It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

I love fall. Love, love, love it! So much so that I am usually pushing the season. By the end of August, I was making pumpkin bread. Just couldn't resist. Last weekend I made pumpkin muffins and brought out the fall decorations. Robyn and I went a a few fall open houses at some of our favorite shops. Now I officially have the fall bug. I thought I'd share the bread and muffin recipes, and I am looking for a good pumpkin cookie recipe. The ones that I have found online all look like cake-y cookies and I'm looking for more of a cookie-cookie. Anyone have such a thing?

Pumpkin Spice Bread

(from Cottage Living Magazine, November 2006)

This recipe doubles and even triples really well. A single recipe will make four little loaves (bake for 36 minutes).

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pumpkin

1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an 8x4 loaf pan. Stir together the first 6 ingredients.

2. In a separate (large) bowl, combine sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, beating until well blended. Gradually add dry ingredients, beating at a low speed until blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 5 minutes or until loaf is golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan.

Pumpkin Muffins

(from About.com, September 2007)

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can (15-16 oz) pumpkin

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, butter, half and half, eggs, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Stir pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened. Line muffin tin with liners. Fill to 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12-18 muffins.