It’s true–the colder weather just begs for hearty, aromatic food.
Pumpkin Dip
This is so yummy! Much better made a day in advance so the flavors can settle and the mixture can thicken up again.
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (I used the 1/3 less fat kind)
2 cups powdered sugar
15 oz. pumpkin puree (1 can, or half a large can)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Then add the spice. Fold in the pumpkin puree. Scoop into a bowl and cover. Make and refrigerate at least 8 hours in advance.
Serve with apples, ginger snaps, or graham crackers.
Giant Ginger Cookies
This is a fantastic cookie. I love the chewy, sugar-frosted outside and the soft inside. This cookie is densely spicy and will make your house smell like heaven while it cooks. To serve with dip, once the cookies are cool enough to handle, use a pizza cutter and cut the cookies into strips. And yes–you do put pepper in these! It tastes great, I promise!
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 T ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
6 T molasses
1 egg
Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter & sugar until fluffy, and then add egg and molasses. Gradually beat in dry mix until combined. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and freeze 20 minutes. Divide dough into 12 2’’ balls. Roll balls in sugar to coat—place 4’’ apart on cookie sheet. Flatten to 3’’ rounds and sprinkle with more sugar. Cook at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
*Giant ginger cookies comes originally from the Martha Stewart Every Day food magazine. I think. From several years ago.*
Damommachef Cooks 
Aunt Rachel
November 8, 2011
Hmm….I would be chicken to put the pepper in. Does it just give it a little extra zip?
Damommachef
November 8, 2011
Yes, you can’t really tell there is pepper. It just gives it more of a bite, like when you buy certain kinds of gingerbread cookies from the store. But your family is more sensitive to pepper I think, so you could start with less and see how you like it.