Six ways to rekindle your love affair with pumpkin spice

Pumpkin spice seemed to fall out of favour last year after blogger Vani Hari, the self-proclaimed Food Babe, wrote a blog post which pointed out that the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks contained “absolutely no real pumpkin.”

Outraged coffee drinkers were quick to jump on the anti-pumpkin spice bandwagon — even though the festive seasoning has never contained pumpkin. It’s actually a blend of spices that are commonly used in pumpkin pie, such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Regardless, the damage had been done and pumpkin spice was labeled as a fake, overrated flavour.

Starbucks is trying to change things up this year with their newly reformulated Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is now made with actual pumpkin (and without caramel colouring). If you’re ready to let pumpkin spice back into your life (or if you never let it go), then these recipes are a great place to start. They are all made with both pumpkin spice and actual pumpkin.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

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Photo credit: Jamie from My Baking Addiction

Of course, the most classic way to enjoy pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree is baked into a pie. These mini pumpkin pies would be cute on a Thanksgiving dinner dessert board.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

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Photo Credit: Karyn from Dieters Downfall

For those of you who are ready to take your pumpkin spice desserts to the next level, why not try this pumpkin spice cheesecake? This recipes takes some effort, but your dinner guests will be impressed!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

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Photo credit: Crystal from A Pumpkin and a Princess

Of course, if that cheesecake looks like too much work, you could always stick to something simple like these pumpkin spice cupcakes. This recipe uses cake mix so you really can’t mess it up.

Pumpkin Spice Cookie Bars

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Photo credit: Shareba from In Search Of Yummy-ness

These pumpkin spice cookie bars are also super easy to make. If you can measure ingredients, layer them in a baking dish, and turn the oven on, you can make these cookie bars.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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Photo credit: Michael from Inspired by Charm

You can have pumpkin spice in the morning without drinking flavoured coffee. These decadent pumpkin cinnamon rolls are definitely a treat, but who wouldn’t want these for brunch?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Photo credit: Lisa from The Viet Vegan

If sugar for breakfast isn’t your thing, these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins might be more your style. They can also be prepared without dairy, making this recipe vegan-friendly.