8 Best Pumpkin Desserts to Make This Fall

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing — The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Grab a can of pumpkin puree and a jar of pie spice and you already have the makings of one of the best fall desserts out there. But once you think outside the pie crust—whether for a delicious end to a holiday meal, a special occasion, or even a weekday fall dinner that calls for some sweets—you may never go back to pumpkin pie. Some of these recipes would make great bake sale fare, whereas others look and taste impressive enough to fit the bill for a fancy dinner party. Pumpkin will quickly join the ranks as one of your new favorite baking ingredients when the leaves start to turn.

What's the Difference Between Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling

01 of 08

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

This gorgeous rolled pumpkin cake is as pretty to look at as it is delicious to eat. A spiced pumpkin cake studded with pecans is rolled around a sweet cream cheese filling, making for attractive swirled slices (which freeze well for later). If you've never rolled a cake before, it does take a little technique and patience, but it's not difficult to master.
02 of 08

Spiced Pumpkin Pudding

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Try a creamy, rich baked pudding as a softer and more unique alternative to the ubiquitous pumpkin pie. All of the ingredients are beaten together until blended and poured into a baking dish set in a water bath. Serve the pudding with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top. You can also make the recipe in individual bowls or ramekins for a cute presentation.
03 of 08

Pumpkin Brownies With Cream Cheese Swirl

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Trade in the chocolate for pumpkin with these cream cheese-swirled pumpkin brownies. They have all the flavor of pumpkin pie but in a convenient brownie package. Made in the same way as traditional brownies, the recipe calls for creaming the butter and sugar before adding the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. The dry ingredients are mixed separately and then added to the batter; once poured into the pan, the cream cheese mixture is swirled in and the brownies are baked.
04 of 08

Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Spiced with a combination of ginger and cinnamon, this tender pumpkin cake is layered with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. Chopped pecans add a nutty flavor and a bit of crunch, but you can omit them if you prefer. A layer cake looks impressive on the dessert table, but this recipe also works as a Bundt or sheet cake.

Continue to 5 of 8 below
05 of 08

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

This cheesecake tastes and looks much more complicated than it is. It starts with a spiced cinnamon graham cracker crust that is baked before being topped with a layer of cream cheese filling and then a pumpkin filling. Once the cheesecake is out of the oven and cooled, plan for at least four hours of chilling before serving. Feel free to top with whipped cream or caramel sauce.
06 of 08

Thai Coconut Custard in a Pumpkin

The Spruce

Filling a small pumpkin with a Thai-style coconut custard makes a beautiful and unique alternative to the standard pie for Thanksgiving or any special fall get-together. A hollowed-out edible pumpkin, like a sugar pumpkin, is filled with a sweet coconut custard and baked until puffed up and set. To serve, slice the whole pumpkin like a cake.
07 of 08

Pumpkin Pound Cake With Maple Pecan Glaze

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Maple glaze adds an autumnal element to this moist and simple pumpkin pound cake. Baking it in a Bundt pan gives it a beautiful shape that’s perfect for drizzling with the glaze, which comes together either with or without cooking. The warm spices in the cake are complemented by the sweet glaze made of maple syrup, whipping cream, butter, and confectioners' sugar that is studded with pecans for a nice crunchy finish.
08 of 08

Thanksgiving Turkey Pumpkin Cupcakes

Leah Maroney

Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes add a touch of whimsy to your holiday dessert table and let the youngsters get in on the "cooking" action. Simply top homemade pumpkin spice cupcakes with chocolate frosting, candy corn, and vanilla wafers to create cute little birds. But these cupcakes aren't just fun to look at—with molasses, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice, they are also delicious and capture the fall flavors.

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