Pumpkin Pie Alternatives and Funny kids

It’s Monday. Sometimes at the start of a stressful week I need extra encouragement in remembering just how blessed I am. I have NO idea where these two learned such outlandish behavior. Probably from their Auntie. :)


(Sweet boy and the Fashionista mugging it up on the way to see Sir Elton John~)

Truth time. I would be perfectly happy to never eat another slice of pumpkin pie. I know, it’s totally un-American, right? This is normally how I eat pumpkin pie~ not visible, under a mound of whipped cream.

It’s not that I don’t like pumpkin. I do. Just in other forms. Here are two of my favorites Pumpkin Pie Alternative recipes.

Williams Sonoma Pumpkin Butter Bars~ feel free to lick your screen.

I first heard about these dessert bars from my cousin. She said I would love and perhaps kill for these bars and I do. But two things make the primary ingredient, pecan pumpkin butter, hard to come by. First, Williams Sonoma is on the other side of town (45 Min. +) and second, it’s expensive.
I thought about how I could recreate this fabulous food and pondered making my own pumpkin butter. Because with family, school, housekeeping and a business to run, I have time for such things. Then the heavens smiled upon me.

Sure, it’s missing the pecans, but I just added in some extra nuts and in a word….delish! Here’s the adapted recipe:

Pumpkin Butter Dessert Squares.

10 oz jar of T.J.’s Pumpkin Butter (I may try the cranberry apple butter next)

1/2 cup of chopped pecans. (If you’re an overachiever, you can roast them first.)

I box yellow cake mix, set aside one cup (I use Duncan Hines super moist)
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.
• Divide cake mix, placing all but one cup in a mixing bowl.
• Stir the melted butter, pecans and one egg into the cake mix until combined.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
• In another bowl, mix pumpkin butter with two eggs and milk until combined.
• Spread pumpkin mixture over pressed cake mix.
• Stir the reserved 1 cup of cake mix with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Then add the softened butter and mix together until crumbly.
• Sprinkle over the top of the pumpkin layer.
• Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool and cut into 2 ” squares. Serves 24.

Now for my other pumpkin pie alternative, the Pumpkin Roll. Oh how I love the cream cheese frosting! I was first given this recipe by my dear friend Pam 15 years ago. It is a fall classic.

Pam’s Pumpkin Roll (It is actually pretty easy)

• Vegetable cooking spray (I use Pam of course. :)
• 3  large eggs
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 3/4  cup all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 2/3  cup  canned unsweetened pumpkin (Libby’s, libby’s, libby’s on the label, label, label…)
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2  cups  powdered sugar, divided
• 2  (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/4  cup  butter or margarine, softened
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract (use the real deal)
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice (bottled ok)

Coat bottom and sides of a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and line with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside. (Do NOT skip this step!!!)
Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored; gradually add granulated sugar, beating until well combined. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients. Gradually add to egg mixture, beating well. Combine pumpkin and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and gradually add to mixture, beating well. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a 15- x 10-inch rectangle on a clean, dry dish towel~flour cloth works best. Run a knife around edges of pan to loosen cake, and turn cake out onto prepared towel. Peel wax paper off cake. Starting at narrow end, roll up cake and towel together; place, seam side down, on a wire rack to cool completely.
Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture on cake, leaving a 1-inch border around edges. Re-roll cake without towel, and place seam side down, on a serving platter. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
 What desserts are you making?
Come back tomorrow for more party prep and a hilarious video for Tuesday gratefulness.
Love and happiness from,
Laura