Pumpkin season is short, so this guide gathers 23 pumpkin recipes in one place: classic desserts, muffins and cookies, a savory dinner, no-bake and lighter options, and quick air fryer versions. It goes well beyond pumpkin spice lattes.
Each recipe links to the full recipe with ingredients, steps and notes. Recipes from my other sites open in a new tab and are marked with their source. Start with the quick picks if you are short on time.
Quick Picks
- Fastest: Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie Bites (about 12 minutes, from Simply Air Cook)
- Best for a weeknight dinner: Pumpkin Pasta
- Best make-ahead dessert: Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu (from Easy Dessert Hub)
- Best for Thanksgiving: Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Classic Pumpkin Desserts and Showstoppers
The dessert-table recipes: pie, roll, cheesecake, custard, tiramisu and crumb cake.
1. Homemade Pumpkin Pie
The recipe everyone measures the season by. This one is a full homemade pumpkin pie with a spiced filling and a golden crust, and it is the right place to start if you only bake one thing this fall.
2. Soft Spiced Pumpkin Roll With Cream Cheese Swirl
A tender spiced sponge rolled around a cream cheese filling. It looks impressive on a dessert table, slices cleanly once chilled and makes a good alternative when you want something lighter than pie.
3. Creamy No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
A pumpkin cheesecake with no oven and no water bath, finished with piped cream. It is the easiest way to serve a cheesecake at a fall gathering.
4. Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Total time: 5 hr · Makes: 6 servings · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Silky spiced pumpkin custard baked in a water bath and finished with a crisp sugar top. It needs several hours to chill, so make it the day before.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
5. Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu
Total time: 6 hr 30 min · Makes: 9–12 servings (9×9-inch dish) · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Coffee-dipped ladyfingers layered with a spiced pumpkin mascarpone cream. It sets overnight in the fridge, which makes it a good make-ahead dessert for a crowd.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
6. Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Total time: 1 hr 35 min · Makes: One 9-inch square cake, 12 servings · From: Easy Dessert Hub
A thin, moist pumpkin cake under a thick, buttery cinnamon crumb. Cut it into squares for breakfast, coffee or dessert.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
Pumpkin Muffins, Cookies and Small Bakes
Individual treats for lunchboxes, parties and coffee breaks.
7. Pumpkin Spice Muffins With Cream Cheese Frosting
Soft pumpkin spice muffins topped with cream cheese frosting. They work as a fall breakfast treat or as a small dessert at a party.
8. Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Total time: 1 hr 15 min · Makes: 18 muffins · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Moist pumpkin pie spice muffins with finely chopped apple and a crunchy streusel topping. The recipe makes 18, so it suits a bake sale or a weekend of breakfasts.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
9. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Total time: 1 hr 40 min · Makes: 12 whoopie pies · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Soft, cake-like pumpkin cookies sandwiched around a tangy cinnamon cream cheese filling. They keep well and are easy to pack for parties.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
10. Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
A soft pumpkin cookie with chocolate chips, for people who want a chewy cookie rather than a cakey one. A classic to bring to a fall get-together.
11. Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Total time: 1 hr 15 min · Makes: 14 cupcakes · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Moist pumpkin spice cupcakes with a coffee note, topped with silky frosting. It is the coffee-shop flavor in a party-size dessert.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
12. Pumpkin Patch Brownie Bites
Total time: 1 hr 57 min · Makes: About 40 brownie bites · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Fudgy mini brownie bites topped with piped green frosting grass and a small orange pumpkin. Cute for kids' parties and Halloween.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
13. Pumpkin Churro Bites
Total time: 55 min · Makes: About 40 bites · From: Easy Dessert Hub
Crisp fried pumpkin spice churro bites tossed in cinnamon-pumpkin sugar. Serve them warm, straight from the pan.
Get the recipe on Easy Dessert Hub →
Savory Pumpkin for Dinner
Pumpkin is not only for dessert. Two recipes for a fall dinner.
14. Pumpkin Pasta
Total time: 30 min · Makes: 4
A creamy pumpkin sauce over pasta, ready in about 30 minutes for four. It is the fall weeknight dinner on this list.
15. Curried Pumpkin Soup
From: Vital Life Tips
A warm, gently spiced soup that is ready in about 30 minutes. It keeps for a few days in the fridge, so it also works for meal prep.
Get the recipe on Vital Life Tips →
Lighter, Make-Ahead and Small-Portion Pumpkin Recipes
Snacks, puddings and mini desserts that can be prepared ahead. The energy bites and parfaits need no oven.
16. Dairy-Free Pumpkin Chia Pudding
From: Vital Life Tips
A pumpkin chia pudding that is dairy-free and naturally sweet. It chills for a couple of hours or overnight, so you can make it ahead for breakfast or a snack.
Get the recipe on Vital Life Tips →
17. Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites
From: Vital Life Tips
Small no-bake bites with pumpkin pie flavor, chilled to firm up. A grab-and-go snack for busy days.
Get the recipe on Vital Life Tips →
18. No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits
From: Vital Life Tips
Layered pumpkin cheesecake cups in individual glasses, with no oven needed. They portion themselves, which helps when you serve a group.
Get the recipe on Vital Life Tips →
19. Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes With Gingersnap Crust
From: Vital Life Tips
Mini pumpkin cheesecakes on a gingersnap base, baked in a muffin tin in about 15 to 20 minutes. A smaller portion of a classic dessert.
Get the recipe on Vital Life Tips →
Pumpkin Recipes in the Air Fryer
Quick versions, from about 12 to 18 minutes.
20. Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie Bites
From: Simply Air Cook
Mini pumpkin pie bites made in the air fryer in about 12 minutes, with a creamy filling. A quick answer when you want pie without the oven.
Get the recipe on Simply Air Cook →
21. Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Total time: 18 min · Makes: 6 servings · From: Simply Air Cook
Pumpkin spice donuts made in the air fryer in minutes, without deep frying.
Get the recipe on Simply Air Cook →
22. Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
From: Simply Air Cook
Soft, fluffy pumpkin spice donut holes coated in cinnamon sugar. Bite-size and easy to share.
Get the recipe on Simply Air Cook →
23. Spiced Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Total time: 17 min · Makes: 4 servings · From: Simply Air Cook
Crispy spiced pumpkin seeds from the air fryer, about 17 minutes for four servings. The way to use up the seeds from carving.
Get the recipe on Simply Air Cook →
Tips for Baking With Pumpkin
- Use pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling already contains sugar and spices, which changes the recipe.
- Blot the puree if a recipe is meant to be dense. Pressing it between paper towels removes extra moisture for cakes, bars and cookies.
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature before mixing so frostings and fillings are smooth.
- Chill custards and cheesecakes fully. Crème brûlée, tiramisu and no-bake cheesecakes set as they chill.
Make Ahead and Storage
Cheesecakes, tiramisu, crème brûlée, chia pudding and parfaits are best made ahead so they can chill. Muffins, cupcakes, whoopie pies and cookies keep well in an airtight container; check each recipe for storage details, since fillings and frostings change how long something lasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh?
Yes. Most recipes are written for plain canned pumpkin puree. Check the label for "100% pumpkin", not "pumpkin pie filling".
What are the easiest pumpkin recipes for beginners?
The no-bake cheesecake and cheesecake parfaits need no oven, and the air fryer bites, donuts and seeds are quick to make.
Which pumpkin dessert is best for Thanksgiving?
Pumpkin pie is the classic, and the pumpkin roll and tiramisu are good alternatives that can be made ahead.
Are there savory pumpkin recipes here?
Yes: the pumpkin pasta and the curried pumpkin soup.
What can I do with pumpkin seeds?
Roast them with spices in the air fryer. The spiced pumpkin seeds recipe takes about 17 minutes.
More Fall Ideas
Browse more fall soups, our Halloween nail ideas or the Halloween outfit ideas for a party.
