Description
Homemade crescent pumpkins with cream cheese offer a delightful autumn treat perfect for seasonal gatherings. Rich pastry combines smooth pumpkin filling with tangy cream cheese, creating a memorable dessert you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) refrigerated crescent rolls
- 5 ounces (142 grams) softened cream cheese
- 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) pumpkin puree
- 1 egg yolk
Spices and Sweeteners:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Kitchen twine
- Pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Remove excess moisture from pumpkin puree by gently pressing between paper towels for a few minutes to prevent soggy pastries.
- Heat oven to 375F (190C) and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and non-stick surface.
- Create pumpkin mixture by blending puree with egg yolk, sugars, corn starch, and warming spices until thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
- Prepare cream cheese filling by whipping softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until creamy and well-combined.
- Carefully unroll crescent dough, transforming rectangles into 8 even squares by sealing perforations and cutting precisely.
- Gently stretch each dough square and center a dollop of cream cheese and pumpkin filling, ensuring balanced distribution.
- Carefully gather dough corners, sealing edges completely to encase fillings, then roll into smooth spheres with sealed side facing down.
- Encircle each dough ball with kitchen twine, creating eight distinctive segments to mimic traditional pumpkin contours.
- Lightly brush pastry surfaces with melted butter and bake for 18-22 minutes until achieving golden, crisp exterior.
- After cooling, delicately remove twine and insert a pretzel stick as a decorative stem, completing the festive pumpkin presentation.
Notes
- Draining Technique Thoroughly remove excess moisture from pumpkin puree to prevent soggy pastries and ensure a concentrated flavor profile.
- Softening Cream Cheese Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature for smoother mixing and easier incorporation into the filling.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation Substitute crescent roll dough with gluten-free puff pastry or almond flour-based dough for individuals with wheat sensitivities.
- Vegan Modification Replace dairy cream cheese with cashew-based cream cheese and use plant-based egg substitute to create a completely dairy-free version.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg