Lucy goes to bed before eight now. The night we put her to sleep at 7:30 (and she stayed asleep the entire night) felt nothing less than miraculous. Those three or four “babyless” hour swell with possibility. Especially since Lucy has also entered into a phase where she likes to be held, by me, ALL THE TIME. I am thankful for this evening reprieve, but I’m also overwhelmed with the choices. Should I spend those hours with Ryan? Should we pour ourselves glasses of wine and watch a Woody Allen movie? Or should I steal away into my office, where I can write and read and work on the development of my craft? Or what about baking? On Friday night, I spent those three hours making crepes and decorating my niece’s 11th birthday cake. Not to mention the question of friends. Should we invite Troy and Sarah over? Should one of us go out and meet someone for coffee?
Motherhood has made me life both bigger and smaller. Its expanded my world and taught me what it means to be selfless. But its also made my world smaller…I have so many ideas, so many ambitions, and I’m realizing that I simply can’t do it all. On mornings like today, those limitations feel crushing. I can barely carve out time to write, and so I have this memoir sitting on my desk, just waiting to be finished. It stares at me every day as I bounce Lucy on an exercise ball or as I rock her back and forth in my arms. I remember the first year of my MFA. How foolish I was to not spend more time writing! The luxury of selfish living is becoming more and more apparent. And then there’s my desire to delve deep into the world of photography. So much to learn, so much to experiment with, and yet I only have a few hours each evening to myself.
But then I hold my baby in my arms. I feel her body grow heavy as she falls asleep nestled against my chest. I picture the smile that crosses her face when we dip her into the warm water of her evening bath. And I hold onto those sweet glances she gives me when she nurses. Yes, Lucy limits me. I can’t do all the things anymore. But she’s also teaching me to prioritize. She’s helping me find that which brings joy, that which fulfills the hidden places of my heart. I’m doing away with busyness and finding meaning. And so in these three precious hours tonight, I write. I write for you, and I write for me. I ignore dirty dishes and the cat hair collecting on our living room floor. I sit with a cup of tea, one of these pumpkin spice doughnuts, and a thankful heart.
As many of you know, I’ve been working with McCormick this past year. With the fall months ahead of us, I’m pulling out my favorite spices. Cinnamon. Cloves. Nutmeg. Cardamom. These pumpkin spice doughnuts felt like one of the best ways to welcome fall. I added teaspoon after teaspoon of spiced goodness. My kitchen smelled like my grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving day. When I pulled my doughnut pan from the oven and saw the rich golden color of these round doughy treats, I smiled. Mornings have become my time to bake. Because not only is Lucy going to bed at 7:30…she’s also sleeping in until 8:00. I’m really a lucky woman!
And then to make these gems even better, I whipped together a simple vanilla glaze. Pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and a dash of cream was all I needed. I colored the glaze orange, in honor of Halloween (and the hoards of children that I know will soon be knocking on our door). While you probably can’t ever consider doughnuts “health food”, I love that these pastries are baked, not fried. The pumpkin makes them moist, the spices make them flavorful, and the glaze makes them festive. Really, you can’t go wrong.
Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts with Simple Vanilla Glaze
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon McCormick cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon McCormick nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon McCormick cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground McCormick ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
Simple Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 TBSP heavy cream
1 teaspoon McCormick vanilla extract
3 drops yellow food color
1 drop red food color
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two standard doughnut pans. (If you don’t have doughnut pans, you can make these in standard muffin tins. They just won’t be doughnut shaped…they’ll still be delicious though!)
Beat together the vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth. Stir in flour until just combined.
Use about 1/4 cup of batter to fill each doughnut well. They should be about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the doughnuts to cool for about five minutes before loosening the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, adding more cream to reach the desired consistency. Add food color. Drizzle glaze over cooled doughnuts and serve with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
I’m thinking this needs to be tea-time!!
These donuts with those lovely spices are simply irresistible.
Monet, when I read your post today, I knew exactly what you were talking about …those very precious hours and one is so overwhelmed with the possibilities….yes, I can certainly relate to that! Your cutie pie Lucy is looking more wonderful and happy and healthy all the time – whta a real treasure she is.
