Correction: A couple hours ago, I mistakenly sent out a draft version of next week’s newsletter. My apologies! Below is the correct version. I’ll share all about the cooking class I took in Barcelona next week.

My twin brother and I used to love sharing a slice of Costco pumpkin pie with my grandpa, Toto. 🥧 Back then, Costco pie was the only pumpkin thing I ate. Fast forward to college, and all my roommates were obsessed with Starbucks pumpkin spice latte. I never really got into it because I don’t drink coffee, but I did get into Milwaukee’s love for fall and everyone’s excitement to bake with apples and, especially, pumpkin. 🎃🍁 Today’s focus is on pumpkin since I’ve baked endless pumpkin recipes!

Here are two recipes I discovered back in my Milwaukee days when I baked everything from Allrecipes:

• Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread from allrecipes

• Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake from allrecipes

But my go-to pumpkin recipe is Extra-Spicy Pumpkin Bread from 600 acres🎃🍞. This might be why I tried all of 600 acres pumpkin recipes afterward. Here are the ones I highly recommend:

• Brown Butter Pumpkin Blondies 🧈

• Double Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf 🍞🍫

• Soft-Baked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies🍫🍪

These are a few more pumpkin recipes I’ve discovered and enjoyed in recent years:

• Pumpkin Tea Cake from Tartine Bakery 🍵🎃

• Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Half Baked Harvest 🍪🎃

• Brown Butter Pumpkin Snicker Doodles from Broma Bakery 🍪🎃

• COPYCAT TRADER JOE'S PUMPKIN GRANOLA BARK from Kale Junkie 🎃🍫

• Pumpkin Bread from smitten kitchen 🍞🎃

• Bake Club Pumpkin Caramels from Christina Tosi 🍬🎃

What’s your go-to pumpkin recipe? 🎃👩‍🍳

I hope you enjoy some of these over the next two months! 🍁✨

Recipes Made So Far This Year:

Goal: To try seven new recipes each week 🗓️, aiming for 365 this year!

 Number of Recipes Made this Week: 7

Number of New Recipes Tested as of 9/22: 333

Weeks Achieving Seven or More New Recipes: 37 out of 38 ✅

This Week’s Recipe Test Summary

Impress Someone🌟

Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from Well Made by Kiley | Instagram Reel 🎃🍪

I accidentally mentioned this cookie recipe in the last newsletter, but I actually made it this week. I loved it! My niece and nephew did, too.

Would Make Again 👍

Best Ever Pumpkin Muffins from Lovely Little Kitchen 🎃🧁

This is my first pumpkin muffin recipe in the books, and it’s a solid one. Nothing surprising, just a reliable recipe!

Would Not Make Again 👎

These recipes didn’t live up to expectations or weren’t to my taste

Lemon Pasta from feel good foodie 🍋🍝

I made a quick lunch pasta… but it’s just another lemon pasta 🙈

Banana nut chia pudding | TikTok Post 🍌🥄

I was excited about this one because it has spirulina, and I strangely enjoy its taste in my smoothies. But this pudding didn’t hit the mark for me.

Watermelon Creami | TikTok Post 🍉🍦

Combined watermelon with an Olipop soda… it was okay, but not outstanding.

Perfect Pumpkin Loaf from 600 acres🎃🍞

My sister enjoyed this pumpkin loaf, but I think there are better versions. 

Pumpkin Protein Bites | TikTok Post 🎃
These were super tasty but more like pumpkin butter than solid bites.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or any recipe requests you might have. Just respond directly to this email.

See you next week. Keep cooking! 👋 

Vale from ValeCooks