Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice

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I read and hear the debates every year at this time: Pumpkin Spice Coffee, or no?

Pumpkin Spice MIx

I promise to love you no matter your preference in this matter, but I have to admit that when it comes to Pumpkin Spice in my coffee: I heartily vote no!

Not that I’ve actually ever tried it. I’m sorry. I’m a coffee-with-cream girl and I’ve already made up my mind about Pumpkin Spice Lattes before I’ve tried a sip. Can I pretend to be a 5-year old and say, “I don’t like that” even though I’ve never actually tried it?

I’ll try all the new vegetables put in front of me. I’ll give most foods a fair chance. But when it comes to my beloved coffee combined with the fun, seasonal pumpkin spice, that is where I must draw the line.

I do love eating a pumpkin spice treat with my coffee. But to stir the pumpkin spice directly into my coffee, on purpose, with a spoon? Now why would I want to go and ruin my morning like that? Why?

I’d love to hear how all of you feel about the infamous Pumpkin Spice Lattes. It’s possible that some of you love them so much that you are convinced that they were served at The First Thanksgiving. With a dollop of cool whip. And topped with a candy corn.

I can’t even.

DIY Pumpkin Spice Mix

Now the cinnamon-nutmeg-clove pumpkin spice combination itself – this is the essence of fall. When making a pumpkin treat of any kind, I have always pulled out the variety of spices needed and added them each separately. But in the name of simplicity, this year I decided to shake together my own little jar of Pumpkin Spice perfection.

This year as I make all of our fun pumpkin muffins, pies, pancakes, and cookies, I’ll save myself a bit of time and effort and get out my cute jar of Pumpkin Spice.

Think of all the precious seconds I’ll save because of this new jar of Pumpkin Spice I have finally added to my kitchen. Thanks to this, I’ll actually have time to tie my shoes before running out the door.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice

How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice
 
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Serves: ½ cup
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cloves
  • 2 Tablespoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 Tablespoon ground allspice
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients and store the spice blend in an airtight container.

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Spice Mix

What to Make with Pumpkin Spice

From now on, I’ll sub my Pumpkin Spice in all my Pumpkin Recipes!

12 Pumpkin Recipes

 

Here are some of our featured Pumpkin Recipes!

Be on the lookout this fall for several new recipes we can use with Pumpkin Spice. I’ve been experimenting and to be sure, my house smells wonderfully pumpkin spicy all the time right now!

If you’d like to shake some Pumpkin Spice into your coffee, please go right ahead. I’ll even sit with you while you drink it. We can still be friends.

Do tell. Are you a Pumpkin Spice Latte lover?

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Low Sugar Lemon Loaf ~ a knock off of a Starbucks knock off

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Ever had the Starbucks Lemon Loaf? Me neither. But I’ve seen it in their display case and it looks divine.

Recently I came across a recipe knock-off for the famous loaf. Therefore, I decided to make a knock-off of the knock-off. I’m guessing that by now, this recipe barely even resembles the Starbucks variety – except for the part about it being a loaf and being lemony. But yay for recipe inspiration! My family agrees that this recipe is a keeper.

Pucker up, by the way. This bread packs a wonderful, lemony punch. I don’t recommend that you eat this Lemon Bread with Lemon Water unless you want to make funny faces at your family all through breakfast. Come to think of it – definitely do eat the lemon bread with the lemon water. Take selfies. Report back to me.

Or you could just have this bread with coffee or milk. But that would just be sooooo normal.

Low Sugar Lemon Bread2

Low Sugar Lemon LoafYum

Low Sugar Lemon Loaf ~ a knock off of a Starbucks knock off
 
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Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • ⅓ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • Lemon Glaze
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Stir ingredients together in a small saucepan over low heat until well combined. Pour over warm bread.
Instructions
  1. Stir together dry ingredients.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, melted butter, and melted coconut oil.
  3. Mix well and pour into a buttered loaf pan.
  4. Bake in a 350° for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Poke hot loaf of bread with said toothpick several times, then pour lemon glaze over the top to coat completely.
  5. Allow the loaf to sit in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing. Cool on a plate.

Low Sugar Lemon BreadEver tried the Starbucks Lemon Loaf? (P.S. I don’t even like the taste of Starbucks coffee. Is it just me?)

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Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

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This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

The first new healthy make-ahead snack recipe idea I am sharing (to go along with our Getting Ahead Challenge) was inspired by Kristen who left a comment on Facebook last week suggesting I make these muffins for a family game night. I experimented a little, and we loved the result! Cream cheese and pumpkin together in a muffin? Can be made ahead of time? Freezable? Yes, yes, yes. Not to mention, you get to learn to make cream cheese coins. Just when you thought life in the kitchen couldn’t be any more fun…

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

For those of you who notice fine details, you might realize that this recipe is very similar to my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. I simply took out the chocolate and added cream cheese. Why think hard when you already have a great pumpkin muffin recipe, right?

Cream Cheese Pumpkin MuffinsYum

3 cups whole wheat flour (I used freshly ground hard white wheat)
1 cup sucanat
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs
2 cups pureed pumpkin (or one 16 ounce can)
1 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)
8 ounces cream cheese

Before mixing together muffins, place cream cheese in the middle of a large piece of parchment or wax paper. Wrap the paper around the cream cheese and shape it into a long rope. Place it in the freezer while preparing the muffins.

Stir together flour, sucanat, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add eggs, pumpkin, and melted coconut oil. Mix well and scoop batter into 24 paper-lined muffin tins. Slice cream cheese into 24 “coins.” Slide one into the middle of each muffin. Bake in a 400° oven for about 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
 
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Serves: 24 muffins
Ingredients
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour (I used freshly ground hard white wheat)
  • 1 cup sucanat
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups pureed pumpkin (or one 16 ounce can)
  • 1 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
Instructions
  1. Before mixing together muffins, place cream cheese in the middle of a large piece of parchment or wax paper.
  2. Wrap the paper around the cream cheese and shape it into a long rope.
  3. Place it in the freezer while preparing the muffins.
  4. Stir together flour, sucanat, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  5. Add eggs, pumpkin, and melted coconut oil.
  6. Mix well and scoop batter into 24 paper-lined muffin tins.
  7. Slice cream cheese into 24 "coins."
  8. Slide one into the middle of each muffin.
  9. Bake in a 400° oven for about 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

These muffins taste great hot out of the oven or cold several days later.

Want a little hint on forming that cream cheese? I found that wrapping it well with parchment paper, then running my hands over and over it easily shaped it into a long rope in just a few seconds. Like this –>

pumpkin_cream_cheese_muffins_3 (1)

I like to refer to this gem of a portrait as “Headless Lady Shapes a Cream Cheese Log.”

 Feel free to sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the muffins before baking. I’m also thinking that adding chocolate chips (like in the original Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe) would taste incredible.

Which do you like better? Chocolate chips or cream cheese…or both?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!