin and it has more of a caramelly flavor.

    I used whole wheat pastry flour in these because it is what I have on hand and prefer to use, but you could also use regular all purpose flour or even a gluten free all purpose baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour, which I have used before and it works well) if you would like to make these gluten free.  The dough for these was so delicious!  Cookie dough is honestly one of my favorite parts to baking cookies, almost as much as the warm ones fresh from the oven.

    These smelled amazing while baking!  I could not wait to try one!  They were super delicious with warming pumpkin spices, a soft chewy texture and the rich dark chocolate chips!  They are so wonderful while still warm from the oven!  If you are in the mood for a pumpkin treat, definitely give these Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies a try!

     

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree at room temperature
    • 1 tsp vanilla bean powder or pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour (for a lighter colored cookie)
    • 1 cup chopped dark chocolate

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line two sheet pans with parchment.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, sugar, pumpkin and vanilla extract  until well blended.
    3. Mix in the spices, salt, baking soda and baking powder then the flour until smooth.
    4. Stir in the chocolate chunks until they are evenly distributed.
    5. Form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on the cookie trays about 2 inches apart.
    6. Press the dough balls down slightly.
    7. Place the pans in the oven and bake for about 7 minutes, then rotate them and bake another 7 or so until the cookies are done and lightly brown at the edges.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars

    I have been making pumpkin goodies for the last several months, and guess what?  I am not sick of them yet!  I wait all year for all things pumpkin so I enjoy them all during the fall and winter while I can!  Last week for Thanksgiving I decided to make some Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars instead of a pumpkin pie because I thought it would be easier to share and store.  And they were! Plus sometimes when you have just eaten a large meal, a bar is the perfect size, or if you have more than one dessert like I did.

    These bars pack all of the goodness of pumpkin pie, but are a little easier to make!  When I make bars of any kind I like to line my square pans first with parchment for easy bar removal (just lift out onto a cutting board and cut). I always do this after seeing Martha Stewart do it once and how easy it makes it.  For this crust, I made a brown sugar shortbread that is really simple to make, just mix together with your hands, and press into the pan.  Or, if you preferred you could add the ingredients to a food processor, pulse them together and you would have the same affect.  I just didn’t want to dirty extra dishes so I used the old fashioned method.  I find myself doing this a lot.  I do own things like a stand mixer but often mix by hand because of convenience. This crust smelled so amazing while baking, Eric came out of the other room to ask what smelled so good and if he could have some. I told him it was just the first half of the deliciousness just wait for the filling!

    I used my pumpkin pie filling for these and it worked out perfect!  It is spiced just enough with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves plus a hint of vanilla.  It has some full fat coconut milk for richness and I sweeten it with maple syrup. It is so delicious and also smells amazing while baking!  Once these bars were baked and cooled, I topped them off with a little vegan whipped cream.  I got the vegan whipped cream from Aldi, it comes in a can, and I prefer the almond because I find that it lasts longer, but they also have coconut.  It was the perfect addition to these pumpkin bars!  The bars themselves tasted like mini bites of delicious pumpkin pie with just the right amount of spices and sweetness with a rich buttery crust!  If you need some pumpkin pie in your life, definitely give these Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars

    Makes 16

    Crust:

    • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/3 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup vegan butter

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic cooked pumpkin (canned is ok too), packed
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk (the thick part)
    • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

    For Serving:

    • vegan whipped cream (I used almond whipped cream from Aldi)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a 9×9 inch square pan with parchment
    2. In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, sea salt and vegan butter and mix together, squeezing with your hands until it becomes a cohesive dough.  Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. Place in the oven and bake crust for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the filling, in a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, sea salt, cornstarch and agar powder until completely smooth (Or you can place in a food processor and blend until smooth).
    5. Pour over the crust and smooth out.
    6. Place back in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until lightly brown at the edges and set in the center.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
    8. Serve with vegan whipped cream piped or dalloped onto each bar.

     

  • Vegan Marbled Pumpkin Layer Cake

    Vegan Marbled Pumpkin Layer Cake

    We are getting into the final part of fall where the colors are starting to fade and it is getting more chilly.  So I am soaking up every last sunny day before it is completely brown outside and the leaves are gone, enjoying running through the crunchy leaves (one of my favorite parts of fall).  You know what the perfect thing to do after being outside on a chilly day is though?  Baking something delicious in a warm kitchen.  So I decided to bake a cake!  I am not sick of pumpkin yet (I don’t think I could ever be) so it was a pumpkin cake.  One of my favorite cake flavors is marble cake, so I thought why not make one in honor of Fall, a Vegan Marbled Pumpkin Layer Cake!
    I was super excited about this cake, I have actually been wanting to make it for a few weeks now!  For the base, I used another one of my pumpkin cakes that always comes out just right.  I used whole wheat pastry flour for the flour but if you would rather use AP flour if that is what you have on hand you can use that also.  If a gluten free cake is what you need, you can use a gluten free all purpose flour such as Bob’s Red Mill all purpose baking flour. I can recommend this brand in cakes because I have used it before with good results. I sweetened the cake with brown sugar this time because it goes well with pumpkin and spices.  Speaking of spices, the combo of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves is so aromatic and delicious in this cake, along with the vanilla!
    I added cacao powder to half of the cake batter to create a chocolate batter for the marble to swirl with the regular pumpkin batter.  While the cakes were baking they smelled so heavenly and delicious!  The delicious cake deserved a delicious frosting!  I went with a simple vanilla buttercream this time and it was perfect!  I used Earth Balance for my butter, as I have good results with this brand.
    I could not wait to taste the finished cake!  When I did it was so heavenly!  Like the perfect autumn birthday cake, because marble cake was what I always chose as a kid for birthdays.  Sweet, lightly spiced pumpkin cake swirled with rich chocolate cake, the sweet vanilla frosting the perfect thing to top it off with!  I am just gonna say I did not share most of this cake.  If you are in the baking mood, definitely give this Vegan Marbled Pumpkin Layer Cake a try!
    Vegan Marbled Pumpkin Layer Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake
    2 6 inch cake pans
    Cake:
    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour (or regular AP flour)
    • 1 cup brown sugar or maple sugar
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp oat milk (I used Oatly, but you can use what you prefer) or other plant based milk
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/2 cups vegan butter, I used Earth Balance (at room temperature)
    • 2 Tbsp plant based milk (I used Oatly oat milk, but you can use what you prefer), add 1 more Tbsp if needed if frosting comes out too stiff
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 4 cups powdered sugar

     

    Instructions:
    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides with nonstick spray.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk pumpkin, oil, vanilla extract, and milk together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined.
    4. Divide batter between 2 bowls, and whisk the cocoa powder into one of them until blended.
    5. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
    6. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pans to loosen. Turn cakes out onto two plates; peel off parchment paper.
    7. To make the frosting, beat the butter with the milk and vanilla until fluffy.
    8. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, and beat until completely mixed and light and fluffy (if the frosting is too stiff add that other Tbsp of milk).
    9. When ready to frost, Place one cake layer on a plate, spread about 1/2 inch thick layer of the frosting over it.
    10. Place the next cake layer on top.
    11. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake evenly, then place the rest of the frosting in a pastry bag and use it to decorate the top (you can tint it with food coloring first if you like).  This frosting recipe makes enough that you should be able to do some generous piping decorations on top, because I like a lot of frosting!
    12. Serve the cake and enjoy!

    Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a covered container.

  • Warm Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cakes

    Warm Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cakes

    I love a good pumpkin cake, whether it be a layer cake a loaf cake or cupcakes!  There is just something so quintessentially fall about it and enjoying baking it in your kitchen while relaxing on a crisp cool day! I was craving some pumpkin cake last weekend and I wanted something simple so I decided on some individual pumpkin cakes!  Why not have your own cute little dessert after all?  I love that!  So I made Warm Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cakes! These came together quick and easy!
    I like complicated cakes sometimes, but when I just feel like relaxing little mug cakes or ramakin cakes are perfect!  These could totally be baked in mugs but I just used ramakins this time.  I started off with a simple cake batter with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices for flavor plus a bit of vanilla and maple.  I used brown sugar this time, but you could use maple sugar or coconut sugar to get the same caramelly flavor if you would rather use those.
    For the flour I used whole wheat pastry but if you only had all purpose flour on hand that would work as well.  Or if you wanted to make these gluten free, a baking blend of gluten free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose baking flour would work too.  I have used this particular flour in cakes with success which is why I recommend it.  I used avocado oil in these cakes to give them a little richness, I enjoy it in baked goods because it has a sort of buttery flavor.  If  you wanted to use a different oil, you could use melted coconut oil as well if you have that on hand.
    These smelled so heavenly while baking!  My kitchen filled with the heavenly aroma of sweet pumpkin spice!  The whole point of making these was to enjoy them quickly while still warm while the chocolate chips were still gooey.  These were so heavenly!  Sweet and soft with aromatic spices and vanilla, rich with gooey chocolate and perfect paired with the cinnamon ice cream I served on top of them!  If you are into all things pumpkin like me, definitely give these Warm Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cakes a try this fall!
    Warm Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cakes
    Makes 4
    Cake:
    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour (or regular AP flour)
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp pureed pumpkin or squash
    • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp plant based milk
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
    • vegan ice cream for serving

     

    Instructions:
    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil 4 8 oz ramakins with nonstick spray.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk pumpkin, oil, maple extract, vanilla extract, and milk together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined.
    4. Fold in chocolate chips.
    5. Transfer cake batter to prepared ramakins and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
    6. Cool for 15 min before serving, serve warm with ice cream.

     

    Store any leftover cakes in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a covered container.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Maple Date Granola

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Date Granola

    You can feel fall in the air even if it is not technically fall yet.  The overly hot days are gone, replaced with cool mornings and moderate temperatures. I love it though!  This is my favorite time of year and running outside on a cool morning is refreshing!  I have also gotten into baking fall goodies involving things like pumpkin and apples!  Like this Vegan Pumpkin Maple Date Granola I recently made since I had a can of pumpkin open from another recipe.  Eric and I love home made granola!

    This granola is easy to make, just mix and bake and it happens to be oil free since I use nut butter in place of the oil.  I used almond butter this time because it was what I had on hand but I think pecan butter would be lovely as well.  I make my own nut butters in the vitamix so the type I have varies sometimes.  I made a sort of batter with canned pumpkin, the nut butter, pumpkin pie spices maple syrup, vanilla, maple extract and sea salt (salt is very important in granola since you get the salty sweet combo that way) and tossed it with the granola and it was perfect once baked up!

    For the add ins on this I used pecans, almonds, coconut and dates.  The dates provide a chewy caramely element, and the coconut provides sweetness.  If you wanted to switch up the combo of nuts I think pumpkin seeds or walnuts would also be good!  I used thick rolled oats for this, but you could also use old fashioned.  I just use what I have on hand usually because who wants to make an extra trip to the store?

    This smelled amazing while baking!  I could not wait to try it!  And once I did it was pretty darn addicting, I could not stop snacking on it while it was cooling!  It was satisfyingly crunchy, salty and sweet, scented with maple pumpkin spices and vanilla and the bits of chewy dates were awesome!  If you are craving a crunchy snack, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Date Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 1/4 cups raw pecans
    • 1 1/4 cups raw almonds
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract
    • 1 1/2 cups soft, pitted medjool dates, cut into pieces

     

    Instructions:

    1. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F and set rack at the medium position.
    3. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, and coconut, and set aside.
    4. In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin, maple syrup, nut butter, spices, sea salt, vanilla and maple extracts until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended.
    5. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly.
    6. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
    7. Stir in dates and enjoy!

     

    Keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, or 6 months in the freezer.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

    It has been darn near perfect outside here for the past few days, so I have been spending a lot of time out there enjoying the beautiful leaves, sunshine and cooler temps, but when I get back home I am definitely craving some fall treats! So, I decided to bake some cookies last weekend!  Snickerdoodle cookies are delicious, and so is pumpkin spice, so I thought I would combine the two for a delicious seasonal treat and make Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookies!  I thought they would be perfect for enjoying with my coffee for a mid morning treat.  On the weekends, I look forward to relaxing and enjoying a cup with something sweet.  It is always nice to not be in a rush and just enjoy your day in the moment. Or of course after a hike is a good time for cookies too which is what inspired them in the first place!

    These are actually pretty easy to make, and not fussy.  I used a snickerdoodle cookie base that I have made in the past, and swapped out the apple sauce (the other ones had apple sauce to make the texture just right) for pumpkin and they turned out perfect!  I already had a can of pumpkin open, I feel like I always do this time of year because a recipe rarely calls for the whole can, so it was the perfect way to use some up!

    These contain coconut oil to make them rich and melt in your mouth and I like to use either maple sugar or brown sugar in them for the caramel like flavor those two sugars give baked goods.  I added a little vanilla like in classic snickerdoodles, but then I also added pumpkin pie spices to give them that fall vibe and the dough was perfect!  I sampled it and it was even delicious before it was baked.  Cookie dough is one of my favorite things ever and one of the reasons I love making cookies!

    I rolled them in cinnamon sugar, and could not wait to try the finished product!  They smelled amazing while baking, I love the aroma of warming fall spices!  These were so good warm from the oven!  They  are soft and pillowy with a nice crunchy sugar crust on the outside and they are scented with pumpkin and vanilla!  If you are in the mood for all things pumpkin like me, definitely give these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

    Makes 16

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar or maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour (for a lighter colored cookie)
    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon for coating

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line two sheet pans with foil.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, sugar, pumpkin and vanilla extract until well blended.
    3. Mix in the salt, baking soda and baking powder, pumpkin pie spices then the flour until smooth.
    4. Place the cinnamon and sugar mixture in a bowl.
    5. Form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on the cookie trays about 2 inches apart.
    6. Press the dough balls down slightly and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.
    7. Place the pans in the oven and bake for about 7 minutes, then rotate them and bake another 7 or so until the cookies are done and lightly brown at the edges.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before enjoying.

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread

     

    When I was little, my Grandma was an amazing baker!  Everything she made was so delicious and when I walked into her house and smelled something baking I knew I was in for a treat.  Or even better, when she let me help her make things!  One of my favorite things ever was her monkey bread or pull apart bread.  It was always so rich, gooey and delicious!  Especially when it was still warm and fresh from the oven, but of course I would eat it all day long even if it had cooled down.  I hadn’t really tried recreating a veganized version as an adult until now.  I have been telling myself I should make some for a while because it sounded really good, and I finally got around to it last weekend!  I decided to put a seasonal twist on it and make Vegan Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread! 

    She used refrigerated bread dough for hers usually but I am more of a DIY person when it comes to that stuff so I made my own.  Plus, where are you going to find pumpkin spice bread dough that you can buy?!  I find it kind of relaxing mixing and kneading dough anyhow, it is the perfect thing to do to de-stress.  Very satisfying because of the bread texture and how it feels.  And to think, back in the day I was intimidated my bread dough because of the yeast and rising time and whatnot.  It is really no big deal and if you don’t have as much time, you can buy rapid rise (in this recipe if you use that it takes about half as much time to rise).  And also, if you don’t think you have the time to make it all in one go, just prep this recipe and do the first rise and shaping (up to when the dough is in the balls in the pan and the syrup is poured over) and cover and refrigerate overnight.  Then the next day you take it out for one hour and bake it as specified in the recipe.  I actually do this a lot of times with cinnamon rolls.

    Anyways, back to the recipe.  I added pumpkin to my sweet roll dough as well as pumpkin spices to make it worthy of fall and super delicious and it was perfect!  It kneaded and shaped nicely, and after the dough was all made then came the fun part, cutting it up into many little balls and rolling them in cinnamon sugar then arranging them in a bundt pan.  I don’t think I have used my bundt pan in over 10 years but it got use with this recipe!  What makes this bread so delicious isn’t just the cinnamon sugar though, it gets a maple syrup and vegan butter “caramel” poured over it!

    I am telling you this smells so amazing while it bakes!  It is super delicious, the bread dough is soft and light and tender, lightly scented with pumpkin spice, and the cinnamon sugar creates a little bit of a coating on the outside, which is covered in a buttery gooey maple caramel that will make you swoon!  This is totally crave worthy and so good served warm with a cup of coffee!  If you want a really special weekend brunch treat, definitely make this Vegan Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread!

    Vegan Pumpkin Monkey Bread

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/4 oz active dry yeast
    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 1/2 cup warm coconut milk (I warmed it up on the stove)
    • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 3 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or as needed

     

    Caramel:

    • 1/2 cup vegan butter (1 stick, 0r 8 Tbsp)
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    For coating dough:

    •  3/4 cup maple sugar or brown sugar
    • 1 tsp cinnamon

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the dough, combine the yeast and the warm water plus a pinch of maple sugar and stir to dissolve. Let sit 5-10 minutes until it starts to foam.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, pumpkin, maple sugar, vanilla extract, salt and flax mixture and mix together to combine.
    3. Add the yeast, spices and 2 cups of flour and mix to combine.
    4. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and mix until you have a smooth dough (you may need to use your hands at the end to mix it in).
    5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and supple. If it is too sticky add a little more flour but you want to add as little as possible because if you add too much the dough gets tough.
    6. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
    7. Meanwhile to make the caramel, combine the butter, maple syrup and salt in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil (stir to combine while it is melting), then remove from heat and add vanilla.  Stir until incorporated, then set aside.
    8. When the dough is ready, mix cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl.  Turn the dough out onto the counter or a board and roll into a 2 inch rope.  Cut into 8 pieces then cut those into 8 more pieces.
    9. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar and place into an oiled 10 inch bundt pan.  Repeat until the balls are all in the pan, then drizzle the maple syrup mixture over them evenly, being sure to get the sides of the pan as well. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until the bread has doubled in size.
    10. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    11. When the bread has risen for 45 minutes, place it in the preheated oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes until starting to brown and cooked through.
    12. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes.  Then put a plate over the bundt pan (open end) and invert onto the plate carefully.
    13. Serve warm.

    These keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

  • Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

    Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

    I love a good pumpkin spice latte!  But it has to be one made with actual real pumpkin in it.  I am not a big fan of the ones that are just made with generic syrup by chain coffee shops.  My favorite pumpkin spice lattes come from local shops that make their own syrups that include pumpkin, and honestly I would enjoy one every day if I could but since my pocket book can’t really afford that I enjoy those on weekends and make my own at home if I want it the rest of the week.  I have come up with a Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup which is pretty darn delicious in drinks and it tastes just as good as the fancy ones I have had in coffee shops!

    To be completely honest it took me a couple of tries on this, because the first few were ok but not quite coffee shop quality flavor.  Like for instance I added too much pumpkin to one and it was too pumpkiny and not enough sweetness or spices.  I think some of the shops use a sugar syrup, but I used maple syrup in mine because I love that flavor with coffee and then you don’t have to make a separate syrup.  Maple lattes are one of my other favorite drink flavors also, so I thought why not combine it with pumpkin?!

    So for the base of this I came up with a ratio of 2 parts maple syrup to 1 part canned pumpkin.  That seems to be the magic ratio for deliciousness and balance.  If you do not have canned pumpkin but you do have canned butternut squash or sweet potato, those would be delicious in this as well!  I have had coffee drinks made at my favorite shops with both of those ingredients and they were awesome and very similar to pumpkin.  I also added in pumpkin pie spices of course, 1 1/2 tsp worth because that seems like the perfect amount to me, and vanilla extract.  I made a smaller batch of this syrup, because I know not everyone will use it every day (like I have been, I made it a couple times already in fact) but you are welcome to double this if you think you will use a lot.  This recipe yields enough for 12 lattes.

    There is nothing better than enjoying a warm pumpkin spice latte in your cozy clothes while relaxing!  And now you don’t even have to go anywhere to get one!  I feel like this one is the perfect balance of sweetness and aromatic pumpkin spice with the coffee. I hope you all have a wonderful fall and I hope you do try out this Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup!

    Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup

    Makes 3/4 cup of syrup (enough for 12 lattes)

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spices
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Whisk together all ingredients, and pour into a jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    For Latte:

    • 1/2 cup steamed oat milk or your favorite plant based milk
    • 1 Tbsp pumpkin spice latte syrup (recipe above) or a little more if you like things more sweet
    • 8 oz hot coffee

    Froth the steamed milk with the pumpkin spice syrup, then pour over the hot coffee in a large mug.  Enjoy!

     

     

     

  • 6 Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

    6 Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

    I am a little obsessed with pumpkins and all things fall right now.  I already have a bunch of pumpkin decor, mainly glass and ceramic ones, but I just bought another one, and then I also bought some cute mini pumpkins because I have been walking past them on display at work and they were calling to me!  I am also loving all things pumpkin flavored! I have been making pumpkin spice lattes at home, and I just decided to make a delicious 6 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream last week!  It is still warm here, we are not yet into the chilly fall weather, so it is the perfect time for some fall flavored ice cream to be made!