And, let´s not forget your fabulous pumpkin spice donuts – what a perfect fall treat and how I wish I could have just one right now with my cup of tea before I have to rush out of the house to start yet another one of these busy days!
Hugs and kisses and all the very best for a great week, dear friend! Give a hug to Lucy for me, please!
Gorgeous doughnuts! This is one fabulous autumn treat.
Lucy is a darling! Indeed, children are time-consuming, but surely well worth the sacrifices made…
Cheers,
Rosa
She sleeps that long? What a wonderful Lucy!
My first child didn’t sleep all night long until he was 4. Seriously. My second was like Lucy and I thought I’d won the lottery.
I think you’ve got it right with your priorities. One day you’ll be looking back like me and thinking of all those times when work had to come first. I would make different choices.
Your donuts sound yummy.
It’s fantastic that she’s become such a great little sleeper and you’ve got a little bit of time to find yourself again. I’m in awe of how much you get done, baking, writing etc while all the while you’re a new mum – that’s amazing to me!
Good morning, I would like to eat 9 of these donuts please. Don’t judge me, please don’t, it’s just I really love them!
I love this post, and I love these doughnuts!! Thanks so much for putting this together, and sharing!!
With a new born on your hands I’m amazed how you were able to make these lovely doughnuts and take such beautiful photos.. I know it’s a lot of work but they look delicious and she is so precious 🙂
“I ignore dirty dishes and the cat hair collecting on our living room floor. I sit with a cup of tea, one of these pumpkin spice doughnuts, and a thankful heart.” Perfect.
There’s no denying, Lucy is growing up, sweeter and sweeter! This post was so poignant for me, I remember that transition well, most especially that loss of the “luxury of selfish living.” I feel like I am now at a point where I can slowly explore those passions again! But I sure do miss those baby smells. Please ask McCormick if they can bottle that 🙂
Oh my goodness those look yummy!! Lucy is just such a doll 🙂
I never had kids, but the feeling of being overwhelmed by life is not strange to me… However, I know it is more intense and profound when associated with motherhood
loved this recipe, I am way behind reading your blog…. life is intense these days… in a good way, but still intense
These look amazing! Love the color and I bet they taste great with all those spices 🙂
I love your posts so much, Monet! Now that Lucy is sleeping longer, I guess you can choose a different way to spend your 3 glorious hours every night 🙂 I know I say this every time you talk about Lucy and your new life, but I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to balance it all…I’m dreading how it’s going to work with my full-time job and hour commute. Anyway, I’m so glad you found the time to bake up these beauties. They look so delicious!!!
Yay for Lucy sleeping like a champ! These donuts sound divine! 🙂
These look so beautiful, I could not imagine making them myself! You are a great baker and an even better mother, Monet. 🙂 Cheers to you.
I’m so glad Lucy is sleeping well, but jealous that she’s sleeping in!
It’s ok not to do everything! 🙂 But I’m pretty glad you prioritized some doughnut-making. These guys sound like they’d be the best ever snack for a coffee break.
I love the way you write, Monet! Reading your posts make me so so happy! And so would these donuts, they look like the perfect tea-time treat 🙂
Your post reminds me that I need to take advantage of the time I have to myself before our children arrive. I spend little time exploring interests beyond furniture refurbishing, home improvement and cooking these days and fall back on habits that get me through the day. I’m glad to hear Lucy is sleeping longer though! I made pumpkin spice doughnuts not long ago but they were not as perfect looking as yours. I’m going to give them another go and definitely with the glaze. Happy Wednesday!
what a sweet post! I’m sure it’s challenging to figure out what to do with your precious time, but it sounds like you’re finding a nice balancing and appreciating all that your time is now filled with 🙂
Great looking gems, and cute sleeping photo!
Great donuts! Such simple, yet deep, flavor. It must be hard juggling all the things you want to do with all the responsibilities. I suspect in a year or so, when Lucy is a bit older and changes less day-by-day (heck, now her changes are probably more like minute-by-minute!) that it’ll be easier to carve out more time for yourself. I know you’ll figure out something, but good luck. And thanks for a great recipe.
they look yummy!
What FAB donuts – my hubby would eat 2 or 3 in one sitting! Your little one is simply darling.
