Brace yourselves: It’s officially pumpkin hunting season. Some say it’s too soon; I say it’s never soon enough. We only have a couple months to find and consume as many pumpkin-flavored foods as possible and luckily for you, we’ve got the State College guide for doing just that.
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese: Irving’s
Photo by Mariel English
This is truly the Beyoncé of the cream cheese world. I personally suggest smearing it on a cinnamon raisin bagel so the differing flavors blend together for a delicious autumn festival in your mouth (I also suggest getting extra on the side to eat with a spoon!).
- Pumpkin Scones: Good Seed Baking Company
Photo by Caitlin Wolper
These scones would pair perfectly with a cup of hot coffee, tea or four more scones all shoved into your mouth simultaneously. Up to you.
Also being offered here this fall are pumpkin macaroons, pumpkin pecan muffins, and pumpkin cake.
- Pumpkin Spice Muffins: McLanahan’s Downtown Market
Photo by Caitlin Wolper
Located right in the middle of town and easily accessible from all angles, McLanahan’s Downtown Market offers the muffin version of the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latté: the Pumpkin Spice Muffin. It’s everything you dream it is and more.
Also, side note: the Pumpkin Bread and French Toast Muffin look equally divine!
- Pumpkin Ravioli: Mario’s Italian Restaurant
This seasonal fall dish is made entirely from scratch. It all starts with the filling: roasted whole pumpkins are combined with amaretti cookies, homemade mostarda di Cremona (a fruit mustard), breadcrumbs and Romano cheese. Then they take this delectable pumpkin filling with their perfect little Italian hands, stuff it into house-made pasta sheets and serve it with walnut pesto sauce. I think this is what we call a “mic drop” moment.
- Pumpkin Bran Muffin: Sowers Harvest Café
Photo by Caitlin Wolper
This vegan muffin definitely still keeps it 100. Biting into its moist, sweet pumpkin flesh makes your insides feel all warm and tender, sort of like when you finally take your pants off and crawl in bed after a long day… except with raisins.
- Pumpkin CroisBun: Au Bon Pain
Photo provided by aubonpain.com
Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? Is it even a real word? Who cares. I wanna put it in my mouth.
Also being offered here this fall: Harvest Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Sweet Cheese Muffins and Pumpkin Coffee Cake.
- Toasted Graham Latté: Starbucks
We’ve got a new kid on the block and he is all the rage.
This drink isn’t pumpkin-flavored but it deserves a VIP spot on this list. This drink is perfect if you’ve practically OD’d on Pumpkin Spice Lattés and need to switch up your daily dose of fall-flavored coffee. Your taste buds are gonna go crazy. This bad boy is made with toasted graham sauce, sweet cream, steamed milk and espresso, topped off with a sprinkling of cinnamon graham crumbles. Sweet autumn dreams are made of this.