    This one is super simple to make!  It only has 6 ingredients, and if you used part of a can of pumpkin for something (which is what I did, when I made a pumpkin spice latte mix) you could use the rest for this!  I used a coconut milk base, because I find that it makes the creamiest ice cream and I always have some on hand in my pantry.  I also added some smooth almond butter to this, because I wanted it to be rich and creamy like the ice cream you get in shops!  If I am going to indulge, I like to indulge and have really good ice cream.  Which is why I hardly ever buy store bought, I can make good ice cream at home!

    To sweeten this ice cream, I used medjool dates.  Because I like to eat fruit sweetened stuff much of the time, and dates are about as natural as sweeteners come.  Plus they don’t add a bunch of excess moisture to the ice cream (moisture makes it more icy), and they have a lovely caramel brown sugar flavor that goes so well with pumpkin!  If you do not have a high speed blender, and you end up with little flecks of dates and you want a super smooth ice cream you can always strain the mixture.  But I find that my vitamix blends them up so you don’t even know they are there!  Lastly I flavored the ice cream with pumpkin spice mix (it contains ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves), and a touch of vanilla!

    This ice cream turned out so delicious!  It tastes like pumpkin pie, but more rich and creamy like a pumpkin frozen mousse!  It has just the right amount of spice and sweetness in my opinion.  If you are a pumpkin spice lover and obsessed with all things pumpkin like me right now, definitely give this 6 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream a try!  It is really good with apple crisp too!

    6 Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
    Makes about 3 ½ cups

    Ingredients:

    Ice Cream Base:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 3/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well before using)
    • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice mix
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

     

     

    Directions:

    1. To make the ice cream base, blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.  Pour into an ice cream machine, and process according to package directions.  Or, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour into a bowl, place in the freezer and stir every 30 minutes until the consistency of soft serve.
    2. Once the ice cream has finished churning, pour it into a freezer container with a lid, cover and place the ice cream in the freezer and allow it to freeze until firm enough to scoop, which takes at least 2 hours.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Pumpkin is my jam ever since fall started.  I make so many pumpkin cookies and scones at work lately and they always sell really fast so apparently  I am not the only one.  I have been making cookies, cakes, and pumpkin spice lattes at home, but what I I have really been craving lately that I haven’t gotten around to making yet is pumpkin cinnamon rolls.  I have seen a few in my news feed, and wanted to make some last week, but by the time I got home from work it was late and seemed like to lengthy of a process to let them rise and roll them out and whatnot, plus I didn’t have any yeast on hand (I thought I still had some), so it seemed like a losing battle to make them, but then I remembered that a while back I made a cinnamon roll cake, that was simple but still had all of the delicious flavor of cinnamon rolls, so I decided to make a pumpkin version, Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake!

    I love changing recipes with the seasons and putting a twist on them! I knew pumpkin spices would be perfect in a cinnamon roll cake (or cinnamon rolls), and I could not wait to whip this up!  For my batter, I based it off of my Cinnamon Roll Cake recipe, but added in plenty of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices instead of the usual cinnamon.  The batter was super delicious!  I always have to sample the batter, ever since I was a kid, it is tradition!  And one time it even saved my cake, because when I tasted it I realized that I had forgotten to add the sugar.  It would have been one disgusting cake if I didn’t taste it and add it in before pouring it into the pan.  Don’t worry I am not usually that spacey but we all have those days.   This batter was perfect, just the right amount of spices and it is easy to make.  The batter It happens to be oil free, because I use full fat coconut milk in it in place of the oil.

    For the swirl, which is essential to cinnamon rolls of course, I used a mixture of sugar, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spices, and spiraled it in the cake to give it a ribbon of sweet spiced goodness! I know cinnamon rolls don’t have a streusel topping, but I gave this one just that because I had put one on my other cinnamon roll cake, and this is sort of a mixture between a coffeecake and cinnamon roll.  Plus I think it is so lovely and so delicious!  I love the contrast of the crunch on the soft cake!  This smelled so amazing when I pulled it out of the oven I could not wait to try it!

    But of course I let it cool first so it could come out of the pan nicely.  I gave it a nice decorative drizzle on top, to make it more reminiscent of cinnamon rolls and it was perfect!  This pairs so well with coffee, it is soft, sweet, scented with pumpkin spices, has a nice sugary crunch on top and you may just have to go back for seconds, just sayin’.  If you have some leftover canned pumpkin this is the perfect use for it!  Maybe I will get around to making real cinnamon rolls soon, but this cake is darn delicious and maybe even better than the rolls, so definitely give it a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Ingredients:

    one 6 inch cake pan

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar
    • 1/2 cup full fat coconut cream (the thick kind, from the top of the can) at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spices
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Swirl:

    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup at room temperature
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spices

     

    Topping:

    • 1/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spices
    • 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Drizzle:

    • 1 Tbsp coconut butter
    • 1 tsp maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp filtered water, or as needed

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil a 6 inch round baking pan and line it with parchment at the bottom so it will not stick.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Whisk coconut milk and vanilla extract together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended.
    5. Whisk the cider vinegar into the batter.
    6. Mix together swirl ingredients in a small bowl.
    7. Transfer half the cake batter to prepared pan then place the swirl mixture in a ziplock bag with the corner cut off and pipe it into a swirl from the center out.  Pour the rest of the cake batter over it, then do the same with more of the swirl. marble the swirls with a knife.
    8. Mix together the streusel ingredients in a bowl with your hands until it starts to clump together, then sprinkle over the cake.
    9. Place in the oven, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes.
    10. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, then un-mold, by cutting around the edges if they are stuck at all, then putting  plate over the top, then flipping it onto that plate then placing a plate on the bottom and flipping it upright onto that plate.
    11. Whisk together the coconut butter, maple syrup and water until smooth (adding a little more water if it is too thick to drizzle).
    12. Drizzle the coconut butter mixture over the cake, and serve!

    Cake keeps stored in a container on the counter for up to 1 week, or can be frozen for up to 4 months.

    Notes:

    If you would rather use coconut sugar or even just granulated sugar for this, either will work in place of the maple sugar.

    If you would like to make a 9 inch round cake, double the entire recipe, and bake it in a 9 inch round pan, increasing the baking time to 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven).

    This cake can be made gluten free by swapping out the whole wheat pastry flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour (this is a brand I have used before and have tested it in cakes with great results).

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake

    Everyone is obsessed with pumpkin spice lattes this time of the year, and I am not surprised, since I am a big anything pumpkin lover myself.  And, I admit that I buy them from local coffee shops.  But they have to be good ones made with real pumpkin and spices not just fake flavoring.  We have some shops that make some really good ones around here, like Bootstrap Coffee Co. Their drinks are amazing, and they make really good oatmilk lattes!  You know what also goes really well with a good pumpkin spice latte?  A sweet treat to enjoy it with, like this Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake!  It has all of the flavors of a pumpkin spice latte but in cake form.  I had made a similar cake like this before and posted it on here, but I thought it was time for a new and improved version, so here you go!  If I make improvements on a recipe I like to post the new one, so you get the best results.
    For the Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake layers, I used plenty of pumpkin (the canned variety to make it more simple and easy since I don’t always want to roast a pumpkin and puree it), and my spices that I always use in my pumpkin pie, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.  I wanted to cake layers to remain moist and soft even when refrigerated so I chose avocado oil in place of the coconut oil this time and the texture was perfect!  Not only that, the pumpkin and spices were allowed to shine, and the bit of coffee I used in the liquid portion of the batter gave it just the right amount of coffee flavor.  I used maple sugar to sweeten it because I love the flavor with fall desserts and it gives it a caramelly flavor.
    A few notes on this recipe, I often times make oil free and fruit sweetened cakes, and if you came here looking for one of those, then check out my Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. It is oil free and fruit sweetened and one of my other favorite fall cakes.  Also perfect if you are not a coffee person.  For the frosting portion of this cake, it is important that you use a coconut milk that has most of the can being thick cream, like Thai Kitchen brand (their coconut cream in a can works as well if you happen to have that).  If you do not use a thick brand of coconut milk this recipe will not work and you will end up with runny frosting which is no fun for anyone.  I cannot stress this enough and I would hate to have your cake not turn out. If you are looking for a more traditional frosting for this that is not coconut milk based and less fussy, I can recommend this frosting recipe which is more of a buttercream. This recipe is not gluten free but if you would like to make it gluten free, you can use a gluten free flour like Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour subbed 1:1 for the whole wheat pastry. I have used this brand in my cakes and know it works well (I am not sure about other brands as I have not tried them but if you have another brand that you know works well in cakes go for it).
    Back to the fun stuff though, this cake smells so heavenly while baking, it makes me so happy!  Once I had this cake all assembled and it was ready to eat I could not wait to try it!  This cake was sooo good! I have a weekend tradition of enjoying dessert with my coffee, so Eric and I brought some along to our coffee date last weekend and did just that.  This cake is most, sweet and lightly spiced with a hint of coffee and creamy frosting scented with vanilla and coffee!  If you are a pumpkin spice latte fan, definitely give this a try!
    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake
    2 6 inch cake pans
    Cake:
    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour (or regular AP flour)
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin or squash
    • 1/4 cup avocado oil
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp maple extract
    • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp strong brewed espresso coffee
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk or coconut cream, chilled (use the kind that has at least 3/4 of the can thick cream like Thai Kitchen brand or this recipe will not work and frosting will be runny)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp strong brewed espresso
    • 1/4  tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 3/4 cups coconut butter (not oil), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:
    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides with nonstick spray.
    3. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk pumpkin, oil, maple extract, vanilla extract, and coffee together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined.
    4. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
    5. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pans to loosen. Turn cakes out onto two plates; peel off parchment paper.
    6. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients but the coconut butter, in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  With the motor running, add the coconut butter and process a minute more (if it starts to get lumpy at all during the process it is just the fat separating because it is 2 different temperatures.  Just continue to blend until it is smooth, and it will get warm so it will just have to chill longer). Pour the frosting into a bowl and let sit in the freezer until the consistency of whipped cream, whisking every 15 minutes (this may take anywhere from 15 minutes to hour to an hour depending on how warm it has gotten and which appliance you used).
    7. When ready to frost, place one cake layer on a plate. spread frosting about 1/2 inch thick over the first layer, then top with the second. Spread remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake. Decorate the top with coffee beans, and pipe remaining frosting onto it if desired.

     

    Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a covered container.

     



  • Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

    Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

    This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own

    I have been craving pumpkin cheesecake lately since we are in the middle of pumpkin season, but I also thought brownies sounded good.  So I thought, why not combine them for a fall treat?!  I had some Dastony raw cashew butter and coconut butter that Raw Guru recently sent me, two key cheesecake components. So it was the perfect time to make them! It has been a little more chilly here, which comes as a shock even though it will be snow and cold here in a few months…but that makes it the perfect time of the year for baking experiments!

    I am always on a quest for the perfect brownies.  They are all good of course, but they have to be fudgy in order for me to really be in love with them.  I am not a cakey brownie person, they should be just the right amount of fudgy as well.  Not super heavy, just the right amount.  My Mom used to make pretty good brownies when I was a kid, but they were boxed…so that disqualifies them.  These turned out perfect though!  I used flax eggs in place of the eggs, and avocado oil in place of the butter in regular brownies and the texture was just what I was looking for.

    For the cheesecake part, I used the Dastony raw cashew butter and coconut butter from Raw Guru and they did the trick!  They tasted like non-vegan cheesecake brownies with the pumpkin pie spices and pumpkin added of course!  These are crave worthy.

    They were rich with chocolate flavor and fudgy yet creamy thanks to the cheesecake swirl, which tasted like a mixture of pumpkin pie and cheesecake!  Trust me, you need to make some on a chilly fall day just so you can experience the joy that they bring to your kitchen and your taste buds!  If you would like some Dastony raw cashew butter or Dastony coconut butter for yourself, check them out on the Raw Guru website!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

    Makes 16

    Cheesecake swirl:

     

    Brownies:

    • 1/2 cup avocado oil or olive oil
    • 3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
    • 1 cup maple sugar
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the swirl, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.
    2. To make the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees. Whisk together the sugar, oil and pumpkin until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down.  Add the flax mixture vanilla and beat until smooth.
    3. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth.  Scrape the batter into a greased 8×8 inch pan, then drop the swirl over it, and swirl it with a knife.
    4. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).  Let cool before cutting into bars.

     



  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

    For Thanksgiving, part of the tradition at my house is to always have some fabulous desserts. Pumpkin pie is traditional, but sometimes I like to switch it up a little bit with the pumpkin desserts.  I made some pumpkin creme caramel before and pumpkin cakes, and this year I decided that a vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake would be amazing!  Cheesecake happens to be one of my all time favorite desserts after all, so why not combine it with the classic Thanksgiving dessert!

    I have had pumpkin cheesecake before, but it was less pumpkiny and more just cheesecake flavored.  Which there is nothing wrong with, but I really wanted this one to taste like creamy pumpkin pie.  So, there would be plenty of pumpkin and spices in it!  For the crust, usually for my no bake cheesecakes, I use a no bake oat crust, but this time I decided to make a pie crust style one.  Just to kind of go with the pumpkin pie theme.  It was hard to stop sampling!

    Once the cheesecake was all set up, I topped it off with a coconut cream.  I piped mine on, but you could just spread it on if you wanted and it would be just as good! This cheesecake was sooo good!  It tasted like pumpkin pie but in cheesecake form, and the amount of aromatic spices was perfect!  The crust was nice and buttery and crunchy which I loved with the cheesecake as well!  If you are looking for a delicious dessert to make for Thanksgiving consider this cheesecake!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

    Makes 1 6 inch cheesecake

    Ingredients:

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 2 Tbsp tapioca flour (or cornstarch would work as well)
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar
    • pinch tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)

     

    Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat coconut cream (I used the thick part of a can of Thai Kitchen organic full fat coconut milk*)
    • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt (or to taste
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter

     

    Topping:

    • 1 1/4 cups canned full fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (not coconut oil), warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    2. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, tapioca flour,  sugar, and sea salt. Mix in butter and stir (or use your hands and knead) until a smooth dough is created. Press into the bottom of a 6 inch round spring form pan.
    3. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until just starting to brown and set.  Remove from the oven, and let cool completely.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    5. Pour the filling over the prepared crust and smooth the top.
    6. Place cheesecake in the freezer until it is set for about 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator if you are not in a hurry).
    7. Remove from the freezer, and set in the refrigerator while you make the topping.
    8. To make the topping, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten).
    9. Pipe or spread the topping over the cake.
    10. un-mold and enjoy!  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

     

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick cream or it will not work in this recipe.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

    I love a good pumpkin pie.  It is the essential fall dessert, and is actually somewhat healthy compared to many other pies (not that I always care, but I like to get my veggies in sometimes with dessert).  I make it in some form every year whether it be mini ones, or a fancy larger one, maybe with a pecan or apple layer on the bottom. But sometimes I just want a smaller serving of it just for myself for a few days (the mini pies make a lot of servings so those don’t quite count).  Which is where pumpkin pie in a mug comes in!  I had made one about 10 years ago that was really good, but it wasn’t vegan and I have been telling myself ever since that I need to veganize it.

    Well, I finally got around to it this year. I wanted to make something pumpkin pie that was simple and quick with not a lot of servings so I went for it, and it turned out really good!  A good pumpkin pie has to have good texture as far as I am concerned.  I have had a few that seemed overcooked and mealy in texture and I was not a fan.  So I make mine with ingredients that when blended together come out silky smooth like custard.  Which is technically what pumpkin pie filling is. For my filling I use a mixture of organic pumpkin puree (canned is fine too), coconut milk, a little coconut butter and maple syrup with just a bit of maple syrup to sweeten it.  It comes out much nicer than the pie filling I used to make that had eggs and dairy.

    The filling also had to have just the right amount of spices.  I don’t care for pies that have way too much spice so you can’t taste the flavor of the pumpkin, or ones that don’t have enough so it tastes somewhat bland. I feel like I achieved the perfect balance here, and added just the right amount of maple syrup so the sweetness is nice and balanced too.  Plus the maple goes so well with the spices.  I feel like also, because I don’t use any granulated sugar here it helps the pie come out smoother as well.

    I poured the filling into little mugs, it made 3 which is perfect because I could share one and keep 2 for myself!  They baked up beautifully and made my kitchen smell amazing.  The only bad thing about it is you can’t enjoy it until it cools down.  But I got to enjoy some after work which was a win!  I topped it with a little coconut cream and it was perfect!  I really didn’t miss the crust because the filling is my favorite part anyhow.  If you are the same way, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Mug

    Makes 3 8 oz pies

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic cooked pumpkin (canned is ok too), packed
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk
    • 2 tsp coconut butter
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
    2. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    3. Pour into 3 1 cup mugs or ramekins, and place in the oven.
    4. Bake until set, about 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool.
    5. Top with coconut whipped cream, and enjoy!
  • Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll

    Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll

    October is over and I hadn’t baked any pumpkin cake yet this year! I made other pumpkin things like pumpkin bars and cookies but no cake, my favorite thing!  It has been a bit busy this Fall, more busy than normal it seems for me.  But it is being busy with all good things like getting engaged (and starting the wedding planning process), doing activities with family and friends and working more so it is ok.  But I haven’t had as much time to bake. So I was thankful I had time this week to make my pumpkin cake!  I was going to make a classic one with cream cheese frosting but decided instead on a chocolate pumpkin cake.

    Because I am in a chocolate mood lately.  I think it is because I am enjoying some of my home made chocolate Halloween candy and it just made me want more. Plus nothing beats a rich chocolate cake!  I like pumpkin spice mocha lattes so I figured a chocolate pumpkin cake would be just as fabulous!

    For the base of this roll cake I use a batter made with dates to sweeten it.  Why dates?  They help keep the cake nice and moist along with the pumpkin so it is much easier to roll plus give it an almost brown sugar caramel like flavor.  Nothing is worse than a roll cake breaking so I try to make mine more roll-able.  If you are not a date fan, don’t worry, you can’t really taste them in this.  I personally love them though, I think they taste like nature’s candy!

    To fill the cake, I made a pumpkin cream filling with pumpkin spice and it was heavenly! So lovely with the chocolate cake on the outside!  Lastly I topped the cake off with a rich chocolate ganache.  I could not wait to try the finished masterpiece. It was sooo good!  The cake was soft and sweet and paired perfectly with the lightly spiced pumpkin cream and dark chocolate ganache! If you are a chocolate cake fan, definitely give this a try this pumpkin season!

    Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake Roll
    Makes one 15 inch long rolled cake, serves 8-10

    Ingredients:

    15×10 inch jelly roll pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    Ganache:

    • 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
    • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
    3. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    4. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    6. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    7. Cool cake completely.
    8. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before frosting.
    10. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut milk until smooth.  Pour over the cake and smooth out over the top and sides (but leaving the pretty ends exposed).
    11. Chill until the ganache has firmed up, and serve!

    Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

    *If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).

  • Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze

    Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze

    In the deli I work in, we usually make pumpkin cookies.  They are soft, with a maple glaze and just the right amount of pumpkin spices.  I tried one years ago before I was vegan, and they were delicious!  They are a seasonal item that is made every year, and everyone loves them!  I have never really made a veganized version at home, but I decided it would be fun to this year when I had some leftover canned pumpkin from another recipe. Also I wanted to test a vegan version out in case I would like to make some at work, since I have made vegan baked goods there for about a year now, but that involves making new recipes since we didn’t have any before.

    I based this recipe off of a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I use for work with a few tweaks like adding in the pumpkin and spices!  This dough is really easy to make, and not fussy.  It uses melted coconut oil as the fat in the dough, which gives them a nice texture once baked!  They do need to chill a little bit if the dough is really warm and sticky, but other than that they are just roll, press down and bake!

    I could not stop sampling the dough, it was sooo good!  I am a sucker for cookie dough, and honestly it is my favorite part of the cookie baking process.  You have to make sure it is good after all, or you didn’t miss an ingredient. One time I forgot the sugar in my cookie dough, and it was a really good thing I tasted it so I didn’t mess up the whole batch. Anyways, this time I was testing for the spices to see if they had the proper amount and they were perfect!

    The cookies smelled so good while baking!  Once they had been removed from the oven and cooled down a bit, I gave them a sweet maple glaze like the ones at work. I did not use powdered sugar though, I used a mixture of coconut butter and maple syrup which is my go to glaze.  The cookies were super delicious!  Soft and sweet with aromatic pumpkin spices, and that maple scented glaze was the perfect touch!  These ones are just as good as the ones at work, and honestly less fussy to make (I have watched my coworker make the other ones).  If you are a pumpkin cookie fan, give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Glaze 

    Makes 12 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar coconut sugar
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder

     

    Glaze:

    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 2 sheet pans with parchment.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla until well combined.
    3. Mix in the flour, spices, sea salt, baking soda and powder, until smooth.
    4. Put the dough in the refrigerator until it is a little more firm, about 30 minutes.
    5. Roll the dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches round), and place on the baking sheets, spread a few inches apart and flatten slightly.
    6. Place in the oven and bake until starting to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.
    7. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
    8. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth adding more water if necessary to create a pourable glaze.  Drizzle over the cookies, and allow to set (you may pop them in the freezer for about 5 minutes to make it set faster).

     

    Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *If you wish to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat flour 1:1 for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this flour and know it works well.

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 

    I know a lot of people hate all of the hype of pumpkin spice lattes, and I get it.  There are many chain coffee shops that just use a mix that doesn’t even contain real pumpkin and isn’t that good.  But once you have had one at a coffee shop that makes their own artisan drinks with real pumpkin and spices it is hard not to love them.  Or if you make your own like I do sometimes. I actually love them as long as they are good quality.  I love getting fall themed coffee with Eric at one of our favorite local shops and going for a walk, sipping it as we go.  It is one of my favorite things ever!

    I also love making pumpkin spice latte flavored things.  I have made a few cakes, and candies.  But I thought some pumpkin spice ice cream would be amazing!  So I whipped some up last week.  I have my ice cream maker in the freezer at all times ready to go in case the need to make it strikes, and I use it pretty often because I always have to have some ice cream on hand even in the cooler months.

    I usually start with coconut milk as my base, because it always turns out so rich and creamy.  For this one, I combined it with cashew butter to give it almost a cheesecake like quality.  If you are not a fan of cashew butter though, feel free to substitute almond butter.  I combined the base with a good amount of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices plus dates.  I like sweetening it with dates because they give it a caramel like flavor and don’t add as much moisture as liquid sweetener does. If you would prefer to use maple syrup instead though, you can it will just freeze a little harder.

    To make this coffee flavored, I added some ground espresso powder.  If you like it strong you can use two Tbsp or if you just like a light coffee flavor just use one.  The base for this tasted sooo good I could not wait to try it once it was churned.  It was totally heavenly!  Sweet, creamy and rich with all of the pumpkin spice coffee flavored goodness!  This would actually be really good as affogato (with coffee poured over it).  If you are a pumpkin spice latte fan, give this a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream 
    Makes 3 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk or coconut cream (unsweetened)
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
    • 1/2 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes before using)
    • 1-2 Tbsp espresso powder  (depending on how much coffee flavor you like)
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to directions.  Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour it into a bowl, and whisk every half hour until it is to the consistency of a thick malt.
    3. Pour into a freezer safe container with a lid, and continue to freeze until firm enough to scoop (at least 4 hours or overnight). If it becomes too firm, simply let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

           

    When Eric and I were walking through Target last week, some pumpkin pie pop tarts caught my eye. Now mind you, I have never really liked pop-tarts, I always thought they tasted sort of fake and not anything like real pastry with overly sweet filling.  The only ones I would tolerate were the cinnamon flavored.  But for some reason, seeing these ones at the store made me want to make home made ones.

    I knew I could make them way more delicious than the store bought ones.  Because these would have real pie crust not that fake stuff.  No, these are not low fat, but I would never eat a pop-tart for breakfast anyway…so that is not a problem.  To me this type of stuff is dessert.  I think I wanted to make them because there is just something I love about having your own individual pie, and pop tarts are sort of like hand pies.

    I filled them with something that tasted just like my usual pumpkin pie filling, a simple mixture of just pumpkin, coconut sugar and spices and it was just perfect when wrapped in the rich dough.  I topped them off with a sweet pumpkin glaze, and these were the best darn pop-tarts I have ever tasted!  If they had tasted like this when I ate them as a child I would have had them for breakfast every day.

    I don’t know about you but I have been obsessed with pumpkin and all things fall lately.  It is my favorite time of year after all, and I have to make all of the things pumpkin, spiced and apple so these pop tarts made me happy!  If you feel the same, definitely give these festive pop-tarts  a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts

    Makes 10

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup coconut oil in its solid state
    • about 6-7 Tbsp cold water

     

    Filling:

    • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Glaze:

    • 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 3-4 Tbsp filtered water or as needed

     

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    2. Roll out into a rectangle using floured parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. Cut into 10 rectangles.
    3. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
    4. To make filling, mix together all ingredients. Spoon the filling onto half of the prepared little crust pieces (leaving a little boarder), and cover with the top pieces of dough (I used a small spatula to carefully move them), pressing the edges and crimping with a fork.
    5. Place on a parchment lined pan, then put into the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crusts are starting to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until warm.
    6. Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth (adding more water if too thick, you want it to be pourable).  Spoon some of the glaze over each pop tart, and smooth it out to cover the top. Let set before serving.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Bars

    Vegan Pumpkin Bars

    I bought my first can of pumpkin last week. I have been wanting to make something with pumpkin since the beginning of September which is considered pumpkin season start to me!  I have made a few pumpkin spice lattes, but a dessert sounded nice. I will make a pumpkin pie later in the season, since that is more Thanksgiving like, but I decided to make some vegan pumpkin bars. I made some raw ones many years ago, but I have never actually made baked ones so I figured I would give that a go.

    I always liked pumpkin bars back in the day, those cakey ones with the sweet cream cheese frosting on top!  For these, I used something similar to my pumpkin cake base, and baked them in a bigger pan. This batter uses dates as a sweetener, to keep them nice and moist and give them an almost caramel like flavor that I love.  The batter is actually oil free too, I use almond butter instead to give it richness.

    I used whole wheat pastry flour for these, but if you wanted to make them gluten free, I can recommend Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour instead and subbing it 1:1.  I have used this brand before and it comes out just as delicious with the same texture.  This batter is super delicious.  Yes, of course I sampled it!  That is one of my favorite parts of the baking process after all! They baked up nicely, and made my kitchen smell amazing! I have to say, pumpkin spice is one of my favorite aromas in the world!

    Lastly, I made a rich cream cheese frosting to spread over them, because that is an essential part of these bars as far as I am concerned.  They turned out so heavenly!  The soft lightly spiced sweet pumpkin cake was perfect with the luscious smooth vanilla cream cheese frosting!  If you are in a pumpkin dessert eating mood like I am, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Bars
    Makes 16 bars

    Ingredients:

    8×8 inch square pan

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 2/3 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 3/4 cup canned full fat organic coconut cream  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/8 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
    3. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    4. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    6. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
    7. Cool bars completely.
    8. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to frost.
    9. When ready to assemble, spread frosting over the top of the bars, cut into bars and enjoy!

     

    Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

    *If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).

     

  • Flavor Fall! With Torani Sugar Free at Walmart

    Flavor Fall! With Torani Sugar Free at Walmart


    This post is sponsored by Torani but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

    Fall is nearly here and that means it is time for all things fall themed like pumpkin spice lattes!  Fall is my favorite season and I really look forward to sipping cozy drinks.  Although I sometimes buy them at local coffee shops, nothing compares to enjoying a well crafted latte in the comfort of my own home.  I can do just that with Torani Sugar Free Syrups!  I have been enjoying Torani Syrups in my coffee drinks for years at coffee shops, but I was happy when I discovered that it can be purchased at my local Walmart Supercenter! Just in time for Fall, Walmart will now carry two new flavors, Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup and Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup.  So I can make my own fancy drinks at home!

    If you haven’t heard of Torani Sugar Free Syrups, they are really delicious, calorie free and made with simple thoughtfully sourced ingredients. They are perfect for bringing out the best in your drinks, so that they taste like something you bought from a local barista. These fall flavors would be perfect for adding to things like cider or hot chocolate as well as coffee drinks.  The possibilities are endless for being creative!  They are easy to use, just add a couple of tablespoons to whatever drink you want to flavor!

    I decided to make myself a pumpkin spice mocha!  Normally I would stay away from a mocha in a coffee shop because they tend to use a lot of sugar, but at home I can make it sugar free with the Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup! You have no idea how excited I was about that!  This drink is actually completely sugar free, but tastes just as delicious as the regular ones!  The mocha I made had a rich chocolate flavor the perfect amount of sweet pumpkin spice to balance it out. Another thing about making your drinks at home, it is a lot cheaper than always going out and buying them, which I can appreciate.

    Don’t you feel like making your own fabulous drink now? I am so happy that fall is almost here, and soon I can wear my cute cozy sweaters, and enjoy warming drinks like this pumpkin spice mocha in my own kitchen!  I don’t even have to go out if I don’t want to! Now all we need is the fall colors to start appearing on the trees, this is my favorite time of the year! If you would like to create some fabulous cafe worthy fall drinks of your own, you can find Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup at your local Walmart Supercenter!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Mocha

    Serves 1

    Ingredients:

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a saucepan, combine the oat milk and cocoa powder over medium heat, and heat until it is just starting to simmer, and the cocoa powder is dissolved.
    2. Remove from heat, whisk in the Torani Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Syrup, and brewed espresso until well blended.
    3. Pour into a large mug and top off with the vegan whipped cream.
    4. Serve!

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

    Cake rolls and jelly roll cakes were something that intimidated me for a long time growing up.  So for a long time I was scared to make one, until finally a couple of years ago I made a vegan chocolate chestnut yule log for Christmas and it wasn’t that bad.  In fact, it turned out fabulous!  I have since made a few other cake rolls, but it has been a while so I decided to make one last weekend.  I have been wanting to make a pumpkin cake roll for a while since I saw a non vegan one on Pinterest, and I knew I could make it just as delicious!

    Don’t let the idea of a rolled cake intimidate you (like it used to for me), I found that this cake was actually a lot easier and less fussy to make than a layer cake that needs to be frosted!  For the batter, I wanted something that would remain nice and soft when rolled, so along with the pumpkin I used dates to sweeten it, and  to keep it moist.  They give it an almost caramel like flavor and I love the idea of healthier fruit sweetened cakes.  This batter is easy to make, you just need a blender to make it nice and smooth. I added in plenty of pumpkin spices as well, and it tasted amazing even before I baked it.

    It smelled heavenly while baking!  Kinda like pumpkin pie, but sweeter.  I put it out in the garage to cool once it was done (since it is about 32F degrees right now out there) so I could frost it faster and it did the trick!  It was ready in about 45 minutes, normally it would have been a few hours.  Meanwhile I had to make a filling that was fit for such a delicious flavorful cake!  I wanted to make a vegan cream cheese frosting type filling and I had recently received some Dastony Raw Cashew Butter from Raw Guru so I figured that would make the perfect addition to my frosting to give it the cream cheese flavor.

    I added it to full fat coconut milk with a bit of maple syrup, and it tasted just like cream cheese frosting!  The cake rolled up nicely and I could not wait to try it!  But first, I dusted it with a little bit of coconut “powdered sugar” to make it pretty.  Yes you could use regular powdered sugar but I don’t have that on hand.  The cake was super delicious as well!  It was soft and light lightly spiced with the flavor of pumpkin and caramel and the rich cream cheese frosting was the perfect thing to pair it with!  If you are in need of a pretty dessert for Thanksgiving definitely give this a try, it is good for making ahead of time, and in fact better if you let it sit covered overnight before serving.

    Vegan Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
    Makes one 15 inch long rolled cake, serves 8-10

    Ingredients:

    15×10 inch jelly roll pan

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/2 cup Dastony raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    To finish:

    • 1/2 cup finely shredded dried coconut
    • 1 Tbsp maple sugar or coconut sugar

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
    3. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick.
    4. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    6. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    7. Cool cake completely.
    8. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before serving.
    10. To make the coconut powdered sugar, buzz the coconut and maple sugar in a high speed blender until fine, then sift over the finished cake just before serving.

    Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

    *If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel

    When I was in high school, my Mom and I went on a trip to Europe.  When we were eating lunch in a small cafe, I tried my first creme caramel. When I ordered it, I am not sure what I was expecting but it was not like anything I had eaten before.  I think I was expecting it to be like creme brulee and be a little warm or something, but I was surprised when it was cool.  A silky smooth vanilla custard with sweet caramel and it was delicious even if it wasn’t what I thought it would be!  But surprisingly I never attempted to make my own at home until last year as much as I love making all kinds of desserts.  I guess maybe because it wasn’t something I had made before I thought it would be difficult but it wasn’t at all.

    So last year I made a vegan eggnog creme caramel, because Eric wanted it for his birthday last year.  Well, it has been almost a year since I made that, and so I figured why not make it again?  Except a little different.  This time I decided to make a pumpkin creme caramel because tis the season for pumpkin, and I thought this might be a nice little alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving in a few weeks.  Also, I was craving something creamy and pumpkiny but I just make some pumpkin pie in a mug last weekend and didn’t want to make the same thing again.

    This is really easy to make.  In fact, it is even simpler than the last one I made because I used maple syrup instead of the usual dissolving sugar in syrup.  I just took it and reduced it slightly to thicken it and it worked perfect!  Plus, I knew the flavor of maple would be amazing with the pumpkin and spices. For the base, I used coconut cream because I wanted these to be rich and creamy.  I added in pumpkin puree, and a little maple syrup as well as pumpkin pie spices and the base tasted wonderful after I cooked it even before it was chilled!

    I had to wait overnight to enjoy them, but it was so worth it!  They turned out super delicious!  Rich, creamy vanilla pumpkin spice filling and that sweet salted maple caramel on top!  Totally heavenly!  I shared some with Eric because it was his idea to make them last year and he loved these as well!  These would be perfect for Thanksgiving if you don’t want to make pie or other more complicated desserts, and they chill overnight so they are good for making ahead of time.  I hope you are all having a wonderful November so far!

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Creme Caramel
    Makes 4

    Ingredients:

    4 1 cup ramekins

    Caramel:

    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Custard:

    • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut cream
    • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 3/4 tsp agar powder
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

     

    Instructions:

    1. Set 4 one oz ramekins on a tray.
    2. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and salt and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer whisking every so often.  Let cook for about 5 minutes until it reduces to about 1/4 cup or a little over 1/4 cup.  Remove from heat, and pour into  the bottoms of the ramekins.
    3. To make the cream, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
    4. Heat until it comes to a boil, then cook for about 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly until just thickened, then pour into the prepared ramekins over the caramel.
    5. Place the tray of ramekins in the refrigerator until chilled completely.  For at least 2 hours, or overnight.
    6. Once the custards have set and you are ready to serve, place a plate on top of each one, then flip it over.  If they are sticking at all, run a knife along the sides to loosen being careful not to disturb the custard.
    7. Enjoy!  Refrigerate any leftovers.

     

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Earlier this week, a coworker shared some of her home made sourdough bread with me.  It was amazing.  I am super picky when it comes to bread. It has to be a crusty bread, with good texture (I do not like regular sandwich bread unless it is toasted), and a good chew to it.  I am not a big bread person but this stuff was bomb.  I haven’t had bread like this in years.  I enjoyed some with my soup, and I also decided to make some bread pudding with it.  I haven’t actually had any bread pudding since I used to order it at a restaurant back when I was in school (it was one of my favorite things at that restaurant).  I have never actually made it at home, and I had told myself earlier this year I should make some since Eric had it at a restaurant we were at for a special occasion and really enjoyed it.  Got me thinking I need to make some vegan bread pudding so I can have some too.  I had just been waiting to find the right bread, and voila!  I finally had some to make it with.

    Since it is fall, I thought I would give it a fall flavor twist with some pumpkin.  I usually have cans of pumpkin open from one thing or another this time of the year, so it was perfect!  You know what I realized while making this?  Bread pudding is a lot easier to make than I thought.  Especially when it is vegan and you don’t have to mess with eggs and measurements are a little bit less fussy.  Instead of eggs in this one, I made some flax eggs, and mixed them with a bit of oat milk, my favorite plant based milk.  I like it because it is pretty neutral in flavor, and nice and creamy.  I added in the pumpkin of course since this was pumpkin bread pudding, and the soaking mixture was  nice and thick, just the way it would have been in traditional bread pudding.

    I added in some aromatic pumpkin spices, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to make it taste like pumpkin pie and it smelled amazing!  Lastly, some maple syrup to sweeten, because it goes so well with pumpkin and baked sweet bread dishes.  My kitchen was filled with the most heavenly aroma!  I could not wait to try it!  It got a nice crust on the top from the maple sugar I had sprinkled on it, but bread pudding deserves a sauce, at least as far as I am concerned, so I made one.

    I whipped up a quick caramel sauce that came together in about 30 seconds from just pecan butter, maple syrup, water, sea salt and vanilla.  If you don’t have pecan butter, feel free to use almond butter.  I usually make my own pecan butter and use it in recipes like this because it has a caramel like flavor.  After I drizzled the caramel over the pudding and sprinkled it with pecans, it was all ready to go.  OMG was it ever heavenly!  I think I like it even better than the bread pudding I remember eating when I was younger!  If you have some good crusty bread, or sourdough bread on hand, definitely give this a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    Bread Pudding:

    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 6 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 1/2 cups oat milk (or your favorite plant based milk)
    • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 6 cups lightly packed cubed sourdough bread
    • 2 Tbsp maple sugar

    Caramel:

    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or raw almond butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 2-3 Tbsp filtered water, or as needed
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Topping:

    • 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil two 1 quart baking dishes (or see bottom of post for other baking dish options).
    2. In a bowl, whisk together the flax seeds and water mixture, oat milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, spices, sea salt, and vanilla until well combined, then add the bread crumbs and toss to coat in the mixture.
    3. Transfer to the prepared baking dishes, (including the liquid, pour it over them). Sprinkle with the maple sugar.
    4. Place in the oven on a tray, and bake for about 25-30 minutes (see bottom for other pan sizes baking times), or until the top is starting to brown and the liquid has absorbed and baked into pudding at the bottom.
    5. Remove from oven.
    6. Whisk together the caramel sauce ingredients, drizzle over the pudding, sprinkle with pecans, and enjoy warm!

    For 6 small ramakins: bake 15 minutes

    For 1 8×8 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish: bake 30-40 minutes

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of pumpkin goodies this year.  I like apple treats and Halloween candy too, and I have been making those as well this October, but pumpkin seems to be the favorite.  Thank goodness for canned pumpkin though!  Back in the day, I used to like to roast off the pumpkin myself (and sometimes I would just use squash instead for pumpkin puree because it was easier), but now I am a lot more busy and appreciate the organic canned pumpkin. I would however like to still carve a pumpkin this year!  The thing about opening a can of pumpkin is that you have to use it up (or portion it out and freeze it) within a week.  Luckily there are plenty of things you can make on a whim with it.  Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pancakes, waffles, a soup base, or just be weird like me and eat the puree plain (yes, I do that sometimes). Or in the case of last weekend make pumpkin cookies!  

    I actually had already made pumpkin cookies this year, but not pumpkin oatmeal cookies.  Some soft, chewy oatmeal cookies with pumpkin spice and goodies stirred in sounded fabulous!  My Mom always said when I was little that oatmeal cookies are the healthiest because they have plenty of good fiber from the oats and are less processed.  I have to agree, at least in the case of these cookies, which happen to be pretty packed with fiber in various forms.  Don’t worry, they don’t taste like healthy cookies.

    Even if they had healthy ingredients added. I added Dastony almond butter from Raw Guru, pumpkin puree, and flax eggs to keep these cookies moist and chewy, plus pumpkin pie spices and plenty of oats in both oat flour and rolled oat form!  Also, I stirred in some cranberries and walnuts for a few fall flavors plus vegan dark chocolate chips because I couldn’t resist!  The dough was so good I could not stop eating hunks of it.  I am one of those people who loves cookie dough even more than actual baked cookies so this is something that happens often and why I love baking cookies.

    They baked up nicely and filled my kitchen with the heavenly aroma of pumpkin spices!  I could not wait to try one, and of course I waited until they were just cool enough but still warm to try one!  They were soft and chewy, sweet and aromatic with the flavor of the spices, and they gooey chocolate chips, cranberries and crunchy pecans were so good with the pumpkin and oats!  If you are a fan of pumpkin or have some extra canned pumpkin on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup Dastony almond butter
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
    • 2 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water, allowed to sit 15 min. before using
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp sea salt
    • 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
    • 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

     

    Directions:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin, almond butter and sugar until well blended. Add flax eggs, vanilla, and beat until well combined (the mixture will become very thick).
    2. Mix in the flour, soda, spices and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add chocolate chips, cranberries and walnuts and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack set at the middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    4. Roll the dough into 16 large balls (the dough will be sticky, it’s ok), and spread them out on the 2 cookie sheets with plenty of room in between, pressing down on them slightly. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden, but not over baked. Let cool on sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool.
    5. Enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix 

    I am not much of a coffee drinker, but since it is pumpkin spice latte season, I have had a few in the past couple of weeks when we go out for coffee on weekends instead of my usual matcha latte as a seasonal treat.  I know some people hate these things, and they get a bad rap (probably because a lot of places use overly sweetened flavor syrup for them), but when you get one that is made well, they are truly delicious. The ones I like to get are from local smaller coffee shops that use really good quality coffee and oat milk, and make their own pumpkin spice mix or flavors. It makes all the difference!  Anyways, they are not cheap (at least not to me, because I try to be thrifty) which is why they are a treat normally, so I thought I would try to make my own vegan pumpkin spice latte mix at home so I could enjoy a more cost effective version (and more often).

