Start by prepping all of your ingredients - you want to make sure you have everything on hand once the risotto gets going!
Add in the chopped onion with the butter and oil in a large pot, and sauté on medium heat until softened. Then, add in the minced garlic and sauté for another 30-60 seconds, until garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Then, add in the arborio rice, and sauté it with the mixture until the rice is slightly toasted.
Add in the white wine, and cook down for about 1 minute.
Then, add in ONE cup of the vegetable stock, the pumpkin purée, the maple syrup, and the salt and spices. Stir everything around well, and let it simmer.
This is the part where you'll have to stand by the stove to keep an eye on it. Don't worry, this is all stirring! Watch the risotto as the vegetable stock absorbs. Once the risotto is getting thicker and has less liquid, add in another 1/2-1 cup of the stock, stirring well. You don't want the rice to stick to the bottom, so make sure you always have enough liquid to prevent that!
Keep repeating the above step - add stock, stir, and watch for it to absorb.
When you have about one cup of stock left to go, carefully taste a little bit of the risotto to see how the rice is doing. If your rice is soft, don't add any more stock, and stir in the parmesan.
If the rice is still hard, keep adding in the stock. Be sure to check often to make sure the rice doesn't overcook. Conversely, you may add small amounts of stock or water if the rice is still hard after the 4 cups of stock. You want the rice to be al dente, but not mushy.
If you haven't already, stir in the freshly grated parmesan last, until it's melted.
Serve the risotto piping hot with any toppings you like. Enjoy!