Creamy Pumpkin Dip with Cookies

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 3/4 cups pumpkin (or a 30ounce can)
4 cups powdered sugar (10x, or icing sugar)
2-4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (to taste)
1 small sugar pumpkin
Small fun candies – candy worms, candy spiders, candy corn, etc.
Shortbread, Oatmeal, GingerSnaps or any other hard cookie.

If you have a hand mixer, this will go a bit easier.

Mix together the cream cheese and pumpkin, until combined.  Add in the sugar and spices and mix well.  Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

Meanwhile, carve out a pumpkin, removing seeds and strings.  Fill with the pumpkin mixture.  Put this on a plate or a halloween serving plate, and decorate with the small candies.  Looks fun  having the worms “crawling” out of the dip.

Serve with the cookies to dip with.

Note:

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use cinnamon, ginger, allspice – 2-4 teaspoons in total.

Variation

Pumpkin Cookie Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 ounces marshmallow creme
15 ounces solid-pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth. Stir in pumpkin, cinnamon and orange peel. Serve as a dip with gingersnaps.  Keep refrigerated.