20 Best Pumpkin Desserts to Make This Fall

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing — The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Grab a can of pumpkin puree and a jar of pie spice and you already have the makings of one of the best fall desserts out there. But once you think outside the pie crust—whether for a delicious end to a holiday meal, a special occasion, or even a weekday fall dinner that calls for some sweets—you may never go back to pumpkin pie. Some of these recipes would make great bake sale fare, whereas others look and taste impressive enough to fit the bill for a fancy dinner party. Pumpkin will quickly join the ranks as one of your new favorite baking ingredients when the leaves start to turn.

What's the Difference Between Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling?

01 of 20

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

This gorgeous rolled pumpkin cake is as pretty to look at as it is delicious to eat. A spiced pumpkin cake studded with pecans is rolled around a sweet cream cheese filling, making for attractive swirled slices (which freeze well for later). If you've never rolled a cake before, it does take a little technique and patience, but it's not difficult to master.
02 of 20

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Pumpkin gives this chewy chocolate cake a wonderful moist texture, and the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg contribute that quintessential autumn spice. If you don't need the cake to be vegan, simply swap out the plant-based milk for regular. Drizzle the top with a ganache, or frost it with orange icing to make the perfect Halloween party dessert.
03 of 20

Spiced Pumpkin Pudding

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Try a creamy, rich baked pudding as a softer and more unique alternative to the ubiquitous pumpkin pie. All of the ingredients are beaten together until blended and poured into a baking dish set in a water bath. Serve the pudding with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top. You can also make the recipe in individual bowls or ramekins for a cute presentation.
04 of 20

Pumpkin Brownies With Cream Cheese Swirl

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Trade in the chocolate for pumpkin with these cream cheese swirled pumpkin brownies. They have all the flavor of pumpkin pie but in a convenient brownie package. Made in the same way as traditional brownies, the recipe calls for creaming the butter and sugar before adding the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. The dry ingredients are mixed separately and then added to the batter; once poured into the pan, the cream cheese mixture is swirled in and the brownies are baked.

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05 of 20

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Try these soft pumpkin cookies for a fall lunchbox treat. The pumpkin flavor of the cookies is complemented by the warm spices, and the browned butter icing adds a delicious sweetness to the lightly spiced cookies. If you are short on time, you can skip the icing and dust the cookies with powdered sugar or leave them plain.
06 of 20

Pumpkin Cupcakes

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Pumpkin cupcakes make a delicious contribution to a classroom Halloween party or bake sale, or for a family-friendly fall event. Chopped walnuts or pecans add a little extra texture, and a caramel frosting would taste great on top of the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg-spiced cake base. Let the kids help for a fun afternoon activity.
07 of 20

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

The Spruce / Jessie Sheehan

A classic snack throughout New England, whoopie pies come in a variety of flavors and fillings. The pumpkin flavor is perfect for fall and can help use up that can of pumpkin puree lingering in the cupboard. Plan on chilling the batter for an hour in the fridge so the cookies hold their puffy shape when baked; then fill with vanilla-scented cream cheese for a sweet treat. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap to keep them fresh, if storing.
08 of 20

Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Spiced with a combination of ginger and cinnamon, this tender pumpkin cake is layered with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. Chopped pecans add a nutty flavor and a bit of crunch, but you can omit them if you prefer. A layer cake looks impressive on the dessert table, but this recipe also works as a Bundt or sheet cake.