    Now like I said, I don’t normally drink much coffee so I didn’t have any on hand, but luckily Raw Guru sent me some of their Antioxidant Breakfast Blend Coffee to try so that was perfect timing!  It is a low acid coffee, so kinder on the tummy, which is good for me, since I am not used to drinking a lot of it.  It is a medium roast, but of course you could use whichever roast you like for your lattes! I tried some before I added the mix, and it was good on its own as well, which is important to me because I feel like if you can’t drink coffee plain, it won’t be good for mixed coffee drinks.

    For the mix, I started out with an oat milk base.  Why oat milk?  Well, I feel that it froths the best for a latte, and it is what I always prefer to order when I am at a coffee shop.  I also like oat milk because it has the most neutral flavor when it comes to plant based milk.  Planet Oat is what I usually buy because it has very few ingredients, and not things like added sunflower oil sugar.  I always buy unsweetened milk, as I prefer to add my own sweeteners that aren’t just sugar. To the oat milk base, I added plenty of pumpkin puree.  I wanted this to have actual pumpkin in it, unlike some drink mixes that are just all flavor.  This one has real pumpkin AND the spices!  I also added ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves so it had the flavor of pumpkin pie, and a touch of maple syrup to sweeten it.  As you will notice in the recipe, I say 1-3 Tbsp depending on how sweet you like it, and I added 1 because I am one of those people who doesn’t like drinks super sweet.  If you have a sweet tooth go ahead and add more.

    I could not wait to try it!  I took in the delicious aroma of pumpkin spice, took a sip and it was heavenly!  I enjoyed it just as much as the lattes I have enjoyed at coffee shops, and I know it had far less sugar in it so that is a win.  If you are a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, definitely give this a try!  Also if you make something with pumpkin and have a partial can left, like I often do, this is the perfect thing to make with it!  I hope you are all having a wonderful fall!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix 

    Makes 4 cups, enough for 4 16 oz lattes

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups thick unsweetened oat milk (I like Planet Oat extra creamy original)
    • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1-3 Tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like your coffee)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    For Serving:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into a jar and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (shaking well before each use).
    3. To make a latte, heat up 1 cup of the pumpkin spice latte mix in a saucepan (but don’t boil), add 1 cup hot fresh brewed strong coffee, and froth with an immersion blender.  Pour into a large (16 oz) mug and enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Halloween just a few short weeks away, and up until a few days ago I hadn’t made any candy this year yet! I always make peanut butter cups, and I need to get around to those, but this week, the first thing I made was some pumpkin spice latte caramels.  I am not usually a coffee drinker, but I have had a couple of pumpkin spice lattes this year just because I wanted to see what all of the hype was about, and because I wanted something a little different than my usual tea and I ended up loving them.  These were not your standard chain coffee shop fake pumpkin spice flavor in your coffee lattes though, we got them from a local shop that makes their own pumpkin spice syrup, and they made mine with oat milk which froths really well.  It has inspired me to make my own at home, which I will do soon, but until then, I made these truffles.

    I made caramel the other day for caramel rolls, and decided that it would be wonderful with pumpkin and spices in it.  Drizzled over cake, or on its own covered in chocolate.  I chose to make the latter this time.  I made my usual caramel recipe but with pumpkin and all of the spices I add to my pumpkin pie.  To thicken it enough to shape, I added in some coconut butter as well and it worked perfect!  Of course since it was a supposed to taste like a pumpkin spice latte, I added in a bit of espresso powder as well.

    It was divine just like that.  Like I could eat it with a spoon on its own good.  And I did,  a little because I had to make sure it was good about three times *wink* *wink*.  Once covered in chocolate though, it was delicious! The caramel is sweet, with just the right amount of pumpkin and spice, a hint of coffee and perfect when paired with the dark chocolate shell.  I debated whether or not I should share it, and I think I am going to save most of them for myself lol.  These would be perfect to enjoy with a pumpkin spice latte, just sayin.

    The classic Halloween candy is good, and of course I have my old standbys like the peanut butter cup, and I do plan on making a few more varieties, but if you are looking for something a little different, and you are a caramel fan like me, test out these babies!  What is your favorite Halloween candy?

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Makes 12  truffles

    Caramel:

    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
    • 1/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 tsp espresso powder
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Chocolate:

    • 1 1/2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes or until it has thickened up enough to roll into balls.  Roll into 12 balls, place on a parchment lined tray, and place back in the freezer for at least 30 minutes until more firm.
    2. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring until it is all melted.  Dip each chocolate into the chocolate (I like to place mine on a fork) and let the excess drain off, then place back on the tray. Place in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes, and enjoy!

    *Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 month.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

    Last weekend we drove up to Duluth MN and Gooseberry Falls State Park for the day, since I took some vacation from work and those are some of my favorite places to visit.  It is about a 2 hour drive to Duluth and another hour up to the park, so as you can imagine we have to stop a few times.  Mainly  because I can’t stand to sit too long but anyhow, we stopped at Tobie’s which is a restaurant/gift shop/gas station that we have been stopping at ever since I was a kid when we would drive up north, and on the way to the restroom we walked past some really amazing looking caramel rolls.  Eric had to buy one, but sadly they don’t have any vegan version so I did not try it.  I know they are good, because I used to get them back in the day before I went vegan and they were sticky sweet deliciousness.  I made a note to myself that I needed to make some later in the week since I was off work.

    The rest of the day went well, The fall colors were amazing on the drive up, especially the firey red and orange maple trees, but I like when there is some yellow and green in there as well for the full rainbow affect. Gooseberry Falls was beautiful, even though the water was a bit higher than normal and it was muddy it was nice to breath in the fresh cool fall air in a place outside of the city. We got in a good hike and when it was time for dinner we stopped at At Sarah’s Table Chester Creek Cafe since I love that place and they always have good vegan options, even desserts.  Even though I did a lot of driving that day, it really didn’t seem like a lot since I enjoyed the trip so much!

    Back to those rolls I talked about making.  I had been wanting to make some vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls anyhow, so I changed that to caramel rolls since the dough would be the same, it is just the topping and filling that were different.  So, I made my usual cinnamon roll dough, and added pumpkin and spices in to make it super delicious.  For the caramel that would fill the rolls and top them, I did not want a traditional sugary caramel, I wanted one that had some nutritional value so I made it from dates, my go to vegan caramel source.  They are nature’s caramel after all, and when you blend them up with a few other key ingredients they make the most delicious healthier for you caramel.

    The rolls worked out nicely. I am always a bit nervous still when working with yeast, but they rose beautifully and baked up even better.  They gave off the most heavenly aroma while baking in the oven. I could not wait to try them!  But first, they had to be glazed with even more caramel, and I also topped them off with some toasted pumpkin seeds I had on hand.  They were so good!  Sweet, gooey and delicious with a soft, fluffy consistency and the flavors of pumpkin and spice!  These would make the perfect lazy weekend morning treat to enjoy with your coffee or tea!  I hope you are all having a great fall season so far!

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

    Makes 12

    Dough:

    • 1/4 oz active dry yeast
    • 1/2 cup warm water ( 105-110F degrees)
    • 1/2 cup warm coconut milk (I warmed it up on the stove)
    • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, mixed with 3 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 3 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or as needed

     

    Caramel Filling/Topping:

    • 1 1/2 cups soft, pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water 30  minutes and drain well before using)
    • 3/4 cup pecan butter (raw cashew butter or almond butter would also work if you don’t have pecan)
    • 1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Garnish:

    •  1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds for topping

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the dough, combine the yeast and the warm water plus a pinch of maple sugar and stir to dissolve. Let sit 5-10 minutes until it starts to foam.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, pumpkin, maple sugar, maple extract, salt and flax mixture and mix together to combine.
    3. Add the yeast, spices and 2 cups of flour and mix to combine.
    4. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and mix until you have a smooth dough (you may need to use your hands at the end to mix it in).
    5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and supple. If it is too sticky add a little more flour but you want to add as little as possible because if you add too much the dough gets tough.
    6. Place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
    7. Meanwhile to make the caramel, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth (if it is too thick, add a touch more water, you want it spreadable at this point, but will add more liquid later for topping the rolls with half the mixture).
    8. When it is ready, turn out onto the counter or a board and roll out into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
    9. Spread about half the caramel evenly over the dough.
    10. Roll it up, then cut the roll into 12 pieces.
    11. Oil an 8×8 inch square baking pan, and place them in the pan.
    12. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
    13. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    14. When the rolls have risen for 45 minutes, place them in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes until starting to brown and cooked through.
    15. Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes.
    16. Whisk a little more maple syrup or water into the remaining caramel if it seems too thick to pour over the rolls.
    17. Pour the caramel over the rolls, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and enjoy!

    These keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Ever since we rolled into fall earlier this week, I feel like the trees and nature have gotten the memo because the leaves are starting to change and there is a bit of the chill in the air.  I am kind of sad because I have a strained hamstring and can’t run through the crunchy leaves at the moment (one of my all time favorite parts of fall). But I can bike and walk to get out and enjoy nature and the outdoors.  The aroma of dried leaves and bonfires hangs in the air and makes me want to pull out all of my cozy sweaters and fall clothes, drink hot cider and bake spiced desserts. Especially of the pumpkin and apple variety.

    I have been on a pumpkin kick this week.  Because I am craving pumpkin spice desserts, and because I opened up a can of pumpkin and wanted to use it all and most recipes only call for about 1/2 cup.  I could have of course frozen it but that’s no fun.  We make pumpkin cookies at my work, and they were looking really good the other day, but sadly they are not vegan.  So, I decided that I needed to make some vegan ones of my own at home.  I wanted to make them a bit less cakey though, and add in chocolate chips instead of a glaze on top.  Because chocolate is actually amazing with pumpkin spice!

    These cookies are actually pretty simple to make, no complicated instructions or anything fancy.  They have plenty of pumpkin in the dough, and just the right amount of pumpkin spices. I also add in maple sugar and maple extract and it gives them that something special that is really good but you don’t know quite what it is.  The dough for these by the way is downright addictive and super delicious.  I could not stop tasting it while making them.  Eating dough is one of my favorite parts of baking cookies after all, since I like dough even better than actual baked cookies sometimes.

    But don’t worry, these cookies are just as delicious as the dough! They smell amazing while baking, and are heavenly when you eat them while the chocolate chips are still warm and gooey!  If you are in the mood for something pumpkin too, give these a try!  They are amazing with a cup of tea or coffee for a mid-morning treat! Fall is definitely my favorite season!

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Makes 12 large cookies

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1 1/2 cups maple sugar coconut sugar
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line 2 sheet pans with parchment.
    2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla until well combined.
    3. Mix in the flour, spices, sea salt, baking soda and powder, until smooth.
    4. Mix in chocolate chips until well combined.
    5. Put the dough in the refrigerator until it is a little more firm, about 30 minutes.
    6. Roll the dough into 12 balls (about 2 inches round), and place on the baking sheets, spread a few inches apart and flatten slightly.
    7. Place in the oven and bake until starting to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes.
    8. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.

    Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 4 months.

    *If you wish to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat flour 1:1 for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this flour and know it works well.

     

  • Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Fall may be here, but it is still pretty warm outside so I am still in the mood for ice cream treats.  So I thought, why not make some fall flavored ones?!  I have been making a lot of apple and pear stuff lately, so this time I made pumpkin.  Plus we are almost into October, so we are in prime pumpkin season!  I could have made scoopable ice cream but I made ice cream pops instead.  I like that they are individually portioned so you can just pull one out when you want one.  Plus, I made these CBD ice cream pops since Raw Guru had recently sent me some of their Cinnamint CBD oil.  Because why not get your daily dose of CBD along with delicious ice cream?!

    I take CBD every day to help with inflammation, mood and overall well being, and sometimes I like to add it to my recipes as well as just take it plain. I like the Veggimins brand because it is good quality and it tastes better than some other brands.  I have added it to my ice cream pops in the past with good results, so I knew it would work well in this recipe.  I was going to make these just plain pumpkin spice ice cream, but I thought that hazelnut would be delicious with the pumpkin and spices so I added that in as well in the form of hazelnut butter.

    The base for these was heavenly.  It tasted like a really good pumpkin spice milk shake.    First, I added in full fat coconut to make these rich.  They are ice cream after all and I like my ice cream to taste like it and I am really picky about the texture, it has to be smooth. I feel that coconut milk does the best job of this.  Next, I added in some canned pumpkin which I already happened to have on hand from another recipe.  Then the smooth hazelnut butter, which was some of my home made stuff but of course you can buy it at the store if you like, or substitute cashew butter for a more neutral flavor.

    Then, I added in just the right amount of the same spices that you find in pumpkin pie. I could not wait to try them!  But of course I had to let them chill overnight in the freezer.  It was well worth the wait though!  They tasted so good when I finally got to enjoy them after work the next day!  They were rich and creamy, lightly spiced with the aroma of pumpkin pie and a hint of nutty hazelnut.  If you are a fan of all things pumpkin like I am, definitely give these a try!  If you would like to get some Veggimins CBD for yourself, here is the code for 10% off on their website: VEGFRAGVANILLA

    Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops 

    Makes 4-6 (depending on your mold size)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/3 cup hazelnut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 2 tsp Veggimins CBD oil
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup or to taste (stevia may also be used, a few drops to taste)
    1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
    2. Pour into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours (or when they are firm) or overnight to set up.
    3. Remove from molds (you may need to run them under hot water briefly to loosen them), and enjoy!
  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Granola

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Granola

    Fall is officially here, so I had to make something pumpkin spice.  I know everyone makes fun of people that like pumpkin spice and pumpkin spice lattes and whatnot, and while I agree that some things should not be pumpkin spice flavored (like certain savory items), most pumpkin spice is darn delicious and I love it.  Mostly I love making it at home though in the form of pumpkin treats.  Pumpkin treats make me happy, as does running through the crunchy leaves on crisp fall mornings, warm sweaters and bon fires. Which is why this is my favorite season. So back to that thing that I made.  I decided to whip up a batch of granola last weekend.

    Granola is something that I like to keep on hand at all times for snacking, and although I have my standard recipe that I usually make, being that I am excited for fall, I went with the pumpkin spice. I love that granola is such a blank palate for making delicious new flavors.  For this one I used oats as the base, added in pecans and pumpkin seeds, plus a bit of large flake coconut for crunch.  I know coconut might not be considered fall like but it is one of my favorite add ins for granola because it gets so nice and crispy and it is a little sweet.

    For the mixture to coat everything with I started with pumpkin of course, then added in maple syrup for sweetness and pecan butter for richness.  It might sound like an odd ingredient the pecan butter, but it is what I use to replace the oil because it is plenty rich (but you could use almond butter if you did not have it on hand or were not able to get it).  This granola does happen to be oil free!  I have been experimenting with a lot of oil free recipes lately with good results and turns out granola doesn’t actually need oil to be good and crispy.

    Lastly I added plenty of pumpkin spices into this granola, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  It smelled amazing while baking.  Like pumpkin pie crossed with spice cake or something.  I so could not wait to try it!  Luckily granola doesn’t have to set up, or cool so it doesn’t stick to the pan or anything so I didn’t have to wait long to try it.  It was amazing while still warm and fragrant!  Crunchy, crave worthy and delicious with just the right amount of spice and pumpkin flavor!  Do yourself a favor and whip up a batch to enjoy! Happy Fall!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Granola
    Makes 6 cups

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
    • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
    • 1 cups finely shredded, dried unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Instructions:

    1. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil, and spray with cooking spray.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350F and set rack at the medium position
    3. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, and coconut, and set aside.
    4. In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin, maple syrup, nut butter, spices, sea salt, and vanilla extract until well combined, then pour over oat mixture and toss to coat until completely blended.
    5. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and spread out evenly.
    6. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Swirled Pumpkin Pie

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Swirled Pumpkin Pie

     

    I made a double chocolate pecan pie last weekend, and saved half in the freezer for Thanksgiving, and I thought I should make a pumpkin pie too, since it wouldn’t be right not to have both.  I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I thought that the dessert was the best part of the Thanksgiving meal, and I would always have a slice of each pie.  Usually pumpkin, pecan and apple. Now I usually make the apple pies earlier in the Fall and just make pecan and pumpkin because they seem more special and Thanksgiving exclusive.  This year I seem to have a chocolate theme going on.  I made the pecan pie with the chocolate I mentioned earlier and Raw Guru sent me some Dastony hazelnut butter and I was inspired to make some chocolate hazelnut pecan pie.  Their hazelnut butter is super silky and perfect for using in desserts.  Plus I figured “nutella” and pumpkin sounded amazing together so why not try it?!

    First, I made my classic pie crust using gluten free flour and coconut oil for the fat.  This always turns out good for me, and the coconut oil gives it a nice sweetness that is perfect for pie.  For the hazelnut part, I wanted a combination that was rich, creamy and delicious so I whisked together the hazelnut butter with some coconut cream and cacao powder plus a little maple syrup to sweeten and it was heavenly!  Before being baked, it tasted like smooth hazelnut mousse. Sooo good.  Yes, I always have to sample all of the elements of my desserts to make sure they are good before baking.  I am mainly testing to see if they are sweet enough or spiced enough in the case of the pumpkin part of this pie, plus it is kind of a little treat that only the baker gets to enjoy.  Same thing with licking the bowls. Best part of baking next to enjoying the finished product. You may be wondering how you get a pumpkin pie to set up without eggs, well for this one it is a combination of cornstarch and agar powder and it works wonders once the pie cools.  It sets up beautifully into a smooth custard.

    This pie smelled heavenly while baking.  The aromas of chocolate, nuts and spice filling my kitchen!  Unfortunately I had to wait until the next day to enjoy it because I baked it at night and it had to cool completely and set.  But it was well worth the wait!  This was seriously one of the best pumpkin pies I have tried/made.  I know I say that every year, but this was amazing!  A silky smooth texture, a layer of rich creamy chocolate filling, and sweet spiced pumpkin filling in a buttery tender crust!  Sooo good!  This is so much better than I remember pumpkin pie tasting when I was younger.  It was probably my least favorite of the 3 we always ate (pumpkin, pecan, apple), but now I think they are all tied. If you haven’t made your pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving yet, consider making this one.  I have a feeling you and your family will love it!

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie
    Makes one 9 inch pie

    Crust:

     

    Chocolate filling:

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic cooked pumpkin (canned is ok too), packed
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk
    • 2 tsp coconut oil
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 10 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer it to an 8 inch pie dish.  Flute the edges, and set aside in the refrigerator.
    2. Pre-heat the oven to 350F degrees.
    3. To make the chocolate filling, whisk together all ingredients until smooth and set aside.
    4. To make the pumpkin filling, place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
    5. To assemble the pie, pour most of the chocolate hazelnut filling layer over the crust (reserving about 1/4 cup), then pour the pumpkin filling over that.  Drop the remaining chocolate filling over the pumpkin filling in about 1/2 tsp amounts and swirl with a knife to create a pretty design.
    6. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 1 hour and 20- 1 hour and 30 min. until the edges of the crust are lightly brown, and pie is still jiggly in the center but set at the edges (it will firm up once cool).  Allow to cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours at least before serving (I chilled mine in the refrigerator overnight).
    7. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Waffles

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Waffles

    When I do recipe experiments, they don’t always turn out perfect. In fact sometimes they are fantastic flops.  Like when I tried to make pumpkin waffles about a month ago.  I was all excited to make them, and the batter looked good and all but turned out that it was way to sticky and it ended up just getting all stuck to the inside of my waffle iron and burning, and I had to throw the waffle batter and waffle maker away because it was so bad I couldn’t clean it.  I was so sad. I hate throwing things away and I hate when recipes don’t work out.  But I am not one to give up if something goes wrong the first time, so I decided to try making them again this week since I had some leftover pumpkin from another recipe. I think what happened last time is I was trying to make half the recipe (I often do this because I am only one person so I don’t want a giant batch if I am the only one eating them) but I forgot to use half the coconut milk and pumpkin so it was too wet.  It happens, sometimes I am just having one of those days where I get distracted and I measure wrong.  So never feel bad if you accidentally do the same, it happens.

    So this time I was sure to read my recipe carefully and it turned out perfect! I had to use my snowflake waffle maker though, because my other one had to get thrown out, but oh well.  It was kind of appropriate since it snowed here in Minnesota the day I made the waffles.  These are pretty easy to make, you just whisk together the ingredients, make them and voila!  Delicious waffles!  None of that whipping the egg whites and folding them in stuff that I used to have to do before I went vegan and wanted fluffy waffles.  I made sure these had plenty of spice because I wanted them to be aromatic and smell like pumpkin pie!

