Ingredients Vegetables Squash + Gourds Pumpkin 21 Pumpkin Dessert Recipes to Make This Fall The giant orange gourd stars in pumpkin pie, cake, cookies, and more all fall. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 13, 2023 Close Photo: John Kernick Pumpkin is delicious whether you give it the sweet treatment or choose a savory preparation. The sweet, soft flesh from the gourd can star in a silky Pumpkin Tiramisu, tangy-sweet and spiced Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars, and plenty of pies. Round out a holiday spread with a Classic Pumpkin Pie, a rich Pumpkin Cream Pie in a Chocolate Crust, or even Pumpkin Pie Bars. Here are our sweetest pumpkin dessert recipes for an autumnal treat. 01 of 21 Pecan-Pumpkin Cream Pie Tara Donne 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. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Pumpkin Praline Bars Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Topped with decadent brown sugar frosting, these cakelike bars are loaded with fall flavor — earthy and sweet pumpkin, warm spices, and toasty pecans. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Pumpkin Spice Conchas Pumpkin Spice Conchas. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Chef Ellen Ramos blankets a light and fluffy traditional Mexican concha with a crunchy, pumpkin-spiced, seashell-shaped sugar crust. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Pumpkin Cream Pie in a Chocolate Crust John Kernick Cookbook author Melissa Clark likes pumpkin pie, but she especially likes making it in new and unexpected ways. Here, she bakes a silky pumpkin custard in a crispy chocolate cookie crust, then dollops the pie with a tangy crème fraîche topping. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars Sarah Kieffer Cookbook author Sarah Kieffer's gently spiced pumpkin bars — which are from her second book, 100 Cookies — are the perfect treats to segue into autumn. 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." Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Candied Pumpkins with Piloncillo and Cinnamon Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley 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. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Black Sesame Pumpkin Pie Photo: Victor Protasio /Food Stylist Torie Cox /Prop Stylist Claire Spollen A silky stovetop pumpkin custard sits on top of a layer of nutty black sesame paste in this delicious twist on a classic pumpkin pie. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Pumpkin Pie Bars © CON POULOS These bars have all of the spice and warmth of classic pumpkin pie, but they're more easily assembled with a simple press-in crust. Plus, they're portable, and can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 Classic Pumpkin Pie © Frances Janisch To create a crisp crust on the bottom of this pie, former Food & Wine Senior Test Kitchen Editor Grace Parisi partially bakes the pie shell before adding the creamy pumpkin filling, spiced with cinnamon and cloves. If the edge starts to darken too much, cover it with a pie shield or strips of foil. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie © Abby Hocking The addition of browned butter gives the pumpkin a subtle butterscotch flavor in this smooth and creamy custard pie filling. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brown-Butter Pears © Con Poulos Pastry chef Jane Tseng's cheesecake uses tangy, pungent, soft-ripened Robiolina and house-made gingersnaps — this version here calls for cream cheese and boxed cookies. Once made, the cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to three days. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Pumpkin Cookies © David Malosh These soft, lightly spiced cake-like cookies are studded with minced candied ginger and topped with a buttery sugar glaze. They're made with pumpkin puree, and also include pumpkin pie spice, which adds to the autumnal vibe. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting © Con Poulos This classic pumpkin cake from Food & Wine's Justin Chapple is perfectly moist and delicately spiced. The simple vanilla buttercream frosting gets a lovely tang from the mascarpone that's blended in. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Pumpkin Hand Pies © Madeleine Hill These delicious pumpkin hand pies from chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern are easy to make and fun to eat. They're fried in peanut oil until they're deeply browned and then finished with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Swirl © Alexandra Rowley These decadent chocolate-crusted bars are topped with a homemade caramel that sinks into the pumpkin cheesecake batter during baking. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust © William Meppem Our readers love this baked cheesecake that's great for spooky season gatherings with only a half hour of active prep time. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Pumpkin Tiramisu © John Kernick Layers of silky pumpkin mousse and coffee-dipped ladyfingers create a spectacular tiramisu that's a terrific alternative to pumpkin pie. If you'd like to make it in advance, the tiramisu can be refrigerated for two days. Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Pie © Frances Janisch This pumpkin pie, made with all-butter pie dough, includes swirls of filling mixed with melted bittersweet chocolate for even more flavor. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Pumpkin Parfaits © Christina Holmes Justin Chapple layers super-speedy pumpkin mousse with whipped mascarpone cream and crushed chocolate wafer cookies for his gorgeous, delicious parfaits. They're perfect for any fall occasion — the orange, white, and dark brown color scheme makes them a particularly fun dessert option for Halloween. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Pumpkin-Chiffon Pie © Lucy Schaeffer One reader called this pumpkin pie light, aromatic, and delicious. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Cranberry Gelée © Anna Williams This pumpkin-cheesecake pie started its life as a petit four at New York City's Gotham Bar and Grill, where pastry chef Deborah Racicot developed the creamy pumpkin filling and ruby-red cranberry gelée topping that make it an ideal Thanksgiving ending. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit