Jelly Donut Muffins

2 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (or non dairy milk)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup jelly of choice


Topping 
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400'F. Grease a 12 muffin tin.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in superfine sugar.
Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in milk, butter and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.
Spoon half the batter into each muffin pan. Add a teaspoon of jelly, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 20 mins until well risen, golden brown, and firm. 

While muffins are baking (or cooling), melt butter for topping and pour into shallow dish. Place sugar in a separate shallow dish. After muffins are ready and have cooled about 5 mins, remove from muffin pan, dip the tops of the muffins in the butter and roll in sugar. Serve warm or transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Mini Pumpkin-Bourbon Cheesecakes

For the crust
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbs finely ground pecans
2 Tbs sugar
pinch of salt
2 Tbs melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350' F and prepare greased muffin liners. Mix together the first four ingredients. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until evenly moist. Press about two tablespoons of the mixture into the bottoms of each muffin cup. Bake for about 5-8 minutes or until slightly browned. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling
8 oz cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 Tbs Bourbon
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice

Using an electric mixer combine the cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar and mix until completely blended. Add the pumpkin and eggs one at a time until combined. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the cups evenly and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. (The cheesecakes should still be a little jiggly in the centers). Allow them to cool and then carefully remove each cake from the pan.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, softened or melted

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 TBS. water

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

2 TBS sugar (optional)

Preheat over to 350'F. Sift together flour, spices and salt. Set aside.

In a seperate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat in egg, then stir in molasses and water. Gradually stir in the flour mixture.

Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll in the 2 TBS of sugar.

Place cookies several inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets and flatten.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.