29 Pumpkin Desserts to Bake Your Way Through Fall
It only takes a faint whisper of fall to spark our excitement for pumpkin desserts. In the lineup below, you’ll find pumpkin used in familiar treats like pumpkin bread and beignets, seasonal takes on pavlova and crème brûlée, andpumpkin pie—lots and lots of pumpkin pie. Maple, bourbon, tahini, and, of course,pumpkin spiceare among the many fall flavors that star alongside the native gourd in this list of fall favorites. You can make do with thecanned stufffor most of them, but there are also a few fresh pumpkin dessert recipes to use up any strays from apre-Halloweentrip to the pumpkin patch.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson1/29Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon-Sour Cream Topping
If you’re in the market for the best pumpkin desserts that are not pie but will still wow a crowd, this cheesecake is one of our top recommendations. The warm flavors ofbourbonplay wonderfully here with brown sugar and tangy sour cream in the filling, which sits over a nutty graham cracker crust.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart2/29Pumpkin Bread
This one-bowlquick breadrecipe yields an easy loaf with some added bells and whistles in the form of zippy orange zest and crunchy walnuts. We love to bake pumpkin bread as an afternoon snack, but it’s also stellar toasted and served after dinner with a big scoop ofvanilla ice cream. You can also bake this in a muffin tin for individual pumpkin muffins; the cook time will just be quicker.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi3/29Bourbon Pumpkin Pie
A custardy base gives thisThanksgivingpumpkin pie recipe an ethereal texture. Bourbon amplifies the warmth of the cinnamon, allspice, and ginger while sour cream acts as a tangy reprieve.
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Photo by Alan Richardson4/29Larry the Turkey Cupcakes
Channel your artistic side and transformPumpkin Spice Cupcakesinto Thanksgiving’s very own mascot, Larry the Turkey.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks6/29Spiced Pavlova With Pumpkin Mousse
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Photo by Jennifer Davick7/29Big Easy Pumpkin Beignets
These pillowy fried dough bites featurepumpkin puréein the batter, making the winter squash the star of the show.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini8/29Pumpkin Icebox Pie With Snickerdoodle Crust
Acinnamon-sugar coated snickerdoodle cookie dough is pressed into a pie plate, making a fun and easy crust for this dreamy, creamy pumpkin icebox pie.
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Photo by Lisa Hubbard10/29Maple Pumpkin Pots de Crème
Luscious cream, canned pumpkin, and maple syrup band together to create these velvety pots de crèmes which are good as is, but maybeeven better with a brûléed top.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton11/29Pumpkin and Cookie-Butter Sheet Cake With Toasted Meringue
Speculoos cookies in “butter” form add a spicy complexity to pumpkin purée for a new spin on the classicfall dessert. Got extra cookie butter? Make thismalted speculoos shake.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege12/29White Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse
White chocolate adds a rich, creamy sweetness to this quick pumpkin mousse. Serve it alone as a gluten-free Thanksgiving dessert or make it as part of ourBuild-Your-Own Pie Barwith individual pie crust cookies,brown butter wet nuts, and stovetop butterscotch apples.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones13/29Marbled Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars
The creamy cheesecake meets the pumpkin pie in these delicious pumpkin bars. For peak pumpkin flavor, be sure to use the winner of ourpumpkin purée taste test.
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15/29Classic Pumpkin Pie
You could get playful this year and make thiscombo pumpkin pecannumber to get two pies in one. But sometimes the classics win, and the most classic version of the most classic Thanksgiving pie comes from the pages ofGourmetmagazine. Round out the ultimate holiday dessert buffet with our easy recipes forpecan pieandapple pietoo.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson16/29Chocolate and Pumpkin Zebra Cake
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Photo by Dayna Smith18/29Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Take your pumpkin spice latte love to the next level with these delicious pumpkin cupcakes. The texture is like a cake-bread hybrid: it’s dense and savory, and the maple-cream cheese frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Need a PSL-inspired cocktail while you’re at it? Try this make-aheadautumnal punch.
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Photo by Alan Richardson23/29Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
One trip to the cupcake pumpkin patch, and this project will become a favorite fall tradition. It’s a terrific dessert centerpiece for any fall get-together. The pumpkin patch boasts both standard and mini cupcakes, and each one is a little different—just like a real pumpkin patch—so you can pick and choose your favorite.
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Diana Yen, food and prop styling by Diana Yen27/29Apple and Pumpkin Ginger Crisp
Applesreign supreme when it comes to fall crisps, but adding a little pumpkin or butternut squash into the mix ups the fall vibes to the max. Topped with a crumble of nuts, oats, and ginger, it’s practically dessert with a warm flannel on.
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Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell29/29Caramelized Honey Pumpkin Pie
Of all the pumpkin desserts, pie is one of the most riffable. This version features a combo of caramelized honey and brown butter, which adds a deep, toasty sweetness to this fall staple. Read our guide to make sure youhow to store your pieonce it’s baked.
