Home Recipes Ingredients Vegetables Pumpkins
ByCaroline Stanko
Taste of Home's Editorial Process
Updated: Mar. 13, 2024
Nothing says fall quite like a cozy, spiced pumpkin dessert warming up the oven. Try our favorite pumpkin recipes including nutty pumpkin bread, marbled cheesecake, cranberry-studded muffins and more.
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Pumpkin Spice Cake
We sometimes call this “Thanksgiving Cake” because it’s a tasty alternative to pie, but we don’t relegate it to just that holiday. I think you’ll agree this recipe with canned pumpkin is worth baking all fall long. —Kathy Rhoads, Circleville, Ohio
Also, check these Pumpkin Dessert Recipes to use up those cans of pumpkin.
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Contest-Winning Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert
With its gingersnap crust and maple syrup drizzle, this rich and creamy spiced pumpkin dessert never fails to get rave reviews. It cuts nicely, too. —Cathy Hall, Phoenix, Arizona
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Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars
This dessert is super easy to pull together thanks to a can of pumpkin. The flavorful results will win you nothing but rave reviews. — Aimee Ransom, Hoschton, Georgia
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Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
Share a warm batch of these cinnamon-sugar-coated pumpkin doughnuts at your next morning meeting, and you’ll become the office’s favorite. A simple icing made with confectioners’ sugar and cream adds a punch of flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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No-Crust Pumpkin Pie
Baked in a water bath, this pie has a texture that’s more like a custard than a traditional pumpkin pie. In place of canned or fresh pumpkin, I sometimes use cushaw, a type of crookneck squash.
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Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
These easy pumpkin cookies are pleasantly spiced. Everyone enjoys the soft, cake-like texture, too. —Lisa Chernetsky, Luzerne, Pennsylvania
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Ginger-Streusel Pumpkin Pie
I love to bake and have spent a lot of time making goodies for my family and friends. The streusel topping gives this pie a special touch your family will love. —Sonia Parvu, Sherrill, New York
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
My kids start begging me for these cakelike sandwich cookies as soon as autumn arrives. I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like these fun treats. —Deb Stuber, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
When I was young we produced several ingredients for this pumpkin cheesecake on the farm. We raised pumpkins in our large vegetable garden, and made homemade butter and lots of sour cream using milk from our dairy herd. —Evonne Wurmnest, Normal, Illinois
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Pumpkin Mousse Trifle
You can speed up this recipe by using a store-bought pound cake or baking and freezing one ahead of time. The sugared pecans can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container.—Becky McClaflin, Blanchard, Oklahoma
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Classic Pumpkin Pie
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a slice of pie. And you can relish every luscious bite of this pumpkin pie recipe since the tender crust is made with canola oil and a mere hint of butter. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Caramel-Pecan Pumpkin Pull-Aparts
We love sticky buns made with my husband's angel biscuit dough, caramel and pecans. For a twist, try apple butter or applesauce instead of the pumpkin. —Carolyn Kumpe, El Dorado, California
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Pumpkin-Shaped Rolls
These cute pumpkin-shaped rolls are worth the effort. They’re a festive fall favorite in my household. If you don’t have pumpkin on hand, try using sweet potato. —Veronica Fay, Knoxville, Tennessee
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Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Put leftover cranberries and pumpkin to great use in this moist quick bread. It’s very good with my "secondhand turkey" casserole for an after-Thanksgiving meal. —Dixie Terry, Goreville, Illinois
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Pumpkin Knot Rolls
These rolls are the lightest, most delicious ones I've ever tasted—and everyone else seems to agree. The pumpkin gives them mild flavor, moist texture and a pretty golden color. At our house, it wouldn't be the holidays without them. —Dianna Shimizu, Issaquah, Washington
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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
I discovered this wonderful pumpkin cupcake recipe and changed a bit to suit my taste. I love the flavor of pumpkin and the cinnamon makes ordinary cream cheese frosting extra special. When I made a batch for my husband to take to work, he said they disappeared in record time. —Debbie Wiggins, Longmont, Colorado
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Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns
I make sticky buns and cinnamon rolls quite often because my husband loves them. One day I had some fresh pumpkin on hand and decided to try pumpkin cinnamon buns. We loved the results! —Glenda Joseph, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
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Layered Pumpkin Dessert
Pretty layers of cheesecake and pumpkin star in this prize-winning torte. Not too heavy, it's especially nice with a big holiday meal. There's never a morsel left!—Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta
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Pumpkin-Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping
My mother always made these tasty muffins whenever our family got together at her house. Now they’re a family favorite at my house, and my in-laws love them, too! —Carolyn Riley, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin Bread
I keep my freezer stocked for our harvest crew with home-baked goodies like this deliciously spicy, easy pumpkin bread recipe. —Joyce Jackson, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia
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Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
Tart, juicy cranberries enhance the delicate pumpkin flavor of these muffins. Sometimes I dust the tops with powdered sugar to add a little sweetness. —Sue Ross, Casa Grande, Arizona
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Pumpkin Shortbread Dessert
My family prefers this to traditional pumpkin pie, which is just fine with me. It feeds a crowd, so I need to make only one dessert instead of several pies. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
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Pumpkin Pecan Loaves
Among all my pumpkin bread recipes, this caramel-glazed creation is the pick of the crop. Often, I'll wrap up a lovely loaf as a homemade gift for teachers and Sunday school leaders. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas
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Pumpkin Scones with Berry Butter
These delightful scones are perfect on a cold winter day with a steaming hot cup of coffee. They also make a wonderful hostess gift arranged in a basket. —Judy Wilson, Sun City West, Arizona
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Cream-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes
Here’s a charming use for pumpkin. Bursting with flavor and plenty of eye-catching appeal, these sweet and spicy filled cupcakes are bound to dazzle your family any time of the year. —Ali Johnson, Petersburg, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin Swirl Bread
This combination of pumpkin, nuts and dates makes a delicious, golden pumpkin cream cheese bread. The surprise inside—a rich creamy swirl—is like a luscious layer of cheesecake in each slice. —Cindy May, Troy, Michigan
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Pumpkin Cornbread
This has become a regular fall item at our house. It has a subtle pumpkin flavor with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. While it's sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth, yet pairs well with a soup or stew.—
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Pumpkin Chip Cupcakes
I love these cupcakes that are loaded with chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. My mom makes them for dessert on special occasions or for a sweet autumn snack.-Jacinta Ransom, South Haven, Michigan
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Pumpkin Roll
This pumpkin roll recipe is great to keep in the freezer for a quick dessert for my family or unexpected guests, to take to a gathering, or to give as a yummy gift. —Erica Berchtold, Freeport, Illinois
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Pumpkin Ginger Scones
I made these lovely scones one day when looking for a way to use up leftover pumpkin, and I was so excited with the results. I often use my food processor to stir up the dough just until it comes together. It's so simple to prepare this way. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas
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Frosted Harvest Cake
Craving brownies but want something a little bit different? Indulge in a fall-flavored version topped with a cream cheese frosting. —Iola Egle, Bella Vista, Arkansas
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Pumpkin Pan Rolls
Serve these spicy-sweet pumpkin rolls for dinner—or at any time of day–and get ready to hear a chorus of yums in your kitchen! —Linnea Rein, Topeka, Kansas
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Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Recipes that don't tie me to the kitchen—that’s what I’m all about. I make this luscious dish the night before breakfast or brunch with guests. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin Delight Magic Bars
My mother never wrote down her delightful recipes, so I created this recipe as a holiday tribute to her. They're creamy, sweet and a little tart. Eat with a fork so you can scoop up all the delicious topping ingredients that might tumble off. —Lisa Glassman, Boynton Beach, Florida
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Originally Published: November 21, 2022
Author
Caroline Stanko
As editor, Caroline researches, writes and edits all things food and beverage and helps produce videos for Taste of Home. With seven years at TOH under her belt, Caroline has worked on the print, SIP and digital teams. When she’s not at her desk, you can probably find Caroline mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooki...
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