Are you ready for pumpkin spice season? Get the kids involved with these easy, kid-friendly pumpkin spice recipes that incorporate this iconic fall flavor! Little ones can help you add ingredients, stir, and customize their creations, making these easy fall recipes great to kick off the cozy baking time of year.
Imagine the Fall Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies
Tip: With supervision, have your kids help add ingredients to the mixer and cut out cookie shapes just before baking!
Cookie Ingredients
¾ cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
Icing Ingredients
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Gel food coloring
Instructions
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder to the mixture. Stir in the flour just until mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
- Transfer the cookies to a cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
- Decorate!
Sugar Cookie Icing
- Mix together the powdered sugar and 1/4 cup milk.
- Add in the vanilla and corn syrup and mix well. The outline icing should be the consistency of toothpaste.
- To make the flood/fill icing, add more milk one tablespoon at a time until and the flood/fill icing is the consistency of syrup.
- Color your icing with your desired colors. Dust with powdered sugar.
Cozy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Tip: This recipe is great for little helpers to learn measuring and mixing!
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
½ cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup milk
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 365F degrees.
- Line 2 muffin pans with muffin papers.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the oil and sugars using an electric mixer. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Turn off the mixer and stir in the pumpkin puree.
- With the electric mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture alternating with the milk.
- Turn off the mixer and stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie in a Cup
Tip: Quick and easy, this milkshake recipe is great for little ones to help with prepping ingredients, such as slicing the bananas (with supervision), along with a lesson in patience as they wait for the slices to freeze.
Ingredients
1 cup milk
½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 ripe banana, cut into chunks and frozen
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup ice cubes
Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Pulse all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Add extra ice cubes if desired.
- Top each milkshake with a dollop of whipped cream before serving. Makes about 3 cups, or 24 ounces to share.
Autum’s Best Shareable Snack Mix
Tip: Have the kiddos customize their mix! Use the ingredients listed as a guide, but feel free to let them pick out their own additions to make the mix their own.
Ingredients
4 cups Cinnamon Life cereal
2 cups mini pretzels
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 eight-ounce bag M&M’s
1 cup harvest candy mix (candy corn, candy pumpkins)
1 cup Reese’s Pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275F degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cereal and pretzels.
- In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour over the dry mix. Stir to coat.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the mixture into an even layer.
- Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Spread on wax paper to cool and then toss with the candy pieces.
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
Pumpkin Patch Pancake Minis
Tip: This quick pancake recipe is low-mess and high-flavor! Junior chefs can help measure ingredients, stir, and serve these pancakes to the family – counting out the pancakes per person to make sure everyone gets just enough.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
Instructions
- Stir all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Set a griddle to 350F degrees. Spoon individual pancakes onto the griddle, making sure each pancake mini is about the size of a silver dollar.
- Cook pancakes, flipping to the other side as bubbles form. Enjoy!
Which pumpkin spice recipes are a staple in your kitchen? Let us know in the comments below!