1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or pulse in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Chill 10 minutes.

3. Combine buttermilk and maple syrup, stirring with a whisk until well blended; add canned pumpkin. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times. Press dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9" x 5" rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds (as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope). Again press dough into a (1/2-inch-thick) 9" x 5" rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds; gently roll press to a 3/4-inch thickness.

5. Cut dough with a star cookie cutter to form 14 dough stars. Place dough stars, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle each star with a bit of brown sugar.

6. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan; cool 2 minutes on wire racks. Serve warm.