Does anything evoke October more than bright orange, plump pumpkins? Beyond decorating porches and mantles, pumpkin is a family friendly sweet and savory base for dishes that can be enjoyed from breakfast to dessert. Pumpkins are rich in in vitamins A and C and superfood phytonutrients. Pumpkin seeds are also loaded with nutrition and make a great snack on their own–or a perfect addition as a topping to salads, enchiladas, and other cooked dishes.
Most busy parents don’t have the time to cook their own fresh pumpkin, but if you do, check out our handy guide on selecting and cooking pumpkin. If you don’t make your own, Libby is our favorite brand of canned 100% pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling.
Here are three of our favorite ways to bake with pumpkin:
1. Pumpkin Pancake Recipe These savory pancakes are a delicious way to start the day. The batter makes a large batch so you can freeze the extras for a quick morning breakfast of toaster pancakes.
2. Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Spice up fall lunch boxes with mini pumpkin muffins, or use them as an afternoon snack.
3. Apple Pumpkin Bread (recipe below)
Toast apple pumpkin bread and top with cream cheese for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack. These breads freeze really well. This is a delicious recipe that can be made with gluten free flour (I recommend the Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour). The apples add wonderful texture. The recipe in the cookbook calls for a streusel topping, but I forgo the additional sugar and top the loaves with sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds. I buy the La Pluma Variety from Trader Joe’s because they are small and thin enough to eat without much effort.
Pumpkin Apple Bread Recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl *with Sharon’s notes
Makes two 9-by-5 inch loaves or *6 mini loaves.
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 (15-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (2 cups)
- *1 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds for topping
1. Put a rack in middle of oven, and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter, *or line with parchment paper, two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans (*or 4 mini loaf pans). 2. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice into a medium bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples. 3. Divide batter between loaf pans. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds evenly over each loaf. Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of bread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes (40 minutes for mini loaves). 4. Cool loaves in pans on a rack for 45 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour. *Sharon’s note – once the bread has cooled initially, about 20 minutes, I wrap each loaf in waxed paper to maintain more moisture, and then let it sit on the rack to fully cool. Once fully cool, I wrap a layer of foil over the waxed paper on the loaves that I am going to freeze.
For more ideas see Table365 pumpkin basics: 13 great ways to enjoy pumpkin at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and dessert.
Cheers!
I just cooked a whole pumpkin and made puree, then froze it until such time as I found good recipes.
How would I make these recipes gluten-free? Have you found a flour that is a 1-to-1 for real flour?
Much thanks,
Amy
Hi Amy,
It’s great you have homemade puree in the freezer for when inspiration strikes! My favorite gluten free flour right now is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour. It’s wheat and dairy free and has a really nice consistency. It’s less gritty and more like a baking flour. I’ve used it to make the pumpkin pancakes and the apple pumpkin bread with great results. Happy baking, Sharon
I love pumpkin everything this time of year so will try all three recipes. Thanks, Sharon and Kimberly!