Ingredients Vegetables Squash + Gourds Pumpkin 22 Pumpkin Dessert Recipes to Keep Your Kitchen Smelling Like Fall The giant orange gourd stars in pumpkin pie, cake, cookies, and more all autumn long. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 5, 2024 Close Photo: Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser Sure, we adore pumpkin in savory applications, but it's the range of pumpkin dessert options that really gets us amped about whipping up the season's sweetest treats. Turn on the oven to bake a batch of easy-to-share bars, a classic or reimagined pie, or a cake (yes, including cheesecake!); or, rely on no-bake recipes like Pumpkin Tiramisu to deliver the fall requisite pumpkin spice. Round out your holiday dessert spread or simply celebrate autumn with this festive collection of pumpkin dessert recipes. 01 of 22 Pumpkin Praline Bars Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Topped with decadent brown sugar frosting, these cakelike bars are loaded with fall flavor — earthy and sweet pumpkin, warm spices, and toasty pecans. Get the Recipe 02 of 22 Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars Sarah Kieffer "I like pumpkin pie alright, but in all honesty I will always take a slice of anything else over it, especially if cheesecake is an option," says cookbook author Sarah Kieffer. "But pumpkin pie swirled into cheesecake? I will never say no." The cream cheese enhances the pumpkin filling without making everything too sweet. Get the Recipe 03 of 22 Pecan-Pumpkin Cream Pie Tara Donne No need to choose between pecan pie and pumpkin pie when you can have both in a single slice. This pie from pastry chef Joanne Chang is baked in two phases to yield a gooey, syrupy pecan filling on the bottom and a velvety pumpkin custard on top, all beautifully accented with whipped cream stars. Get the Recipe 04 of 22 Pumpkin Cream Pie in a Chocolate Crust John Kernick With its crisp chocolate wafer crust, cookbook author Melissa Clark's unexpected take on pumpkin pie is even easier to make than the traditional version. Her tangy crème fraîche topping balances the pie's sweetness and serves as a lovely backdrop for the chocolate curl garnish. Get the Recipe 05 of 22 Candied Pumpkins with Piloncillo and Cinnamon Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Inspired by the traditional Mexican dessert calabaza en tacha, candied sugar pie pumpkin slices are drenched in a rich syrup made from piloncillo cones and drizzled with crema for a simple, seasonal treat. Get the Recipe 06 of 22 Black Sesame Pumpkin Pie Photo: Victor Protasio /Food Stylist Torie Cox /Prop Stylist Claire Spollen In this twist on classic pumpkin pie, a silky stovetop pumpkin custard is enriched with mascarpone cheese and layered atop nutty black sesame paste. Get as fancy as you'd like with the sesame seed decoration just before serving. Get the Recipe 07 of 22 Pumpkin Pie Bars © CON POULOS These ready-to-share treats have all the spice and warmth of traditional pumpkin pie, but they're more easily assembled with a simple press-in crust. Enjoy them chilled or at room temperature. Get the Recipe 08 of 22 Classic Pumpkin Pie © Frances Janisch Here, former F&W senior test kitchen editor Grace Parisi ensures a crisp bottom crust by partially baking her pie shell before adding the creamy, fragrant pumpkin filling. If the edge starts to darken too much in the oven, cover it with a pie shield or strips of foil. Get the Recipe 09 of 22 Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser Warmly spiced pumpkin cakes are adorned with sweet-tart cream cheese frosting and dotted with crunchy toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds to make the ultimate fall treat. Get the Recipe 10 of 22 Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie © Abby Hocking The addition of browned butter gives the pumpkin a subtle butterscotch flavor in this smooth and creamy custard pie filling. Get the Recipe 11 of 22 Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brown-Butter Pears © Con Poulos Pastry chef Jane Tseng makes her cheesecake with tangy, pungent, soft-ripened Robiolina cheese and housemade gingersnaps; our simplified version calls for cream cheese and boxed cookies. Once baked, the cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to three days. Get the Recipe 12 of 22 Pumpkin Cookies © David Malosh These soft, cake-like cookies are studded with zingy candied ginger and topped with a buttery sugar glaze. The pumpkin-spiced pumpkin puree ensures the autumnal vibe. Get the Recipe 13 of 22 Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting © Con Poulos Perfectly moist and delicately spiced, this classic pumpkin cake is slathered in a simple vanilla buttercream frosting — it has a lovely tang thanks to the addition of mascarpone cheese. Get the Recipe 14 of 22 Pumpkin Hand Pies © Madeleine Hill These delicious pumpkin hand pies from chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern are easy to make and fun to eat. They're fried in peanut oil until deeply browned, dusted with cinnamon sugar, and served warm — we like ours with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Get the Recipe 15 of 22 Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Swirl © Alexandra Rowley These black-bottom cheesecake squares feature a chocolate cookie crust and a decadent homemade caramel that sinks into the luscious pumpkin cheesecake batter during baking. Get the Recipe 16 of 22 Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust © William Meppem With rich chocolate swirls adorning the vibrant orange layer of pumpkin, this festive, velvety cheesecake is perfect for spooky season gatherings. Plus, who can resist a brownie crust? Get the Recipe 17 of 22 Pumpkin Tiramisu © John Kernick Timeless tiramisu gets a seasonal spin for a terrific alternative to pumpkin pie. This no-bake recipe layers silky pumpkin mousse and coffee-dipped store-bought ladyfingers to create a spectacular dessert that can be made up to two days in advance. Get the Recipe 18 of 22 Pumpkin Chiffon Pie © Lucy Schaeffer Airy and ethereal, this chiffon-style pumpkin pie is especially wonderful served at the end of a hearty meal. One reader dubbed it light, aromatic, and delicious. Get the Recipe 19 of 22 Pumpkin Parfaits © Christina Holmes Super-speedy pumpkin mousse is layered with whipped mascarpone cream and crushed chocolate wafer cookies for the supreme fall parfait — no oven required. Get the Recipe 20 of 22 Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Cranberry Gelée © Anna Williams Pastry chef Deborah Racicot developed this recipe initially as a petit four for New York City's iconic Gotham Bar and Grill. Its creamy pumpkin filling and ruby-red cranberry gelée topping make it an ideal Thanksgiving ending. Get the Recipe 21 of 22 Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Pie © Frances Janisch The most flavorful pies start with an all-butter crust, as in this autumnal delight. Ribbons of melted bittersweet chocolate are swirled throughout the gently spiced pumpkin custard for next-level deliciousness. Get the Recipe 22 of 22 Pumpkin–Cream Cheese Pie Chris Simpson / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by AUDREY DAVIS Orange liqueur and cardamom give this pumpkin and cream cheese pie filling a brighter, more perfumed flavor than traditional pumpkin pie. The crust has classic butter-rich flavor, but the lard is the key to this unbelievably flaky, non-shrinking, tender piecrust. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit