Think gingery pumpkin bread, cookies studded with chocolate and pecans, spice-laden cakes slathered in cream cheese frosting, and plenty more reasons to open another can of pumpkin.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
There’s no shortage of things to do with a can of pumpkin purée, but making dessert might be our favorite. Think plush pumpkin bread, cookies studded with chocolate and pecans, and spice-laden cakes slathered in cream cheese frosting. And, of course, pumpkin pie—though we’ve got a few ideas that might tempt you to stray from the classic.
Among our favorite pumpkin desserts, you’ll find chewy pumpkin mochi crumb cake, lush pumpkin tiramisu, and a Basque cheesecake with a burnished umber top. Most start with canned pumpkin purée, so you don’t have to wrestle with a whole squash. Whether you’re plotting your Thanksgiving dessert spread or just looking for an excuse to turn on the oven, there’s plenty here to keep you baking all season long.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens
Pumpkin Bread With Salted Maple Butter
Fresh ginger gives this sweet pumpkin bread a little kick, while pumpkin seeds add crunch. Don’t skip the salted maple butter for slathering on each and every slice.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
A sweetened cream cheese center, pepita streusel, and plenty of pumpkin spice. These muffins make a strong case for eating cake for breakfast.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni
BA’s Best Pumpkin Pie
She’s the queen of pumpkin desserts: silky filling, flaky crust, a whisper of spice. This is pumpkin pie done right.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley
Pumpkin Mochi Crumb Cake
Classic crumb cake meets chewy, bouncy mochi in this pumpkin-spiced mashup. A buttery pecan streusel makes it a delightful cacophony of textures.
Photograph by Lucia Bell-Epstein, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, and Prop Styling by Erica Lutz
Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake
With dramatic chocolate swirls and a glossy ganache topping, this austere pumpkin Bundt cake looks like a project. Good news: You don’t even need a mixer.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
With crunchy pecans, pools of dark chocolate, and plenty of spice, these chewy cookies’ fall vibes are impeccable.
Photography by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco
Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
With its deeply browned top and custardy, pumpkin-spiced center, this Basque cheesecake looks impressive and skips the fussy water bath. No crust required.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Eating this atypical pumpkin pie is like biting into a pumpkin-spiced cloud. A richly spiced Biscoff cookie crust keeps things grounded.
Photography by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
Pumpkin Tiramisu
Everything you love about classic tiramisu, with the warming spices of a pumpkin spice latte. There’s bourbon in there too, so it’s decidedly not your morning coffee order.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown, Prop Styling by Adrian ababovic, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
Perfectly Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Pumpkin sheet cake, tangy maple cream cheese frosting, and a little extra maple syrup drizzled over the top. What's not to love?
Photography by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
Pumpkin Flan de Queso
This pumpkin-spiced take on Puerto Rican flan de queso gets its luscious texture from cream cheese. And that glossy caramel topping? We’d happily eat it by the spoonful.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers
Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
With nearly as much buttery streusel as fluffy pumpkin cake, this is one crumb cake that takes its topping seriously.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon–Sour Cream Topping
Bourbon adds depth to the spiced pumpkin filling, while a tangy sour cream topping balances the richness. Even the graham cracker crust gets an upgrade with chopped pecans.
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by D'mytrek Brown
Pumpkin-Tahini Mousse Pie
Tahini gives this cloudlike pumpkin mousse pie a little nutty depth, while whipped cream keeps the filling light and airy.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
Marbled Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars
Can’t choose between pumpkin pie and cheesecake? These tangy, maple-sweetened bars make a pretty convincing argument for having both.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie
Maple syrup sweetens the classically spiced pumpkin filling, while a toasty oat-flour crust means no one misses out on pie.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
Pecan-Rye Pumpkin Pie
Imagine pumpkin pie with pecan pie’s best feature: that crunchy, candied nut topping. A nutty rye crust makes the whole thing even better.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
Pumpkin Icebox Pie With Snickerdoodle Crust
Who needs regular pie dough when you can press cinnamon-sugar-coated snickerdoodle dough into the pan instead? Flood it with the creamy pumpkin filling and chill.
Photo & Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin
Pumpkin Dutch Baby With Pumpkin Butter
Not your usual dramatically puffed Dutch baby, this pumpkin version is creamy and custardy in the center, with airy edges. Serve it with pumpkin butter for breakfast or a scoop of ice cream for dessert.
Photo by Tim Morris
Pumpkin and Brown-Sugar Crème Brûlée
The only thing more satisfying than cracking through that caramelized sugar topping? Finding a luscious, pumpkin-spiced custard underneath.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
Fun-Size Halloween Cupcakes
Dress these mini pumpkin cupcakes up for Halloween, or down for fall bake sales and birthday parties. Set out the frosting and candy, and let everyone decorate their own.
Joe joined the Bon Appétit team in 2022 after climbing the editorial ranks for a few years at Condé Nast’s other food publication, Epicurious. As the senior SEO editor, he works to make sure Google loves all of BA’s cooking stories just as much as you do. Look for his ... Read More