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09 of 20

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

This cheesecake tastes and looks much more complicated than it is. It starts with a spiced cinnamon graham cracker crust that is baked before being topped with a layer of cream cheese filling and then a pumpkin filling. Once the cheesecake is out of the oven and cooled, plan for at least four hours of chilling before serving. Feel free to top with whipped cream or caramel sauce.
10 of 20

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

If you like to top your breakfast treats with butter or cream cheese, give these muffins with a surprise inside a try. The moist, pumpkin-flavored muffins have a sweet cream cheese filling, making this recipe perfect for a decadent breakfast or afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee. You can replace the pumpkin puree and pie spice with pumpkin pie filling if you like.
11 of 20

Thai Coconut Custard in a Pumpkin

The Spruce

Filling a small pumpkin with a Thai-style coconut custard makes a beautiful and unique alternative to the standard pie for Thanksgiving or any special fall get-together. A hollowed-out edible pumpkin, like a sugar pumpkin, is filled with a sweet coconut custard and baked until puffed up and set. To serve, slice the whole pumpkin like a cake.
12 of 20

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

The Spruce

Bread pudding can take on many different flavors, from chocolate to fruit, and adding pumpkin to the bread and custard mixture results in a rich dessert that is perfect on a chilly fall night. Warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg pair up with cranberries in this pumpkin bread pudding to round out the autumn vibe. Simple to prepare, the ingredients are mixed together and baked until golden and puffed up.

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13 of 20

Pumpkin Pound Cake With Maple Pecan Glaze

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Maple glaze adds an autumnal element to this moist and simple pumpkin pound cake. Baking it in a Bundt pan gives it a beautiful shape that’s perfect for drizzling with the glaze, which comes together either with or without cooking. The warm spices in the cake are complemented by the sweet glaze made of maple syrup, whipping cream, butter, and confectioners' sugar that is studded with pecans for a nice crunchy finish.
14 of 20

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Cheesecake fans will go crazy for these layered pumpkin cheesecake bars, and cooks will love how easy they are to make. Use canned or freshly mashed pumpkin, but not pie filling since you'll spice it up yourself. The recipe calls for a graham cracker crust, but would also taste great with a gingersnap base. These bars are a light finish to the holiday meal, instead of a heavy dessert that will weigh you down.
15 of 20

Thanksgiving Turkey Pumpkin Cupcakes

Leah Maroney

Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes add a touch of whimsy to your holiday dessert table and let the youngsters get in on the "cooking" action. Simply top homemade pumpkin spice cupcakes with chocolate frosting, candy corn, and vanilla wafers to create cute little birds. But these cupcakes aren't just fun to look at—with molasses, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice, they are also delicious and capture the fall flavors.
16 of 20

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Can’t decide between pumpkin and pecan pie? With this recipe, you can enjoy both classic fall desserts in one bite. A layer of pumpkin filling is poured into a pie crust, and then topped with a typical pecan pie mixture and baked. You can make a homemade crust, or save time by using store-bought.

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17 of 20

Pumpkin Doughnuts

The Spruce / Jessie Sheehan

Tasting like a cross between a pumpkin pie and sponge cake, these delicious pumpkin doughnuts can be eaten any time of day. The spiced batter mixes up quickly and is added to a special pan to bake until puffed up and golden brown. Coat the doughnuts in cinnamon sugar and serve them as a breakfast treat, as an afternoon snack, or with your after-dinner coffee.
18 of 20

Pumpkin Pie Bars

The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo

This recipe is everything you love about pumpkin pie made into bar form. Instead of a pie plate, these pumpkin pie bars are made in a large baking sheet meaning they're perfect for feeding a crowd. Pumpkin pie bars look lovely sliced and taste great with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.
19 of 20

Pumpkin Creme Brûlée

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

With its crunchy caramelized top, these individual pumpkin creme brûlées look as great as they taste. Pumpkin puree and warm spices transform the luscious dessert into a fall treat. The custard can be made in advance and caramelized just before serving. A kitchen torch works best, but if you don’t have one, you can brown them under the broiler. Just watch carefully so they don’t burn.
20 of 20

Pumpkin Cake With Broiled Coconut Topping

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Starting with a boxed cake mix makes this cake recipe quick to prepare. Canned pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg take a yellow cake mix to a whole new level. The broiled coconut topping with pecans stands in for icing, adding a tropical note and a nice chewy and crunchy texture.

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