
It’s getting slightly colder and that means only one thing. It’s time for a pumpkin takeover to begin! With the early announcement and release of our favorite fall treat, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, we decided that one coffee per day just wasn’t going to cut it for our craving. So even though it’s not even officially fall yet, we pulled together 27 sweet recipes to bring that quintessential autumn flavor into your home. Happy pumpkin-ing!
1. Pumpkin Seed Puppy Chow: When you have a pumpkin craving but are too caffeinated to justify another latte, grab a handful of this puppy chow. The mix of pumpkin pie spice, white chocolate, pumpkin seeds and peanut butter make an awesome snack that satisfies your sweet tooth with a little protein to boost. And it couldn’t be easier to make. (via Brit + Co)
2. Pumpkin Bread: Top a slice of this breakfast bread with some butter and pair with your PSL for fall breakfast that can’t be beat. Mix all the ingredients in one bowl, pop in the oven and soon you’ll have several small loaves. Share them with friends and neighbors or keep them all to yourself. (via A Night Owl)
3. Double Glazed Pumpkin Spice Scones: Pair one of these pumpkin scones with a PSL and you’ve got the makings of the best pumpkin breakfast around. Pumpkin pie spice, the mix of cloves, cinnamon and allspice that screams autumn, is featured twice in this recipe: once in the glaze and once in the dough. Double the pumpkin, double the fun. (via Joyful Mamma’s Kitchen)
4. Chocolate Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats: What could possibly make pumpkin spice even better? How about adding some delicious chocolate and a chewy, rice krispie base? This is a favorite Halloween snack for all of us here at Brit + Co. Since they only take a few minutes to make, they’re super easy for you to whip up and bring to your next office gathering. Trust us, they’ll be the hit of the party. (via Brit + Co)
5. Pumpkin Spice Trifle: A trifle is a decadent party dessert. The mix of whipped cream or custard, cake and assorted add-ins is a cinch to create, especially since you can make all the components ahead of time. This version combines vanilla pudding, pumpkin and spice cake for a cold and creamy way to satisfy your pumpkin spice craving. We advise attacking the entire bowl with a few friends and several spoons. (via 52 Mantels)
6. Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate: Another hot pumpkin drink to ring in the new season? Yes PLEASE! White chocolate and pumpkin spice, with plenty of hot milk and whipped cream, make for a soothing elixir that we bet is ideal when you’re curled up in a comfy chair with a good book. You could even add a shot of pumpkin spiced alcohol (or just good-old whiskey) to the mix. We won’t tell. (via Tater Tots and Jello)
7. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte: This wouldn’t be a PSL-inspired roundup without a PSL. But if you don’t want to drop over $3 a day for your addiction, you can make one at home for the fraction of the cost. Unlike the Starbucks version, this creation actually has real pumpkin in it. You can add your own spices to mix and match for a winning blend that meets your tastes. (via The Kitchn)
8. Pumpkin Pie Spice Frozen Yogurt: Yes, it’s September and summer is on its last leg, but it’s been ridiculously hot and doesn’t seem like the heat will be letting up any time soon. So here’s a frozen treat to help you make the transition from summer to fall. Plus, it’s only 100 calories a serving and has zero grams of fat. The PSL can’t even come close. (via Brit + Co)
9. Pumpkin Spice Honey Cookies: Pop these soft chewy cookies into your mouth for a bite-sized pumpkin spice experience. With plenty of cinnamon, honey, allspice, cloves and nutmeg, these spicy cookies are a delicate and deviously addictive way to get your pumpkin. (via Averie Cooks)
10. Pumpkin Spice Granola: Kick off your morning with a boost of pumpkin, bolstered by sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and quinoa for protein. Eat it with your favorite milk or yogurt in the morning or throw in some chocolate chips and use it as a healthy ice cream topping for an after dinner treat. (via Sally’s Baking Addiction)
11. Pumpkin Caipirinha: Can you tell we love our pumpkin drinks around here? This caipirinha is a blend of ginger liqueur, Brazilian white rum, agave and pumpkin, of course. The sweetness of the pumpkin balances the spiciness of the ginger. Served over ice, it’s a refreshing way to get your fix without a jolt of caffeine or heavy dairy. (via Fit Sugar)
12. Pumpkin Macaroons: These gorgeous little packages of sophisticated sweetness are a great canvas for fall flavors. The spicy cinnamon almond cookies form an airy sandwich around a pumpkin cream cheese filling. They’re not only super elegant and look super fancy, but they taste amazing too. (via Oh Sweet Day)
13. Pumpkin Spice Popcorn: Our roundup is pretty heavy on the sugary goodness but those of you with less of a sweet tooth shouldn’t worry. This pumpkin spice popcorn is a perfect salty snack, with just a teeny bit of sugar and spice to reach that subtle pumpkin flavor. We know this pumpkiny kettle corn would make for a tasty and unexpected addition to your movie nights. (via A Blossoming Life)
14. Pumpkin Spice Smoothie: This smoothie is another fantastic way to get in all the best flavors of fall without the calories. Whip this up in the morning for a hearty breakfast. Bonus points because this recipe packs TONS of nutrients, vitamins and protein to start your day off right. (via Brit + Co)
15. PSL Bark: Turn our favorite drink into a delicious candy treat? Um, can we say YES any louder? This two layer bark combines a rich coffee candy with a pumpkin-blended white chocolate on top. If we’re not giving this out on Halloween, it’s because we ate it all ourselves. (via The Kitchen Prep Blog)
16. Pumpkin Biscoff Cheesecake Pretzel Bites: For those of you not yet inundated into the world of Biscoff, it’s essentially gingerbread cookies blended into a spreadable butter. It’s sugary and rich and totally delicious. So when you combine it with pumpkin and cream cheese and smash between two pretzels, you’re pretty much guaranteed a mix of sweet, salty and pumpkin that will disappear fast. Trust us. We’re experts. (via Back for Seconds)
17. Pumpkin Spice Brownies: This three- ingredient recipe might not need much, but it packs a rich chocolate punch all the same. By subbing out pumpkin for the typical eggs, oil and butter used with brownie mix, the resulting brownies are fudgy with just a hint of pumpkin flavor. Even better, you can easily make these vegan with a vegan brownie mix. The results will be just as tasty, and just as low calorie. (via The Skinny Fork)
18. Pumpkin Spice Cake With Brown Butter Frosting: To all our gluten-free readers, this one’s for you. This spice-filled low carb cake gets a flavor boost of browned butter frosting. In our opinion, this cake wins for most stylish way to bring pumpkin spiced desserts to a fancy party. Don’t you agree? (via All Day I Dream About Food)
19. Pumpkin Spice Turtles: Turtles are handy little bite-sized nubs of goodness, combining chewy caramel, chocolate and nuts. The genius ingredient in this recipe is pumpkin spice Hershey kisses. They help you get that gooey mix of pumpkin and caramel to melt together into something mouthwatering. (via Tastes of Lizzy T’s)
20. Pumpkintini: Need a pumpkin cocktail to top off your night? We’ve got just the thing. This spiked sweet cocktail tastes like an ice-cold pumpkin pie in a glass. Just know the drink packs a punch, so don’t down them too fast as hard as it may be to resist. (via Brit + Co.)
21. Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes: If you’ve ever gone apple picking in the fall, one of the finest treats you can get at the farm are those sugary apple cider doughnuts. These pick up where apple season left off. The bite-sized doughnuts pair perfectly with coffee, or just pop ’em in your mouth for a quick snack. (via A Step In The Journey)
22. Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal: A hearty, whole grain breakfast AND pumpkin spice flavors? It’s seriously the best of both worlds. Mix oatmeal with pumpkin puree, pumpkin spices and any other add-ins you like (we think pecans and cranberries are a great combo) then top with your favorite milk and sweetener. Voila, breakfast! (via My Blessed Life)
23. Pumpkin Marshmallows: You know what would make that PSL just a teensy bit tastier? Top it with a big, homemade, pumpkin-flavored marshmallow. And we have just the recipe to help you do it. They’re a little work intensive but we think they’re worth the effort. (via A Simple Pantry)
24. Pumpkin Spice Crunch Cake: Whip up this cake for a warm, gooey, and very sweet dessert thanks to toffee bits and cream cheese frosting. The recipe can easily be adapted to use your own spice cake and cream cheese frosting recipes if you have them on hand. Or, simply use the pre-made stuff and we promise the cake will be just as delicious. (via Oh Bite It)
25. Pumpkin Spice Waffles: While we’re still on a roll with the pumpkin breakfast items, let’s throw some waffles into the mix, shall we? These waffles would be perfect for brunch or a leisurely weekend morning. (via Real House Moms)
26. Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut Coffee: This spiked PSL is nutty and works served warm or chilled. Drink one after being out in the brisk fall air for a tasty pick-me-up. (via Poet in the Pantry)
27. Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes: Finally, we just had to include some cupcakes. They’re the best bite-sized way to solve both our cake and our pumpkin needs. This rich and spicy pumpkin cake, topped with creamy frosting and a dusting of cinnamon would be a major hit at any gathering or with your family at home. (via Annie’s Eats)
Whew! That’s a lot of pumpkin spice! Did we miss any of your favorite recipes? Are you as obsessed with the pumpkin craze as we are? Let us know below!
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures