Pumpkin pie lovers, you have to try these white chocolate pumpkin candies this fall. They’re delicious and make a great hostess gift for fall parties / Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin pie is honestly one of my favorite fall desserts. My grandma used to make it every year and it was one of those things that I just always looked forward to. And when I got older, I would occasionally make pumpkin pie on my own. But now that I have a family of my own, I never make it because (sadly) I’m the only one in my fam who actually likes pumpkin pie.

That’s how these yummy pumpkin candies came about. Way easier to make than a whole pie, but with the same vibe in a bitesize treat. Similar to these chocolate marshmallow cups, which I also love this time of year. Click through for the fall recipe.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Candy Cups 

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham crackers (about 6 crackers) finely grounded
• 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree
• 2 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
• 22 oz white chocolate chips

How to Make White Chocolate Pumpkin Candies

1. Prepare muffin tin.

Place mini candy cup paper liners in a 24 count mini-muffin tin.

2. Mix (almost) everything and chill.

Mix together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and ground up graham crackers. Place mixture in fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

3. Roll into balls.

Once mixture is chilled and set, roll 1 teaspoon of the mixture into balls (there should be 24) and place on parchment paper.

If you find the mixture to be too sticky, you can add more grounded graham crackers.

4. Melt the chocolate and add to muffin tin.

Melt the white chocolate (using a double broiler or microwave, stirring along the way). Spread 1 teaspoon into the bottom of each lined muffin cup.

Tap the pan gently on the surface so that it is evenly spread. Place in freezer for a few minutes to allow chocolate to harden.

5. Add pumpkin mixture and more chocolate.

Once bottoms are set, place on pumpkin cream cheese ball into each cup and flattened with your fingers.

Cover pumpkin balls with melted chocolate until you have a smooth and even top. Again, tap the pan gently on the surface so that it is evenly spread over the pumpkin.

Set in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to harden the chocolate. 

Recipe Emma Spear
Photography Brittni Mehlhoff

What other flavors do you think would be good for these candy cups? They’re so easy to make, I plan to make more. So, I’d love your suggestions.

These moist, fluffy pumpkin cupcakes are perfectly paired with cream cheese and cinnamon frosting.  

There is one fall flavor combo that truly has a hold over me this time of year and it’s pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pumpkin muffin. But sometimes the only thing that will hit the spot is a cupcake! And this recipe is a good one. You gotta give these a try – for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just a fall day when the weather starts to change.

You won’t regret it. 

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting 

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups (158 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 – 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ tbsp real maple syrup
• ⅓ cup of Greek yogurt

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 160 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• ¾  teaspoon of ground cinnamon

    

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This cupcake batter could be turned into a traditional cake batter, if needed. BUT I like that cupcakes are individual servings, easy to grab, faster to bake, and don’t require slicing into pieces at an event. That said, here’s how to make delicious pumpkin cupcakes.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue by adding the sugar and mix until combined. 

3. In another bowl, whisk the vanilla, pumpkin, oil, eggs, maple syrup, and yogurt. 

4. Add the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides as needed and mix until combined.

5. Fill the paper liners three quarters full, using an ice cream scooper. 

6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once ready, remove them from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. 

7. Remove them and set them on a cooling rack, baking sheet, or plate, so you can frost them. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

The tanginess of the cream cheese in this frosting is such a nice balance against the other ingredients and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin cupcakes too!

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese with the butter until soft and smooth. 

2. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix until combined. 

3. Add in the powdered sugar gradually, and manually mix until combined. 

4. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe over cooled cupcakes and sprinkle a bit more cinnamon on top if you like. 

Notes: I used an Ateco 827 star tip.