Fall inspired Breakfasts

I always start craving pumpkin and cinnamon when the weather starts to cool. Technically we are still in the summer months and my girls are still wearing summer dresses but for some reason the cravings have started.

I think Ashlyn's request to make Pumpkin Muffins Thursday evening started it. She gets a monthly magazine called High Five, it's Highlights magazine for younger kids. My parents have given Ashlyn a subscription the past couple years and she loves it. She thinks Nana and Pawpaw actually send her the magazine every month. In the magazine they always have a recipe that is kid friendly and this issue's recipe was Pumpkin Pancakes. The recipe called for a box of pancake mix, which I don't keep in the house, so I went to allrecipes and pulled up a recipe. So, Friday morning Ashlyn and I made Pumpkin Pancakes for breakfast. Ashlyn and Aubrey both had two pancakes each, so I think they were a hit!


Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter on a hot griddle. Brown on both sides. 




I also came across a recipe for baked Apple Donut Holes over at Eighty Twenty. I made them today for a little treat and they were pretty yummy. They are definately not Donut Holes! They are very good, moist muffins, not donuts. So don't let the name fool you. I think we'll actually call them something else in our house like Apple Muffins. Here is the slightly adapted version I made today.

Baked Apple Donut Holes aka Apple Muffins

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg 

1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup 100% apple juice
1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt
3 tbsp vegetable oil

TOPPING:

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl, mix together brown sugar, applesauce, maple syrup, apple juice, yogurt, and vegetable oil.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir gently just until evenly blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared mini muffin pan. Bake for ~10 minutes

Topping (prepare while the donuts are baking)
Melt the butter in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

Remove donuts from the oven and when they are still hot, dip the tops in melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated (bottoms will still be moist from cooking, therefore there is no need to dip them into the butter).

Makes approximately 30-40 mini muffins