White Chocolate & Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

It's that time of year folks. When I yearn for cool weather. To pull out all my boots. Slip into fleece tights and wear leg warmers around the house. When the crock pot comes out. When I start stocking up on pumpkin every time I go to the store. When my house always smells of something Fall. Pumpkins, caramel, apples, cinnamon. To kick off Fall 2014, I bring you....

White Chocolate & Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

I’m a sucker for cheesecake. Especially PUMPKIN cheesecake! This one has all my favorite flavors. Pumpkin, cinnamon, caramel…yummy yummy yummy!

Takes about an hour and a half, but totally worth it!

Serves 10-14 (depending on slice sizes)

~ Ingredients ~

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 8 tbsp melted butter

Cheesecake Filling

•             3 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese (bring to room temp)
•            15 oz can pure pumpkin
•             1 cup brown sugar
•             3 eggs
•             1 tsp vanilla
•             ½ tsp salt
•             1 tsp cinnamon
•             1 tsp nutmeg
•             ½ tsp ground ginger
•             ½ tsp ground cloves

Sour Cream Layer

•          1 cup sour cream
•           1 tsp vanilla
•      1/4 cup sugar
•          1/8 tsp cinnamon
•          1/8 tsp nutmeg

Whipped Cream (make your own if you have the time)

•           1 small tub of cool whip
•           2 tsp cinnamon
•            Caramel sauce for drizzle
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~ Instructions ~

For the Crust:

      In a medium sized bowl, mix the graham crackers crumbs, the butter, and the sugar until everything is “wet”. Press into an 8 inch spring-foam pan (about half way up the sides) and then place in the fridge to set.                                  

 For the Filling:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (172 C).

To start, put the pumpkin filling onto a stack of paper towels. Pure pumpkin has a lot of water in it so you want the majority of it to soak into the towels. Change them out if you need too. The pumpkin won’t stick to the towels.

While the pumpkin is setting, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth (this will be easier if it’s room temp). Add the eggs one at a time and then add all the other ingredients, including the pumpkin. Blend until the ingredients are smooth but DO NOT OVER-MIX. Just get it smooth and be done.

Take the crust from the fridge and pour in the filling.

Bake the cheesecake at 350 for about 30 minutes then turn the temp down to 325 for another 30 minutes. When you remove the cheesecake from the oven, the center will be slightly jiggly. Don’t worry! It will set up as it cools!

Now for the sour cream layer. I like to let the cheesecake set while I prepare this. When you are ready to add it to the top, use a spoon and add it over the entire top of the cheesecake. Don’t pour the topping into the center!!! It can break through and collect in the center of your cheesecake. Spread it evenly.

Place the cheesecake bake into the oven for another 10 minutes.

Allow the cheesecake to cool on a cooling rack. I usually do so for about an hour then I transfer it to the fridge.

When you are ready to eat the cheesecake, use a small knife to separate the cake from the pan sides. Remove the pan side carefully.

Drizzle the caramel sauce onto the cake top. Then mix the whipped cream with the cinnamon. You can pipe this on with a large piping-tipped bag or set it next to the cake for people to do themselves.

That’s all there is too it! I turned out to be my best one yet! Usually I do the whole water bath crap, but no need with this recipe. Makes it MUCH MUCH easier. Hope you all enjoy!

Pumpkin Protein Rolls with Peanut Butter, Honey & Banana Topping

Since I sometimes pull myself out of bed to get in a morning workout, I need two options for breakfast. One before I workout and one after. I'm kind of like a hobbit (second breakfast haha...get it?). Anyways, I saw this awesome recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls (http://www.fitnessrxwomen.com/life-health/jaime-baird/pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls/).

Not surprisingly I had most of the ingredients on hand, but I did change the recipe slightly. They were REALLY easy and they turned out really yummy and I can't wait to gobble a few after CrossFit tomorrow morning! Protein packed and filled with pumpkin, I love these! Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Butter Cream Frosting

I love love love fall and anything having to do with turning leaves, sweaters, hot cocoa, football, crisp mornings, and of course PUMPKIN!!!!! 

I decided to try a pumpkin cupcake with a Salted Caramel Butter Cream Frosting. It's not my normal type of frosting, but it was quite amazing. 

FYI, I made a quarter-sized batch so that I could make 6 cupcakes and try the recipe without wasting ingredients if I didn't like it. But I loved it, so I'll definitely make it again.

This photo shows the ingredients for the cupcake batter.

~ Ingredients ~