It's not uncommon for me to cook while Tres is relaxing or watching football on the weekends. He's in the living room, and I'm in my happy place: the kitchen. A few Octobers ago, I hadn't been to the grocery store all week and we had nothing in the kitchen, but I felt like cooking. So I decided to just see what I could come up with... I had puff pastry, cream cheese, and canned pumpkin. About 30 minutes later, these dumplings were born!
Grocery List:
4 oz cream cheese - room temperature
1/4 cup pumpkin purée
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp, plus 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 puff pastry sheets - thawed and lightly floured
1 egg - beaten
4 tbsp butter - melted
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
2. Roll out the puff pastry until it's thin and easy to work with. Using a 4" to 5" bowl, cut out circles from each puff pastry sheet. You should have 18-20 circles.
3. Working with one piece of dough at a time, drop a tsp of the pumpkin mixture into the center of the circle. Brush the sides of the dough with the beaten egg mixture. Fold the sides up like a dumpling, pinch the dough together at the top, closing it tightly. Do this for each piece of dough, place them all on a greased baking sheet, and brush the tops with more of the egg wash. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and 1/8 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice. Brush the dumplings with the melted butter and sprinkle the sugar mixture on top.
CHEERS TO A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!