This post is sponsored by Country Crock.

Curtis loves pumpkin pie and until I started making it from scratch, I didn't realize how easy it is to make!

I'm excited to work with Country Crock to bring you this pumpkin pie recipe! I have so many childhood memories food memories related to Country Crock. The big tub was always on our table and when we finished it off, it was used as a food saver container…did you all do the same thing?

Take a minute to watch this video, I show you how to easy it is to make homemade pumpkin pie!

I used Country Crock® Salted Buttery Sticks that I purchased at Publix. You don't have to wait for them to soften, just use them right out of the refrigerator.

First, mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Then add 6 Tablespoons Country Crock® Salted Buttery Sticks.

It's great for all of your holiday baking needs and I love that it's made with sunflower oil.

I used a pastry blender to the buttery stick into the flour. You can use two forks if you don't have one.

Add 1 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time, up to 2 to 3 of them.

Once a dough starts forming, you know you have added enough water.

Form the dough into a ball.

Add flour to a surface and roll the dough out using a piece of parchment paper.

Once the dough is spread out a little bit, be sure to add flour between the paper and the dough.

Roll it out to a 12-inch circle. Super easy!

Put the pie crust into a pie plate and press down. Crimp the edges and pour the filling in.

Bake and let it cool for at least two hours. I like to serve my pie chilled.

It's so easy…you can do it too! Don't forget to watch the video too!

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Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie Filling

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can 15 ounce pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Flaky Pie Crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons Country Crock® Buttery Sticks I used salted buttery sticks

Instructions

Pumpkin Pie Filling

• Combine sugar, salt and spices in small bowl; set aside.
• Beat eggs with pumpkin with electric mixer, then beat in sugar mixture. Slowly add milk. Set aside as you make the pie crust.

Flaky Pie Crust

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add Country Crock® Buttery Sticks and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two forks. You know you're done when you have coarse crumbs.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water 1 tablespoon at a time. (I only had to use 2 tablespoons). Mix with a fork until a dough forms.
• Knead the dough into a ball.
• Flour a surface and place the dough between the floured surface and a piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough out to a 12-inch round.
• Press into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the edges as you wish.
• Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pie crust.
• Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. (Halfway through the baking, cover the pie crust edges with foil to it doesn't over bake.)
• Place on a wire rack to cool for 2 hours. Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing (or chill overnight).

Notes

from Country Crock

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I only share with you what I love and always share with you my own opinions.

The post Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

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It's time for a different kind of s'more for you all…and PS this was my first time (and not my last) making pumpkin butter!

I'm excited to work with Campfire® Marshmallows again, last year I made these Chocolate Pumpkin S’mores Cupcakes, which were a hit with my local friends, by the way! And onto more s'mores

I had to share another photo…give you a close up! I used my culinary torch to toast the marshmallows…some people would say my marshmallows are burnt but I disagree. They are warm, gooey, toasty goodness…I love marshmallows!

You can totally toast them in the oven (broil them at 550 degrees) for minute, being very careful because they toast very quickly!

I also love to put them on skewer sticks and toast them over our fire pit. Last December, we had a holiday get together and had s'mores and toasted the marshmallows over the fire pit…they are perfect for every season…year round!

Make or buy your pumpkin butter for these s'mores.

Bring the mixture to boil and keep mixing.

And after 35 minutes, the mixture is reduced and you have a wonderful pumpkin butter.

Chocolate and pumpkin and marshmallows go PERFECTLY together! And honestly, you have this whenever you want…you don't have to wait until fall time. I love that Campfire® Marshmallows make everything…every event or just every day life FUN!

You know you want to make these!

For more roasting tips, be sure to visit the Campfire® Marshmallows website. And make sure you follow them on instagram!

