Caramel Glazed Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

All five of my kids (ages 2-10) seriously devoured these muffins this morning. I was really glad I had made 24! My 2 year old finished her first one (without the caramel) and was on to a second one before I finished putting the caramel on the tops.
Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups or brush tins with this easy release. Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Filling:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ c brown sugar
¼ c powdered sugar
1 egg
2 t vanilla bean paste (or regular vanilla)

Combine all of the ingredients and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Pumpkin Muffin Batter:
2 2/3 c flour
1 ¼ c brown sugar
1 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 t pumpkin pie spice (You can also use a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in place of this if you don’t have it)
½ t. ginger
3 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c veg. oil
2 t vanilla bean paste (regular vanilla is fine, too)

Mix together flour, both sugars, baking powder, salt, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Add eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Scoop 1-2 T. of this batter into each muffin cup. Next, place 1 T. of the vanilla cream cheese mixture into each of the muffin cups. Top each one with another T. of the muffin batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes (adjust cooking time as needed). While muffins are baking make the caramel topping.

Vanilla Bean Caramel Topping:(optional)
1 c. cream
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla bean paste (You can use regular vanilla instead, this is just what I had)

Pour the cream or milk into a small saucepan and place on a low to medium heat. Add the salt and vanilla to the saucepan and stir to dissolve. Bring to a steady simmer, and then add the brown sugar. Stir to dissolve. Bring the mixture to a steady, low boil, and stir frequently. It takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the desired consistency.

When the muffins are done you can either dip the tops of each one into the caramel or drizzle the caramel over the tops of each muffin.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Variation:
Skip the filling and the topping. Add chocolate chips to the batter.

Caramel Coconut Creme Pie

I came across this recipe for Freezer Caramel Drizzle Pie a few days ago and just knew I had to make it! You know, my way, like I make everything else. No one knows what my problem is. I just can't seem to bring to myself to follow a recipe exactly. It's ridiculous really, but I've just accepted it.

You'll Need:
2 - 9 inch graham cracker crusts
1 package cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
coconut extract
1/2 c powdered sugar
vanilla extract
1 c coconut
4 T butter
1 quart heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1 c packed brown sugar


I made homemade caramel first.
1 cup cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 c packed brown sugar

Heat cream and salt in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add brown sugar and boil 7-10 minutes until it reaches desired consistency (remember it is still going to thicken up quite a bit after you remove it from the heat).  Set aside to cool.

In another sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat and add coconut. Stir frequently for 5-8 minutes until coconut is nicely toasted. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. beat on medium-high speed until smooth.  Add coconut extract to taste. (I used about 1-2 t.)

In another bowl, whip the remaining cream, powdered sugar (to taste) and vanilla extract (to taste). Fold HALF of this into the cream cheese mixture. Save remaining half for topping pies.

Pour cream cheese mixture evenly between pie crusts. Next pour caramel evenly over both pies. Top with remaining whipped cream and toasted coconut. Freeze for 1 hour or overnight. It tasted divine either way.

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

I was in the mood for really soft caramel popcorn so I decided to try something. I made up a batch of caramel sauce and melted marshmallows into it. It was fabulous!

1 cup cream
1 t salt
1 c brown sugar
1 bag large marshmallows
1 large bowl of popped corn, kernels removed

Pop enough popcorn to fill a large mixing bowl.  Set aside. In a large sauce pan combine cream and salt over medium-high heat and bring almost to a boil. Stir in brown sugar and stir frequently for 10-12 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add a bag of large marshamllows. Stir until all have melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat evenly.

Caramel Frosting

1 c butter, divided
2 oz cream cheese, softened
3 lbs powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
8-10 T water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 t sea salt

Brown 1/2 cup of the butter and let cool completely. It should look like this.

In the mean time, place cream and sea salt in a small sauce pan. Bring to a near simmer and add brown sugar. Bring to a low boil stirring nearly constantly until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In your stand mixer, combine both butters and cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly. Continue beating and pour in the caramel mixture  and vanilla slowly. Add water 1 T at a time until you reach desired consistency.

No Fail Caramels

This year I decided to tackle caramels for Christmas. I've done them in the past, but I HATE wrapping all of them so I have never given them away. This year I have a 9 year old daughter. She likes to wrap them. I am loving my life! I found a recipe that looked pretty simple from I Still Love You. It turned out fabulous! You just might be getting some of these from me this year if you're lucky ;-)

Caramels That Won’t Fail

Dorothy Schettler
Makes about 200 one-inch squares

2 sticks butter (or 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups Karo syrup
4 cups sugar
2 cans evaporated milk

Butter a jelly roll pan, set aside. In a large pot, melt butter, add Karo syrup, then sugar. Cook until boiling. Slowly add evaporated milk so candy won’t stop boiling, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Cook to firm ball stage (235º on candy thermometer.

Pour into buttered pan and cool 5 hours or overnight. Cut in 1″ squares,

wrap in wax paper, and eat or give away. (I suggest giving them away because if they hand around very long you are bound to eat all 200 by yourself. If you do eat them all, it's not my fault. I warned you.)

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

I found this recipe at Creations by Kara and tried it out this weekend. I am not a huge maple syrup fan so I am always looking for alternatives and I've gotta say this one is super yummy!

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

In a large (seriously - use a large!) saucepan, bring buttermilk, sugars, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. It will bubble up a lot. As it cools, the bubbles will go away.

Best Ever Brownies

Saturday my family was all gone camping and I was in the mood to create my own brownie recipe. They turned out fabulous! Please, if you repost my recipes, link back to me. :)

Brownie Batter:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
5 eggs
1 T. french vanilla hot cocoa powder
2 T. Hot cocoa powder (regular milk chocolate)
2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
2 hershey's bars, melted
1 snickers, chopped
1 milky way, chopped
1 twix, chopped
4 hershey's bliss bars milk chocolate meltaway center, chopped (or 20 individual wrapped)

Whip butter until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time beating between each addition. Add both hot cocoa powders and mix well. Add vanilla and beat. In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa. Add flour mixture to batter and beat well. Add melted Hershey bars and beat until all combined. Stir in chopped candy bars. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish if you want thick brownies, or a jelly roll pan if you want thinner brownies.

Caramel Sauce:
1 c. cream
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. brown sugar

Pour the cream or milk into a small saucepan and place on a low to medium heat. Add the salt to the saucepan and stir to dissolve. Bring to a steady simmer, and then add the brown sugar. Stir to dissolve. Bring the mixture to a steady, low boil, and stir frequently. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the desired consistency. Pour over brownie batter and swirl through the entire pan. (You could leave this all on top if you wanted, but you should wait to add it until the brownies are mostly baked.) Bake brownies at 350* for 45 minutes if using 9x13 and about half that time if using jelly roll pan.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. cocoa
2 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. cream

Cream butter and vanilla. Add cocoa. Mix well. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Mix well and add 3/4 c. cream. Beat until light and fluffy. Frost when brownies are COMPLETELY cool. Keep refrigerated.