Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake

When I wake up in the morning to a cool house, all I want to do is wrap myself up in blankets with a warm drink in my hands. Over the past few weeks, I've had my fair share of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. In fact, I love my homemade version of this coffee house favorite so much that family and friends have asked me to whip up a batch here and there simply because I couldn't stop talking about it. If you made one of these yourself—without those $5 bills to knock you down—I think you'll find the very same words coming out of your mouth.

The words simply can't be stopped.

So, when my mother informed me a couple weeks ago that she was inviting over 20 of her closest friends for a little wine and cheese party, those darn pumpkin spice lattes popped into my head first. What can I say? I have lattes on the brain. Nevertheless, I put that thought aside and worked out a menu. As it so happens (and this should come as no surprise to you), I think in the language of desserts so the wine and cheese party quickly turned into one for wine and cheese(cake).

Yet, I couldn't get those pumpkin spice latte thoughts out of my head. Pumpkin cheesecake had found a place on the menu, but who was to say I couldn't turn that into something more? When I stumbled across this recipe from Sprinkle Bakes, I was instantly sold.

I made a few desserts for that evening, but this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake stood out as the clear winner (and I don't think it was the wine talking). My mother and I loved it so much, we hoarded the leftovers and kept them all to ourselves.

This cheesecake is really a great occasion dessert (think holidays and special evenings). It can't help but impress those who take a bite (plus, it's surprisingly light, which is something everyone can love).

This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake combines two great delights—your favorite autumn coffee house drink and cheesecake. This cheesecake honestly tastes like a pumpkin spice latte, with deliciously strong flavors. The cheesecake crust is made from almonds spiced with cinnamon. A rich, but surprisingly light cheesecake filling is poured on top before it heads into the oven. The pumpkin spice flavor is prevalent when the first bite hits your tongue, followed by subtle tones of espresso. I think the most gorgeous part of this cheesecake is the representation. This is a perfect holiday or weekend treat.

Click to read more ...

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Let me start by saying the pictures don't do this drink justice. If I could, I would have captured this drink on a long walk beneath red, yellow, and purple trees. I would have photographed it between two warm mittens, as conversation among friends flowed between sips. I would have found it resting on a kitchen counter, enjoyed during an early fall sunset after a long day at work.

These are the places this Pumpkin Spice Latte would find itself at home.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is most well known as a seasonal treat you can find at your neighborhood coffee chain. Though available only a few months out of the year, its popularity keeps people coming back. At least, this is what I have been told. After being urged to give it a shot, I bought my first real Pumpkin Spice Latte a couple weeks ago. Dropping $5 on a drink wasn't easy (lordy, that's so much cash) and I am sad to say I was not impressed.

Truth be told, it was lacking flavor. I tasted the pumpkin but couldn't seem to find the spice.

Still, this drink buzzed around my thoughts during the last week. I knew it had the potential to be so much better, to have real flavor (with none of this fake pumpkin sugar syrup nonsense coffee houses love so much). And so, after a week's worth of thoughts and daydreaming, I finally blocked out some time to make it—to perfect it.

And I think that's just what I did.

This Pumpkin Spice Latte is warm and inviting. The pumpkin flavor is prominent, with tones of cinnamon and nutmeg, a trace of heat from ground ginger, and a hint of warm vanilla to round it out. To begin, pumpkin spice infused milk is heated on the stove until steaming (your home will smell fantastic). Next, and perhaps a bit unusual, the milk is blended in a blender until light and frothy. Though coffee shops have the advantage of using a steamer to froth the milk, the blender works as a worthy substitute. Hot coffee is mixed in and whipped cream is spread on top, with a sprinkling of cinnamon to finish it off.

I love this recipe because it is completely adaptable to your tastes. If you want more coffee and less milk, you can do it with ease. If you want more cinnamon (or less spice), the choice is yours. While I have given you the recipe for my perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte, you can freely play around a bit until you find yours. And did I mention it's much, much cheaper?

Click to read more ...

Pumpkin Granola

It's officially the first day of fall! Though I was dreading its arrival, now that it's here I'm quite pleased to wrap up in warm sweaters and drink hot tea. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought autumn had arrived two weeks ago. With the mercury falling down to chilly temperatures (especially in the early morning hours), I've started wrapping myself in winter coats, hats, gloves, and scarves only to shed them all in the afternoon when the sun is out (and feel a bit of a fool carrying my huge jacket down the streets).

Though, I will never love the arduous process of scraping the frost off my car windows before the sun leisurely decides to climb out of bed. Three weeks into September and it's already begun (goodness gracious).

Fall has always felt like the most relaxing season of the year. The earth and those who dwell in it seem to slow as the temperatures drop. Though it's the season of school and work, extra activities and projects, and settling back into a daily routine, I feel like we take more time to enjoy simpler things, like a bowl of hot soup or the warmth of a roaring fireplace. In the winter, we hibernate. In the spring, our spirits awaken from our long, sleepy nap. In summer, we rush to fit in as much as we can while the weather is warm and the sun is bright.

In fall, we calm down and stretch our limbs. We yawn, but we're not yet ready for a long winter's sleep. We just want a few more minutes observing the changing of the trees, enjoying the steam from a mug of hot cider, before we slip on our pajamas and climb into bed.

Fall flavors, to me, are simply the most comforting flavors of the year—rich pumpkin, spicy cinnamon, ripe apples, warm cider, fresh squash, hints of nutmeg, and large mugs of hot cocoa. The aromas alone are enough to send me to my happy place; a single bite will send me to my heaven.

And I think, if you had a spoonful of this granola, you would know exactly what I mean.

This Pumpkin Granola embraces fall and all its flavors. This granola is fall. Stuffed with feel good healthy foods like dried cranberries, raisins, coconut flakes, almonds, and pumpkin seeds, this granola is sure to please any season-ready palate. My favorite part of this granola is that is does not have butter or oil to hold it together—the pumpkin does that for you. Sweetened with hints of maple syrup and brown sugar, this granola holds the perfect texture. Make this to celebrate the arrival of fall. Make it so you can remember all the reasons why you love autumn.

Click to read more ...