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Pumpkin Butter S'mores Recipe

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Butter

• one 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

S'mores

• Graham crackers
• Campfire® Marshmallows toasted
• milk chocolate

Instructions

Pumpkin Butter

• Add pumpkin puree, apple juice, pumpkin pie spice seasoning and sugar to a medium sized pot. Mix well and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently. Once it’s reduced, allow the pumpkin butter to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Place in glass (with airtight lids) containers and refrigerate until serving.

Assembly

• Prep the graham crackers, you'll need two graham cracker squares per s'more. Spread pumpkin butter on one side of one of the crackers. Add chocolate and at least 3 toasted Campfire® Marshmallows. You can toast them in the oven using your broiler, on skewer sticks over your stove or using a culinary torch (like I did).

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Campfire® Marshmallows, all opinions are my own and I only work with brands that I love. There’s an affiliate link in this post.

The post Pumpkin Butter S’mores appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

There's something about chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows that gets me every time. I have never done a s'mores inspired dessert before though, now I can cross it off my baking bucket list!

I'm thrilled to be working with Campfire® Marshmallows and showing you how to make these wonderful Chocolate Pumpkin S'mores Cupcakes! I love how versatile their marshmallows are and the different varieties they have (fruit flavored, yes please and minis to giant roasters!).

You can barely taste the pumpkin in these cupcakes, the chocolate overwhelms it…but the pumpkin makes these cupcakes super moist!

First start out by crushing graham crackers. These cupcakes have a little graham cracker crust on the bottom!

Mix in melted butter and sugar. I often have to use my hands in this step to get them fully incorporated.

Add two teaspoons graham cracker mixture to the bottom of each cupcake liner.

Flatten out with the bottom of a spoon and bake for about 5 minutes.

Put together the cake batter.

Blend together the canned pumpkin, eggs, vanilla extract, water and vegetable oil.

Then, add the devil's food cake mix and chocolate pudding packet and beat together with an electric mixer.

Scoop out 3 Tablespoons of batter using a cookie scoop and pour into the cupcake liners.

All done and ready for the oven!

After they come out of the oven, allow them to cool on a baking rack.

I broiled the marshmallows in the oven and used a torch on some of them. They turned out better from the oven but they are messier to deal with. Toasted marshmallows for the win!

These cupcakes are amazing, I know you'll love them and they are great for a Fall dessert for your holiday party or even great year-round!

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Chocolate Pumpkin S'mores Cupcakes Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 18 -20 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 9 graham crackers
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 18.25 oz package devil’s food cake mix
• 1 3.4 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 5 ounces dark chocolate squares
• 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
• store-bought whipped frosting
• Campfire Marshmallows cut in half

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Crush graham crackers in a zippered plastic bag using a rolling pin. Mix in melted butter and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Line two cupcake tins with cupcake paper liners. Add 2 teaspoons graham cracker mixer to each cupcake liner and flatten with the back of a spoon.  (Reserve the extra graham cracker crust for later.)
• Bake the graham cracker crusts in the oven for about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while working with the cupcake batter.
• In a large mixing bowl, add canned pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs, water and vanilla extract and mix together thoroughly with an electric mixer.
• Add sugar, cake mix and pudding mix and mix again but be careful not to over mix. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Use a large cookie scoop (three tablespoons) to portion batter into the liners on top of the graham cracker crust that's already been baked.
• Bake cupcakes for 19 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Once done baking, allow to cool on a baking rack.
• Add chocolate squares and shortening to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power in 30 second increments to melt. Mix between increments.
• Once cool, spread a little bit of frosting on each cupcake and work on the marshmallows. See below.

Prepping the Marshmallows

• Cut marshmallows in half and place on a cookie sheet that's lined with parchment paper with the cut side UP. Broil in your oven for 1 minute (watch closely or they may burn). My oven broils at 550 degrees F and I moved the oven rack the second spot from the top. Broiling them in the oven turned out the best (the best looking marshmallows but if you have a torch, it's actually easier). Remove marshmallows one by one and place three halves on each cupcake.
• If you have a kitchen torch, you can torch them! I found that torching the cut side is best. Be careful not to burn your marshmallows although some people like them "burnt" for their s'mores!
• Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over the marshmallows and sprinkle leftover graham cracker crumbs on top.

Notes:

• If you're not going to decorate the cupcakes the same day you make them, be sure to store them in an airtight container overnight.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Campfire® Marshmallows, all opinions are my own and I only work with brands that I love. There's an affiliate link in this post.

The post Chocolate Pumpkin S’mores Cupcakes appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

It's funny because I wouldn't say that I'm pumpkin-obsessed at all but when I saw my friend, Gina, on QVC promoting her new cookbook: The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor and one of the recipes they tasted and talked about were these scones. I knew what I wanted to make.

And guess what? I love love love them! They are light and fluffy and packed full of flavor. I was telling friends last night, if you don't love pumpkin you'll still love these scones and if you love pumpkin, you'll love these scones. Hope that makes sense!

Gina has a wonderful blog called Skinnytaste — same name as her cookbook. She cooks amazing food that tastes great but low on calories. I love that she refuses to sacrifice flavor for being healthy. I met Gina several times through blogging but didn't get to spend much time with her until a brand trip several years ago. She is a ray of light, so positive, so genuine and so friendly and open. I just can't say enough about her, I love her to pieces. I'm so thankful to be able to call her a friend and I'm so proud of her, her blog and her cookbook. She worked so hard and it shows.

Her cookbook completely is gorgeous (photographed by Penny De Los Santos) and the recipes are so creative and accessible. There's so much that I want to make including Noodle-less Zucchini Lasagna. I LOVE zucchini…it's just genius!

By the way, I'm also giving away a copy of the Skinnytaste Cookbook!

Back to these scones. The vanilla bean glaze…seriously.

Can you believe this is the first time I cut into a vanilla bean? It's mesmerizing…like caviar for bakers.

These scones are incredibly easy to put together.

Using a whisk, mix all of the wet ingredients except the butter.

Whisk the dry ingredients.

I cut in the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender.

It should look like this.

Now, mix in the wet ingredients and you have your dough.

Knead it a few times.

Shape into a 9-inch circle.

I put it on parchment paper on a baking sheet and then cut the wedges. Bake just like this.

Make your glaze…umm I think I could have drank the glaze.

Scones! So light, fluffy, creamy and pumpkiny but not too pumpkiny. They are just perfect. I might be snacking on one right now. These are so hard to share.

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Pumpkin Obsessed Vanilla-Glazed Scones Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 41 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Scones

• cooking spray or oil mister
• 1/2 cup cold low fat 1% buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 5 Tablespoons canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for the work surface
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 Tablespoons very cold butter cut into small pieces

Glaze

• 2 Tablespoons cold fat-free milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with oil.
• For the scones. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut along the length of the vanilla bean to split it open. Scrape half of the seeds into the bowl and whisk well; reserve the remaining seeds for the glaze.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk mixture and stir until just moist.
• Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead light four times with floured hands. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and shape into a 9-inch round about 3/4 inch thick. Using a knife, cut the dough all the way through into 12 wedges.
• Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before glazing.
• For the glaze: Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining seeds from the vanilla bean and the milk. In another medium bowl add the powdered sugar. Using a spatula mix in the milk and combine well until it is mixed through and forms a thick glaze.
• Put the scones on parchment or wax paper and drizzle the vanilla glaze over the scones using a spoon. Alternatively you can dip the tops of the scones into the glaze, and then let them sit on the paper to harden.
• Serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers for up to 2 days.

Notes

from The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor by Gina Homolka, Clarkson Potter 2014

Disclosure: I did receive a review copy from the publisher but I would have bought this cookbook anyways, actually I did buy a copy from Amazon! There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Pumpkin Obsessed Vanilla-Glazed Scones + Skinnytaste Cookbook appeared first on The Little Kitchen.