    These are the perfect Fall treat for a brunch, topped off with maple syrup and pecans, or maybe if you are feeling dessert like some coconut whipped cream or ice cream.  I wouldn’t limit them to brunch though, when I was little my Mom used to make waffles and pancakes for dinner and I thought it was awesome that I got to have something that tasted like dessert for dinner. Honestly when I make them now as an adult it is almost always in the evening because that is when I have the most time.  Also, I like to freeze them if I have extra and just pop them in the toaster!  The next time you have some leftover pumpkin I hope you give these a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Waffles
    makes 12 regular sized waffles

    Ingredients:

    Batter:

    • 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 3 Tbsp ground flax seed, whisked together with 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp filtered water (and allowed to sit 15 min. before using)
    • 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
    • 1 cup full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree

     

    Instructions:

    1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and spices in a large bowl.
    2. Then whisk the flax mixture, coconut oil, coconut milk and pumpkin until smooth.
    3. Oil, and pre-heat waffle iron. Once it is heated, pour about 3/4 cup batter onto the iron (or until the iron is just covered but not so much that it will ooze out) and close it.  Cook according to waffle iron package directions.  Remove from the waffle maker and keep warm in an oven at low heat (150F degrees).
    4. Serve with topped with whatever suits you!

     

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake 

    Vegan Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake 

    I see food items and recipes all the time that I say to myself I would like to veganize.  There was a magazine next to the checkout line when I was at the store and said it was all pumpkin desserts.  On the cover was the most glorious looking pumpkin turtle cheesecake.  But of course it was not vegan.  So I said to myself and to the cashier, I have to veganize this!  It looks sooo good! That was about a month ago, and I told myself I would wait until October to make it, but hey it was a couple of days away so close enough for me!  I get kind of excited about pumpkin stuff, because it means that we are in the midst of my favorite season, not to mention it is so good!  Especially the desserts that involve spices.  Like the Pumpkin Spice Caramel Lava Cakes I made recently.  This cheesecake won’t be the last pumpkin thing I make this year by any means, I am just getting started.

    I have actually made a pumpkin turtle cheesecake in the past, but it was a raw cheesecake. This one is a bit easier because it doesn’t require cracking open any coconuts, just a few steps in the food processor and some whisking to make the caramel and fudge.  Although I love date caramel, sometimes I want a quicker option so I reach for the almond butter and make a simple quick caramel with maple syrup whisked into it with a little vanilla and sea salt.  It seriously tastes like caramel, is a lot easier to make, and you can make it as sweet (or not sweet) as you like by adjusting the maple syrup amount.  For the fudge on this cake, I whisked some cacao powder into half the caramel.  So easy and so good!  Luckily Raw Guru recently sent me a box that contained some really good quality Dastony Sprouted Almond butter to make my caramel and fudge for this cake with.  It is silky smooth with a sweet nutty flavor and is honestly some of the best almond butter I have tried and it worked perfectly for this recipe!

    The cake had a smooth, creamy lightly spiced pumpkin cheesecake filling, and I swirled the caramel, fudge and pecans into it. Then I topped it off with a coconut whipped cream, more caramel, fudge and pecans plus some really adorable Rawmio Dark Chocolate Hearts I also received in the box from Raw Guru.  The cake was super delicious!  I was very pleased with how it turned out and my family loved it as well!  If you are looking for a decadent Fall treat, give this a try! If you would like some of the Dastony Raw Sprouted Almond Butter or Rawmio Dark Chocolate Hearts for yourself, you can find them on their website!

    Vegan Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake 
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:

    • 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut
    • 1/4 cup organic rolled oats or you may use almond meal for gluten free
    • 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (if not soft, soak them in filtered water first and drain well)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

     

    Filling:

    • 3/4 cup (about half a 15 oz can) Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk* (make sure you shake the can before you measure)
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp Dastony sprouted raw almond butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup Dastony raw coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    Caramel and Fudge:

     

    Topping:

    • 3/4 cup (about half a 15 oz can) Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk*
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Dastony raw coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    For topping:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Oil a 6 inch spring form pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    2. To make the crust, place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until crumbs and starting to hold together (if they are not holding together when squeezed, add a few tsp filtered water and blend). Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
    3. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine the coconut milk, pumpkin, maple syrup, spices, vanilla and sea salt in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Add the coconut butter and process until smooth.  Set aside.
    4. To make the caramel and fudge, whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup, and sea salt until smooth, then add 1 Tbsp filtered water (or a little more if it is too thick to be a pour-able caramel consistency) and whisk until smooth.  Divide between 2 bowls, and whisk the cacao powder and 1 Tbsp filtered water into one (or a little more water if too thick to be pour-able fudge).
    5. To assemble the cake, pour the filling over the crust, then drop some of the caramel and fudge (about half of each) over it by the tsp, sprinkle the 1/4 cup pecans over it and swirl with a knife.
    6. Place cheesecake in the freezer while you make the cream.
    7. To make the cream, blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then pour into a bowl and place in the freezer (whisking about every 5-10 minutes) until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream.  At that point spoon it over the top of the cake and smooth to the edges.  Place back in the freezer for 4 hours (or until set) or you can place it in the refrigerator (covered) overnight.
    8. Once cake is set, un-mold, and drizzle it with the rest of the caramel and fudge, and decorate with pecans and dark chocolate hearts. Serve!
    9. Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

     

    *I use Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk.  If you are using a different brand, just make sure it is the thick type, 2/3 of the can at least should be very thick.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Lava Cakes

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Lava Cakes

    Happy first official day of Fall!  I thought it would be appropriate since it is to share my first pumpkin recipe of the season with all of you!  My Mom recently asked me if I would make some pumpkin lava cakes, and of course I could not say no because they sounded amazing.  I have been eyeing the cans of pumpkin at the store for a few weeks now, but since Fall was a couple of days away I bought some and decided to make those cakes.  I love pumpkin in cake.  It gives it such a soft, moist tender crumb when cooked for the proper amount of time.  I was always excited when my Mom decided to make a pumpkin cake with that fluffy white whipped cream frosting or a pumpkin struesel cake when I was little.  It was the type of treat I loved coming home to and I knew Fall had begun.  So now that Fall has begun it is time (even thought I made them a few day early because it felt like Fall with a chill in the air).  The day I decided to make these, it was raining like crazy and I was totally soaked and cold when I got home from work, since my shoes got submerged in a giant puddle walking out to my car, and the rain was blowing so my umbrella didn’t do much good.  So when I got home, I put on my comfy warm fleece PJs and got to work on my cakes.  There is nothing better than being comfy, firing up the oven, and baking something delicious while listening to good music when it is a chilly day.

    I have made lava cakes before, and every time I do, I ask myself why I don’t make them more often, because they bake up fast, and they are always good.  When most people think of lava cakes, they think of chocolate, but I went outside the box here and filled them with caramel.  Because caramel and pumpkin are a match made in heaven!  These cakes actually happen to be mostly fruit sweetened as well because I sweetened the cake with dates to give it a nice caramel flavor.  The batter tastes so good!  Of course it had to have all of the usual pumpkin spices too, because spice cake should be warming and aromatic.  For the “caramel” filling I used a mixture of pecan butter and a little maple syrup.  I know it is not technically caramel, but it tastes like caramel, and is much healthier than refined sugar caramel typically used in this sort of thing.

    They baked up nicely and smelled amazing when I pulled them from the oven. I couldn’t wait to try one, but of course I had to wait 10 minutes to un-mold them.  It was so worth the wait though!  I spooned some of the extra caramel over the top, because why not?!  And I dove in.  The texture was soft, and they had just enough spices, and the gooey caramel in the center was amazing with the pumpkin!  You can enjoy these in under an hour, so they are the perfect dessert for Fall when you want something fast without having to put too much effort into them.  Anyone else all excited about pumpkin?

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Lava Cakes
    Makes  four 1 cup cakes

    Ingredients:

    4 1 cup custard dishes

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 1/2 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter (or almond butter)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2  cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Caramel Filling:

    • 1/2 cup raw pecan butter (or almond butter)
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp filtered water (or more if needed)
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
    2. Oil four 1 cup custard dishes or ramakins with coconut oil.
    3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.
    4. Place dates, reserved water, pecan butter, pumpkin, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Whisk together the caramel ingredients until smooth (adding more water if you think it is too thick).
    6. Transfer half of the cake batter to prepared pans filling them half full, drop 1 Tbsp of the pecan butter caramel mixture into each in the center. Spoon the remaining batter over each one, place on a tray, and place in the oven.
    7. Bake cakes until they are set, but not over-baked about 15-18 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool for about 10 minutes, then un-mold, drizzle with more of the caramel, and enjoy warm.
  • Vegan Triple Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

    Vegan Triple Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

    I do my best thinking on my runs.  Which is why they are so important and an essential part of my life.  If I am trying to sort out a problem, it is a good time to just be inside my own head and try and figure out a way to fix it.  Or, maybe I am just stressed out, it seems to melt it away because I feel like I am taking my frustrations out on the ground.  I am one of those types of people who likes to do a lot of thinking and weigh out the options before making a big decision.  But it isn’t all serious stuff, I also come up with some of my best recipes this way.  And, how I came up with the idea to make a super decadent pumpkin pie.  I loved cream pies growing up, or things like french silk chocolate pie, so I thought, why not make a pumpkin pie in that fashion?  I dreamed up 3 layers of pumpkin deliciousness.  I am one of those people who can’t just make things the way they are traditionally made all the time.  I have to tweak it and make it even more exciting.  Pumpkin pie just as is with no whipped cream or anything is kind of boring, but add in a layer of creamy chocolate filling and fluffy whipped cream too and it is exciting.

    I used my usual classic coconut oil gluten free pie crust for this, because it always turns out buttery and delicious.  I  suppose I could have just made this a no bake pie, but I went for the baked version.  For the filling first, I made a chocolate silk layer.  A rich concoction of coconut milk and cashew butter with rich cacao.  It was good even before I baked it.  I used my classic pumpkin pie filling next in the pie after that, filled with just the right amount of aromatic spices. The pie smelled wonderful while baking, and I thought to myself it was a shame I had to wait until the next day to enjoy it.  Because it was evening when I made it and it had to chill.

    Once it had chilled I made a fluffy coconut whipped cream to top it off.  It was a beautiful sight.  I love whipped cream on a pie.  The chocolate layer reminded me of chocolate silk pie, and it paired perfectly with the spiced pumpkin for a fall twist.  The whipped cream was just enough to balance out the intensity of the chocolate and spices.  It was simply heavenly!  If you are looking for a beautiful pie to serve for Thanksgiving, consider this one!

    Vegan Triple Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

    Makes one 9 inch pie

    Crust:

     

    Chocolate filling:

    • 3/4 cup thick organic coconut milk (the thick kind from the top of a chilled can)
    • 3/4 cup cashew butter
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic cooked pumpkin (canned is ok too), packed
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk (the thick kind from the top of a chilled can)
    • 2 tsp coconut oil
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

     

    Coconut Whipped Cream:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk (the thick kind from the top of a chilled can)*
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 10 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer it to an 8 inch pie dish.  Flute the edges, and set aside in the refrigerator.
    2. Pre-heat the oven to 375F degrees.
    3. To make the chocolate filling, whisk together all ingredients until smooth and set aside.
    4. To make the pumpkin filling, place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
    5. To assemble the pie, pour the chocolate layer over the crust, then pour the filling over that.
    6. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about  50 min. until the edges of the crust are lightly brown, and pie is set.  Allow to cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours (I chilled mine in the refrigerator overnight).
    7. For the whipped cream, combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, then pour into a bowl. Place in the freezer, and allow to chill for about 30-45 minutes until the consistency of whipped cream.
    8. Spoon the whipped cream on top of the cake and spread almost to the sides.  Serve!  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

     

    *If your coconut milk is especially runny (since some brands vary in texture), you may want to add a few Tbsp more coconut butter.

  • Vegan White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups

    Vegan White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups

    To be completely honest, pumpkin pie was not my favorite growing up.  It was just something I ate because it was tradition.  Apple and pecan won over it.  But, don’t worry.  I have come to appreciate it more as an adult, mostly because my home made version is really good.  You know what makes it so good?  Topping it with something rich and creamy like coconut whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.  That is kind of a must for me.  It cuts the pumpkin spices and makes it feel more decadent.  I decided to make some pumpkin chocolates this week, and I opted for white chocolate instead of dark for this reason. White chocolate is kind of mellow, rich and creamy melt in your mouth, the same way the whipped cream and ice cream are with pumpkin.  Plus, I had never made white chocolate pumpkin candies and it sounded like a heavenly combination.

    When I was growing up I actually preferred white chocolate to dark because I have always been a vanilla girl.  But now I appreciate both.  I do feel like white chocolate is a little more special sometimes.  I know you can probably buy it at the store, but I prefer to make my own.  I use a mixture of cacao butter (the essential ingredient to make it taste like regular white chocolate), cashew butter, and coconut butter as a base and it tastes wonderful.  It melts in your mouth, and is silky and creamy almost.  I add in a touch of vanilla and sweeten it with maple syrup and it is so good!

    For the filling, I used the classic pumpkin pie spices with a little vanilla in some canned pumpkin puree I had left over.  This time of the year I often have little containers of it in the refrigerator or freezer leftover from other recipes because I hate to waste it.  Well, this was the perfect use for that 1/4 cup I had left!  So if you have a little left too, now you know what to make with it!  These are super delicious, the filling tastes just like the pie and it is so good with the decadent white chocolate!

    Vegan White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups
    Makes 6 large candies

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 cup cacao butter (2 oz)
    • 3 Tbsp raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup coconut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or to taste)
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Filling:

    • 1/4 cup Tbsp pumpkin puree at room temperature
    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, softened
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine cacao butter, cashew butter, vanilla, maple syrup,  and sea salt over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.  Pour into the bottoms of 6 larger peanut butter cup tins (or molds), then place them in the freezer to set.
    2. Mix the pumpkin puree and 1 Tbsp coconut butter together in a small bowl, along with the maple syrup and spices.
    3. Once the bottom chocolate has set, spoon about 1 tsp of the almond butter and then the jam onto the top of the set chocolate, then pour remaining melted chocolate over that.
    4. Place them in the freezer to set, about 15 minutes.
    5. Store in the refrigerator.
  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake with Fudge Frosting 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake with Fudge Frosting 

    I hate to waste things.  So, I have little containers in my freezer a lot of the time with odds and ends like extra strawberry puree, canned pumpkin or that 1/2 can of coconut milk in a container I had leftover.  I find uses for it all too!  Sometimes it  doesn’t even make it to the freezer though, I just randomly come up with something to make with it.  I made a recipe last week that required only about 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree so I needed something to do with the rest of the can. I thought long and hard.  I almost made a chocolate tart with a pumpkin swirl, but what I ended up making was a pumpkin chocolate chip cake with fudge frosting.  I don’t know if you have ever had pumpkin bread with chocolate chips but it is darn delicious.  I loved that stuff as a kid!  Sunday was kind of a damp chilly day here so it was just the sort of day to enjoy a cake.  I went out for a 30 mile bike ride in the morning and I spent some time outdoors with Eric going for a long walk later and by the time the evening rolled around I just wanted to be warm in my PJs and be all warm and cozy with my cake.  Because if you are at home, why not be all warm and cozy with your cake and watch a movie or something?

    In case you can’t tell I am an introvert and that is my kind of evening.  Anyways, back to the actual cake.  I wanted it to taste indulgent and delicious but I also wanted it to have some healthy aspects so I made it completely fruit sweetened with dates. Cake batter made with dates is my all time favorite.  It stays nice and moist and has almost a brown sugar like flavor too.  Add in the pumpkin and plenty of the spices you find in pumpkin pie and you have a delicious cake. The batter tasted good even before baking.  That is one of my favorite parts of making cake, the bowl licking (frosting and batter) so I don’t waste a drop.  It filled my kitchen with a heavenly Fall aroma as well.  There is nothing better than walking into someone’s house and being greeted with the scent of something sweet baking.

    A cake this good deserved a delicious frosting, so I made a luscious fudge frosting to top it off.  It has a secret ingredient, sweet potatoes!  But don’t worry, you would not even know that they are there. They just add a smooth texture and slight sweetness to the frosting, as well as give you some extra vitamins along with this cake.  In fact, you get your fiber and vitamins because of the sweet potatoes, dates and pumpkin!  I love hiding veggies in desserts.  But shhh!  When you serve this to people don’t tell them, just let them enjoy the rich tasting cake that is actually healthy.  If you are still craving pumpkin this far into the season (I know I am), give this delicious cake a try!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake with Fudge Frosting 
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    • 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree*
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/4 cups mashed Japanese sweet potatoes*
    • 1  cup soft pitted medjool dates (soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained before using if not soft)
    • 1/3 cup almond butter
    • 1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    4. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cakes out onto plates, and peel off parchment paper. Set aside, covered so that it doesn’t dry out.
    5. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (adding water a little at a time if you think it is too thick).  Set aside.
    6. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread about 3/4 cup frosting over it.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake.

     

    *If you are using home made pumpkin puree and not canned, make sure it is thinned out a little so it is the same consistency as canned (applesauce consistency).

    ***If you would like a 2 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.  It will take longer to bake, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

  • 30+ Vegan Pumpkin Desserts

    30+ Vegan Pumpkin Desserts

    The last time I carved a pumpkin was over 5 years ago. Which is kind of sad actually, because it is fun, and even though I am an adult, I still enjoy doing things like that.  I am not the best at carving, and my designs always turn out a little less spectacular than I would like, but I love seeing pumpkins all lit up and festive.  It reminds me of my childhood.  Carving pumpkins, taking out the seeds and roasting them for snacks, then setting the pumpkins all up in the window for display once they were all finished.  Most people probably let their pumpkins rot and don’t use them for anything, but I think if I made one now I would have to cook off the flesh and make something delicious with it.  When it comes to pumpkin, I am usually more in favor of something sweet.  I am pretty obsessed with pumpkin desserts come Fall, and I thought you might be too, or maybe you are just looking for a way to use some extra canned pumpkin. So I thought I would gather all of my best pumpkin recipes in one place!  So here you go, 30 delicious vegan pumpkin desserts!  Because you know, this is the time of year to get in all of the pumpkin eating that you can!  I hope you are all having a wonderful Fall so far!

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramels

    Raw Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Caramels

    Pumpkin Pie Popsicles 

    Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 

    Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts 

    Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple Glaze 

    Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins 

    Vegan Maple Pecan Pumpkin Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies 

    Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

    Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

    Raw Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Gingerbread Crust

    Raw Pumpkin Pecan Blondies

    Raw Pumpkin Spice Bars

    Vegan Pumpkin Apple Shortcakes 

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Doughnuts   

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Crepes 

    Vegan Mocha Pumpkin Bread

    Raw Pumpkin Crème Caramel

    Vegan Pumpkin Tiramisu 

    Raw White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake 

    Raw Pumpkin Turtle Cheesecake

    Raw Chai Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Pumpkin Pecan Caramel Ice Cream Cake

    Raw Spiced Pumpkin Mocha Latte Cheesecake

    Mini Raw Pumpkin Spice Yogurt Cheesecakes

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake 

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

    Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies 

  • Vegan Pumpkin Patch Coffeecake

    Vegan Pumpkin Patch Coffeecake

    When I was little, my Mom found this delicious Fall coffeecake recipe in the local newspaper, and she made it her own by adding oats to the topping, extra spices and swapping out a portion of the oil with more pumpkin.  I always looked forward to it, it was so good!  Like something that you bake on a lazy Saturday morning and eat for brunch.  I totally would beg to eat it for my meal instead of other food.  I have no idea where that recipe went, but I remember how it tasted!  So I decided that I needed to create a veganized version of it so I could enjoy it again.  After all, I am getting all excited about anything pumpkin right now!  I don’t buy pumpkin spice lattes, but pumpkin desserts I am all over.

    For the cake batter, I used a date sweetened base with plenty of pumpkin and aromatic spices that you would find in pumpkin pie.  Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves were a must!  It tasted good even before I baked it.  Yes, I always taste my cake batter to make sure it is good before baking it, because once I left something out and tasting it had saved me.  Now, the original cake did not have a cream cheese layer in it, but I had to put one in, simply because it sounded so good.  I have always been a sucker for coffeecakes with cream cheese ever since I was little.  I made a simple cashew coconut cream cheese and it baked up beautifully.  Lastly, I topped it off with a crunchy oat streusel like my Mom’s cake.

