3 Pumpkin Recipes That Prove Fall Is the Best Season of the Year

When most people think about fall they think about jeans, sweaters, boots, Halloween, leaves changing color, and cooler temperatures. While I also think of these aspects of fall, the first thing that pops into my mind are pumpkins. Basically, I spend my fall attempting to prove my theory that one can live solely on pumpkin recipes.

During the fall, I am constantly looking for anything with pumpkin in it and if I can’t find it I’ll make it. One of my favorite childhood memories is baking anything with pumpkin in it with my grandmother. She is what I like to call the pumpkin queen. Here are three fabulous pumpkin recipes that she passed down to me that should be a staple in everyone’s fall diet.

1. Pumpkin Bread Pudding

• Prep Time:2 hrs
• Cook Time:45 mins
• Total Time:2 hrs 45 mins
• Servings:8
• Medium

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 3 cinnamon sticks crushed
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger chopped
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 loaf bread cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a 9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish and gather ingredients.

  

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, combine milk and cream. Add cinnamon sticks, ginger, vanilla bean, and cloves.

  

• Step 3

  Cook over moderate heat until the spiced milk is steaming. Be sure to not let it boil. Remove from heat, cover it, and wait about 30 minutes.

  

• Step 4

  Cut bread into cubes. Put them in the 9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Put the dish in the oven and toast the bread for about 8-10 minutes.

  

• Step 5

  Rewarm the spiced milk until steaming and then strain it into a medium size bowl.

  

• Step 6

  In another medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, and salt. Blend together until smooth. Blend in ½ cup sugar, then slowly blend in the hot spiced milk.

  

• Step 7

  Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly over the bread squares. Cover it with plastic, letting the pumpkin soak into the brioche for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove plastic. Combine remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle in over the bread pudding.

  

• Step 8

  Bake bread pudding for 45 minutes until puffed and set.

  

• Step 9

  Serve warm and with a scoop of ice cream.

  

2. Pumpkin Bread

• Prep Time:25 mins
• Cook Time:1 hr
• Total Time:1 hr 25 mins
• Servings:2
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two small loafs pans and line the pans with waxed paper. Gather all ingredients.

  

• Step 2

  Sift sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour into a large bowl.

  

• Step 3

  Add the oil, eggs, pumpkin, and water to the dry ingredients. Mix with a mixer on medium speed until well blended.

  

• Step 4

  Bake at 350°F for 1-½ hours.

  

3. Pumpkin Milkshake

• Prep Time:6 mins
• Cook Time:4 mins
• Total Time:10 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 piece pumpkin pie
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Whipped cream
• 1 cinnamon stick

• Step 1

  Place pumpkin pie, vanilla ice cream, skim milk, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon into the blender and blend all ingredients together.

  

• Step 2

  Pour milkshake into a glass. Top it with whipped cream, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a cinnamon stick.