It’s officially pumpkin season, and we need to observe it accordingly. I’ve tried enough pumpkin recipes over the past few years, that I’m not really looking to reinvent the wheel this year. I’ve honed the options down to three main standbys.

First, we have pumpkin spice bread. It’s a classic.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Makes 2 9 x 5 loaves (or about 5 mini loaves), recipe from Epicurious

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare two 9 x 5 loaf pans with parchment and nonstick spray.
2. Combine flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. (you can substitute the multiple spices for pumpkin pie spice if you have it.)
3. Wisk together oil and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, then the pumpkin.
4. Add dry ingredients in slowly.  Add in chopped walnuts if you want.
5. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. (about 45 min for mini loaves)

Next, oatmeal pumpkin cookies. I have a lot of different cookies in my repertoire that are just different combinations of oatmeal cookies with various “mix-ins.” These would be the pumpkin version of that. They have great flavor and great texture!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Yeilds about 40 depending on size, adapted from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside: flour, spices, oats, salt, and baking soda.
3. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla.  Mix until well combined.
4. Gradually encorporate dry mixture into wet being careful not to over mix.  Fold in chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
5. Drop cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheet in generous teaspoon size. Bake 12-14 minutes.

Best for last: pumpkin chocolate chip bars. Every time I make them, they get raves! They are great out of the oven, or even better cold out of the freezer. You need to make them asap!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Make one 9 x 13 pan, about 20 bars depending on size, from Martha

Ingredients

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 Tbs pumpkin-pie spice
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Line a 9 x 13 brownie pan with parchment (it will make it much easier to get them out).
2. Combine the flour, spice, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
3. Cream butter, then add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.
4. Alternate adding batches of the pumkin and dry ingredients.  Mix to combine, but try not to overmix the dough.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Pour batter into parchment lined pan.  Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.  Allow to cool completely, then cut and serve!

Lastly, if you don’t want to actually make something, may I just say that the pumpkin munchkins (cake donut style) from Dunkin are to die for. It’s making me want to find a pumpkin donut recipe…