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Oops, Bought Too Many Cans Of Pumpkin (Again) – These Dessert Recipes Are How I'm Using Up My Stash

Oh my gourd.

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pumpkin bars topped with powdered sugar
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Once the calendar changes over to September (okay, maybe August), we try to bake up all the pumpkin sweets because, if you ask us, pumpkin is the reason for the fall season. And we're not just talking pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice lattes either. Each year, without fail, we reach peak pumpkin spice in all the ways we can (like cookies, cakes, bars, and shakes), buying one too many cans of pumpkin puree in the process. This year, break with tradition by trying a new take on this fall favorite with one of these 50 pumpkin desserts—like any of our favorite pumpkin cheesecake cookies, pumpkin ice cream, and pumpkin sticky buns.

Chocolate and pumpkin are a seriously underrated combination. Pumpkin adds an earthy sweetness and a fluffy texture to many of our standby dessert recipes, like brown butter pumpkin blondies and brownie bottom pumpkin cheesecake. And if you love our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, you'll really love our pumpkin butterscotch muffins and pumpkin oatmeal cookies.

Want to shake up your holiday dessert spread? Pumpkin pie is great and all, but sometimes you want to liven things up. We pinky-promise your guests won't miss the pie when it means they get to dig into a pumpkin cheesecake roll, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate pumpkin truffles, or pumpkin crisp.

Pumpkin isn't just for the holidays, as far as we're concerned. We'll take any excuse to eat a pumpkin scone, TBH. Start your mornings with a toasted slice of pumpkin bread, or set out our pumpkin pie dip or edible pumpkin cookie dough at your next get-together, and you'll watch it magically disappear, no matter the time of year.

1

Pumpkin Cake

pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

We are pro-cream cheese and pumpkin here at Delish. The two are as classic as peanut butter and jelly. If you prefer a more classic buttercream, use our favorite buttercream frosting. It will still be just as good; feel free to add some cinnamon or pumpkin spice to your frosting to jazz it up a little.

Get the Pumpkin Cake recipe.

2

Pumpkin Cookies

pumpkin cookies topped with cinnamon sugar
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

There are a plethora of pumpkin desserts to pick from, but we're here to say this is not only one of the easiest ones, but one of the best. These cookies are soft and chewy with just a subtle warm spice to them. They aren’t cake-y like a lot of pumpkin desserts tend to be thanks to a simple way of getting rid of the excess moisture from the pumpkin. Try them once, then come back to them all fall long.

Get the Pumpkin Cookies recipe.

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3

Pumpkin Cheesecake Lasagna

pumpkin cheesecake lasagna topped with pecans and caramel
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Sure, pumpkin pie is delicious, but when you have family over and mouthes to feed, spending hours making pie isn't exactly feasible. This over-the-top cheesecake lasagna, though? It takes 30 minutes to throw together, and once it's assembled, the refrigerator does the rest.

Get the Pumpkin Cheesecake Lasagna recipe.

4

Pumpkin Sticky Buns

pumpkin sticky buns
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLIST: JASON SCHREIBER

We know there’s no shortage of amazing pumpkin recipes out there, but these pillowy soft buns are filled with chopped pecans and baked in a caramel sauce for the most decadent fall treat any time of day.

Get the Pumpkin Sticky Buns recipe.

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5

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

pumpkin bread pudding with whipped cream
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MARIANA VELASQUEZ

During fall we look for every single way we can use pumpkin. Our easy bread pudding was basically begging to become pumpkin-fied. Mixing pumpkin puree into the egg base makes this a fall treat worthy of your Thanksgiving table or even your brunch table.

Get the Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe.

6

Pumpkin Spice Gooey Bars

pumpkin bars topped with powdered sugar
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Fall dessert baking means turning some of our favorite desserts, like the gooey butter cake, into a pumpkin spice version. This cake is meant to be fall-apart gooey, and the moisture in the pumpkin makes this version perfect. The spice cake mix adds even more spice to the cake, but if you’re having a hard time finding it, you can always use a vanilla cake mix.

Get the Pumpkin Spice Gooey Bars recipe.

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7

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars

pumpkin cheesecake bars with a crème brûlée torched topping
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

With an Oreo crust, these pumpkin crème brûlée cheesecake bars are what we dream of every fall. The sugar topping will make these stand out above all the rest. If you love these, you're going to want to bake our crème brûlée cheesecake next.

Get the Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars recipe.

8

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

pumpkin whoopie pies with maple cream cheese filling
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Is it a sandwich cookie? Or a handheld little cake? To be honest, we're still unclear. What we do know is that this autumnal spin on the classic American whoopie pie gives us an unreasonable amount of joy once the weather starts to cool down. (Or as soon as September hits.)

Get the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies recipe.

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9

Pumpkin Muffins

a pile of pumpkin muffins topped with coarse sugar
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Pumpkin is our go-to fall ingredient for pies, cheesecakes, and cookies. But when we want to start the day with some cozy fall flavor (without ordering a pumpkin spice latte), we bake a batch of pumpkin muffins. These fluffy and lightly sweet muffins are the best way to do breakfast.

