It’s that time, ya’ll, time for scrumptious pumpkin-spice recipes sure to please any pumpkin lover! What could be more autumn-like than serving “Autumn Pumpkin-Spice Pancakes” or “Pumpkin-Spice Muffins” to your family on a chilly fall day. It may help warm them up just by smelling the aroma of the warm spices as they waft through the air.

Autumn Pumpkin-Spice Pancakes
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp raw sugar
1 tbsp non-aluminum baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups milk or almond milk
1 cup canned 100% pumpkin
2 tbsp melted butter
2 eggs

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs. Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients, stir just until combined. If mixture is too thick, drizzle a little more milk until batter reaches a pourable consistency. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased griddle or frying pan. Turn once bubbles form all over the top of the pancakes, and then cook second side until golden brown. Serve with warm maple syrup, if desired.

Note: You can add 1/4 cup chopped nuts, dried cranberries or mini chocolate chips to pancake batter, if desired. You can also add a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.

Pumpkin-Spice Muffins
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk or almond milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp non-aluminum baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, and stir just until combined. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool muffins in the pan for five minutes before removing to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for one minute or until well combined and smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continue mixing until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Pipe on frost cooled cupcakes. n

Lisa Ann Panzino DiNunzio is author of Seasoned With Love, Treasured Recipes, Lisa Ann’s Seasoned With Love II, and children’s books Snicker Learns An Important Lesson and Readers’ Favorite 5-Star rated Little Twinkle Learns Her Purpose.