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The second the weather cools down, pumpkin goes into everything. And honestly? It deserves the hype. One can of pumpkin puree can turn into a loaf of bread, a pot of soup, a creamy pasta sauce or a batch of cookies, and it adds a cozy flavour that just tastes like fall.
This list has both sweet and savoury pumpkin recipes, so there’s something for every meal. You’ll find breakfast bakes like muffins, pancakes and cinnamon rolls, easy dinners like pumpkin pasta, risotto and curry, and classic desserts like pumpkin pie and cheesecake bars. There’s even a homemade pumpkin spice latte.
I rounded up 13 of the best pumpkin recipes from some of my favourite food bloggers, so you can use up every last can in your pantry.
The Best Pumpkin Recipes to Make This Fall
This article is all about the best pumpkin recipes.
1. Classic Pumpkin Bread
What it is: A soft, moist loaf packed with pumpkin and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
You don’t need a mixer, and you can stir in chocolate chips if you like. A splash of orange juice in the batter brightens up the flavour. Plan on about 1 hour 15 minutes. Tip: use oil, not melted butter. Oil is what keeps this bread so soft and moist.
2. Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
What it is: Fluffy muffins made with whole wheat flour, oats and pumpkin puree, and sweetened with maple syrup or honey.
They’re ready in about 33 minutes and make a great grab-and-go breakfast or afternoon snack. Tip: mix the batter by hand with a spoon instead of a mixer. Overmixing makes the muffins tough.
3. Pumpkin Oat Pancakes
What it is: Gluten-free pancakes made with oat flour, pumpkin puree, eggs and a pumpkin spice blend.
You can make your own oat flour by blending old-fashioned oats, and the pancakes take about 25 minutes. Tip: let the batter rest for 10 minutes. The oat flour soaks up moisture and thickens the batter while your skillet heats up.
4. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
What it is: Soft, fluffy rolls made with pumpkin dough, a brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice filling, and a maple cream cheese frosting.
They take about 3 hours 10 minutes, but only around 30 minutes of that is hands-on. The rest is rising time. Tip: yeast loves a warm spot. Let the dough rise in the oven with just the light on, and take it out before you preheat.
5. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
What it is: A coffee shop favourite made at home with real pumpkin puree, milk, strong coffee or espresso, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.
It makes two drinks in about 10 minutes and works with dairy or non-dairy milk. It’s a cozy treat for a work-from-home morning. Tip: for a stronger pumpkin flavour, simmer a few tablespoons of puree in a small pot until it reduces, then stir in as much as you like.
6. Creamy Pumpkin Sage Soup
What it is: A silky soup made with canned pumpkin, broth, onion, butter, fresh sage and a splash of cream.
Because it starts with canned pumpkin, it’s ready in about 15 minutes, which makes it one of the fastest lunches on this list. Tip: turn off the heat before you stir in the cream. Boiling cream can separate and curdle.
7. Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Pasta
What it is: Rigatoni in a creamy pumpkin sauce with browned butter, crispy sage, shallot, garlic, mascarpone and parmesan.
It tastes like a restaurant dish but takes only about 15 minutes. Tip: stir in the mascarpone at the very end so the sauce doesn’t split, and add a little reserved pasta water to thicken it.
8. Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
What it is: Creamy baked mac and cheese with pumpkin puree stirred into the sauce and brown butter sage breadcrumbs on top.
The sauce uses Gruyère, sharp white cheddar and parmesan, plus a little nutmeg and cayenne. It takes about 1 hour 5 minutes. Tip: grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking coating that keeps it from melting smoothly.
9. Pumpkin Risotto
What it is: Creamy arborio rice cooked with roasted pumpkin, pumpkin puree, white wine, shallots, sage and parmesan.
It’s a cozy vegetarian dinner that takes about 40 minutes, and you can swap in any winter squash. Tip: don’t rinse the rice. The starch on the grains is what makes risotto creamy.
10. One-Pot Pumpkin Yellow Curry
What it is: A plant-based curry with cubed pumpkin or butternut squash, yellow Thai curry paste, coconut milk, broccoli, red bell pepper and roasted cashews.
Everything cooks in one pot in about 45 minutes, and it’s great over rice. Tip: taste and adjust the sauce as it simmers, since curry paste strength varies a lot by brand.
11. Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
What it is: Dense, chewy pumpkin cookies with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and plenty of chocolate chips.
There are no eggs in this recipe, which helps keep the cookies chewy instead of cakey. Plan on about 1 hour 10 minutes. Tip: blot as much moisture as you can out of the pumpkin puree with paper towel before you measure it.
12. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
What it is: Creamy swirled cheesecake bars with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice on a buttery graham cracker crust.
They’re made with full-fat brick cream cheese and sour cream, and they’re easier to serve at a party than a whole cheesecake. They need at least 6 hours to chill, so make them the day before. Tip: line the pan with parchment paper up the sides. It lets the cheesecake pull away as it cools, which helps prevent cracks.
13. Classic Pumpkin Pie
What it is: The Thanksgiving classic: a smooth, spiced pumpkin filling made with brown sugar, eggs, heavy cream and cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Give yourself about 5 hours, including cooling time. Tip: take the pie out when the centre is almost set, because it firms up as it cools. That helps prevent cracks. A tiny pinch of black pepper in the filling adds depth, and no one will guess it’s there.
Tips for Cooking and Baking with Pumpkin
- Buy pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices in it, so it will throw off most recipes.
- Blot it for cookies. Pumpkin holds a lot of water. Pressing out the extra moisture gives you chewy cookies instead of cakey ones.
- Freeze the leftovers. If a recipe only uses part of a can, freeze the rest in an ice cube tray or small bag for soups, lattes and oatmeal.
- Make your own pumpkin pie spice. Mix cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, and add allspice if you have it.
- Pair it with sage for dinner. Sage, garlic, parmesan and browned butter all bring out pumpkin’s savoury side.
Which pumpkin recipe are you making first? Pin this post so you can find it again all season long!
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