    It smelled amazing while baking.  Like Fall, the aromatic spices putting me in a good mood.  Whenever I have not had the best day, baking something always makes me feel better.  One can not be unhappy while smelling delicious cake baking after all, especially knowing you can devour a nice big piece later.  It baked up just as I had imagined, and it tasted wonderful.  I had to share some with my Mom of course, since the cake she made inspired it and she loved it as well.  So, the next lazy Fall Saturday you have, you should definitely bake this cake, it is the perfect brunch sort of thing.  But of course I wouldn’t limit it to that, it was a late night snack for me too.

    Vegan Pumpkin Patch Coffeecake
    Makes 1 9 inch round cake

    Streusel:

    • 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3 Tbsp pecan butter or almond butter

     

    Cream Cheese:

    • 3/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup coconut milk
    • 2 Tbsp  maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the water reserved
    • 1/4 cup pecan butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup canned pumpkin
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Instructions:

    1. For the streusel, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix and squeeze together with your hands until it forms little clumps.  Set aside.
    2. For the cream cheese, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth (if it seems too thick, add a little more water.  You want to be able to pour and spread it over the bottom layer of cake).  Set aside.
    3. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line a 9 inch round cake pan with 3-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick to the pan.
    4. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt, in a large bowl to blend well. Place dates, reserved water, oil, water, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Pour the cake batter to the prepared pan then pour cream cheese mixture over that (kind of pouring slowly and not just in one spot so it evenly distributes).  Sprinkle the streusel over the top.
    6. Place in the oven and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake completely in pan before un-molding and serving.

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

    Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-pie-4

    I can not believe how beautiful it has been here lately!  It was 60F degrees yesterday, and normally it is 40.  I will take it, the snow will fly here soon enough! It is Minnesota after all. So, I took full advantage yesterday, a nice 10 mile run to enjoy the beautiful morning and rising sun, and a nice hike at a local state park in the afternoon with Eric.  It is kind of nice to get off of the paved trails sometimes and walk through the woods with all of the fallen crunchy leaves.  All of that activity made my hungry, so luckily the day before I had made a delicious pie to indulge in later that night.  It was a new pie recipe, indulgent, and to be honest, it would be just perfect for Thanksgiving.  It was a special pumpkin pie with a layer of cream cheese, then a layer of regular pumpkin pie, and topped off with fluffy billowy whipped cream.  OMG was it GOOD!!!

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-pie-1

    I had seen a photo of a pie like this on Pinterest, and it looked amazing and perfect, but it was not vegan or healthy by any stretch.  It was filled with things like cool whip (i.e. chemicals and fake stuff), dairy, loads of sugar and butter.  So, I decided that I needed to make this beautiful pie vegan and healthier so I could enjoy it!  It was not hard to make, I just used my classic pie crust recipe, usual pumpkin pie filling, and a coconut milk and cashew mixture for the cream cheese, and topped it off with the whipped cream I always make (one that doesn’t melt so much at room temperature).  Yes, it is a few steps, but I made the bottom part  the night before, and the topping the next day to make it easier (and this is what I would do if I were serving it for the Holidays too).

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-pie-3

    OMG was it ever heavenly!  It was even better than I had dreamed, and I am sure way better than that pie in the picture was.  I love veganizing stuff!  If you are looking for the perfect Thanksgiving pie, give this a try.  You and your guests will be happy you did!  to be honest, when I was little pumpkin pie was never my favorite at Thanksgiving, but this pie would have won me over and changed my mind.

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-pie-2

    Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

    Makes one 9 inch pie

    Crust:

     

    Cheesecake:

    • 3/4 cup thick organic coconut milk (from the top of a chilled can)
    • 3/4 cup cashew butter
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch

     

    Filling:

    • 2 cups organic cooked pumpkin (canned is ok too), packed
    • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
    • 3/4 cup full fat organic coconut milk
    • 2 tsp coconut oil
    • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 /4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3/4 teaspoon agar powder

    Coconut Whipped Cream:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled*
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, sea salt, and spices. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Roll out into a 10 inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then use the paper to help you transfer it to an 8 inch pie dish.  Flute the edges, and set aside in the refrigerator.
    2. Pre-heat the oven to 375F degrees.
    3. To make the cream cheese, whisk together all ingredients until smooth and set aside.
    4. To make the pumpkin filling, place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
    5. To assemble the pie, pour the cheesecake layer over the crust, then pour the filling over that.
    6. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about  50 min. until the edges of the crust are lightly brown, and pie is set.  Allow to cool completely.
    7. For the whipped cream, combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, then pour into a bowl. Place in the freezer, and allow to chill for about 30-45 minutes until the consistency of whipped cream.
    8. Spoon the whipped cream on top of the cake and spread almost to the sides.  Serve!  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

    *If your coconut milk is especially runny (since some brands vary in texture), you may want to add a few Tbsp more coconut butter.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Chevre

    Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Chevre

    It has been beautiful here lately!  Normally in November it is about 20 degrees cooler and we are all bundling up in hats and coats, but I actually am able to go out for my runs in shorts, wear t-shirts during the day, and enjoy the season!  The sunsets have been awesome, and I have taken out my road bike a lot lately to tour the scenery.  It has been especially beautiful, the colors on the trees seeming to hang around longer than usual and only just starting to come to an end.  I am just thankful for all of this because here in Minnesota we definitely get enough winter whether it lasts 3 months or 5.  So, I will take all of the colorful warmer days and enjoy them to their fullest!  I am also sooo into all of the flavors of fall.  Apples, pumpkins, root veggies, brussels sprouts, squash and cranberries making frequent appearances in my home.  I am always up for creating new recipes using them, because I wait all year for this!  I saw a pumpkin chevre at the store this week, and I was inspired to create a vegan version.

    vegan-pumpkin-cranberry-chevre-3

    I used to be a huge cheese eater before I went vegan.  In fact, every week I would go to a local cheese shop that had hundreds of different kinds of cheeses, pick out a few to try and learn about them.  I had a few favorites, but one that I had to buy over and over again was always just simple chevre.  I thought I would have to give it up when I went vegan but that is far from the case.  I have figured out how to make vegan chevre that is even better than any of the dairy varieties.  Even skeptics have tried the chevre that I make and agree it is good.  Real dairy actually kind of grosses me out now that I know the process the animals go through and what it actually is.  Just not something that makes me feel good at all, so I will take my vegan cheese thank you very much!

    vegan-pumpkin-cranberry-chevre-1

    So, back to this pumpkin chevre, it sounded interesting and really tasty so I had to make some!  For the base, I used a combination of cashews and coconut milk to make it rich like real cheese.  I added in a little coconut butter to thicken it properly, and dates to sweeten it.  The classic pumpkin pie spices were also included, although in an amount light enough for it to still taste like chevre and not just pumpkin pie.  I was going to make it plain like that but decided that dried cranberries would make it much prettier and festive.  This cheese was bomb!  Sooo delicious, and I am sure way better than the dairy version.  This is good with crackers of course, or apples, or crumbled atop a fall salad, or just good for snacking on in general!  So, if you are craving cheese, you know what to make!

    vegan-pumpkin-cranberry-chevre

    Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Chevre
    Serves 8-10

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in filtered water for at least an hour and drained well
    • ½ cup full fat organic coconut milk*
    • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1/3 cup soft, pitted medjool dates
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

    Directions:

    1. In a high speed blender, combine the cashews, coconut milk, pumpkin, coconut butter, dates, sea salt, lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Mix in the cranberries.
    2. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes until more firm, them scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log.  Place in the refrigerator until firm, a few hours.
    3. Once chilled enough,

    *If you want to make this raw, you may use raw coconut milk and use 1/4 cup very finely chopped raw pumpkin, squash or carrot instead of the pumpkin puree.

  • Vegan Harvest Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Caramel Filling

    Vegan Harvest Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Caramel Filling

    harvest-chocolate-cake-6

    I can think of nothing better than making a big chocolate cake after my long run.  That is not to say I run for cake, but it just sounds really good.  Not immediately after, but like later in the day when I am ready to chill and relax with some cake, wine and my man.  So, after my 10 mile run on Sunday, I made some chocolate cake.  Not just any chocolate cake though, special chocolate cake with secret healthy ingredients.  I love hiding veggies in my desserts, it is not like you taste them, they just improve the texture and make them extra moist.  Who doesn’t love carrot cake, or chocolate zucchini bread after all?  I certainly love them.  So, this was one of those sort of things. I had been wanting to make this cake for a couple of weekends now, but hadn’t had time so I had to jump on it when I did!

    harvest-chocolate-cake-5

    For the cake portion, I created a moist, delicious, rich crave worthy batter filled with goodness.  I used pumpkin puree and applesauce to keep it moist, along with shredded parnips, carrots, and beets, so there was a lot of nutritional value hidden in this cake.  Don’t worry, you can not taste any of them, they just give it a wonderful texture.  What you do taste is rich chocolate cake, so good you would not know it is vegan.  I sweetened it with dates as well, since they are about as natural as you can get when it comes to sweetners, and they give anything they are used in an almost caramelly flavor.  This cake is also gluten free thanks to Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour, which is my go-to flour.

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    The cake smelled amazing while baking, like decadent brownies or something of that caliber.  It had to be decorated with something equally as good, so I made a simple fudge frosting that contains only 4 ingredients but it tastes amazing!  When I finally got around to enjoying the cake, it tasted wonderful!  You would never know it was hiding veggies, or is vegan because it tastes decadent as all get out.  So it would be perfect for serving to guests who you may be trying to win over to the vegan side.  It pairs well with red wine FYI, which is what I enjoyed with it.  I hope you all are having a wonderful Fall!

    harvest-chocolate-cake-1

    Vegan Harvest Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Caramel Filling
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup walnut butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup applesauce
    • 1 cup shredded mixed root vegetables (such as rutabaga, parsnips, beets, carrots)
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and 1 cup of the water reserved
    • 3/4 cup walnut butter or raw almond butter
    • 3/4 cup cacao powder
    • pinch sea salt

     

    Pumpkin Caramel:

    • 1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in water and drain well first)
    • 2 heaping Tbsp walnut butter or almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp coconut oil, warmed to liquid
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Tbsp filtered water (plus more as needed)
    • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, apple sauce, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Fold in the root vegetables.  Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cakes out onto plates, and peel off parchment paper. Cut layers in half horizontally.  Set aside.
    4. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients In a high speed blender, and blend until smooth (since moisture content in dates varies, and nut butters may vary in runniness, if it seems too thin, add a little more cacao powder, too thick, a little more water).
    5. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (adding a little more water if necessary, it should be the consistency of spreadable but still thick caramel).
    6.  To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread 1/3 of the caramel over it.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread a little of the fudge frosting, and half the remaining caramel over that. Then another cake layer, the remaining caramel, then the last cake layer.  Then spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake.

    *If you would like this cake to be nut free, raw tahini may be used in place of the nut butter in the frosting and caramel, and olive oil or avocado oil in place of the nut butter in the cake batter.

    ***If you would like a 2 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.  It will take longer to bake, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

     

  • Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies

    Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies

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    Monday I went for a 24 mile bike ride in the morning to enjoy the scenery and give my legs a rest from running.  It is just gorgeous here this time of the year!  The trees are all sorts of different colors, and when the wind blows they flutter to the ground like confetti.  Not only did I enjoy the beautiful scenery on my bike ride, I had time to think about what sort of recipe I felt like making.  I love baking on my day off when I have more time to relax and enjoy.  I had just made some pumpkin muffins, so I wanted something different than muffins or cake, but I had an open can of pumpkin puree in my refrigerator just waiting to be used.  So I decided to make some pumpkin pie.  Not a large one though, cute little mini ones.  Because it is fun to have your own little pie.  No cutting involved for serving so perfect for guests or sharing.

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    These were a little different than my usual pumpkin pie recipe though, they contained a special ingredient.  Tahini!  I had gotten a big container of tahini from my work for free that was a little damaged, so I wanted to try using it in something sweet.  I love using nuts in my recipes, which becomes apparent if you page through them, but I know some people are allergic, so I thought I would try using the tahini in these pies in place of where I usually use other types of nut butter.  In my crusts I like to use pecan butter so I swapped it in for that there, and in the filling I like to use cashews so I swapped it in for them there.  It worked out awesome!  You can’t taste it (don’t worry, these don’t taste like hummus or something), it just gives it a richness.

    mini-pumpkin-pies-2

    These smelled amazing while baking!  The aromas of cinnamon, ginger and maple plus buttery crust filling the air. I couldn’t wait to try them!  Once cooled, I topped them off with some coconut whipped cream, and they were just perfect! Classic pumpkin pie, in cute little servings.   I think these would be perfect for a Fall gathering or even Thanksgiving when that rolls around, because they are quick to serve!

    mini-pumpkin-pies

    Mini Vegan Pumpkin Pies

    Makes 12

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cup raw tahini
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil in its solid state
    • about 6-7 Tbsp cold water

     

    Filling:

    • 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup raw tahini
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp cloves
    • 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch

    Coconut whipped cream for serving

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. Oil 12 holes of a muffin pan.
    3. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in tahini and coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in  just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    4. Roll out into a large rectangle 1/8 inch thick using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin, and cut into circles that are slightly larger than your muffin tins.  Place each round into a muffin tin hole, and shape it to fit (it is ok if it tears, just patch it right back up).  Shape the edges of the crust if desired (I used my fingers to flute in this fashion but of course on a smaller scale).  Set aside.
    5. To make filling, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, and pour into the prepared crusts.
    6. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the crusts are starting to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
    7. Top with coconut whipped cream and serve!
  • Vegan Pumpkin “Cream Cheese” Muffins

    Vegan Pumpkin “Cream Cheese” Muffins

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-3

    Many times when I am at work, I am inspired by the delicious baked goods that my coworkers make.  I like to go home and veganize and healthify (somewhat) them.  So, they have been making these pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling lately and they always look amazing.  Not only that, they smell amazing, and always make me super hungry for one.  But they are not vegan… so I just had to go home and create my own version!  Honestly, one of the things that makes me super happy in life is to create vegan versions of baked goods, and share them with people and have them be amazed that it is vegan.  Gives me hope that more people might consider veganism, or at least stop knocking it.  We vegans have good food, you know?  We are not deprived, and there are so many delicious things that don’t involve animal products.

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-1

    So back to making the cupcakes, I have a vegan cream cheese mixture that I have used in other baked goods that works really well, so I thought I would use that for the filling.  It tastes wonderful, almost like cream cheese frosting, and bakes up beautifully inside of cakes or brownies.  For the pumpkin muffin batter, I used a variation of my pumpkin cake batter, because muffins are unfrosted cupcakes pretty much…they are pretty sweet, but I consider them dessert or a treat so that is ok.  I was all excited about the batter and cream cheese because I tasted both, and they were both amazing, so I assembled these and put them in the oven, and they were smelling amazing…so I removed them and I was kind of disappointed.  They hadn’t risen at all, and immediately I thought to myself, “You forgot the baking powder and soda!!!!” I was so bummed.  But determined to make these, so I started all over again. I am just telling you this, because I want you to know my kitchen isn’t perfect, and I make mistakes too.

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-2

    Anyways, the second batch turned out beautiful and just how I wanted them to be.  They were delicious!  Perfectly spiced, soft, aromatic, and that rich cream cheese center just made them amazing.  These are the perfect thing to bake on a cool Saturday morning when you want to warm up the kitchen and enjoy something home made and delicious!  Who says vegans can’t have amazing baked goods too?!

    pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins

    Vegan Pumpkin “Cream Cheese” Muffins 
    Makes 10 muffins

    Ingredients:

    “Cream Cheese”:

    • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp thick coconut milk (from the top of a chilled can)
    • 1/3 cup cashew butter (or almond butter will also work here)
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
    • 1/16 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Batter:

    • 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Milly all purpose gluten free flour
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/2 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Pumpkin seeds for sprinkling

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Set out 10 standard sized muffin tins.
    2. To make the cream cheese, whisk together all of the cream cheese ingredients until smooth, and set aside.
    3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    4. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    5. Transfer batter to prepared tins, filling them 2/3 full, then place the cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and squeeze little of the cream cheese mixture into the top of each one (putting the tip about 1/4 inch into the batter).   Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.  Place in the oven, and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
    6. Cool before enjoying, store any extra in the refrigerator.

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple glaze

    Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple glaze

    vegan-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-maple-glaze-3

    When I was little, my Mom and I used to go to a local bakery and get doughnuts every once in a while.  My favorite were these ones with maple glaze.  They were sooo good!  I haven’t had one since I was probably 10 years old, but I still remember exactly how they tasted, and smelled.  Because the aroma was wonderful!  So, my coworker at the deli was glazing some pumpkin cookies with a sweet maple glaze that smelled just like those doughnuts, and I thought to myself, how good would pumpkin doughnuts with maple glaze be?!

    vegan-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-maple-glaze-2

    So, I decided to make some when I got home.  For the doughnut part, I chose to use a batter similar to my pumpkin cake batter, because it is the perfect balance of sweet and spiced, and has the perfect soft texture.  It is also sweetened with dates, which gives it almost a caramel note in the flavor. These doughnuts smelled amazing while baking!  I love the aroma of spice and sweets in the air, and warming up my kitchen with the oven on a cool day!

    vegan-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-maple-glaze-1

    Once they had cooled, I make a maple glaze, like the one mentioned earlier.  However, mine would not contain the large amounts of powdered sugar that one did, I used coconut butter laced with maple syrup and thinned out a little and it was perfect!  These doughnuts smell and taste wonderful!  If you are looking for a healthier fall doughnut give these a go!  I can guarantee they will leave you feeling better than if you ate the sugary fried ones from the bakery.

    vegan-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-maple-glaze

    Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple glaze
    Makes 6 large doughnuts

    Ingredients:

    Doughnut Pan (mine is large size)

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/2 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and ½ cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    Glaze:

    • 1/3 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 ½ Tbsp filtered water or as needed
    • Pinch sea salt
    • ½ tsp maple extract (optional)

     

    Directions:

    1.      Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Oil a 6 hole doughnut pan.

    2.      Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.

    3.      Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven). Cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour. Remove from pan.

    4.      To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth (adding more water if too thick, you want it to be pourable but not too thin).  Spoon over the doughnuts, allowing it to drip down the sides.  Let set until dry (which happens faster if you put them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes).  Enjoy!

     

  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 4

    Sometimes you have a good week where everything goes right, and sometimes you don’t.  What matters is how you deal with it, and whether it makes you a better person, or a worse person.  Well, I had one of those not so good weeks, you know where nothing goes the way you planned it, things break and need to be fixed, work is crazy, and it rains a lot.  But you know what?  I got through it without having a breakdown thanks to prayer, baking (to calm myself) and running (to get out my frustrations).  Eric had had an even more stressful week than me, so I thought I would bake us a delicious cake to make the weekend better.  I knew the next week would be a lot better after all!  Also, Saturday was the 4 year anniversary of the day we met, cake was needed to celebrate that too!  I can’t believe it has been 4 years, it seems like only yesterday he was trying to sell me $18 worth of vanilla beans for $2 on his second day of work as a cashier, because he was distracted by me, and that cute smile caught my eye (don’t worry, I was honest and fixed the mistake).  We met at the health food store where the deli is that I work in.  Best friends right away.  So that is worth cake!  Not that anyone ever needs a reason to eat cake… just sayin’.

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 1

    I decided to make a pumpkin spice cake.  It has been ages since I made a plain pumpkin spice cake, usually it is all jazzed up with some unusual flavor or another.  But you know what?  I wanted the classic.  Pumpkin spice with cream cheese frosting.  Eric’s only request was that the frosting contain cinnamon.  Which sounded perfect!  This cake is relatively simple to make as far as the batter goes.  One of the things I used to hate about traditional cake recipes with eggs and such is that you had to beat the batter a certain way, fold it together etc.  Vegan cakes are so much less fussy.  I used my classic pumpkin pie spice mix in this but with one special ingredient, chipotle pepper.  For a little warmth and heat.  You may think this sounds weird, but it just gives that cake that *POP* of flavor that is unexpected.  One of the first things Eric and I realized we had in common is our love for spicy things, so it was fitting that I added a little to this cake.  The cakes smelled amazing while baking, like Autumn spices.

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 2

    I made a faux cream cheese frosting with a coconut milk base and a little cashew butter.  It tastes even better than actual cream cheese frosting if you ask me.  I am actually kind of grossed out by real dairy now, because of the stuff that is behind it and the actual dairy itself.  Can any of you other vegans relate?  Anyways, this “cream cheese” frosting was wonderful!  I added the cinnamon like Eric wanted and it was so good you could eat it with a spoon.  But once on the cake, even better.  This cake tasted fabulous!  The warming spices were perfect in the soft, light pumpkin cake, and the frosting was luscious, sweet and creamy!  It was simply crave worthy!  Lets just say the pieces of cake I cut for us to enjoy were gone really fast.  We both loved it!

    Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
    Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
    • 1 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work), chilled
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
    • 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn’t stick and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment fit to the pan.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cakes out onto plates, and peel off parchment paper. Slice each in half horizontally so that you have 4 layers (being really careful, because it is delicate).  Set aside, covered so that it doesn’t dry out.
    4. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
    5. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, and spread frosting 1/4 inch thick over it.  Place the other cake layer over that, then spread more frosting over it like the last layer.  Repeat with another layer, and top off with last piece of cake.  Spread the remaining frosting on the top and down the sides of the cake.

    ***If you would like a 2 layer 9 inch cake, double this entire recipe and bake in two 9 inch cake pans.  It will take longer to bake, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.



  • Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes and Sweetleaf Stevia Giveaway!

    Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes and Sweetleaf Stevia Giveaway!

    Sweetleaf 2

    When SweetLeaf Stevia contacted me to see if I would like to do a collaboration I could not say no!  To be honest, I have been buying their stevia for over 10 years, and I used to go through a lot of it.  I have tried a few other brands and none of them measure up taste and quality wise to Sweetleaf Stevia.  They have many products, but the sweet drops have always been my favorite.  English toffee was always my flavor of choice.  Back when I still drank lots of coffee, it was all I used to add to it.  I didn’t want all of that extra sugar most people put in their coffee after all, and it gave it a caramelly flavor without the sugar.  I would even bring it places with me in my purse so I could add it to my coffee because I didn’t care for the sweeteners at the coffee shops.  So, I can assure you Sweetleaf Stevia is quality product.  And, if you prefer another flavor in your coffee, they have 20 flavors of sweet drops!

    Sweetleaf 1

    They sent me several products to test out this time, including stevia packets, raspberry lemonade water drops, and liquid drops English Toffee (my favorite), Vanilla Creme, and Pumpkin Spice (which I was really excited about trying as it is Fall now).  The packets are awesome for adding to coffee or tea, because they are close to traditional sugar packets.  The raspberry lemonade drops make water more interesting, which is perfect for those who have trouble drinking lots of water because it is too boring for them.  That is not me, I love water, but it is good!  I added mine to some water with lemon in it already because I like the balance of tart and sweet and it was super refreshing!  As far as the liquid stevia flavors went, I enjoyed the vanilla in some coconut yogurt and it tasted delicious!  The English toffee, is awesome in coffee like I said, but also good to sweeten anything that you want to have a sort of caramel flavor.  So, for instance if you were making some coconut whipped cream, add it instead of the vanilla and maple syrup, because it tastes just as good, and no effect on your blood sugar!  My advice is, start by adding one dropperful, taste, and adjust to taste from there (adding by the drop after that, since you can’t take away, you can only add).  The pumpkin spice drops, I wanted to make something special with in honor of it finally being fall, and to show that you can make sugar free desserts.

     

    Pumpkin Cheesecakes 1

    So I made mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes. Yes, they were completely sugar free!  Not even any dates in the crust.  The pumpkin spice stevia drops smell like delicious cinnamon, and I might add these are good in coffee too!  But they worked perfectly in the cheesecakes.  I made a sort of cookie crust for these, using the pumpkin spice drops, and it tasted slightly like spice cookies but more mellow.  For the filling, I added the pumpkin spice stevia as well, along with a few of my usual pumpkin spices and it was a delicious combination of flavor!  The stevia made the filling just sweet enough, and you would never have known it was sugar free!  Once they were all chilled, I topped them off with coconut whipped cream sweetened with…you guessed it, the pumpkin spice stevia drops.

    Pumpkin Cheesecakes 2

    These little cheesecakes were delicious!  You could not tell that they had no sugar in them, and I would be proud to serve them to guests at a Fall party.  Maybe you can’t do sugar in your diet, or you know someone else who can’t.  Share this recipe with them, they will thank you, trust me!  Even though I can eat sweets, I sometimes like to limit my sugar intake so these are perfect for that and you won’t feel deprived, or like you are eating something yucky (like some stuff that leaves the sugar out).  Sweetleaf Stevia is your savior when it comes to sugar free desserts just sayin!  Guess what?  They have been kind enough to allow me to give away some of their product!  I am giving away one of the English Toffee Sweet Drops and one of the Pumpkin Spice Sweet Drops to one lucky winner (in the US)!  Just scroll to the bottom of the page to enter my giveaway.  Or, head over to the Sweetleaf Stevia website and check out their products!  You can find them in most health food stores or Co ops (at least in Minnesota where I live).

    Sweetleaf

    Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes
    Makes 8

    Crust:

    • 1/2 cup gluten free organic oat flour
    • 1/4 cup almond butter
    • 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    • 2 Tbsp filtered water
    • 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice Sweetleaf Stevia Drops
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt

     

    Cheesecake Filling:

    • 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ginger
    • 1/16 tsp cloves
    • 1/16 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 tsp pumpkin spice Sweetleaf Stevia Drops
    • 3/4 cup coconut butter, warmed to liquid

     

    For Topping:

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, stir together all ingredients in a bowl, and then press into the bottoms of 12 silicone muffin tins.  Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
    2. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    3. Pour the filling over the crust, and place in the freezer to firm up for about 45 minutes or up to an hour.  Once they have firmed up, unmold them and place them on a tray.
    4. Meanwhile, combine all of the topping ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until thickened (to the consistency of whipped cream) about 30 minutes.
    5. Once the cheesecakes have set, and topping has chilled, pipe the topping over the cheesecakes and serve! Store any left over cheesecakes in the refrigerator.



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  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream

    This time of the year gets me excited.  It makes me happy to be able to wake up on a cool morning, run through the crunchy leaves, eat some warm oatmeal when I get home and drink a warm matcha latte while dreaming up some fall baking recipes.  That is my ideal weekend morning actually.  Don’t even get me started about wearing warm sweaters and going for moonlit walks with Eric with the scent of bonfire in the air.  I love Fall.  it is my favorite season.  For the weather, for the experiences, and for the food of course!  Pumpkins and apples are highly anticipated at my house.  Especially since you can buy them locally at the orchards.  I am always a fan of buying local produce.  So, I am diving into the fall recipe creating full force.  I don’t care if it is not technically fall, I am one of those people that thinks of September as the beginning of fall, even if it is not official.  Some people do things like put up their Christmas decorations early, well I like to start the Fall festivities early.  I bought some pumpkin puree last Friday, and decided to make some Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream.

    Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 1

    I am not a fan of really sugary pumpkin spice stuff like those syrupy lattes that you find in a lot of coffee shops with no real pumpkin. What I am a fan of is real, home made pumpkin desserts with healthy ingredients.  So, that is what I was going for with this.  For the base I blended coconut milk with almond butter for a silky base with pumpkin puree and added the spices I like to use in my pumpkin pies.  It tasted wonderful!  I sweetened it with dates, because they are actually my favorite sweetener of choice.  I mean, it doesn’t get any more natural than using a dried fruit (unaltered of course with no preservatives) as a sweetener in your dessert.  I could have left this ice cream just plain pumpkin spice and it would have been good, but I decided to add caramel to it as well.

    Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 2

    The caramel had a date base too, because dates are like nature’s caramel candy.  This ice cream ended up being simply heavenly!  Back when I was in college, I went to a Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream store when I was visiting Boston for a 10k race, and I had some pumpkin ice cream.  I thought it was the cat’s meow and the most delicious pumpkin thing I had eaten.  Well, guess what?  This ice cream trumps that!

    Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream 3

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Ice Cream
    Makes about 3 ½ cups

    Ingredients:

    Ice Cream Base:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/3 cup pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them in filtered water 30 minutes and drain well before
    • using)
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

     

    Caramel:

    • 3/4 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked as above if not soft)
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp sea salt
    • ¼ cup filtered water (or as needed)

     

    Directions:

    1. To make the ice cream base, blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.  Pour into an ice cream machine, and process according to package directions.  Or, if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour into a bowl, place in the freezer and stir every 30 minutes until the consistency of soft serve.
    2. Meanwhile, to make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth adding a little more water if needed if the caramel is too thick.
    3. Once the ice cream has finished churning, spoon some of it into a container with a lid, then some of the caramel, then more ice cream, then more caramel then more ice cream.  Swirl with a knife, and tap on the counter.  If you have extra caramel it is ok, just serve it with the ice cream.  Place the ice cream in the freezer and allow it to freeze until firm enough to scoop.

     



  • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

    I caved.  I jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon.  What can I say?  Fall is in the air and I am in the mood for pumpkin and apples.  My first baked good, pumpkin cookies.  We make pumpkin cookies at my work, and they are always very popular this time of the year.  They smell amazing as they bake, the aromas of sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger filling the air, and they always make me hungry.  After experiencing being in a kitchen with those cookies I always want to go home and bake some.  When I was in college in the fall, I made soft pumpkin cookies for my cross country team and they were wonderful!  Not vegan though, so I was hoping to recreate them this week when I made my pumpkin cookies.  They were soft, aromatic, and kind of like a pumpkin cake married a cookie.

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 3

    They had a lot of butter, sugar, and eggs in them, so I veganized them swapping out a lot of stuff.  I have to say, they turned out pretty awesome!  I love it when the vegan version of something tastes better than the original version I used to make.  These actually ended up being oil free, since I used pecan butter as the fat.  It gave it touch of nutty flavor that was a nice touch as well.  I used my usual pumpkin pie spices in this and the dough tasted amazing even before I baked the cookies.  I mixed in chocolate chips, which were not in the other cookies I used to make, but they were swapped in for something extra instead of the glaze I used to put on the other cookies.  I love chocolate with pumpkin spice, it is heavenly.

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 1

    These smelled wonderful as I pulled them from the oven.  Once they were cool enough to enjoy, and I could taste one, I was very pleased.  Like classic soft pumpkin cookies, but better.  The rich little chocolate chips, the perfect touch.  This is only the first of the pumpkin recipes that will be coming from me this year, expect many more because I love it, and pumpkin comes only a certain time of the year!

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
    makes 1 1/2 dozen

    Cookies:

    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter (or almond butter)
    • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1 Tbsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 12 oz vegan chocolate chips

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
    2. In a large bowl, combine pecan butter with sugar and mix until well combined. mix in the pumpkin, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until well combined.
    3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together spices, flour, salt, baking powder, then add to the large bowl, and mix until well combined. Mix in the chocolate and set aside.
    4. To bake, Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the dough in about 2 Tbsp amounts on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart.  Bake for about 15-18 minutes, until puffed and just starting to brown slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookies.



  • Vegan Mocha Pumpkin Bread

    Vegan Mocha Pumpkin Bread

    IMG_1558

    I had some leftover pumpkin from another recipe needing to be used in the fridge, and I did not want to put a lot of work into making something with it.  Cake sounded good, but I have made lots of pumpkin spice cakes this year. Plus cake was a little more work than I wanted.  Chocolate also sounded good, so I wanted to incorporate that, and Eric had recently suggested I make something with coffee…so what I finally decided on was pumpkin mocha bread.  Quick bread…a simple cake with no layers and frosting to mess with.  My mouth was watering at the thought of it.  Not only was this bread going to be flavored with pumpkin spice, cacao powder and coffee, it had to have gooey chocolate chunks, because I was totally going to eat it warm.

    IMG_1566

    It came together fast, and smelled like heaven while baking.  I made mini loaves, so one loaf was perfect for two to share.  What I got when I cut into one was gooey delicious chocolate, and soft and aromatic bread that tasted wonderful.  A hint of spice, a hint of coffee, and just enough chocolate to make me and Eric happy.  If you have leftover canned pumpkin and coffee after this week, now you know what to make!

    IMG_1567

    Vegan Mocha Pumpkin Bread

    Makes 4 mini loaves

    1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
    1/4 cup cacao powder
    1 cup coconut sugar
    2 Tbsp cinnamon
    2 tsp ground ginger
    1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    1/4 tsp cloves
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    3/4 cup pureed pumpkin or squash
    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1 Tbsp l. c. Finns coffee extract
    1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp coffee
    2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

    1 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate

    Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Oil four small bundt pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk pumpkin, oil, vanilla extract, and coffee together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour. Cut around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto platter; peel off parchment paper. Let cool completely.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread

    Vegan Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread

    IMG_1433

    My Grandma used to make the most wonderful thing in the world (at least to my five year old self), monkey bread.  In case you have never heard of it, it is  bread that is shaped into little balls, all baked together with cinnamon sugar that becomes gooey and caramel like, and pecans.  It was good stuff, and I always got excited when Grandma had some sitting on her counter when I came over.  Which she often did.  I have since made a few versions of it as an adult, and I think they would have made Grandma proud.  I decided this week that I wanted to make some again, because I was craving it.  I had been given some lovely sprouted whole wheat flour  that I could use in my recipe too! I don’t use a lot of wheat in my baking, but when I do, I make sure it is organic.

    IMG_1434

    This time I made a pumpkin pull apart bread.  Since I had pumpkin on hand as well, and tis the season.  I wanted a smaller loaf than Grandma used to make, so I made the recipe about half as large, and baked it in a loaf pan instead of a bundt.  I used maple sugar and maple syrup  instead of all of the brown sugar, which also gave it an awesome maple flavor.  It smelled amazing, and the caramel lover that I am, I fully enjoyed this!  I think it would be the perfect treat for a weekend morning, especially if it is chilly and you want to warm the house while baking something delicious.

    IMG_1436

    Vegan Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread

    Makes one 8×4 inch loaf
    Dough:
    1 packet rapid rise yeast
    1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
    1/2 cup warm water
    1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk

    1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple sugar

    1/2 cup pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin

    2 Tbsp coconut oil

    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

    2 tsp maple extract

    1 1/2 tsp sea salt

    2 tsp cinnamon

    2 tsp ginger

    1/2 tsp nutmeg

    1/4 tsp cloves

    4 cups organic sprouted whole wheat flour (plus additional as needed)

    3/4 cup chopped pecans

    Coating:

    1/2 cup maple sugar

    1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

    Topping:

    2/3 cup pecan butter

    1/2 cup maple syrup

    1/2 cup maple sugar

    1/4 cup filtered water

    good pinch sea salt

    In a large bowl, combine yeast, 1 Tbsp maple syrup and water. Let sit 5 minutes, until yeast is foamy, then add coconut milk, maple sugar, pumpkin, coconut oil, maple extract, vanilla, and sea salt. Mix well, then add the flour 1 cup at a time until dough is not sticky. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm area to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in bulk. Oil a 4×8 inch bread pan with coconut oil. Scatter some of the pecans into the bottom of the pan. When dough has risen, punch it down, and divide into 16 pieces, and cut each into quarters. Combine 1/4 cup maple sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a large ziplock bag. Place half dough balls in bag, zip up, and shake in bag to coat. Remove from bag and repeat with remaining balls. Place dough balls into the pan, scattering in pecans as you go as well. In small bowl, for topping, mix together ingredients. Whisk until well combined and sugar is dissolved. Pour half over the dough balls. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise. Let rise until almost doubled in bulk, about 35-45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack set at the middle position. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and done in the center (keep a close watch as it browns quickly, and if it is brown after only 10 minutes, cover with foil and continue to bake until done). Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about a minute, then invert onto foil. Drizzle the remaining topping over it. Serve warm!



  • Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (gluten free)

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (gluten free)

     IMG_1378
    I asked Eric what I should make one night last week and he said cinnamon rolls.  But unfortunately it was a work night, and I didn’t have a lot of time to let those babies rise, so I couldn’t make them.  But they sounded really good to me too, so I thought I would find a way to make them…and I did.  Sort of.  You see, pancakes also sounded good to me so I told him I would make cinnamon roll pancakes.  He loved the idea so I went with it. They were sounding so good to me the more I thought about them.
    IMG_1376
    I had an open can of pumpkin, so I thought I would make them pumpkin as well, since it is fall and this time of the year pumpkin puree is my go to ingredient for keeping things moist and lowering fat in recipes.  I added pumpkin pie spices as well, because why not?  It was going to be pumpkin after all.  I also added flax and Sprout Living vanilla lucuma protein powder to the batter to give these a little extra protein boost. I made a little cinnamon swirl, and piped it over the pancakes in a spiral and they were transformed into a cinnamon roll pancake hybrid.
    IMG_1380
    The swirl sort of melted as they cooked but it worked!  Sort of like real cinnamon rolls where the cinnamon seeps into the dough as they bake. They smelled amazing. I drizzled them with a coconut milk based “cream cheese” icing and it was perfect!  All of the flavors in the cinnamon rolls me and Eric wanted but in pancake form.  I will have my cinnamon rolls when I get the time eventually, but until then I have this deliciousness to enjoy!
    IMG_1382
    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (gluten free)
    Serves 2
    Ingredients:
    2 Tbsp ground flax seed
    1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
    1 Tbsp cinnamon
    1 tsp ginger
    ¼ tsp nutmeg
    ¼ tsp cloves
    1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    1 cup filtered water
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    2-3 Tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like them)
    Swirl:
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    2 Tbsp coconut sugar
    2 Tbsp pecan butter (or almond butter)
    1 Tbsp cinnamon
    Cream cheese drizzle:
    1/4 cup thick coconut milk
    2 Tbsp raw cashew butter
    2 tsp maple syrup
    pinch sea salt
    1 tsp cider vinegar
    In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients and process until just blended, pour into a bowl and set aside (or whisk them together if you do not have a food processor).
    To make the swirl, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl, then place in a pastry bag with a small tip (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off).
    To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add a little coconut oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, add the batter in 1/4 cup amounts (I did 3 at a time, but it depends on your pan), pipe the swirl over the pancake snail style from the outside to the inside in a spiral fashion. Let the pancakes cook for about 2-3 minutes on the first side until set and starting to brown, then flip with a spatula and cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. When cooked, place on a plate swirl side up and keep warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining pancakes.
    To make the cream cheese drizzle, whisk together all ingredients until smooth (if it is too thick to drizzle, whisk in a little more milk or filtered water), then drizzle over the pancakes before serving.



  • Spicy Raw Apple Salsa and Pumpkin Chia Chips

    Spicy Raw Apple Salsa and Pumpkin Chia Chips

    apple-salsa-1

    I saw an apple salsa somewhere on TV (not sure where because I can’t remember now), and all I remember about it was that I wanted to make apple salsa of my own after seeing that!  I don’t even remember what was in theirs, but that’s ok because I had an idea of what I wanted mine to be like. Just the sweetness of the apple with a hit of spicy and plenty of crunch.  So I diced up a local honey crisp, added in some celery for crunch, jalapeno and red pepper flakes for heat and a few other things and voila!  Quick and delicious salsa!  Not traditional Mexican spices in this salsa or ingredients, but this is Minnesota salsa I guess, haha!  I served it with some pumpkin flax chips I had just made and it was the perfect post work afternoon snack.  It was the perfect balance of tart and sweet in the salsa and the chips tamed the heat nicely and were a good tool for eating the salsa with.  I love fall ingredients!

    apple-salsa

    Spicy Raw Apple Salsa

    Makes 2 cups

    1 large sweet tart apple such as honey crisp or pink lady, cut into small dice

    1 stalk celery, diced small

    1 jalapeno, diced (seeded if you want this more mild

    1 shallot, finely chopped

    1 tsp red pepper flakes

    sea salt to taste

    juice of 2 limes

    Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix until well blended.  Serve!

    Raw Pumpkin Chia Chips

    Makes about 2 dozen

    1/2 cup whole flaxseeds

    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp chia seeds

    1 cup ground flaxseed

    2 tsp cumin

    1 tsp chili powder

    1/4 tsp sea salt, or Himalayan salt plus additional for sprinkling

    1 1/4 cups water

    1/2 cup pumpkin puree (raw or cooked will work here)

    In a food processor, combine all ingredients, and process for about 1 minute until blended. Spread out onto a lined dehydrator tray very thin. Sprinkle with salt. Place in the dehydrator and dry for a few hours at 115F degrees, then score with a knife into square crackers. Place back in the dehydrator and dry for about 24 hours until very crispy. Alternatively, you may use an oven at a very low temperature, but it will take less time so check it way sooner.



  • Creamy Vegan Pumpkin and Leek Penne Pasta

    Creamy Vegan Pumpkin and Leek Penne Pasta

     Creamy Pumpkin and Leek Pasta 2

    I don’t look at a bad day as a reason to throw a pity party.  Instead I think of it as character building.  If you can survive a really bad day, then the next one won’t be so bad because you know you will get through it.  Right?  And when you have good days, you will appreciate them even more.  So last week, Eric and I had both had tough stressful days, but when we got home we went on a walk together to talk it out, and that really seemed to help.  I was forgetting about all the stuff that happened after a while. I try not to hang onto bad thoughts.  So anyways, I thought that some good comfort food was in order since it was a chilly day as well, and I decided that pasta sounded good.

