Preheat your oven to 375° F. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together one cup of vegetable broth with the pumpkin purée until smooth, then set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped shallots and sauté for about one minute until they begin to soften, then add grated garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour in dry white grape juice, cooking for one minute while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot for added flavor. Next, pour in the prepared pumpkin broth mixture along with the remaining three cups of vegetable broth, then add herbs, spices, salt, and pepper.

Once everything is well combined, stir in arborio rice ensuring it’s evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil briefly, then transfer to the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes until rice is tender.

After baking, carefully remove the pot from the oven and stir in goat cheese vigorously for about two minutes until it melts into a creamy consistency with the rice mixture.

Finally, taste your risotto to adjust seasoning as needed before serving topped with extra crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and additional herbs like chopped sage or rosemary for garnish.