Words by: Anita Peri, Year 12
Halloween is a perfect time to bake and be creative with the food that you eat. If you love baking, this is definitely what you need. If you don’t love baking, get someone else to make these for you! I’m looking at you, Mom.
No-bake Cheesecake ‘Truffle Mummies’
Ingredients:
- 3/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 3 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- Red food colouring
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: In a large bowl combine gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin puree, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cream cheese. Mix until smooth. Melt ½ cup white chocolate chips and mix into truffle mixture.
Step 2: Cover and chill until dough is solid enough to roll into balls - about 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer. When cold enough, roll mixture into 12-14 balls. Place a toothpick in each ball.
Step 3: Melt remaining white chocolate chips or white dipping chocolate in a small bowl. Use toothpicks to dip each truffle ball into the white chocolate, being sure to coat all sides. Gently shake off excess chocolate. Place chocolate-covered truffle balls on a baking sheet or plate lined with wax paper, parchment paper, or foil. Chill for 3-5 minutes until chocolate hardens.
Step 4: Drizzle more white chocolate over the truffles. Soak the end of a Q-tip in red food colouring. Dap 2 dots of food colouring to make the mummy eyes (Handle carefully so you don't wipe off the eyes!) Store chilled in airtight container.
Spooky-boo Brownies
Ingredients:
- 1 box brownie mix (or pre-made brownies); prepare the brownies separately
- 1.25 cups Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy creamy white frosting (from 16-oz container)
- 16 large marshmallows
- Decorating gel
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray. Make brownies as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch square pan. Cool completely for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove brownies from pan by lifting foil; remove foil. For 16 brownies, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.
Step 2: Heat frosting in microwavable bowl uncovered on High 30 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until frosting can be stirred smooth and fluid. If frosting becomes too firm while decorating, microwave for 5 seconds; stir.
Step 3: Stick 1 large marshmallow onto each brownie using a bit of frosting. Spoon 1 tablespoon frosting over each marshmallow to coat. Let stand for 30 mins or until frosting is set. Use edible black gel to make eyes and mouths.
Recipe #3 (Trust me, the effort is SO worth it)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles
Cookie Ingredients:
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. freshly-ground ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon-sugar coating:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- Dash of allspice
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
Step 2: In a kitchen aid mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Blend in pumpkin puree, beat in egg and then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for an hour.
Step 4: To make the cream cheese filling, blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Chill for an hour.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350 and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.
Step 6: To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of the cookie batter. Flatten it like a pancake and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese in centre. Form another tablespoon of the cookie batter into a flat pancake shape and place on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together sealing in the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and place on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Repeat until the dough is gone and flatten the cookie dough balls with a heavy bottomed glass or measuring cup.
Step 8: Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the tops start to crack. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy!
Recipe #4 (absolutely amazing. Who needs Starbucks when you’ve got this?)
Crock pot pumpkin spiced latte
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of milk (I used whole)
- 4-6 cups of strongly brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: In your crock pot, combine the milk and coffee.
Step 2: Whip together the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon and pour into the crockpot.
Step 3: Mix together well.
Step 4: Toss in 3-4 cinnamon sticks.
Step 5: Cover the crockpot, and cook on high for 2 hours.
If you don’t have a large group of people, you can easily halve the recipe! Heating up leftovers doesn’t work so well with this recipe.
Recipe #5 (simple, but effective)
Pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup water
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 5/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
Step 2: Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
Step 3: Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Step 4: Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- Dash of allspice
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
Step 2: In a kitchen aid mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Blend in pumpkin puree, beat in egg and then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for an hour.
Step 4: To make the cream cheese filling, blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Chill for an hour.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350 and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.
Step 6: To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of the cookie batter. Flatten it like a pancake and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese in centre. Form another tablespoon of the cookie batter into a flat pancake shape and place on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together sealing in the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and place on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Repeat until the dough is gone and flatten the cookie dough balls with a heavy bottomed glass or measuring cup.
Step 8: Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the tops start to crack. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy!
Recipe #4 (absolutely amazing. Who needs Starbucks when you’ve got this?)
Crock pot pumpkin spiced latte
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of milk (I used whole)
- 4-6 cups of strongly brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: In your crock pot, combine the milk and coffee.
Step 2: Whip together the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon and pour into the crockpot.
Step 3: Mix together well.
Step 4: Toss in 3-4 cinnamon sticks.
Step 5: Cover the crockpot, and cook on high for 2 hours.
If you don’t have a large group of people, you can easily halve the recipe! Heating up leftovers doesn’t work so well with this recipe.
Recipe #5 (simple, but effective)
Pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup water
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 5/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation instructions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
Step 2: Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
Step 3: Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Step 4: Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes
As seen in Winston's newest issue: Hallowinston
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