    Creamy Pumpkin and Leek Pasta 3

    I was thinking a creamy pumpkin pasta, with leeks, mushrooms, and kale.  I had some new red lentil pasta  and I wanted to try it out, so this was the perfect opportunity.  I always like adding a bit of protein to my meals, because I need it especially if I worked out a lot that day.  So anyways, the pasta turned out wonderful, it tasted like mac and cheese, and it turns out that is exactly what Eric was craving even though he didn’t tell me before I made it.  This is so simple and fast to make, there is no excuse not to!  And, that lentil pasta was really good too, you would not know it isn’t regular pasta.

    Creamy Pumpkin and Leek Pasta 1

    Creamy Vegan Pumpkin and Leek Penne Pasta

    Serves 3

    10 oz Red lentil penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

    1 large leek, or 3 small ones, sliced 1/4 inch thick

    1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced

    2 tsp olive oil

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    2 cups pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin

    1 15 oz can organic coconut milk

    1/4 cup nutritional yeast

    2 tsp cider vinegar

    sea salt  and freshly ground pepper to taste

    2 Tbsp arrowroot starch dissolved in 2 Tbsp filtered water

    1 large handful kale, torn into bite sized pieces

    Add the leeks, mushrooms and olive oil to a non-stick skillet, and sautee the veggies over medium heat until softened, about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, cider vinegar, and salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the arrowroot mixture and stir well to blend and cook until the sauce thickens.  Add the kale and pasta and cook until they are both heated through and the kale has wilted.



  • Raw White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Raw White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Raw Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Cheesecake 1

    I was hard core craving some pumpkin spice cheesecake last weekend.  But just plain pumpkin spice wasn’t going to cut it, I wanted to add white chocolate as well.  oddly enough it has been a while since I made a raw cheesecake since I have been working on my book making other types of cakes.  I used to make one practically every weekend last year!  So, I got back into my groove and whipped this one up.

    Raw Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Cheesecake 2

    It is actually pretty simple to make, don’t let that decorative looking swirl on top fool you.  I used melted cacao butter in place of some of the coconut butter to give it that white chocolate flavor and oh my was it ever heavenly, even before pouring it into the crust. I lightly spiced the pumpkin portion and it was sooo good!  Just a little chill in the freezer and it was all ready.

    Raw Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Cheesecake 4

    This cake is simply crave worthy.  I think it would be the perfect swap for pumpkin pie at holiday get togethers if you want something a little more interesting.  I have included the recipe for a vegan cake using coconut milk and cooked pumpkin puree if you do not have access to young coconut meat and don’t feel like taking apart a pumpkin or squash.  So no excuse not to try this if you don’t have young coconuts in your area!  I hope you all are enjoying pumpkin season as much as I am!

    Raw Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Cheesecake 3

    Raw White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
    Makes one 6 inch cake

    Crust:
    1/2 cup raw sprouted buckwheat groats, dried in the dehydrator

    3/4 cup dried finely shredded coconut

    1/4 cup ground flaxseed

    1/8 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    2/3 cup soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped
    Filling:
    4 cups young coconut meat*
    1/2 cup coconut water
    1/2 cup raw coconut nectar or your choice of raw liquid sweetener
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean
    1 inch piece fresh ginger
    2 tsp cinnamon
    1/4 tsp cloves
    1/4 tsp nutmeg
    1/4 cup raw cacao butter, warmed to liquid
    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter (warmed to liquid)
    1 cup raw sweet squash such as kabocha or raw carrot**, chopped
    Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pan with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process buckwheat, coconut and sea salt in a food processor until it is fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers (if not holding together, add more dates). Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.
    To make the filling, in a food processor combine coconut, coconut water, coconut nectar, sea salt vanilla, and spices and blend until smooth and creamy. With the processor running, add the cacao butter, coconut butter, and process for a minute until blended. Remove the filling from the food processor and divide into 2 bowls. Place one back into the food processor and add the squash.  Blend until smooth then remove from the processor and set aside (if your food processor is not strong enough to make it smooth you may need to strain it through a fine meshed strainer).
    Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared crust, reserving about 3 Tbsp in a bowl.  Pour the plain filling over that, then drop the remaining pumpkin filling by the 1/2 tsp over that and swirl with a knife to create marbling. Place the cake in the freezer for about 4-5 hours until firm.  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

    *If you do not have access to young coconut meat, you can substitute 4 cups raw cashews soaked for 4 hours and drained for the coconut and filtered water for the coconut water.

    **I use squash or carrot in place of pumpkin in these because it is sweeter and easier to work with and you will never know the difference.  If you wish however you can use pumpkin but you may need to sweeten a little more.

    Vegan Non-Raw Version

    Use crust recipe from raw version

    Filling:

    2 15 oz cans full fat coconut milk

    1/3 cup maple syrup

    1/4 tsp sea salt

    2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    1 1/4 cups coconut butter, divided, warmed to liquid*

    1/3 ccup up cacao butter, melted to liquid

    1 cooked pumpkin puree (you may use canned)

    2 tsp cinnamon

    1 tsp powdered ginger

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    1/8 tsp cloves

    Prepare the crust the same as you would for the raw crust version.

    Combine the coconut milk, maple syrup, sea salt,  and vanilla in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

    Pour in 1 cup of the coconut butter and the cacao butter with the motor running slowly (so that it does not clump up.  But if it does, just continue to blend until any lumps are gone).  Remove half the mixture, and place in a bowl.

    Add the pumpkin and spices to the remaining mixture in the blender, and blend until smooth.  Add the coconut butter in the same manor you added it before.

    Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared crust, reserving about 3 Tbsp in a bowl.  Pour the plain filling over that, then drop the remaining pumpkin filling by the 1/2 tsp over that and swirl with a knife to create marbling.

    Place the cake in the freezer for about 4-5 hours until firm.  Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

    *Note: if your canned pumpkin is especially watery, you may need a few Tbsp more coconut butter.



  • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Doughnuts

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Doughnuts

    Vegan Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts 1

    It is finally starting to feel like fall.  I have broken out the jackets and sweaters, and it is long sleeve running weather.  But I love it. It makes me feel cozy inside when it is a little chilly on the outside and I have to move a little faster or snuggle a little more to get warm.  If that makes sense.  There is no reason not to heat up the oven this time of the year, so on Monday I decided I wanted to make doughnuts.  I had a can of pumpkin open, and I am in pumpkin everything mode, so that was the type I decided to make.  But not just pumpkin…pumpkin chocolate chunk.  I recently bought these awesome vegan chocolate chips from Luv  (a company local to me that sells ice cream too) from the store I work at, thinking they would be great for baking and they ended up being pretty addictive. They are sugar free but not full of weird ingredients which is what I was looking for.  Anyways, if you live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota you should check them out.  I used them in these doughnuts and they were delicious in them!

    Vegan Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts 2

    I used pumpkin spices in the doughnuts too, because isn’t that sort of a requirement of pumpkin desserts?  Well it is to me…because I love those warming spices.  And the pumpkin pie flavor plus the chocolate chunks was delicious!  I didn’t want to overpower these doughnuts with any kind of glaze, so I ended up dusting them with a mixture of cinnamon, coconut sugar and xylitol (the xylitol because it was pretty, but you may use just coconut sugar if you like).  Let me tell you, these babies warm with the chocolate still molten on the inside, and the doughnuts all aromatic was amazing. Make them immediately.  Trust me, you want to.

    Vegan Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

    Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Doughnuts

    Makes 10 large doughnuts

    Batter:

    1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour

    2 tsp cinnamon

    1 tsp ground ginger

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    1/4 tsp cloves

    1 cup coconut sugar

    2 Tbsp ground flax seed

    1/4 tsp sea salt

    1 1/2 tsp baking powder

    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water

    1 cup pumpkin puree

    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil

    2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    1 cup vegan chocolate chunks

    Cinnamon sugar:

    1/3 cup xylitol or coconut sugar (or mix the two as I did)*

    2 tsp cinnamon

    Pre heat the oven to 350F degrees, and oil a standard sized doughnut pan. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, sugar, flax seed, sea salt, and baking powder. Whisk in all the wet ingredients until smooth, then stir in the chocolate chunks.

    Spoon into the holes in the prepared pan, filling them 3/4 full. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the doughnuts are cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly Once cool, pop out of the pan (you want them to still be warm so the cinnamon sugar sticks to them).

    Mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.  Press each doughnut into the cinnamon sugar in the bowl, and coat all sides evenly.

    *Note: if using the xylitol, do not feed to dogs because it is poison to them like chocolate is.

     



  • Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus

    Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus

    Pumpkin Pie Hummus 1

    I have made pumpkin spice everything else, so I decided that some pumpkin pie hummus would be wonderful…since I am still craving pumpkin deliciousness.  I like to have either hummus or nut butter with apples or crackers for an evening snack, but I get bored having the same thing, so this pumpkin pie hummus was a good way to switch it up!  If dessert hummus sounds weird to you, you have to try this.  It tastes just like pumpkin pie.  Not like chickpeas at all.

    Pumpkin Pie Hummus 2

    The chickpeas just serve as a protein rich blank palette!  This is amazing with cinnamon flax crackers, or sweet tart honeycrisp apple slices.  You get your dessert, but the nutrition of the pumpkin and the fiber and protein of the chickpeas too which I love.  I try to create things that are a win win…delicious and satisfying my craving but nourishing my body at the same time. I hope you all are enjoying your Autumn so far, and if you are a pumpkin pie lover, you simply must try this hummus!

    Pumpkin Pie Hummus 3

    Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus

    Makes about 2 1/2 cups

    Ingredients:

    1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

    1 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin puree

    1/4 cup pecan butter

    1/3 cup maple syrup (or to taste)

    2 tsp cinnamon

    1 tsp ginger

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    1/4 tsp cloves

    1/4 tsp sea salt

    1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.


  • Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing 1

    When I was out for my run this morning, I noticed a few people have set out pumpkins on their steps as decoration.  Not surprising, official pumpkin season is officially here!  I even got one in my CSA box this time.  Although it was pretty, and I thought I might want to just display it, I decided to eat it instead.  That is so me.  Nothing is ever too pretty to eat if it is tasty and edible.  I decided to roast the pumpkin into little cubes of deliciousness, and combine them with black beans and kale in a salad.

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing 2

    This became dinner for me and Eric.  I tossed it all in a groundnut dressing.  If I am confusing you by saying groundnut, it is the same as peanut.  I used to make this really good groundnut spiced stew with garam masala (an indian spice blend) that was so good, I drew inspiration from it for this salad.  I knew the pumpkin, black beans and kale would be perfect with the dressing.  The roasting of the pumpkin is really the only thing about this recipe that takes a little time, the rest comes together in a breeze if you have cooked beans on hand already.

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing 3

    Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Salad with Groundnut Dressing

    Serves 2-4

    1 medium pumpkin, seeds removed, skin removed, and cut into cubes

    olive oil

    sea salt

    2 cups cooked black beans

    1 bunch kale, washed and torn into bite sized pieces

    1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

    Dressing:

    1/2 cup smooth organic natural peanut butter

    1/2 cup filtered water

    2 Tbsp cider vinegar

    1 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)

    2 tsp garam masala

    1 garlic clove, minced

    1 tsp red pepper flakes

    sea salt to taste

    To prepare the pumpkin, pre heat the oven to 400F degrees, and oil a sheet pan.  Toss the pumpkin with just enough oil to coat and spread out on the pan.  Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast until the pumpkin is tender and starting to brown at the edges, about 30-45 minutes.  Let cool until just warm.

    Place the kale, beans,  seeds, and pumpkin in a large bowl.

    Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, then toss with the ingredients in the other bowl until coated.  Serve!



  • Lentil Ragout over Pumpkin Gnocchi

    Lentil Ragout over Pumpkin Gnocchi

    Lentil Ragout over Pumpkin Gnocchi 1

    The last time I attempted to make vegan gnocchi, it ended in disaster. They fell apart, and I was so disappointed because I was excited about the recipe.  That was about 6 years ago, and I decided it was time to attempt them again.  After all, I have nailed several things since then that had previously scared me. I wanted to make pumpkin gnocchi this time, since I am in a pumpkin sort of mood, and it just sounded so good.  The last time I enjoyed any kind of gnocchi was in a fine restaurant and it was so freaking delicious.  I have been craving it since then.  I sort of winged it, just a simple mixture of gluten free flour, pumpkin and sea salt and it worked!  I was so happy!  They did not fall apart, they cooked up as soft little pillows that were delicious once sautéed with garlic and olive oil. I decided to make a lentil ragout to accompany them because I wanted something hearty and substantial.  It was so delicious together!  I have a feeling this is going to be one of my go to comfort food meals this season!

    Lentil Ragout over Pumpkin Gnocchi 2

    Lentil Ragout over Pumpkin Gnocchi

    Serves 3

    2/3 cup French lentils

    filtered water

    Gnocchi:

    3 cups gluten free all purpose flour

    1 cup canned pumpkin

    1/4 tsp sea salt

    filtered water

    olive oil

    1 garlic clove, sliced

    Ragout:

    1/4 cup diced red onion

    1 medium stalk celery, diced small

    1 medium carrot, shredded

    1 garlic clove, minced

    1 tsp dried basil

    1 tsp dried oregano

    1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

    sea salt to taste

    2 cups crushed canned tomatoes

    filtered water as needed

    1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

    cooked lentils from above

    To cook the lentils, place in a pot and cover with filtered water by 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Drain, and set aside.

    To make the gnocchi, mix together the flour, salt and pumpkin together in a bowl with your hands until you have a cohesive mass (if it is too sticky, add a little more flour, you want it the consistency of play dough).  Divide into 4 pieces, then roll each out into a 1 inch thick rope on a lightly floured surface, and slice into 1/2 inch thick rounds.

    Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the gnocchi.  Allow to cook until they float to the surface which is about 2 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon, and place on a plate.

    Heat about 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat, along with 1 garlic clove, sliced.  Add the gnocchi and cook until lightly brown on both sides, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with sea sale. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

    Add the ragout veggies, except the garlic and tomatoes, and sauté until tender.  Add the garlic, tomatoes, herbs, salt, pepper, vinegar, and filtered water as needed.  Bring to a simmer, and allow to cook until all of the veggies are very soft and the flavor has melded, about 15-20 minutes. Add the lentils and allow to heat through, taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve the lentils over the gnocchi.



  • Vegan Maple Pecan Pumpkin Cookies

    Vegan Maple Pecan Pumpkin Cookies

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cookies

    Happy first official day of Autumn!  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Summer but crisp fall mornings are one of my favorite things.  I have been enjoying wearing sweatshirts and feeling a bit of a chill in the air.  This weather makes for great runs and comfortable walks, all the while crunching the leaves on the ground as you go and admiring the beautiful painted trees.  A few days back, I decided that it was close enough to Fall to bake pumpkin cookies.  Most of my days off involve some form of baking or another and this one was no exception.  My perfect day off is a long run, baking, enjoying the outdoors with my man, and relaxing with a home cooked meal.

     

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cookies 1

    The last time I had made pumpkin cookies they were raw, but I decided to bake some this time, and jazz them up a bit.  I have always felt like pumpkin cookies are a little tougher than regular old drop cookies to make, because the batter seems to always be so wet and runny, but these turned out awesome and a little chilling quickly before baking did the trick.

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cookies 3

    The dough tasted amazing.  The sort of thing that I can not get myself to stop sampling.  But no regrets it was sooo good.  I stirred in pecans and cranberries and scented the dough with vanilla, maple and the classic pumpkin spices.  They baked up beautifully.  Pillowy yet crunchy on the outside as the perfect pumpkin cookie (in my opinion) should be.  I then drizzled them with a maple glaze and they were just as I had envisioned them to be in my head before I made them. Which is always a good thing because sometimes things totally don’t turn out as I had wished.  They smell of Autumn, and I can imagine no better thing to enjoy on a chilly afternoon with a mug of hot apple cider…which I am really craving now so I am going to have to get some soon!

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cookies 4

    Vegan Maple Pecan Pumpkin Cookies

    Makes 16 large cookies

    2 Tbsp ground flaxseed

    1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered water

    1 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

    2 cups coconut sugar

    2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    1 tsp maple extract

    1 cup pumpkin puree

    4 cups gluten free all purpose flour

    2 tsp baking soda

    1/2 tsp sea salt

    1 Tbsp cinnamon

    2 tsp ground ginger

    1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

    1/2 tsp cloves

    2 cups chopped pecans

    1 cup dried cranberries

    Glaze:

    2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid

    1 Tbsp maple syrup

    pinch sea salt

    3 Tbsp filtered water (or as needed)

    Pre heat the oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper.

    Whisk together the flax seed and water and set aside in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

    In a large bowl, whisk together coconut oil and sugar until blended.  Then add the vanilla and maple extracts, flax mixture and pumpkin and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, spices, and sea salt and mix until smooth.  Stir in the pecans and cranberries.

    Chill the dough for about 10-15 minutes until it becomes thicker (like the texture of regular chocolate chip cookie dough), then drop the cookie dough by the scant 1/4 cup on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a lot of space between cookies (I got about 8 per pan).  Bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned.  Remove from oven and let cool.

    To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth adding more water if necessary to create a pourable glaze.  Drizzle over the cookies, and allow to set (you may pop them in the freezer for about 5 minutes to make it set faster).  Store cookies in an airtight container for 1 week.

    Vegan Pumpkin Maple Pecan Cookies 5



  • Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

    Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

     Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal 2

    Pumpkin everything season has arrived.  People are gaga over pumpkin everything from lattes to muffins, and I totally get it because I love it too, and Autumn is my favorite season.  I have started making the pumpkin delicacies myself too. I had made a cake last weekend and had leftover pumpkin, so I decided I needed to do something with it…and it just happened to be perfect timing to include it in my overnight oats since I was putting those together.  So, I made pumpkin spice overnight oatmeal.  I figured the pumpkin would give me some extra goodness and nutrients as well as being delicious so it was a win win all around.  They were delicious!  Like pumpkin pie met my bowl of overnight oatmeal.  I think I will be making these any time I have leftover pumpkin this season.  If you have leftover pumpkin…now you know what to do with it!

    Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

    Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats

    Serves 1-2

    1/2 cup gluten free steel cut oats or rolled oats (if you want this to be raw use raw rolled oats)

    1 3/4 cups filtered water

    2 scoops Sprout Living Epic Vanilla Lucuma Protein Powder*

    1 Tbsp chia seeds

    1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    1/2 tsp powdered ginger

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    stevia or maple syrup to taste

    1 cup pumpkin puree

    Optional: Top off with your favorite nuts and dried fruit

    In a jar, combine all ingredients, and stir to mix together.  Let sit in the refrigerator covered overnight.  Enjoy in the morning!

    *If you do not wish to add protein powder, then simply use your favorite non dairy milk reduced to 1 cup in this recipe.



  • Raw Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons

    Raw Pumpkin Spice Coconut Macaroons

    One of my readers suggested a while back when I posted an Raw Apple Cinnamon Macaroon  recipe that I make some pumpkin spice ones.  I loved the idea, and I finally got around to making them last week!  I love coconut macaroons, as does my Mom, so I know if I make some I will be able to share them with her because they are one of her favorites. If I haven’t made them in a while, she often asks for them in fact.  For the pumpkin spice macaroons, I made my classic coconut macaroon recipe with the addition of raw pumpkin, and my favorite pumpkin pie spices which includes ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

    I thought I would make them appear like little pumpkins as well, sticking a clove in the top as a stem.  They had to be dehydrated because the pumpkin was moist, which was a bummer because I wanted to try one right away…but the leftover bits of macaroon dough were amazing so it was ok.  Once they were firmed up in the dehydrator, I decided that they needed to be dipped in chocolate as well, because that is how I like my macaroons.  They were little bites of deliciousness, like pumpkin pie and coconut macaroons had a baby!
     

    Raw Pumpkin Spice Macaroons
    Makes 12

    Macaroons:
    3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
    1 Tbsp raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid
    1 large shredded raw pumpkin*
    2 tsp cinnamon
    small chunk fresh ginger (about 1 tsp)
    1/4 tsp cloves
    1/4 tsp nutmeg
    a pinch of sea salt
    1/4 cup raw coconut nectar (or maple syrup or your choice liquid raw sweetener)
    2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut

    12 cloves

    Raw Chocolate:
    1/4 cup raw cacao powder
    1/4 cup raw coconut oil warmed to liquid
    2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup

    pinch sea salt

    Place 3/4 cup coconut, carrot, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and sea salt in the food processor and process until well combined. Add the nectar and process until the mixture holds together. Add coconut and pulse until the mixture holds together. Form mixture into 12 balls (they will be fragile before dehydrating, so be careful) and stick a clove into the top of each. Place on a dehydrator sheet. Dehydrate for 6 hours or so until firm.
    To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, in a small bowl.  Lay out a piece of foil, and dip the bottom of each macaroon into the chocolate, then set it on the foil.  Allow the chocolate to set (which will happen faster if you place them in the freezer for about 5 minutes).  Store extra macaroons in the fridge.

    *You can also use raw sweet potato, squash, or carrot in this recipe and it will taste the same.