Sometimes, there's just nothing better than a soft frosted cookie -- especially where pumpkin pie spices and cream cheese frosting are involved.

Ingredients:
For the Cookies:
21/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
11/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


For the Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste if you're fancy)

Directions:
For the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until well combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly with floured fingers (dough will be sticky.) Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are set and just turning golden.

For the Frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix with an electric mixer until thick and creamy. Add vanilla and mix on high. When cookies are cooled- spread frosting on top with an offset spatula.

Recipe via thebakerchick.com

It might not always be the first ingredient to pop in your head, but pumpkin actually makes a great addition to any stew-type dish -- it has a great texture, and it soaks up flavor wonderfully.

Ingredients:
3 cups / 3/4 lb / 310 gr pumpkin, diced
1 small potato, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder (use more or less depending how hot you want it)
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 dry bay leaf
1 cup / 250 ml water, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon mango powder-amchur (optional)

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic, ginger, and half of the cilantro. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add garam masala, chili powder, bay leaf, and mango powder (if using), and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add pumpkin, potato, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of water, and salt. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for about 25 to 30 minutes -- until the pumpkin has softened, the potato is cooked, and the water has been absorbed.

In the meantime, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan add cumin and sauté for 60 seconds or until the fragrance emerges (be careful not to burn it though.) Add the cumin to the pumpkin mixture along with remaining 1/2 cup of water. If it looks too dry, adjust by adding more water one tablespoon at a time.

Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve.

Recipe via theironyou.com

I think we've established that cream cheese and pumpkins are a match made in heaven. In fact, they should make it mandatory for all pumpkin recipes to prominently feature cream cheese frosting from here on out.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (pure pumpkin puree)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375℉. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, until there are no lumps. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.

Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter. This will not look smooth, but it will bake up much prettier.

Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve at room temperature or even slightly chilled! Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe via thenovicechefblog.com

How about some pumpkin waffles to go with your pumpkin pancakes?

Ingredients:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 cup of canned 100% pure pumpkin
1 egg yolk plus 3 egg whites
4 tablespoons of melted cooled butter
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.

Combine milk, pumpkin, butter, egg yolk and vinegar in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently fold in egg whites. Use batter immediately in waffle maker.

Recipe via number-2-pencil.com