Start by making the biscuit filling. Peel and dice the pumpkin (or butternut squash) then steam (or boil if you prefer) until cooked. Blend to a smooth puree, or if you don't have a blender you can mash thoroughly then push through a sieve. Mix all filling ingredients together until completely smooth. For a smoother finish you can use a blender. You can add extra pumpkin or mixed spice to your desired taste.

Place in a tub in the fridge for at least an hour – until it is firm enough to ‘spread’ on a biscuit. N.B. The warm pumpkin puree will help to soften the hard creamed coconut block for easier mixing. If you are using cream cheese, allow the puree to cool completely before mixing.

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan/ gas mark 5, and grease and line two baking trays. Stir the baking powder and mixed spice into the flour, then rub the oil or butter and maple syrup into the flour with your fingertips. Alternatively you can use the pulse setting on a food processer to combine into a crumbly texture that will easily press together into a dough. Add a splash of water if needed to bring it together, but not too much.

Flour a clean work surface and gently knead the dough, just to bring it together. Roll out to approx. 3mm in thickness and cut out pumpkin shapes using a cutter (or other Halloween shapes if you prefer - a round cutter will do if that's all you have).

Place shapes onto the baking trays and bake for about 10 - 15 minutes until golden. Carefully transfer cooked biscuits onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before decorating.

You can leave the biscuits plain, or spread some of the filling on to a biscuit and sandwich together with a second biscuit. Or use the pumpkin cream as a topping and add pumpkin seeds and raisins for a Halloween face - whichever you prefer. Follow our suggestions or decorate these biscuits any way you choose. Children will love to get involved so why not let them get creative?

The maple syrup can be replaced with apple juice if you prefer, but the biscuits won't be quite as sweet. These biscuits are best eaten fresh, as the filling needs to be kept cool. You can store the plain biscuits in an air tight container for up to 3 days. Keep the filling in a tub in the fridge, then when your little ones want a spooky snack, simply spread a biscuit with some filling, they can even help make their own pumpkin pie biscuit sandwiches. The biscuits can also be frozen without the filling (which can be frozen separately) and defrosted in less than an hour.