You'll fall in love with these delicious dishes.
I know, I know: It's July. However, my craving for pumpkin, and my love of all things Fall, is present year round. If you're in the same boat, you might want to try making one of these five dishes. While fresh pumpkin isn't exactly in season, these can all be made with canned pumpkin.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
Love pumpkin? Can't live without coffee? Missing your favourite seasonal Starbucks drink? I'm right there with you. Luckily, you can easily whip up a PSL in the comfort of your own home, social distance intact. Making your own latte allows you to add real pumpkin, and adjust your coffee:pumpkin:milk:spice ratio so you can get your drink exactly how you want it without having to be that person who gives a long, complicated order. The only potential issue you might run into is that one latte doesn't require very much pumpkin – so if you're going to open a can of pumpkin to attempt this, you should probably also make one of the other dishes on this list. For the perfect hot pumpkin spice latte, try this recipe or this recipe, or try this one for an iced variety that's perfect for Summer.
What to pair with this dish: A nice breakfast pastry like a scone or a croissant.
Pumpkin Soup
I could eat pumpkin soup for every meal. It's rich, it's creamy, it's easy to make, and you can play around with different ingredients to make it healthier or change the taste – personally, I love adding lemongrass. To make your soup look *extra fancy* you can sprinkle the top with cilantro, pumpkin seeds, or almonds. Whether it's Fall or Spring (or even Summer), this soup is perfect to brighten up a rainy day. Try this recipe or this recipe for a basic soup, or this recipe for the lemongrass version.
What to pair with this dish: Fresh, crusty bread, such as a baguette, or homemade artisan bread.
Pumpkin Pie
This is a Fall classic, and pie is good in any season. If you're not a strong baker, it's relatively easy to find pre made pie crusts and filling (or to just buy a pre made pie, if you prefer), but for me, nothing ever beats homemade pumpkin pie straight out of the oven. Plus, store-bought pie doesn't come with little extra bits of pie crust to bake with cinnamon sugar and snack on while you're waiting for the pie to be ready. Regardless of whether you make or buy your pie, be sure to top it with a healthy serving of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. You can try this recipe for the filling, this recipe for a classic pie crust, and this recipe for a gluten free version.
What to pair this dish with: Whipping cream! Or, since it's Summer, ice cream.
Pumpkin Bread
Everyone's getting into bread making (myself included), so why not put a fun, pumpkin-y twist on it? If you don't have the time or patience for pumpkin bread, you can also make pumpkin muffins, which make a quick and easy breakfast. Pumpkin bread (or a batch of pumpkin muffins) makes a good side dish at fancy dinners, but it's also enjoyable on its own. Try this recipe for bread or this recipe for muffins.
What to pair this dish with: As a side dish with salad and potatoes, or on its own with Nutella or cream cheese.
Pumpkin Cookies:
I love cookies. I love making them, I love buying them from the store, and I love eating them. The list of my favourite Fall cookies – peanut butter, hoot owl cookies, gingersnaps – is long and scrumptious. Pumpkin cookies, however, are definitely near the top. They're quicker to make than pie or bread, and less crumbly than muffins. You can eat them in any season, in any weather. They're pretty much the perfect pumpkin flavoured dessert. Try this recipe for a classic version, or this recipe for a chocolate chip variety.
What to pair this dish with: A hot cup of coffee – or a cup of tea or milk, if you're not a coffee drinker.
Do you prefer pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread? What do you think these dishes should be paired with? What's your favourite pumpkin recipe of all time? Comment down below.
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