21 Pumpkin Dessert Recipes to Make This Fall

The giant orange gourd stars in pumpkin pie, cake, cookies, and more all fall.

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on October 13, 2023

Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Pie — Photo: John Kernick

Pumpkin is delicious whether you give it the sweet treatment or choose a savory preparation. The sweet, soft flesh from the gourd can star in a silky Pumpkin Tiramisu, tangy-sweet and spiced Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars, and plenty of pies. Round out a holiday spread with a Classic Pumpkin Pie, a rich Pumpkin Cream Pie in a Chocolate Crust, or even Pumpkin Pie Bars. Here are our sweetest pumpkin dessert recipes for an autumnal treat.

01 of 21

Pecan-Pumpkin Cream Pie

Joanne Chang's Pecan-Pumpkin Cream Pie — Tara Donne

This pie slices beautifully to reveal not one but two fillings: both pumpkin custard and gooey, syrupy pecan. Chef Joanne Chang's technique ensures the bottom of the pie shell is perfectly cooked and avoids sogginess.

02 of 21

Pumpkin Praline Bars

Praline Pumpkin 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.

03 of 21

Pumpkin Spice Conchas

Pumpkin Spice Conchas — Pumpkin Spice Conchas.
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Chef Ellen Ramos blankets a light and fluffy traditional Mexican concha with a crunchy, pumpkin-spiced, seashell-shaped sugar crust.

04 of 21

Pumpkin Cream Pie in a Chocolate Crust

Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Pie — John Kernick

Cookbook author Melissa Clark likes pumpkin pie, but she especially likes making it in new and unexpected ways. Here, she bakes a silky pumpkin custard in a crispy chocolate cookie crust, then dollops the pie with a tangy crème fraîche topping.

05 of 21

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars — Sarah Kieffer

Cookbook author Sarah Kieffer's gently spiced pumpkin bars — which are from her second book, 100 Cookies — are the perfect treats to segue into autumn. The cream cheese enhances the pumpkin filling without making everything too sweet. As Kieffer writes, "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. But pumpkin pie swirled into cheesecake? I will never say no."

06 of 21

Candied Pumpkins with Piloncillo and Cinnamon

Candied Pumpkins with Piloncillo and Cinnamon — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Calabaza en tacha, a Mexican dessert traditionally prepared for Día de los Muertos, was the inspiration for these candied pumpkins drenched with a rich syrup made from piloncillo cones, an unrefined, molasses-laden Mexican cane sugar. Small sugar pie pumpkins have more concentrated sugars, making them perfect for this simple dessert.

07 of 21

Black Sesame Pumpkin Pie

Black Sesame Pumpkin Pie — Photo: Victor Protasio /Food Stylist Torie Cox /Prop Stylist Claire Spollen

A silky stovetop pumpkin custard sits on top of a layer of nutty black sesame paste in this delicious twist on a classic pumpkin pie.

08 of 21

Pumpkin Pie Bars

© CON POULOS

These bars have all of the spice and warmth of classic pumpkin pie, but they're more easily assembled with a simple press-in crust. Plus, they're portable, and can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature.

09 of 21

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Classic Pumpkin Pie — © Frances Janisch

To create a crisp crust on the bottom of this pie, former Food & Wine Senior Test Kitchen Editor Grace Parisi partially bakes the pie shell before adding the creamy pumpkin filling, spiced with cinnamon and cloves. If the edge starts to darken too much, cover it with a pie shield or strips of foil.

10 of 21

Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

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.

11 of 21

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brown-Butter Pears

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brown-Butter Pears — © Con Poulos

Pastry chef Jane Tseng's cheesecake uses tangy, pungent, soft-ripened Robiolina and house-made gingersnaps — this version here calls for cream cheese and boxed cookies. Once made, the cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to three days.

12 of 21

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies — © David Malosh

These soft, lightly spiced cake-like cookies are studded with minced candied ginger and topped with a buttery sugar glaze. They're made with pumpkin puree, and also include pumpkin pie spice, which adds to the autumnal vibe.

13 of 21

Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting — © Con Poulos

This classic pumpkin cake from Food & Wine's Justin Chapple is perfectly moist and delicately spiced. The simple vanilla buttercream frosting gets a lovely tang from the mascarpone that's blended in.

14 of 21

Pumpkin Hand Pies

Andrew Zimmern's 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 they're deeply browned and then finished with a dusting of cinnamon sugar.

15 of 21

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Swirl

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Swirl — © Alexandra Rowley

These decadent chocolate-crusted bars are topped with a homemade caramel that sinks into the pumpkin cheesecake batter during baking.

16 of 21

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust — © William Meppem

Our readers love this baked cheesecake that's great for spooky season gatherings with only a half hour of active prep time.

17 of 21

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Pumpkin Tiramisu — © John Kernick

Layers of silky pumpkin mousse and coffee-dipped ladyfingers create a spectacular tiramisu that's a terrific alternative to pumpkin pie. If you'd like to make it in advance, the tiramisu can be refrigerated for two days.

18 of 21

Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Pie — © Frances Janisch

This pumpkin pie, made with all-butter pie dough, includes swirls of filling mixed with melted bittersweet chocolate for even more flavor.

19 of 21

Pumpkin Parfaits

Pumpkin Parfaits — © Christina Holmes

Justin Chapple layers super-speedy pumpkin mousse with whipped mascarpone cream and crushed chocolate wafer cookies for his gorgeous, delicious parfaits. They're perfect for any fall occasion — the orange, white, and dark brown color scheme makes them a particularly fun dessert option for Halloween.

20 of 21

Pumpkin-Chiffon Pie

Pumpkin-Chiffon Pie — © Lucy Schaeffer

One reader called this pumpkin pie light, aromatic, and delicious.

21 of 21

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Cranberry Gelée

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Cranberry GelÃ©e — © Anna Williams

This pumpkin-cheesecake pie started its life as a petit four at New York City's Gotham Bar and Grill, where pastry chef Deborah Racicot developed the creamy pumpkin filling and ruby-red cranberry gelée topping that make it an ideal Thanksgiving ending.

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