Pumpkin is the new apple – here’s how to make Pumpkin Spice Latte at home

Here are some fresh recipes from HelloVidék for the popular coffee drink and another delicious autumn treat, using a rising star of Hungarian cuisine: pumpkin.

Both as a decoration and an ingredient for numerous recipes, pumpkin has become a staple of the autumn-winter season in the past few years. According to the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, an average Hungarian eats around 3–3.5 kg pumpkin each year.

Their variety too has increased over the years. Pumpkins of Hungarian origin are usually from the Transtisza (Tiszántúl) region; the largest pumpkin fields in the country are found in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in the northeast (600 hectares of the total 1,800), but other types, such as butternut squash, are becoming common, too.

When buying pumpkins, make sure that their stalk is not missing. If it is already sliced, make sure that it has a nice homogeneous orange colour. It can be stored in the fridge, but wrap it in foil and preferably use it as soon as possible.

Pumpkin & peanut butter biscuits

• 800 g pumpkin
• 100 g brown sugar
• 100 g sugar
• 120 g butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla aroma
• 190 g peanut butter
• 250 g flour
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• ground cloves (1 coffee spoon)
• ground nutmeg (1 coffee spoon)

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Cut the pumpkin into cubes and roast it for 40–45 minutes, then use a blender to mash it. Add sugar and butter to a bowl, mix it until you get a foamy texture, then add the egg, too. Add the pumpkin purée carefully, then the peanut butter and vanilla aroma. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the spices separately first, then add it to the pumpkin paste.