Pumpkin desserts I have tested and perfected, from easy no bake pies to pumpkin bars, dump cake, and cookies. Grouped so you can pick fast.
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Pumpkin desserts are what I bake the most once October hits. Think creamy pumpkin pies and cheesecakes, soft spiced bars under cream cheese frosting, and cookies with that warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavor. Some need a mixer and a bowl. Most need almost nothing.
I have baked my way through a lot of cans of pumpkin to get this list right. Every recipe here is one I have tested and perfected, so you can pick one, make it, and know how it will turn out the first time.
I grouped them by type so you can go straight to pies, cheesecakes, cakes and rolls, bars, cookies, breads, or the no-bake ones. These are some of the easiest dessert recipes to pull off for a crowd, and almost all of them start with a can of pumpkin from any grocery store.
Scroll for the full list, plus the canned pumpkin question I get asked more than any other and my rule for what has to go in the refrigerator.
Family Favorite
The Pumpkin Dessert I Make Every Single Thanksgiving
My Pumpkin Dump Cake has all the cozy pumpkin pie flavor everyone expects, with a fraction of the work of a pie from scratch. I pop it in the oven while we are eating dinner, and by the time we are ready for dessert it is warm and ready to scoop. That timing is the whole reason it has earned a spot on my Thanksgiving table year after year.
Canned Pumpkin vs Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin Pie Filling
This is the question I get asked more than any other, and it matters more than most people think.
Plain canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing. The label just changes depending on the brand. I buy Libby’s because the texture and flavor are consistent can to can, and consistency is what you want when a recipe is counting on it.
Pumpkin pie filling is a different product. It is already sweetened and already spiced, so it is not a swap for plain pumpkin. Use it in place of puree and you throw off both the sweetness and the spice balance of the whole recipe. The only time it belongs in the bowl is when the recipe asks for it by name, the way my Pumpkin Pie Bars below do.
Here’s Where Most Go Wrong
Overbaking. That is the mistake, and it is behind almost every pumpkin dessert that disappoints.
Pumpkin desserts keep setting as they cool. If you wait for the center to look completely firm in the oven, you have already gone too far, and that is how you end up with dry pumpkin bars, a cracked cheesecake, or a pie with a grainy texture.
I pull them when the center still has a slight jiggle and let the residual heat finish the job. For a pumpkin roll, the rule is different but just as important: roll the cake while it is still warm. That one step is what keeps it from cracking later.
Pumpkin Pies and Hand Pies
Pumpkin pie is where most people start in the fall, and these are my easier ways into it. If you want every pie version I have, I keep them together in my best pumpkin pie recipes collection.
1
No Bake Pumpkin Pie
Creamy pumpkin pie made with pudding, cream cheese, and whipped topping in a graham cracker crust. No oven, which makes it the one I lean on when every rack is already full on Thanksgiving.
My copycat of the famous one, with gooey caramel, a silky pumpkin ganache, and oat streusel on top. This is the showstopper of the group and worth the extra steps.
Cinnamon whiskey baked right into a classic fall pie, and it takes 10 minutes to put together with a premade crust. Strictly for the adults at the table.
Crustless pumpkin pie baked in a muffin tin, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with whipped cream. All the pie flavor and none of the crust work.
Steam pressure does the work here and gives you a smooth, rich cheesecake without babysitting a water bath. This is the most fuss-free way I have found to bake one.
Soft spiced cake wrapped around a creamy filling. Roll it while it is warm, exactly as I said above, and you will get that clean swirl instead of a crack down the middle.
Pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese swirls and chocolate chips baked together so the top cracks and sinks. It is supposed to look like that, and that is the fun of it.
A cross between pumpkin pie and pecan pie, with cake mix, a streusel topping, and crunchy pecans. This is the recipe I mentioned above that calls for pumpkin pie mix on purpose, so do not swap in plain puree here.
A basic batch of brownies decorated to look like a pumpkin patch. This one is as much a craft as a dessert, and it is the kind of thing I used to make with my kids for a class party.
No oven, no timer, and no fighting anyone for rack space. If you like this style, my best pumpkin spice recipes collection has more in the same easy lane.
25
Pumpkin Delight Dessert
A buttery pecan and graham cracker crust under pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, and fluffy vanilla pudding layers. This is the one I bring when I am asked to bring dessert and told not to fuss.
My rule of thumb is simple. If it has cream cheese, whipped topping, a custard filling, or eggs, it belongs in the refrigerator. That covers the cheesecakes, the pies, the trifle, the Pumpkin Delight, and anything with a pudding or frosting layer.
Cakes, cookies, bars, breads, and muffins without those ingredients can sit covered at room temperature for a day or two. When in doubt, the refrigerator is the safer call.
Most of these get better after a night in the fridge, which is why I make so many of them ahead. Cheesecakes, pumpkin pies, dessert lasagnas, and pumpkin lushes are all ones I would rather make the day before than the day of.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dessert can I make with a can of pumpkin?
Almost anything on this list. If you want the least work for the biggest payoff, make the Pumpkin Dump Cake or the Pumpkin Bars. If you want no oven at all, make the Pumpkin Pie Dip or the Pumpkin Pudding. A can usually leaves you with extra, and the breads, muffins, and the latte are where my leftovers go.
Is pumpkin bread a dessert?
In my house it is, and it is on this list for that reason. Pumpkin bread, muffins, scones, and donuts all sit somewhere between breakfast and dessert, so I put them in their own section above and let you decide which meal they belong to.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
No, unless the recipe asks for it by name. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so swapping it in throws off the sugar and spice in the rest of the recipe. See the section above for the full breakdown.
Do pumpkin desserts need to be refrigerated?
It depends on what is in them. Cream cheese, whipped topping, custard, or eggs means refrigerate. See my storage rule above.
Can I make pumpkin desserts ahead of time?
Yes, and I would encourage it. The flavors settle and get better overnight, so a day-ahead dessert is often the better dessert.
Why did my pumpkin dessert turn out dry or cracked?
It baked too long. Pumpkin desserts keep setting as they cool, so pull them while the center still has a slight jiggle.
Is there a trick to making pumpkin taste more like fall?
Add a small pinch of extra cinnamon to any recipe that already calls for pumpkin pie spice. Cinnamon fades into the background as things bake, and that small boost makes the pumpkin taste warmer without taking over. If your puree looks watery when you open the can, blot some of the moisture off with a paper towel first. That matters most for cheesecake bars and pumpkin rolls, where texture is the whole point.
