• Making this beautiful soup is easy and rewarding.

Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

• Start by preparing all your ingredients. Dice the butternut squash into manageable pieces—about an inch thick for even cooking. Roughly chop the carrots and finely chop the onion.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

• In a large soup pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they become translucent, about 5 minutes. The kitchen will start to smell incredible!

Step 3: Add the Carrots and Squash

• Once the onions are ready, toss in the chopped carrots and the diced butternut squash. Stir everything together and sauté for an additional 5-7 minutes. The vegetables should begin to soften.

Step 4: Pour in the Liquids

• Now it’s time for the magic! Pour in the vegetable stock and apple cider. You’ll want to bring this mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Step 5: Blend to Perfection

• Once the vegetables are tender, it’s time to blend! If you have an immersion blender, use it directly in the pot. If not, you can carefully transfer the mixture in batches to a regular blender. Blend until smooth.

Step 6: Stir in the Goodies

• After blending, return the soup to the pot (if using a regular blender). Stir in the pumpkin purée, cream cheese, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and spices. Let this mixture simmer for another 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 7: Taste and Adjust

• Now comes the fun part—taste your soup! You might want to add more brown sugar for sweetness or extra spices to ramp up the flavor. Adjust sea salt to your liking.

Step 8: Serve Up Hot

• Once you’re satisfied with the taste, serve the soup hot. Drizzle it with a little heavy cream for extra richness if desired. Enjoy it with your favorite side!