Pumpkin vs. Apple

This time of year I see TONS of recipes using apples and pumpkins! I love both, so it's a pleasure to see! I'm always amazed that so many cooks can come up with so many creative ways to use these items in recipes! Every year a new apple or pumpkin recipe emerges that I've never seen before and sweeps across the Internet becoming very popular, very quickly! But I'm old fashioned sometimes and I gravitate towards the basics when it comes to apples and pumpkins! I'll take a simple apple or pumpkin pie any day!

These next 2 recipes were just what I wanted...simple and basic but so very delicious! Both recipes are sweetened with SPLENDA® helping to keep them lower in calories.




Mini Apple Muffins
Click **Here** for recipe

These are very tasty little muffins! I simplified the direction and also made some adjustments. I added a splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of ground cloves. I used SPLENDA® brown sugar blend instead of the plain granulated sweetener. And to make the directions easier I just mixed all the dry ingredients together in one bowl. Then in a separate bowl I mixed together all the wet ingredients. Then I added the wet to the dry and mixed until well combined. I used mini cupcake liners and scooped the batter to the top of each with a melon baller. Then baked as stated. These had a nice fresh apple taste but I would decrease the amount of lemon zest next time to half. And eat these after they've cooled completely so that all the flavors have a chance to meld together.

These mini muffins were perfect paired with a nice cup of this Gingerbread Coffee sweetened with SPLENDA®!



Gingerbread Coffee
Click **Here** for Recipe



Harvest Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Click **Here** for Recipe

 I love that these cookies are so light and soft. And I love the bright pumpkin color and flavor! I made them as written except I didn't use the walnuts or raisins because I wanted the pumpkin to shine through and it did! I also decreased the sugar slightly by only using 1/4 cup of the SPLENDA® white sugar blend. But I used the full amount of the SPLENDA® brown sugar blend. I added 1/2 tsp. allspice and I'm glad I did because it was perfect in this! A very good cookie that tastes great warm or cold.

I enjoyed these cookies with a cup of Whisky Tea sweetened with SPLENDA®

 Share the love of all things sweet with SPLENDA® and check out their website for more recipes using SPLENDA®
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