Pumpkin Dessert goes GFCF!

If you are gluten and dairy intolerant, there is no need to avoid a great dessert this holiday season.  We’ve selected three absolutely amazing pumpkin desserts, all gf/cf that you can be proud to serve to holiday guests, regardless if they are gluten-free or not!  These desserts are also perfect to bring to any Thanksgiving party.

Chocolate Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups gf flour
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
  
• 1/2 cup canola oil
  
• 1/4 cup soy milk
  
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together the gf flour, sugar, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, canola oil, and soy milk.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared jelly roll pan.  Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into 2 inch squares and serve.

Pumpkin Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter, softened
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
  
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  
• 1-1/2 cups gf flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup soy milk

For frosting:

• 8 ounces Tofutti cream cheese
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat Earth Balance butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat until combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together gf flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.   Stir half the dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture.  Add soy milk and stir until just blended.  Add remaining dry ingredients; stir until just incorporated.   Spoon batter into 12 standard size muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Let cool in muffin pans on racks for 5 minutes.  Remove cupcakes and let cool completely on wire racks.   Meanwhile, make cream cheese frosting.  In a medium bowl, using a hand-held mixer, add(cold) Tofutti cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar; beating until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes prior to frosting cupcakes.

Pumpkin Cheesecake w/Brownie Crust

Ingredients

For crust:

• 4 Tablespoons Earth Balance butter
  
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  
• 1/4 cup gf flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

For cheesecake:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  
• 1-1/2 pounds Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (1 pound)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  
• Pinch of ground cloves

Directions

For crust:
Preheat  oven to 325°F.

Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.  

Bring a small amount of water to boil in a medium saucepan.  In a double boiler, over simmering water (water should not touch top pan) melt butter and 2 ounces of chocolate, stirring constantly.  Remove chocolate mixture from heat and let cool slightly.  Stir 1/4 cup sugar and 1 egg into chocolate mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk gf flour together with baking powder and salt.   Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture.  Stir in chopped walnuts.   Spread batter in prepared springform pan and smooth surface with a spatula.   Bake for 10 minutes, or until risen and dry to the touch.   Set springform pan on a large sheet of foil and fold foil up around sides of pan.

For cheesecake:

Melt remaining chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.   In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in cornstarch and vanilla.  Add 1 cup of cheesecake batter to melted chocolate and stir well to blend.  

Beat pumpkin puree,  cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into remaining cheesecake batter.

Pour 3/4 of pumpkin cheesecake batter over brownie crust.   Check chocolate mixture to see that is thin enough to spread.  If it is too thick, re-heat it in microwave for 10 seconds.  Pour chocolate batter on top of pumpkin cheesecake batter.  Spoon remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of chocolate batter.  Use a table knife to make a few decorative swirls, being careful not to over-swirl.  Set springform pan in a medium roasting pan.  Add enough hot water to roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan.   Bake pumpkin cheesecake at 325°F for 1-1/2 hours, or until it is firm around edges but slightly jiggly in center.  Turn oven off, prop oven door open and let cheesecake stand in water bath in warm oven for 1 hour, or until completely set.  Remove pumpkin cheesecake from water bath and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.   Remove foil and springform pan ring from cheesecake.  Carefully transfer cheesecake to a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

- Chef Yvonne