30 Pumpkin Desserts for People Who Hate Pumpkin Pie

October 03, 2019
Photo: Jennifer Causey
Listen, we love a good pumpkin pie. But, admittedly, the fall classic is not for everyone—and that's OK. Pumpkin makes anything cozier and more autumnal. Take our Pumpkin Fudge, for example. Or this Pumpkin Bundt Cake With Tahini Glaze. If you're more of a PSL person, you might even want to try our Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes. The point is, these desserts prove that pumpkin shouldn't be limited to pie. Just trust us. 
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Pumpkin Cake

Time Inc. Video Studio
Pumpkin Cake Recipe

For this festive version of a pumpkin cake, we opted for a "spiced pumpkin" box cake mix, but any box mix will do. Adding powdered sugar to the prepared frosting helps make it thicker and less likely to melt off the cake or get too soft and drippy. It's helpful to use piping bags to get a nicel layer of frosting and then blend together on the pumpkin to get green vines and leaves.

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Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

David Prince; Styling: Linda Hirst
Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins Recipe

These pumpkin cream cheese muffins were made for the perfect first bite, with a crumbly streusel topping with a melted cream cheese morsel right in the center. The cream cheese filling ensures these pumpkin muffins stay moist and delightful up until the minute they’re devoured—no butter spread necessary. Whether you’re making these for company or to satisfy your own sweet tooth, these pumpkin cream cheese muffins are the perfect treat for fall mornings.

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Pumpkin-Spice Magic Cake

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Pumpkin-Spice Magic Cake Recipe

If you can't get enough pumpkin spice during fall, we have one more recipe you must try out. For our Pumpkin Spice Cake recipe, we combined silky flan with moist pumpkin spice cake and buttery caramel sauce in one incredible confection. We were inspired by a Mexican dessert called “impossible flan”. While it is not at all difficult to make, our Test Kitchen recommends using a light-colored Bundt pan for the best results. A dark-colored pan may get too hot and overbake the cake.

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Pumpkin Dump Cake 

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall and Kady Wohlfarth; Prop Styling: Kay Clarke
Pumpkin Dump Cake  Recipe

Pumpkin pie and coffee cake's best features unite in this easy dump cake that's perfect for a crowd. 

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Pumpkin Mousse

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall and Kady Wohlfarth; Prop Styling: Kay Clarke
Pumpkin Mousse Recipe

This Pumpkin Mouse offers light texture and warm flavors, making it a perfect fall dessert. 

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Perfect Pumpkin Roll

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall and Kady Wohlfarth; Prop Styling: Kay Clark
Perfect Pumpkin Roll Recipe

A classic pumpkin roll is a work of art. Rich buttercream perfectly complements the earthy-sweet pumpkin in this ideal autumnal treat—add a PSL and you're set.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Photo: Jen Causey, Food Styling: Gordon Sawyer and Tina Stamos, Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell
Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Even if you're not a huge pumpkin pie fan, it's hard to pass on a slice of this decadent pumpkin cheesecake. Sweet pumpkin is enhanced with warming spices and brown sugar, and perfectly balanced by the smooth, rich tang of cream cheese. Our pumpkin cheesecake recipe is easy to make, but we can almost guarantee, it'll be the first thing to disappear from the dessert table. 

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Time Inc. Video Studio 
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes Recipe

Loaded with toasty fall flavors, a batch of these easy PSL cupcakes will have you in sweater weather mode faster than hitting the Starbucks drive-thru. 

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Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Time Inc. Video Stuido 
Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Recipe

Skip the drive-thru line and enjoy your favorite seasonal Starbucks baked good right in the comfort of your own kitchen. These copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones are the perfect companion to a hot cup of coffee and a brisk fall morning. 

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Pumpkin Pasties

Time Inc. Video Studio 
Pumpkin Pasties Recipe

A favorite treat at any magical feast, pumpkin pasties are surprisingly easy to make (even for muggles). We developed two pumpkin-based fillings—one sweet and one savory—for these buttery hand pies, so they’re perfect for serving (alongside a goblet of pumpkin juice!) at any point during a Harry Potter inspired party. If you’re looking to save a little time and effort, you can certainly opt for prepared, refrigerated pie dough.

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Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Fudge Recipe

These sweet little pumpkin fudge squares feature canned pumpkin, white chocolate, and marshmallow creme.

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Leftover Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

PHOTO BY KELSEY HANSEN
Leftover Pumpkin Pie Milkshake Recipe
How do you eat leftover pumpkin pie? Straight from the pie pan, with the fridge still half open? Warmed, with a scoop of whatever ice cream you have on hand? But oh dear reader, have you ever thought to combine cold pie and ice cream into one serious milkshake? Well, you should. Here’s how it’s done.
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Pumpkin Spice Fudge

Jennifer Causey
Pumpkin Spice Fudge Recipe

We turned the classic pumpkin pie (and the trendiest of fall spice blends) into a tasty confection. Fudge doesn't require the tempering, rolling, and shaping of other made-from-scratch candies. If you don't have a candy thermometer, do the cold water test: Drop a small amount of the cooked sugar mixture in cold water. If it forms a soft ball, the mixture is ready for pouring into the prepared pan.

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Salted Caramel Gingerbread Poke Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo: Daniel Agee
Salted Caramel Gingerbread Poke Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

The flavors of gingerbread, salted caramel filling, and pumpkin cream cheese frosting marry to become the ultimate fall and holiday poke cake. This cake is a great snack cake or dessert and it's pretty enough to serve to guests. One taste and you're sure to bring this cake to potlucks all season long.

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Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Sticky-Bun Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

Muffin cup capacity will vary depending on pan manufacturer. Yield may increase if smaller muffin cups are used.

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Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Deborah Williams
Pumpkin Pie Pudding Recipe
Here's a new twist on an old favorite. Serve Pumpkin Pie Pudding straight out of the slow cooker for a warm and festive fall treat.

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Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes

Photo: Rebecca Longshore; Styling: Rebecca Longshore
Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe

The pumpkin and spices really shines in these Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes, but feel free to use as much or little of the spice mix as you want. The almond butter gives these naturally sweet pancakes a nutty flavor and a punch of protein and healthy fats.

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Pumpkin Cutout Cookies

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller    
Pumpkin Cutout Cookies Recipe

Bake the cookies up to five days ahead, and store in an airtight container. To make our wind cookies and leaf cookies, we used round cutters and swirly piping to represent the wind, and various sizes of leaf-shaped cutters for fluttering foliage

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Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake Recipe

Test Kitchen Professional Pam Lolley combined the flavors of three holiday favorites--pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and cheesecake-- to create this luscious holiday dessert.

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Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Bites

Jamie Vespa
Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Bites Recipe

For a guilt-free, vegan dessert that's sure to get you in the fall spirit, there's no better option than these adorable mini pumpkin spice bites. Encased in a simple walnut-pecan-date crust, the key to this autumnal treat lies in the silken tofu filling. Providing a creamy consistency without affecting flavor, silken tofu is the best kept vegan dessert secret.

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Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles

Sara Tane
Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles Recipe

Perfectly crispy on the outside, while light and fluffy on the inside, these festive, fall treats are your new favorite cookie. Rolled in a chai-spiced sugar mixture, these cookies are basically all of your favorite latte flavors mixed up into one perfect cookie. Best served after a dunk in coffee, if we do say so ourselves.

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Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans Recipe

Candied pecans and a rich, buttery icing turn a simple pumpkin Bundt cake into a grand finale dessert. For the smoothest texture and most impressive presentation, make sure the icing is still warm when you spoon it over the cake.

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Pumpkin Madeleines

Thomas J. Story
Pumpkin Madeleines Recipe

Make these sweet little cakes throughout the fall. For Halloween, all you need are some edible eyeballs and a bit of black food coloring to turn them into charming pumpkin ghosts. You'll need 2 (12-mold) madeleine pans to make this recipe. Find them at a kitchenware shop or online.

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Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Coffee Glaze

Photo: Darcy Lenz
Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Coffee Glaze Recipe

Full of warming fall flavors, these fluffy Pumpkin Spice Cookies are just about the perfect after-dinner treat to pair with a cup of coffee. After all, they’re basically everyone’s favorite seasonal latte delivered in cookie form. 

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Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze

Sara Tane
Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Tahini Glaze Recipe

What better fall-inspired dessert to make than this tahini-glazed pumpkin bundt cake. A medley of fragrant, ground spices enhance the rich sweetness of this incredibly moist bundt cake. Topped with a toasty, perfectly bittersweet tahini glaze, this  easy to make and comforting fall dessert is the perfect centerpiece for your next dinner party, Halloween gathering, or special occasion.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter

Sara Tane
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter Recipe

Brown butter takes these rich, seasonal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to the next level, adding a nutty, fragrant flavor that is absolutely perfect for fall. Canned pumpkin puree lends moisture to these fluffy, cake-like treats while warm chocolate chips fill every bite. Make these for a Halloween party or a fall dinner party, and be sure to store any leftovers in an airtight container.

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Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze

Photo: Sara Tane
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze Recipe

With a rich, gooey pumpkin spice filling, buttery pecan streusel topping, and maple glaze, this fluffy and moist pumpkin coffee cake is sure to impress. Perfect for any occasion, from your next fall brunch to a Halloween party, this coffee cake is easy to make and full of toasty fall flavors.

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Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze Recipe

If you’re looking for the perfect fall dessert, let the hunt stop here. This incredibly moist pumpkin pound cake is one of our favorite cakes of all time.

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Pumpkin-Orange Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Photo: Jessica Colyer
Pumpkin-Orange Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

If you're a fan of pumpkin desserts, look no further than these festive cookies.

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Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Photo: Jennifer Causey
Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze Recipe

We take the classic flavors of pumpkin pie (pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg) and transform them into a tall, moist, tender Bundt cake. Whole-wheat flour enhances the fall flavors without sacrificing the tender crumb. To finish it off: a smooth, shiny bittersweet chocolate glaze that drips into all the nooks and crannies. Look for baking spray (cooking spray with fine flour added), or simply coat the pan with cooking spray, add a tablespoon of flour, and shake gently to coat. If you don't have a Bundt pan, you can bake in two standard loaf pans. Cut the loaves into slices, and drizzle the glaze over each serving.

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