It’s pumpkin time peeps! Who doesn’t love pumpkin everything? Here’s an awesome Asian treat using pumpkin puree as the sweet filling. These popular Japanese manju treats are usually filled with sweet red or green bean paste and are available at most Asian bakeries. This seasonal version is just as delish but filled with the goodness of sweet pumpkin and sweet potatoes. They taste like mini pumpkin pies! We like to get organic pumpkin puree at TJ’s of course! The pastry itself is super easy to make (like sugar cookie dough), and forming these beauties is simple. Don’t forget to brush with the egg wash when you bake these so they shine, shine, shine!
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Gorgeous golden brown Pumpkin Manju Sweets are the perfect bite for a light after-dinner treat.
This made-from-scratch sugar cookie dough is so simple to make. But feel free to “cheat” and pick up some cookie dough at your grocery store!
These sweets are so easy to assemble. Flatten out the dough on a floured surface. Place about a teaspoon of the filling in the middle and wrap the dough around it. Flip it over and press your thumb into the middle adding a few pine nuts. Make small slits around the dough and brush with the egg wash for a golden finish.
Gorgeous pumpkin filled dough makes these taste like mini pumpkin pies!
Pick up a few cans of Trader Joe’s organic pumpkin puree for the manju filling.
Just one bite will make you dive right in! Go for it! These are worth the extra calories!
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Pumpkin Manju Sweets
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24-26 1x
- Category: Sweets
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients
- 1 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 large cooked sweet potato, flesh only (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 beaten egg for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper on top. In a mixer, beat sugar and butter together until creamy and smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time until smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat well.
- Sift together flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Gradually add flour mixture into butter mixture, mixing well after each addition, until dough is smooth.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the sweet potato, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and powdered sugar together until well combined and smooth. Set aside.
- To make cookies: Generously flour your hands and working surface. Make walnut-size balls from the dough and press into 4-inch circles, making circles thicker in the center and thinner on the edges. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filling into the center of each dough circle. Gather the edges together and pinch dough around the filling until sealed. Place dough ball, pinched-side down, on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Using your thumb make an imprint into the center of each dough ball. Place 4-5 pine nuts into each imprint. Use a knife to create thin slits around the tops of the ball to create a pumpkin look. Brush dough balls with egg wash.
- Bake in preheated oven until tops are lightly golden brown, about 15-17 minutes.
Keywords: Pumpkin Sweets, Asian Pumpkin Sweets, Pumpkin Cookies, Asian Pumpkin Cookies
If you liked this recipe, try our Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes
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