Pumpkin cupcakes - dairy free

I had to do some baking for my son's percussion group today.  The group has a few members with dairy sensitivities.  I am constantly searching for dairy free recipes I can use for their treats.

Upon my search through recipes, I came across a paleo pumpkin cupcake recipe.  I decided I didn't have half the things I needed so I would just wing it.

Here is the original recipe:

• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons palm shortening
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ⅔ cup sweet potato flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For frosting...
• 1 cup palm shortening
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a standard size cupcake/muffin pan with 8 cupcake liners or grease very well.
2. By hand or with an electric mixer, cream together the eggs, coconut sugar, and shortening.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and combine well.
4. Add sweet potato flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Combine well.
5. Divide batter evenly into eight cupcakes.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, allow to cool completely.
7. Prepare frosting while cupcakes are cooling. Whip together palm shortening, honey, vanilla, and lemon juice. Spread, drop or pipe a generous amount on each cupcake and serve!

Here is my revision:

**  4 eggs

**  1/3 cup granulated sugar

**  2 tablespoons coconut oil

**  1/2 cup pumpkin puree

**  2/3 cup all purpose flour

**  1 tsp baking soda

**  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

**  dash salt

for the frosting

**  1 cup coconut oil

**  1/2 cup honey

**  1 tsp vanilla extract

**  1 tablespoon lemon juice

**  powdered sugar to taste and consistency

for the filling

**  brown sugar

**  coconut oil

**  pumpkin puree    (I mixed this all together on the stove for a few minutes).

I followed all baking instructions as listed above.  My batter made an even dozen cupcakes.

NOTE:  I do not eat pumpkin so I did not try them.  I had my husband try them and he said they were dry....and didn't taste like cupcakes.  I took them with me to my son's rehearsal and had the director try one.  She said it tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake but said it was good.  (I love her, she's my favorite).  I believe using butter would have made the consistency more like a cupcake.

Pumpkin spice cookies

It's October, and that means the whole world is going pumpkin spice crazy.  Admittedly, I cannot say I am part of that craze as it's not one of my favorite flavors.  However, far be it from me to deprive my family of the flavor they love so much.

I decided to try this recipe this morning while both my husband and son were at work.  What a surprise they will get when they come home.  They will be singing the praises of Momma from the rooftop!  Hey, a girl can dream.

Here is the recipe from Cookies and Cups:

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

How to Make
1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter and both sugars together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add in both egg and additional yolk into butter along with vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping the
sides as necessary.
4. Mix in Pumpkin Pie Spice, baking powder and salt until combined.
5. Reduce speed on mixer to low and mix in flour until dough comes together.
6. Chill dough for at least an hour.
7. When ready to bake, line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375°
8. Mix coating ingredients (light brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice) together in a bowl, set aside.
9. Roll dough into large balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and then roll into the sugar/pumpkin pie
spice mixture, coating completely.
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and
transfer to wire rack to cool.

I did not follow this recipe to the letter, but I think the results will be the same...and here are my results: