26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (2024)

While pumpkin certainly makes a wonderful pie, the squash is far more versatile than you might think, and these pumpkin recipes prove it. We love it in a velvety soup or cooked down into pumpkin butter for the ultimate seasonal spread for crackers or toast. Don't sleep on canned pumpkin, either — most of the recipes here, from Pumpkin Lasagna to Pumpkin-Banana Bread French Toast, use the helpful ingredient shortcut. Here are our favorite ways to cook, bake, and sip with pumpkin.

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Pecan-Pumpkin Cream Pie

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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. Cooling the blind-baked pie shell with weights keeps it hotter, and flatter, longer.

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Creamy Pumpkin Soup

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (2)

Silky smooth and delicately spiced, this pumpkin cream soup is one of those fantastic recipes that yields an amazingly delicious dish with very minimal effort.

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03of 26

Praline Pumpkin Bars

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (3)

Topped with decadent brown sugar frosting, these cakelike bars are loaded with fall flavor — earthy and sweet pumpkin, warm spices, and toasty pecans.

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Pumpkin Spice Shrub Spritz

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (4)

Pumpkin spice things tend to be overwhelmingly sweet, but making a pumpkin spice shrub will add the balanced amount of acidity that’s needed in this drink. Once the shrub is made, all you have to do is add it to a glass of ice with some Prosecco and soda water.

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Greens-and-Cheese-Stuffed Cinderella Pumpkin

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (5)

Inspired by chef Cassie Piuma's squash spanakopita at her restaurant, Sarma, in Somerville, Massachusetts, this stuffed pumpkin is filled with a nutty, creamy blend of Gruyère and feta cheeses; sweet, anise-scented fennel; and hearty green lacinato kale for a stunning vegetarian main dish fit for any holiday table. After roasting and before stuffing, scrape the inside of the pumpkin to loosen about three cups of the sweet, tender flesh to yield a flavorful base for the kale filling. Use a gentle hand when scraping to leave the pumpkin walls intact.

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Pumpkin Pancakes

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (6)

Pumpkin butter adds a sweet and spicy flavor to these classic buttermilk pancakes, and a boost of moisture. Cooking them over moderately low heat ensures each pancake cooks through, and gets a perfect golden color with a lightly crispy bite. Serve with extra pumpkin butter, or melted butter and drizzles of maple syrup.

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Candied Pumpkins with Piloncillo and Cinnamon

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (7)

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. As the pumpkin wedges cool, they soak up the syrup, resulting in custardy bites laced with cinnamon, clove, and a hint of orange. Serve leftovers mashed in a yogurt or ice cream parfait, churned into pumpkin ice cream, or alongside gingerbread cookies with crema drizzled on top.

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08of 26

Pumpkin-Banana Bread French Toast

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (8)

This rich Pumpkin-Banana Bread French Toast is the flavor of fall on a plate. The pumpkin and banana in the bread are balanced by warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, which highlight the sweetness of the bread. For the best taste, use the ripest bananas you can find. After being dipped in the custard and cooked in butter, the bread slices get a crispy, toasty, and almost caramelized exterior that yields to a deliciously soft interior. Maple syrup, butter, and pepitas are the perfect finishing touch — the pepitas add some crunch and salt to balance the sweetness.

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Curried Pumpkin and Buss Up Shut (Paratha Roti)

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (9)

Chef Nina Compton's Curried Pumpkin is packed with warm spices, aromatic ginger, and rich coconut milk for a perfectly balanced bite. Fresh habanero chiles add a touch of fruity heat to the chunks of tender pumpkin and softened callaloo leaves. Buss up shut gets its name from "busted-up shirt," which describes the flatbread's torn, crinkled texture, perfect for sopping up flavorful curry. Drizzle the curry with pumpkin seed salsa for a mild crunch and punch of garlic.

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Whole Baked Pumpkin Soup

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (10)

Baking pumpkins whole traps steam inside the vegetable, resulting in a lush, velvety pumpkin puree, and making the skins easy to remove. A simple reduction of dry white wine mingles with butter to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin. The recipe was one prepared by Copenhagen chef Christian F. Puglisi at a week-long culinary retreat at Rocca delle Tre Contrade in Sicily.

