Preheat your oven to about 425°F (220°C). Wash and halve the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds (you’ll use some later as pepitas), then cut it into manageable wedges or chunks. Rub or brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the pumpkin's flesh, season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and arrange, cut-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Roast the pumpkin in the oven until the flesh is tender and fork-pierces easily, about 35–45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, cloves, and a tiny dash of cayenne pepper, plus another grind or two of black pepper. Let the spices toast gently in the aromatics for about 1 minute.

Add the roasted pumpkin flesh (removed from its skin) into the pot. Pour in the 4 cups of broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow the flavors to meld for 10–15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or carefully in batches with a stand blender), purée the soup until silky and smooth.

Return the puréed soup to low heat and stir in the ½ cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if desired.

While the soup melds, toast the ¼ cup of pepitas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until they’re golden and fragrant.

Ladle the creamy, spiced pumpkin soup into bowls, sprinkle the toasted pepitas on top, drizzle with a little extra milk or maple syrup if you like—then enjoy!