1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs, room temperature
FILLING:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup whipped topping
FROSTING:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons 2% milk
Green and orange food coloring
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
1. In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter and sugar to a boil.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour and pie spice; add to water mixture all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.
3. Preheat oven to 400°. Drop 12 rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. Allow puffs to cool completely.
4. For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and pie spice until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Pipe into cream puffs; replace tops.
5. For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Divide frosting into thirds; tint 1 portion green, and 1 portion orange. Stir cocoa into the remaining frosting. Pipe jack-o'-lantern faces with orange and chocolate frosting. Pipe stems with green frosting.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1 hour Bake: 30 min. + cooling
YIELD: 12 servings
These jack-o'-lanterns may look spooky on the outside, but inside is a creamy, sweet treat. The classic flavor of pumpkin pie spice will have all your ghosts and goblins screaming for more!
Nutrition Facts
1 cream puff: 152 calories, 9g fat (6g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 72mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.