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Pasta with Pumpkin Brown Butter Sauce

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (11)

A classic browned butter and sage sauce gets a boost of fall flavor from pumpkin butter. Be generous with the Parmigiano-Reggiano — its salty, savory bite adds the perfect hit of umami flavor to this satisfying pasta dish.

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Whole Roasted Pumpkin with Green Beans and Red Curry Rice

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (12)

Bring the whole pumpkin to the table on a rimmed baking sheet or platter, and spoon the saucy rice, studded with spoonfuls of tender pumpkin, into shallow bowls.

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Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (13)

Sarah Kieffer's gently spiced pumpkin bars are the perfect segue into autumn treats. 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."

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Pumpkin Tiramisu

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (14)

Layers of silky pumpkin mousse and coffee-dipped ladyfingers create a spectacular tiramisu that yields 12 (12!) servings. It's perfect for fall dinner parties, or as a Thanksgiving dessert.

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Pumpkin Butter

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (15)

In the fall, when squash and pumpkins are in their prime, make this pumpkin butter your go-to add-in. This silky preserve toes the line between sweet and savory: Try it on toast with cream cheese, in whipped cream, or melted into a mixture of sage and brown butter for an autumnal pasta sauce.

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Pumpkin Lasagna

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (16)

No need to roast fresh pumpkin for this dish (although you certainly could); using canned unseasoned pumpkin puree is much quicker, and it works just fine. Like most lasagnas, this one is easier to cut if left to set for 10 minutes or so before serving.

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Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (17)

Nutty browned butter brings pumpkin pie to the next level and gives it extra depth of flavor. Should you have any leftovers, they can be kept for two days in the fridge or at room temperature.

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Pumpkin Bisque with Spicy Shrimp

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (18)

Pumpkin and shrimp are the perfect pair in this creamy pumpkin bisque with leeks, white wine, and spices. The soup is even better if you make it a day in advance of serving. You can get ahead on the shrimp stock, too — it can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated, or frozen for up to two months.

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Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce and Toasted Hazelnuts

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (19)

This rich, earthy dish featuring canned pumpkin puree was inspired by stovetop mac and cheese. The hazelnut and chive garnishes lend an elegant touch to the hearty pasta.

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Mini Spiced Pumpkins

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (20)

These spice cakes look like tiny pumpkins when they're covered with orange glaze and topped with a piece of dark licorice, twisted to look like a stem. They'd make a great Halloween dessert.

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Spiced Pumpkin Lassi

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (21)

For this thick and creamy pumpkin lassi from chef Rupam Bhagat of Ritu Indian Soul Food (formerly known as Dum Indian Soul Food) in San Francisco, be sure to use a nice, healthy squash for a smooth texture and rich flavor. If you want a thinner consistency, add water gradually 1/4 cup at a time.

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Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (22)

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

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (23)

This gluten-free pumpkin bread has a wonderfully crunchy top and deliciously spiced and moist crumb. It's perfect with coffee during the autumn months.

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Pumpkin Parfaits

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Food & Wine's Justin Chapple layers super-speedy pumpkin mousse with whipped mascarpone cream and crushed chocolate wafer cookies for his gorgeous, fall-ready parfaits. The layers make a striking visual, contrasting white against orange and dark brown.

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Pumpkin Hummus

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Canned pumpkin gives hummus a warm, golden-orange glow in this quick and easy recipe from Food & Wine's Justin Chapple. Serve it with plenty of pita chips and/or crudités.

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Pumpkin Muffins with Crumb Topping

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These moist and tender lightly spiced muffins have a luscious cream cheese filling that is complemented by the cinnamon-y crumbs on top. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

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26 Pumpkin Recipes to Savor This Fall (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Cinderella and fairytale pumpkins? ›

Cinderella pumpkins, also known as Rouge Vif d'Étampes, are a similar shape to fairytale pumpkins, but they have a bright red-orange color as opposed to the orange-brown of a fairytale. Additionally, Cinderella are less flavorful and more watery, making them less suited for baking.

Can you eat the seeds from a Cinderella pumpkin? ›

You can eat the seeds from any pumpkin variety.

What can I add to canned pumpkin to make it taste better? ›

How to Do It
  1. ⅓ cup ground cinnamon.
  2. 1½ tablespoons ground ginger.
  3. 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg.
  4. 1½ teaspoons ground cloves.
  5. 1½ teaspoons ground allspice.
Oct 13, 2020

Does canned pumpkin need to be cooked before eating? ›

Is canned pumpkin cooked? Yes, it's already been cooked via steaming. It's safe to eat canned pumpkin straight from the can, but it's infinitely better baked into a pan of pumpkin bars.

