From now to December, everything — bagels, bread, cookies, ice cream, scones — seems to contain pumpkin.

And for good reason.

It’s our passion for pumpkin and all those spices that go into pumpkin desserts — cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mace.

So get your tastebuds ready for the annual onslaught!

PUMPKIN BREAD

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

3 cups sugar

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 7x3-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Yields 3 loaves.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

2 pounds cream cheese

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

2 (1-pound) cans pumpkin

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons vanilla

Graham Cracker Crust

Sour Cream Topping

Blend cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended. Add whipping cream, pumpkin, vanilla and spice, blending thoroughly.

Pour into Graham Cracker Crust. Bake at 300°F for 1-1/2 hours or until cake sets. Remove and let rest 10 minutes, then pour Sour Cream Topping over cheesecake. Cool thoroughly before removing from pan. Chill. Makes one (10-inch) cheesecake.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

1 teaspoon soft butter

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

Brush 10-inch springform pan with soft butter. Mix crumbs, cinnamon, sugar and melted butter. Press onto bottom of pan.

SOUR CREAM TOPPING

1 pound sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

PUMPKIN COOKIES

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder

2 cups flour

Frosting:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons pumpkin purée

2 tablespoons soft butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. In mixing bowl, combine pumpkin and sugar; stir in egg and oil, mixing to a smooth consistency. Stir together ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour. Mix into pumpkin mixture.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake about 8 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.

Beat together frosting ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to form a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Frost cooled cookies with a generous dollop. Makes about 3 dozen.

PUMPKIN-ORANGE BREAD PUDDING

2 cups bread cubes

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon orange extract, plus a few drops

1 cup scalded milk (see note)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup pumpkin purée

Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the bread cubes in buttered 2-quart 8x11-inch baking dish. Sprinkle on raisins.

In bowl, blend orange juice, butter, sugar, orange zest, extract and milk. Blend in the eggs and pumpkin purée and pour over bread mixture.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until set.

Serve with whipped cream, flavored with the few drops of the orange extract.

Note: To scald milk, slowly heat it until small bubbles appear around the edges. Be careful not let the milk boil.