Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I'm a little excited mainly due to the fact that I get to legally cook with pumpkin. I love this pumpkin bar recipe. It isn't overly sweet but it has great mixture of spices. I found the little pumpkin on top in the cake decorating aisle of my grocery store. Or, sprinkle the top with cinnamon or cupcake sprinkles. It makes a ton so invite your friends over for a "calm before the holiday storm" party. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1-2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups pumpkin
Mix together until fluffy, then add:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix well
Pour in greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

When cool frost bars with butter cream frosting.
Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix together well and spread on bars when cooled. Printable recipe

Mmmmmm... do you smell that? Cinnamon and pumpkin all mixed up and smelling delicious in the oven.
My son's pre-school teacher gave me this recipe last week so I thought I'd give it a try. These cookies are soft, not crunchy which makes them taste like little individual pumpkin cakes. They are delicious. Be warned: this recipe makes A TON of cookies and can easily be cut in half.

Pumpkin Cookies
*By Crystal A.

2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
1 small can pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp ground cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
Add all the other ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Dough will be very sticky. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Frost with buttercream frosting.


Buttercream Frosting

1 cube butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
Dash salt
1/3 can evaporated milk
Orange food coloring
Powdered Sugar

Combine all ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.
(not too runny, not too thick) Printable recipe