Pumpkin Bagels with Cinnamon-Walnut Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread

Now I KNOW you have leftovers from yesterday. Whether you have some from what you cooked, or from what people who cooked sent you home with to minimize the amount of leftovers they have to eat. Therefore, there is absolutely not reason you shouldn’t take advantage of this lazy Friday and make bagels with that leftover pumpkin puree you never figured out what to make with. Who needs Black Friday shopping? Not me! I’m a Cyber Monday kind of girl.

I’ve always longingly awaited the fall season when it comes to bagels, because that’s when Einstein Bros finally start making their pumpkin bagels and cream cheese schmear (I also really like their pumpkin schmear on a cinnamon-sugar bagel). So I finally decided it was time to make my own pumpkin bagels, since I already attacked the pumpkin cream cheese last fall.

But I couldn’t just make the same cream cheese spread again, I had to try this new one I saw that uses up even more leftovers – cranberry sauce! You mix the cranberry sauce into some cream cheese along with honey, cinnamon, and walnuts. Yea, it’s better than any flavor cream cheese spread I’ve ever encountered. And just like the originator, Jenn of Peas & Crayons, I want to smother it on everything in sight now.

One year ago: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

PUMPKIN BAGELS WITH CINNAMON-WALNUT CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

Makes 8 bagels and about 1 cup cream cheese spread

Ingredients:

BAGELS

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 cup warm water

2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast

2 Tbsp sugar, divided

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature

4 Tbsp cranberry sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

2-3 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. For the bagels, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast and 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar.  Whisk together slightly and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes or until slightly foamy.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and mix using a dough hook, then begin to slowly add the flour mixture.  Mix for 5 minutes or until smooth, alternating between slow and medium speeds as you add flour. You want to mix it until the dough is no longer sticky. After 5 minutes, if the dough is sticky, you can incorporate another 1-2 tablespoons of flour*.
4. Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased large bowl. Cover and allow the dough to double in size, around 1 hour.
5. Remove the dough and punch it down. Divide into equal pieces.  A digital scale is very helpful, but if you don’t have one just eye out 8 even pieces of dough.  Press your finger through the middle of the ball, and form into a bagel shape.  They will rise some more, so if you want a hole, make it bigger than the size of a quarter.  Repeat with the the rest of the dough. Place on a lightly greased surface and let rest until risen but not doubled, 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bring 12 cups of water to a boil with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
7. In batches, boil the bagels for around 20 to 30 seconds per side.  Remove from water and place on prepared baking pan.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool before serving.
8. While the bagels are baking make the cream cheese spread. In a smell bowl, combine the cream cheese with cranberry sauce, honey and cinnamon. Fold in chopped walnuts.

Source: Bagels from Lemon Sugar, Cream Cheese Spread adapted slightly from Peas & Crayons.