What gender is Cinderella? ›

The most popular rendition of Cinderella is the story of a modest and kind girl who loses her mother at an early age and is ill treated by her stepmother and stepsisters.

What is the darker version of Cinderella? ›

Aschenputtel is a much darker tale. Cinderella's wishes come not from a fairy godmother but from a tree growing on her mother's grave. Her father, instead of being absent as in Perrault's tale, is willfully ignorant of his daughter's suffering.

Are blue Cinderella pumpkins edible? ›

Today Cinderella pumpkins are predominately used as an ornamental pumpkin, but they are also used by home gardeners and chefs for soups and pies. PIE MMMM and Cinderella pumpkins are best suited for cooked applications such as roasting, baking, and steaming.

Can you eat green fairytale pumpkins? ›

Fairytale pumpkins are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as sautéing, baking, boiling, and roasting. The pumpkin should be sliced from the center, and raw slices can be used in salads, consumed as a snack similar to cantaloupe, or used as a garnish on top of main dishes.

How long do Cinderella pumpkins last? ›

Cure the pumpkins in the sun or a dry location until the stem shrivels; do not wash pumpkins you intend to store. If kept in a 45-50 degrees F location with moderate humidity, most pumpkins will last for up to 5 months.

Can dogs eat pumpkin? ›

Yes, dogs can eat pumpkin and it is actually often added to dog foods. Check the label of some dog treats and you may find pumpkin on the ingredient list there too. However, if you are feeding fresh pumpkin, you will need to be careful about which part you're feeding as the stem and leaves are covered in prickly hairs.

What does milk do to pumpkins? ›

Milk has calcium in it, pumpkins like calcium as it allows them to uptake various nutrients. Maybe that's where the connection is for people. Good well rounded article, pointing out the potential benefits and the downsides to feeding with milk, and gives a guide to doing this if you want to try it.

Should you drain canned pumpkin? ›

*Draining the pumpkin puree is optional, for those cooks who want the most perfect, persnickety puree. I've skipped this step for over a decade and still had great baking/cooking results using homemade puree. But for you perfectionists, give it a shot and tell me what you think.

What is the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree? ›

Canned pumpkin (labeled as "100% pure pumpkin") is a purée of pumpkin that is sometimes mixed with other kinds of winter squash. It is unsweetened and does not contain any added spices. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing, and you'll often see the terms used interchangeably in recipes and cookbooks.

Can I give canned pumpkin to my dog? ›

You can feed cooked or canned pumpkin to your dog—if it's 100% pumpkin with no added ingredients. Make sure you don't accidentally grab the canned pumpkin pie filling. That contains sugar, which isn't healthy for your pup, and usually nutmeg, which is toxic to dogs.

Why does my pumpkin puree taste sour? ›

Pumpkin puree (and pumpkins in general) will ferment if improperly stored. They will smell off, taste sour , and some cases, start to rise like bread dough. Smell it. If it smells off, it's probably bad.

What are fairytale pumpkins? ›

Fairytale pumpkins are medium to large in size, averaging 30-45 centimeters in diameter and weighing 15-20 pounds, and is round with a squat, flattened shape and a sturdy, light brown stem. The smooth rind is deeply lobed with prominent ribbing and transforms from a dark green to a rich light-brown to tan when mature.

What is a Cinderella pumpkin? ›

Cinderella pumpkins are a type of winter squash with a mild, sweet flavor and moist texture that makes them great for soups, sauces, purees, and curries. They can be roasted, baked and steamed, and used for ornamental purposes.

What do Cinderella pumpkins taste like? ›

Cinderella Pumpkin

Known for its mild, sweet flavor, it can lend itself to either sweet or savory recipes. Its creamy and smooth flesh makes it ideal for purees, soups, pies, and pasta sauces.

What are the differences between the two versions of Cinderella? ›

The three main differences are, the father died in disney's version but did not die in Gimms version, there was no fairy godmother in Grimm's version but there was in Disney's, and in the original version the stepsisters cut their heels and toes off so it would fit in the slipper but in the Disney version they did not.

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