Get the Pumpkin Muffins recipe.

10

Pumpkin Empanadas

pumpkin empanadas on a platter
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Thanksgiving pies, beware! Pumpkin empanadas have arrived. Boasting a flaky, buttery crust and a jammy, spiced pumpkin filling, these bite-sized beauties will be a serious contender on any holiday dessert table. They may be small, but they pack BIG pumpkin flavor.

Get the Pumpkin Empanadas recipe.

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11

Pumpkin Oat Bars

layered pumpkin oat bars
PHOTO: DOAA ELKADY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Don’t want to make yet another pie for your holiday rotation but still need that distinctive pumpkin pie flavor on your menu? Turn your pumpkin pie into a bar!

Get the Pumpkin Oat Bars recipe.

12

Pumpkin Crisp

pumpkin pie crisp in a skillet
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This crisp will make you forget pumpkin pie ever existed. The crunchy topping is the perfect accompaniment to the smooth pumpkin filling.

Get the Pumpkin Crisp recipe.

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13

Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Bread

chocolate pumpkin bread with chocolate chips topped with a chocolate ganache
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Here at Delish, we're no strangers to adding an extra-sweet touch to staple quick bread recipes. We've transformed our banana bread into a chocolate-packed blackout banana bread, zucchini bread into lemon-poppy zucchini bread, and have countless of creative takes on the fall staple—pumpkin bread. If one helping of chocolate in your chocolate chip pumpkin bread just isn't enough for you, let us introduce you to your new baking staple: triple-chocolate pumpkin bread.

Get the Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Bread recipe.

14

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

pumpkin cookies with a cheesecake filling
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDSERON

Get your pumpkin and cheesecake fix in one with these pumpkin-spiced cookies stuffed with a little surprise: cream cheese filling! The warming pumpkin spice cookies complement the creamy, tangy flavors of cheesecake, creating the most decadent cookie you'll have all season long. Although the pumpkin spice flavor screams fall, these cookies are truly enjoyable any time of the year.

Get the Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies recipe.

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15

Pumpkin Cheesecake

pumpkin cheesecake on plate topped with whipped cream with a fork
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Pumpkin cheesecake is the prima donna of all the holiday desserts: rich, decadent, and always a bit over the top, she stops the show wherever she goes. In that spirit, a lot of pumpkin cheesecake recipes pile on loads of flavored garnish and décor (caramel! nuts! crazy whipped cream piping!); but for this, our forever favorite version, we’ve stripped it right back and returned the focus to its true essence: a thick, crunchy crust, and a super-creamy, super-pumpkiny filling.

Get the Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe.

16

Pumpkin S'mores Cookies

cookies with pumpkin topped with toasted marshmallows
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Why limit yourself to enjoying pumpkin sweets in the fall? The aromatics in pumpkin spice remind us of cinnamon graham crackers, and graham crackers make us think of s’mores. And OH MY GOURD: Could a s’more be pumpkin-spiced? If you combine a tender pumpkin cookie and all of the classic s’mores ingredients, the answer is definitely yes.

Get the Pumpkin S'mores Cookies recipe.

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17

Pumpkin Seed Toffee

pumpkin seed toffee dipped in chocolate
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Toffee is really a beautiful blank canvas to add whatever you desire. With this recipe, we wanted to make it extra special during the fall leaves, brisk walks, and feeling cozy season (we love a good fall baking moment). This recipe is great because you can make it for a last-minute emergency, put it in cute little bags and gift it, or just make it and eat the whole thing yourself.

Get the Pumpkin Seed Toffee recipe.

18

It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown

two pumpkin bundt cakes stacked on each other, filled with candy corn, and decorated to look like a pumpkin
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: RILEY WOFFORD

Whether you’re throwing a Halloween bash and need a show-stopping centerpiece dessert, or just really love the Peanuts gang and want your pumpkin patch to be the most sincere, this is the cake for you—it’s the Great Pumpkin, er, Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown!

Get the It's The Great Bundt-kin, Charlie Brown recipe.

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19

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

crustless pumpkin pie piped with whipped cream
PHOTO: DOAA ELKADY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

For those that can't have gluten or think the pie crust is just a vessel to get the best part of the pie, this pumpkin pie is for you. Made without the crust, this pie takes less than half the time and WAY less effort. No making pie crusts, no chilling, and no blind baking. It's a Thanksgiving miracle.

Get the Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe.

20

Mini Piecakens

mini piecakens
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

If desserts were people, these mini piecakens would be the biggest divas you ever met. Inspired by pastry chef Zac Young’s viral three-layer piecaken, these fun-sized versions feature a tiny cranberry pie baked inside a spiced pumpkin cupcake, crowned with a generous dollop of whipped cream, more cranberry pie filling, and a tiny round of sugary pie crust.

Get the Mini Piecakens recipe.

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