🎃 It's *Finally* Pumpkin Spice Season ☕

There are few things I love more than the annual moment when Trader Joe’s decides to accost you with the smell of ~Eau de Extra Strength Cinnamon Broom~ as soon as you walk in the door and they give everything from sponges to salsas a burnt orange makeover. Is it a lot? Yes. Am I a lot? Also yes.

Fun is fun. Lean in! ‘Tis the season!

The apples get better, the squash gets more swirly and bumpy and interesting, sage is suddenly available to buy in bulk, and I start finding increasingly creative excuses to put brown butter on things.

And then…of course…there’s pumpkin spice.

I have a complicated relationship with pumpkin spice because for a long time, I was an insufferable pick me who refused to convert. Unfortunately, it is genuinely that good. And fortunately, I got over my affliction.

All it is is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Put them together and suddenly everything tastes like fall. And, contrary to popular (and my former) belief, it doesn’t have to be sickly sweet! I’ve loved putting pumpkin spice on oatmeal, roasted sweet potatoes, and even paired with miso in my favorite banana bread recipe. I have the recipe on my Pepper page here, and it’s one of the things I’ve made over and over again for years.

I think, in general, fall flavor pairings are some of my favorites, so I started thinking about all the other fall ingredients I want to eat right now: apples with sharp cheddar, crispy sage with brown butter, maple in savory sauces, apple cider everything, and one million variations on roasted squash.

A few years ago, my friend (and queen of all things homemade pasta), Shalayne and I made this apple and brie pasta with a sage, brown butter, pecan sauce, and I’m still dreaming about it!

Anyway, consider this my fall food mood board of all the things I’m making, buying, and putting on everything for the next few months.

Put Pumpkin Spice in Your Breakfast

This is probably where I use pumpkin spice the most. Beyond the classic latte, I love adding a little to oatmeal with brown sugar, maple syrup, toasted pecans, and a pinch of salt. It’s also great mixed in to pancake batter for a weekend treat!

I can’t wait to try this pumpkin spice smoothie bowl I found on Pepper this weekend:

My favorite lazy weekday move is stirring a little pumpkin spice into Greek yogurt with maple syrup, then topping it with granola and chopped (or stewed/caramelized) apples. It makes it just a bit more fun and festive while still being filling and protein-rich!

It’s Apple Season, Act Accordingly

Apple season is one of the best parts of fall, but their use cases don’t have to be limited to pie! Though, here is my go to apple pie recipe, just in case.

Slice one up and eat it with cheddar. Put thin slices on toast with ricotta, honey, flaky salt, and black pepper. Roast them with meat. Chop them into a salad with bitter greens and toasted walnuts. Add them to grilled cheese. The list goes on!

One of my favorite combinations is apple + sharp cheddar + Dijon mustard. It sounds slightly strange until you try it, but it’s a really good, slightly savory alternative to the classic apples + peanut butter.

If you do want something sweet, make apple slices with cinnamon and a little brown sugar in the air fryer. They get soft and caramelized around the edges and take approximately five minutes.

Everything Is Better With Sage

Pumpkin may get all the attention, but sage is truly autumn’s unsung hero. This butternut squash soup with sage brown butter looks unreal!?

Put a handful of sage leaves in a pan with butter and let them fry until the butter turns nutty and the leaves get crispy. Just like that, you have just made one of the easiest sauces in the world.

Pour it over butternut squash ravioli. Drizzle it over roasted squash. Put it on gnocchi. Honestly, put it on almost anything. It will instantly be better.

Apple Cider Isn’t Just For Sipping

Apple cider is one of those farmer market staples that feels very obviously single use. You drink it. Right?

Sure, but it’s also great for cooking. Use it to make a glaze for meat (I love this recipe for apple cider glazed chicken!). Simmer it down with butter and Dijon for a sauce. Add a splash to a pan of roasted vegetables. Use it in place of some of the liquid in a vinaigrette. You can even reduce it until it becomes thick and syrupy and drizzle it over vanilla ice cream!

Maple Syrup Is More Versatile Than You Think

We all need to put some more respect on maple syrup’s name, because it can do so much more than just drown pancakes. Maple syrup is a great finishing ingredient for savory food because it gives you sweetness without making the whole dish taste like dessert.

Try:

• Maple + Dijon on salmon or chicken

• Maple + chili crisp on roasted sweet potatoes

• Maple + soy sauce on Brussels sprouts

• A fall vinaigrette with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper

• A salad with apples, roasted squash, pecans, and goat cheese

Basically, if your meal tastes like it needs something, try a tiny bit of maple syrup before you start adding more salt.

Other Fall Spices & Ingredients

If you want your food to taste more autumnal without putting pumpkin puree in everything, here are a few spices worth having around:

• Cinnamon brings warmth and works surprisingly well in savory dishes, especially with roasted squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

• Nutmeg is incredible with cream, cheese, spinach, potatoes, and anything vaguely gratin-shaped.

• Cloves are powerful (so use them sparingly), but they are great in braises, apple desserts, and anything involving mulled cider.

• Allspice is one of my favorites. It has notes of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg all at once and is particularly good with meat, roasted vegetables, and stews.

• Cardamom is technically not part of pumpkin spice, but I’m including it because I think it deserves a seat at the table. Add it to coffee, baked goods, rice pudding, or anything involving apples and pears.

• Miso is a wildcard, but it is so so good mixed with maple syrup and a little butter or olive oil and tossed with cubed squash or sweet potatoes before roasting. The miso gives you savory umami, the maple caramelizes, and the whole thing gets deeply browned and sticky (you can do the same thing with carrots, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower).