One of my favorite parts of the Thanksgiving meal with my fam is the post-dinner conversation over coffee and dessert. That is, if I don't miss it because I'm cat napping on the couch in a mostly mashed potato-fueled food coma, which has happened ... a few times.
I'm not sure what it is, but the caffeine and sweets pairings always seems to round off an afternoon of snacking, drinking, more snacking, more drinking and actually eating the turkey the right way.
Though my love for pumpkin cheesecake will never fade, here's a few pumpkin-inspired recipes from Nasoya, Kretschmer and Krusteaz that'll satisfy a sweet tooth all the same. They range from a vegan-friendly option to a spin on a classic.
Pumpkin Dumplings
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 package Nasoya Won Ton Wraps
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin
2 teaspoon sugar
Directions
Combine the pumpkin, cinnamon and sugar. Spoon a dallop in the center of the won ton wrapper. Use a little water along the edges of the wrapper and fold diagonally.
Bake in the toaster at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes.
Bonfire Blondies
Serves 16
Ingredients
Cookie:
1 package Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup caramel bits
1/3 cup marshmallow bits
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Glaze:
1 pouch Spiced Vanilla Glaze Mix (enclosed)
2 tablespoons water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8x2-inch pan.
In medium bowl, stir together all cookie ingredients until well blended. Press dough evenly into prepared pan. Bake 28-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely before topping with glaze, which should be blended with water until smooth.
Pumpkin Pie with Wheat Germ Crust
Serves 10
Ingredients
Crust:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup canola oil
1 to 3 tablespoons water
Pumpkin Filling:
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup 2 percent evaporated milk
5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
In medium bowl add flour, wheat germ, whole wheat pastry flour and salt. Stir to combine. Cut in butter using fingertips until mixture is crumbly and no big lumps of butter remain. Stir in canola oil and add water as needed to form dough into a ball.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and freeze 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare filling. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, milk, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.
Remove dough from freezer. Roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper into a 12-inch circle. If dough cracks, pinch it together.
Remove top sheet of parchment. Place 9-inch glass pie plate on top of dough, rim side down, and flip over with dough and parchment. Peel back parchment and press dough into pie plate. Seal or patch cracks with extra dough pieces.
Trim dough to 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under to create an even rim around the pie. Use fork tines to create design around pie rim. Poke bottom of crust with fork 4 or 5 times.
Pour filling into crust. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. After 5 minutes, place foil around pie edge to prevent burning. Reduce temperature after 15 minutes to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
