These easy pumpkin recipes turn a can of puree into baked goods, breakfasts, and even easy dinners, like cookies, pasta, soup, chili, and lattes!
Once cooler temperatures start to creep into the mornings, I think of one thing: pumpkin mania. Yes, this orange squash has a cult-like following that starts September 1. As a full-time recipe developer and cookbook author, every year I’m just as excited to make all the pumpkin recipes!
I’ve combed through my archives to find the very best pumpkin recipes my readers love, from classic pumpkin bread to pumpkin waffles and savory recipes like pasta sauce, chili, or even hummus. Here are the best of the best!
Want recipes by category? Try my 10 Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes, 20 Pumpkin Desserts, or 10 Pumpkin Bread Recipes.
31 Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
These sweet morsels are lusciously pillowy and chewy, scented with a burst of fall spices and a hint of molasses. The exterior has a subtle sugar crunch and a drizzle of simple sweet icing. Even better, the soft texture holds up for days. They're perfect for fall dessert tables, Halloween, Thanksgiving and everything in between!
Adding pumpkin puree to chili makes an intensely creamy, flavorful body to this classic dish. This one is hearty and healthy, packed with spices, sweet potato and beans. Load it up with all your favorite chili toppings, and it’s a satisfying fall dinner recipe that’s ideal for weeknights or dinner parties.
Of all of the pumpkin-spiced recipes floating around this time of year, this one is arguably one of the quickest and easiest. This pumpkin dip recipe tastes just like pumpkin pie and you can whip it up in just 5 minutes in a food processor or blender. Scoop it up with apple slices or pretzels!
A good pumpkin bread recipe is as essential to fall as a puffy jacket, and here’s our favorite one. This loaf falls so deliciously into cozy-spiced slices. It’s tender and moist, but not too fluffy or too dense. The best part? It’s simple to whip up: one bowl, no special equipment; just dump and stir! Also try my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread.
Oatmeal is my go-to for healthy, whole grain breakfasts and this Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal is a reader favorite. It’s full of fall flavor but at the same time a healthy way to start the day! Whole grain oats provide lots of protein and fiber, and are the perfect backdrop for pumpkin puree and cozy spices. Make up a big pan and eat off of it all week, or make it for guests!
One of the best pumpkin desserts are my Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting! The bars are perfectly moist and cakey, with just the right warm-spiced interior from cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. They’re topped off with a lusciously creamy layer of cream cheese frosting that gives a tangy lift to each bite.
Here’s a pumpkin recipe to make at least once every fall: cozy pumpkin pancakes! Adding pumpkin puree gives the pancakes a fluffy, hearty texture and satisfying mouthfeel. They’re seasoned with a hefty dose of warm pumpkin spices. Drizzled with pure maple syrup, each bite is lusciously sweet and spiced. Also try my Pumpkin Spice Pancakes.
I love this pumpkin pasta sauce, which is so delicious paired with penne pasta and Parmesan cheese. It cooks up in just 30 minutes! It tastes like a sophisticated take on mac and cheese. Said one reader: “You NAILED IT! The whole family loved this pasta dish. So creamy and flavorful!”
Want a great a way to use canned pumpkin puree? Try my easy Pumpkin Muffins recipe! These muffins are the perfect level of sweetness, moist and cozy scented with pumpkin spice: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. The flavor of fall is encapsulated in each bite.
Also try my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.
If you’re a pumpkin fan, this one’s worth a try. It takes just a few minutes to whip up, and adding pumpkin puree makes it extraordinarily creamy. It’s so savory and delicious: serve with pita chips for a tasty fall snack.
My luscious pumpkin tiramisu stars layers of spiced whipped mascarpone and coffee-soaked lady fingers! It's so delicious and such an easy fall dessert.
Craving a pumpkin breakfast? Coat slices of hearty bread in pumpkin puree and warm spices, then fry them until golden on a sizzling skillet. Top with a drizzle of pure maple syrup, and each forkful is heavenly: fluffy, sweet, and perfectly spiced!
I love this pumpkin ice cream: scoop up a bowl and it’s lusciously soft and creamy, scented with just the right hit of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Each rich spoonful will make you raise your eyebrows in delight. Take it to the next level and add candied pecans for a sweet, salty crunch.
Here's another fun savory pumpkin recipe: pumpkin risotto! Its bright orange color and fall flavor makes it the ideal dinner or side dish for the season. Homemade risotto is easy to whip up: all you need are a few ingredients and a bit of time to stir in that luxurious broth until it all becomes absorbed by the rice.
Here the sweet custard is made like a traditional homemade pudding, with added pumpkin puree and cozy spices. To serve, add crushed gingersnaps or graham crackers and top with whipped cream! It’s like pumpkin pie filling in a glass: but a mini version with all the fun and none of the fuss.
OK these pumpkin cream cheese muffins are so tasty! The moist cake is cozy-scented and just sweet enough, since after all it really is a muffin. Top that with a generous gooey mound of maple cream cheese, and each bite is like eating cheesecake and a muffin all at once.
I really love these pumpkin oatmeal cookies, and they're one of the most popular pumpkin recipes with readers! They taste basically like oatmeal cream pies, but a healthier spin! Omit the icing if you’d like them to be less sweet; they’re just as good!
Here’s a pumpkin recipe that’s just right for the season: this classic Pumpkin Cake! It’s thick and moist, scented with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. The tangy, fluffy cream cheese frosting is its ideal flavor match. It’s so classic and irresistible, you’ll want to make it for every gathering. It’s great for fall dinner parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or really anytime you’re craving pumpkin!
Want to make pumpkin soup, but don’t want to roast an entire pumpkin? This is the recipe for you! All you need is a can of pumpkin puree. It’s got another secret ingredient too, that makes it more filling than a standard creamy soup: red lentils! The lentils thicken this soup and give it creamy body. Top sour cream swirls and crunchy homemade croutons!
Pumpkin waffles are just the thing for fall breakfasts, starring cozy spices and pumpkin puree. This recipe uses just enough pumpkin to bring in a light orange hue, but not so much that each bite is weighed down with vegetable puree. They’re just sweet enough topped with a little pure maple syrup.
Many of the season’s recipes are sugar loaded: pumpkin cookies, cakes, and of course good old pumpkin pie. But why not enjoy all the flavors in a healthy and delicious way? This Pumpkin Smoothie is creamy and full of pumpkin-spiced flavor: and made with Greek yogurt and fruit!
Of course, no list would be complete without pumpkin pie! This mini version is half the serving of a normal piece of pie, making them a healthy dessert option. Each bite has the perfect ratio of silky smooth filling to flaky pie crust.
Here’s my personal favorite of these pumpkin recipes: my pumpkin gnocchi bake! It’s got a savory pumpkin sauce made creamy with a little Greek yogurt. Doughy gnocchi pillows are baked in the sauce along with gooey goat cheese. It’s probably one of the coziest comfort foods I've baked up, and it consistently gets rave reviews!
These pumpkin banana muffins are so moist and flavorful, you’ll be making them on repeat! Infused with pumpkin spices and topped with crunchy sugar, they’re easy to whip up as a baking project with friends or family.
Here’s a recipe for cool fall mornings when the leaves start to turn crimson: Pumpkin Oatmeal! This oatmeal is perfect for using up that extra little bit in the can after you make pumpkin bread. It’s perfectly cinnamon-spiced and just sweet enough: the ideal fall breakfast!
Try this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread! The flavor is cozy and nuanced, loaded with spices and topped off with rich morsels of bittersweet chocolate chips. Chocolate and pumpkin are made for each other, and you won’t be able to resist this one.
If there’s one pumpkin recipe that’s perfect for sipping, it’s an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte! Make it at home and it’s even better than at a coffeeshop: creamy and cozy-spiced, with a hint of vanilla and real pumpkin puree. It’s easy to whip up this pumpkin drink and when you take the first sip: you’ll want to make it on repeat. Also try my Pumpkin Spice Latte or Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Vegetarian stuffed shells are always a crowd pleaser: especially when they’ve got pumpkin inside! This pumpkin recipe has pumpkin puree mixed with ricotta and fresh sage as the filling for these jumbo shells. Bake them, topped with gooey cheese, in a quick marinara sauce and you’re in business.
Here’s an impressive pumpkin recipe that’s got fall parties written all over it: Pumpkin Bread Pudding! Imagine, bread cubes baked in a pumpkin-spiced custard until puffed and golden. Drizzle it with a golden bourbon butter sauce for serving.
Pumpkin pie has always been a favorite of ours: and of course, my grandma’s pie is the absolute best. Our spin is this classic pumpkin pie with the best filling of spiced sweetness. The flavors are so delightfully elevated, no one will guess it's totally plant-based too!
I'm usually all about simplicity, but adding a ripe banana to pumpkin bread makes this fall bread incredibly moist, with a nuance in sweetness that's pretty irresistible. It’s got just the right amount of cozy pumpkin spices, and a light crunchy turbinado sugar topping.
Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling
What’s the difference between pumpkin, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
- Pumpkin refers the fresh pumpkin squash. You can make pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkin: here’s how to make pumpkin puree.
- Pumpkin puree is cooked pumpkin that has been blended down into a puree and canned. It is unflavored. Take a taste out of the can, and it tastes very bland. When you’re shopping, do not accidentally grab pumpkin pie filling because…
- Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and includes pumpkin spices. Many of the pumpkin recipes above are savory, so you’ll want plain old pumpkin puree. (Remind me to tell you the time I accidentally made our pumpkin Parmesan penne with pumpkin pie filling!)
Why Canned Pumpkin Isn’t Always Pumpkin
That can of pumpkin puree sometimes has other squashes too! Here’s what’s really in your canned pumpkin puree. Butternut squash is sweeter and creamier than pumpkin, which can be bitter and stringy.
So many times manufacturers add butternut squash. Don’t worry, it’s not cheating: it’s just the best way to that creamy, sweet puree that we can call pumpkin!
What Is Pumpkin Spice?
Some pumpkin recipes don’t even use that bright orange puree at all: they rely on pumpkin spices! Pumpkin has a fairly neutral flavor: our brains just associate the flavor of pumpkin with the spices in pumpkin pie. Some types of recipes simply don’t work with actual pumpkin: like iced coffee or energy bars.
Pumpkin spice can stand in to evoke the flavor in a pumpkin recipe where adding the actual vegetable would be too gooey. What spices are in pumpkin spice? Here’s our Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe. It’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
Don’t Throw Out the Pumpkin Seeds
If you’re working with a fresh pumpkin, don’t forget that you can save the pumpkin seeds! Here’s what to do:
- Scoop them out, rinse away all the strings, then dry them hard on a kitchen towel before they go anywhere near the oven.
- Toss with olive oil and salt.
- Roast at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until they’re golden!
I love doing this; they’re fun to add instead of croutons to Easy Pumpkin Soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with a quick bread or oatmeal, like my Easy Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal.
Canned puree! I find it’s easiest to work with. My Vegan Pumpkin Pie and Mini Pumpkin Pies are both written for canned.
Absolutely! I love it in pasta, risotto, chili, and hummus: see the recipes above.
A 15-ounce can holds about 1¾ cups of puree.
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