Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin! There’s a ton of reasons to love pumpkin. From its health benefits to its amazing taste, here are several recipes including my famous pumpkin bread pudding with chocolate chips (and donuts!)
I’m not sure when a certain large chain of coffeehouses unofficially kicked off fall, but every year when the #PSL debuts on the menu, Pumpkin-poolza hits. Everything from granola to gelato gets pumpkified and for someone like me that’s obsessed with the flavor du jour, it’s my happy time.
And just in case you need a little convincing, here are more reasons why you should be eating pumpkin. right. now.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
Pumpkin is full of reasons to enjoy it – on the inside and the outside. Full of nutrients, vitamins, and other good stuff, just eating it will make you look good too.
Here are several reasons you should be eating pumpkin:
- Pumpkin helps your eyesight with tons of Vitamin A (200% of your daily need!)
- Pumpkin helps your immune system with Vitamin C
- Pumpkin helps you lose weight because it’s full of fiber (3 grams per one cup!)
- Pumpkin helps the heart
- Pumpkin may reduce cancer
- Pumpkin helps your mood
- Pumpkin helps the skin
- Pumpkin gives you afterworkout power with potassium
Pumpkin Basics
Since all of these recipes have pumpkin in them, you’ll need to make pumpkin puree and in many cases, have pumpkin pie spice. Sure you could buy these both at the store, but when the homemade product doesn’t take too much time and tastes so much better you’ll want to do it yourself! So check out my recipe for pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
Best Pumpkin Recipes Ever: Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips (and doughnuts)
Even is pumpkin is good for you, sometimes you just have to enjoy it because it taste so freaking good, right? The tradition of this recipe started 10 years ago. Over time, it’s seen a little change with cranberries, chocolate chips and now a new twist with pumpkin, chocolate and oh, yes – a dozen day old donuts (preferably from Dunkin Donuts.)
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips
Description
Pumpkin lovers rejoice! It’s pumpkin, donuts and chocolate all in one!
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 whole eggs
- 1/4 cup vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
- 1 dozen Dunkin Donuts, cubed (my favorite)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Butter Rum Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
- Rum, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, blend all ingredients, except for bread and chocolate chips.
- Fill a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with donuts.
- Sprinkle choclate chips over donuts.
- Pour custard mixture over donuts, making sure that all cubes are submerged (push cubes down if necessary).
- Bake for about 1 hour, or until pudding is set.
- Serve with Rum Sauce, Pecan Praline Sauce or even ice cream!
Some other great pumpkin recipes to try:
Pumpkin White Chocolate Truffles
Stuffed Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
And there’s even more where that came from with the best Pinterest board ever!
Follow Autumn Reo {mamachallenge.com}’s board Oh, Pumpkin on Pinterest.
And don’t miss this #mamachallenge: