BISCUITS:

3 cups self-rising flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 cup brown sugar, firm packed (I use Splenda)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Combine pumpkin and milk.

Make a hole in the flour mixture and add pumpkin/milk. Stir until the dough is ready to knead. Dough will not be sticky and will pull off your hands in a neat ball.

Form biscuits with hands and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F until just done or a very light brown.

TOPPING:

1/2 cup pumpkin
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp. brown sugar (I use Splenda)
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, divided

Divide and reserve cream cheese into 2 ounce blocks for later.

Add rest of ingredients to a small pot and heat until bubbly. Remove from heat. Add 2 ounces of cream cheese and stir til melted.

After mix cools add remaining 2 ounces of cream cheese. This will allow tiny chunks of cream cheese to be tasted more.

Spread topping on a biscuit as it's eaten. Topping is rich tasting so it takes a small amount. Maybe a teaspoon or less.

Submitted by: Paula Brooks