What a lovely post Monet! Yay that Lucy’s sleeping longer and that you get a little extra “me” time but it’s also wonderful that she is teaching you about prioritizing. It can definitely be tough to juggle everything as a mom – just be sure to take time for yourself every now and then 🙂
These pumpkin spice donuts look incredible and I can’t stop staring at the pretty glaze! What a great fall treat, thanks for sharing Monet 🙂
A fabulous autumn treat, Monet. Lucy looks so sweet 🙂
These look amazing Monet. Love the idea of a pumpkin doughnut recipe. YUM! So glad to hear that Lucy is sleeping longer so you can have a little more “me” time. Have a great rest of the week!
Awwww this post was so sweet! Love it! I’m sure you’re such a great mother 🙂 Love these donuts, too!
please send me a dozen of these. I am sure with Lucy growing up, you will have more Monet time if not send her to Dallas, I will gladly babysit her. XOXO
As you always do when you write, you captured the essence of motherhood/parenthood in a post. Your world does expand yet feel constricted at the same time. You look back and wonder what you did with all that free time you had before having a baby. When you have one, or more, having even one selfless hour to yourself is a dream. What did I do on my endless week ends before the kids? Who knows… what I do know is those kids makes it all worthwhile. Those doughnuts are a the perfect Halloween treat, nourishing and healthy.
I seriously need to make my own donuts more. This recipe is perfect for fall!
Ooh, these sound So fantastic! And it sounds like we’re raising our little ones pretty darn similarly. =) Motherhood is such a wonderful, exciting, challenging new time!
A perfect fall treat to enjoy – especially when life is pulling you in a hundred directions at once. Hug littl Lucy for me!
Dear Monet,
Motherhood is a dance, though you stumble and trip because you either want to move faster or slow the pace. You never really learn the dance though you try to set the rhythm. You will sound like you are doing well setting your pace.
The doughnuts look wonderful and are just calling for a delicious cup of hot tea.
I hope you are well.
Blessings dear. Catherine xo
Delicious looking doughnuts! I’ve wanted to make pumpkin doughnuts for a long time. How wonderful to have a blog to capture some of the early experiences of motherhood. My kids are 14 and 16 now, and most of the early years are just a blur in my mind!
Time is so precious, isn’t it? Now that I have so little of it to spare, I treasure every moment. Sometimes I also feel the need to fill it with lots of activities but then I ask myself why. It’s not a waste of time to do something that I want to do, be it baking, blogging, or just sitting by a window on a sunny day with a cup of tea, staring off into the distance. Lucy is such a beautiful baby, Monet, and I’m glad to hear that she’s sleeping more so that you’re getting more time to yourself. These donuts look ridiculously good. I can’t even! I wish I had a dozen in front of me right now.
How great for you guys that you get a few more hours to yourselves now!! I’m also getting to the point where I can’t do ALL THE THINGS and I don’t even have kids yet! Sigh.
I do have time for donuts though. Especially ones as delicious as these!!
That’s wonderful that you’re getting several hours full of possibility! I can understand how you’re feeling overwhelmed about what to do with those hours – you have so many skills and talents and passions, it’s hard to choose just one for the night! Your memoir will be all the more wonderful for the time you’ve given it, and I hope you’ll get some uninterrupted hours to work on it before long. Preferably with a cup of hot tea and one of these amazing pumpkin doughnuts 🙂
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She sleeps very well! SO happy for you. These donuts look amazing and I am in need of a few dozens!!
Love these!! I can just imagine the sweet smells of fresh baked donuts and spices,yum 😉
Sleeping all night is such a good thing!
The donuts look so delicious, but I can’t take my eyes off little Lucy. Why is she growing up way too fast?!? 😀
Let me tell you I don’t have kids (grown up or newborns) and I have the same issues with time, priorities, etc. I had a job for 3 years which was as limiting as a newborn in my life but without the benefits of Lucy’s smile…! Life is a learning curve, one way or another. About those doughnuts…omg awesome!
You are so lucky that she sleeps for a long period of time. Enjoy the extra hours catching up for sure, you deserve it! I love looking at all the precious images of Lucy, she has so many fun expressions!! Your doughnuts sound pretty fantastic:-). Hugs, Terra
Think we saw these on instagram!!! These look amazing!!! Need a dough nut pan