18 Pumpkin Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, Sides and Dessert

Pumpkin puree is mild and only slightly sweet, which is why it disappears into a pot of chili and also holds its own in a stack of pancakes. These 18 pumpkin recipes cover breakfast, dinner, sides and snacks, and dessert, plus one homemade latte.

The list follows the order of a day’s eating, with breakfast first and the last drink at the end, and it is unranked. Being number 4 doesn’t make a recipe better than number 14. The order only groups dishes by when you’d eat them.

Thirteen recipes start with a can of puree, four start with a fresh pumpkin, and one uses only the seeds. Every recipe is original to this article, with its own ingredient list and numbered method, so you never have to click away to finish a dish. It’s written for anyone with a can of puree in the pantry or a whole pumpkin on the counter and no plan for either.

What Can You Make With Pumpkin?

Pumpkin works in sweet and savory cooking. Canned puree goes into pancakes, bread, pie, cookies and lattes, and it also thickens chili, curry, mac and cheese and enchilada sauce. Fresh pumpkin roasts into soup, sheet-pan dinners and salads, and the seeds become a snack.

How These Pumpkin Recipes Were Chosen

Every recipe had to clear four conditions.

• Pumpkin has a job. It adds body, moisture, color or flavor. A dish where it’s only a garnish didn’t make the list.
• A standard kitchen is enough. No stand mixer, pasta machine or kitchen torch. A hand mixer or a strong whisk covers the two recipes that need beating.
• Ingredients come from a large supermarket. The most specialized items are tahini, ghee and cardamom.
• The methods vary. The list includes a griddle, a sheet pan, a blender, a saucepan, a dry skillet and a loaf pan, so no two entries are the same dish in a different spice.

Muffins and waffles were left out because entries 1 and 3 already cover that batter style. A second soup was cut for the same reason.

Every recipe is original content written for this article. None was copied or adapted from another site or cookbook, and each ingredient list and method was composed from scratch. Times, servings and yields are estimates based on how each recipe is written, not stopwatch-tested figures.

Breakfast and Bakes

1. Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin makes the batter thicker than a plain pancake batter, so it needs a gentler heat and a nudge with the back of the spoon to spread. The payoff is a soft, tender pancake with a mild pumpkin taste and a warm spice note. Buttermilk keeps them from turning dense.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and left 5 minutes)
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for the pan
• To serve: butter and maple syrup

Method

1. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl.
2. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, puree, egg and melted butter until smooth.
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold with a spatula until just combined, with a few streaks of flour still showing. Let the batter rest 5 minutes. If it’s too thick to drop from a spoon, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.
4. Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and brush lightly with butter.
5. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and spread it slightly with the back of the scoop. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles form near the edges and the underside is golden.
6. Flip and cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more. Keep finished pancakes on a rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you cook the rest.

Quick facts: About 30 minutes total | Makes about 10 pancakes, serves 3 to 4 | Vegetarian | Contains milk, eggs, wheat

Why it earns a place: It’s the quickest of the three breakfast recipes and the only one that skips the oven.

2. Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Think of a soft, custardy square you cut into portions, closer to bread pudding than to a bowl of porridge, with pecans crisping on top. If you like oatmeal with some chew, this one is softer than that.

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for the dish
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Stir the oats, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and brown sugar together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the puree, milk, egg and melted butter in a second bowl until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the oats and stir to combine. Pour into the dish and scatter the pecans over the top.
5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the center is set and the edges pull slightly away from the dish.
6. Rest 10 minutes before cutting into 6 squares. For firmer, crisper edges, bake 5 minutes longer.

Quick facts: About 1 hour total, 10 minutes of it hands-on | Serves 6 | Vegetarian | Contains milk, eggs, tree nuts (pecans, optional)

Why it earns a place: Cut into squares and reheated, it covers several mornings from one bake.

3. Pumpkin Bread

One bowl, one whisk, no mixer. Oil instead of butter keeps the crumb moist for days, though you give up the buttery flavor, so the spice mix has to carry the taste. A handful of pepitas on top adds crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Method

1. Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.
3. In a second bowl, whisk both sugars, the oil and the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the puree and milk.
4. Add the dry ingredients and fold until no dry flour remains. Stop there, since more mixing makes the loaf dense.
5. Scrape into the pan, smooth the top and scatter the pepitas over.
6. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, lay foil loosely over it after 40 minutes.
7. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, lift out by the parchment and cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing.

Quick facts: About 1 hour 20 minutes plus cooling | Makes 10 slices | Vegetarian | Contains eggs, milk, wheat

Why it earns a place: When all you own is a bowl, a whisk and a loaf pan, this is the loaf to make.

Soups and Dinners

4. Roasted Pumpkin and Apple Soup

Roasting the pumpkin, apple and onion together on one pan builds browned edges that end up in the soup as flavor. The tart apple keeps it from tasting flat and sweet. Peeling a raw pumpkin is the slow part, and a shortcut for that follows the method.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (900 g) peeled, seeded pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes (from a whole pumpkin of about 3 pounds)
• 1 large tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, plus a little extra to serve
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the top and base off the pumpkin, halve it, scoop out the seeds (save them for entry 12), then peel the halves with a sharp peeler or by slicing the skin off with a knife. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. Toss the pumpkin, apple and onion on a large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Spread in one layer and roast 30 to 40 minutes, turning once, until tender with browned edges.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the garlic and ginger 1 minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the roasted vegetables, the stock and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
5. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a countertop blender with the lid vented.
6. Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Thin with a splash of water or stock if it’s too thick, and add salt to taste.
7. Ladle into bowls and finish with a swirl of coconut milk and the pepitas.

Shortcut: Swap the fresh pumpkin for two 15-ounce cans of puree. Skip roasting the pumpkin, roast only the apple and onion for 25 minutes, then start at step 3.

Quick facts: About 1 hour 15 minutes total | Serves 4 to 5 | Vegan with vegetable stock | Check the stock label for allergens

Why it earns a place: Caramelized edges are what fresh pumpkin adds over canned puree, and this soup is where you taste them.

5. Pumpkin Chickpea Curry

Puree stands in for a roux or a blender here. It thickens the coconut milk and turns the sauce a deep orange. The heat is mild as written, so raise the chili powder if you want more. Chickpeas make it filling enough to serve over rice without meat.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups baby spinach
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• To serve: cooked rice and chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 7 to 8 minutes, until soft and starting to turn golden.
2. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and chili powder and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook 4 to 5 minutes, breaking them up, until the mixture thickens.
4. Stir in the puree, coconut milk, chickpeas, water and salt. Simmer gently, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce coats a spoon.
5. Fold in the spinach until it wilts, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt.
6. Serve over rice with cilantro on top.

Quick facts: About 40 minutes total | Serves 4 | Vegan | No top allergens in the ingredient list

Why it earns a place: A pantry dinner: cans of puree, chickpeas, tomatoes and coconut milk, plus an onion and some spices.

6. Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Pumpkin and Red Onion

Everything cooks on a single pan, with the chicken thighs skin-side up between cubes of pumpkin and red onion. The chicken fat drips down and flavors the vegetables while the skin crisps. Here pumpkin is a roasted vegetable, and it tastes closer to roasted squash than to dessert. Crowd the pan and the pumpkin steams instead of browning, so use two pans if you need to.

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 pounds / 1 kg)
• 2 pounds (900 g) peeled, seeded pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 red onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Set the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the chicken thoroughly dry.
2. Mix the paprika, cumin, thyme, garlic powder, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Rub it all over the chicken, under the skin where you can.
3. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the pumpkin and onion with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread them out, leaving gaps.
4. Nestle the chicken skin-side up among the vegetables.
5. Roast 40 to 45 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the thickest part of a thigh reads at least 165°F (74°C), the USDA’s minimum safe temperature for poultry. Thighs stay more tender if you take them to about 175°F (80°C).
6. Stir the honey and lemon juice together, drizzle over the chicken and vegetables, and scatter with parsley. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Quick facts: About 1 hour total, 15 minutes of it hands-on | Serves 4 | Dairy-free | No milk, egg, wheat, nut or sesame listed

Why it earns a place: About 15 minutes of work, then the oven does the rest.

7. Beef and Pumpkin Chili

A pot of beef chili where a cup of puree does the thickening and softens the sharpness of the tomatoes, leaving a rounder, slightly sweeter base and no obvious pumpkin taste. It feeds six and doubles easily for a bigger group.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth or water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• To serve: shredded cheddar, sour cream or plain yogurt, chopped cilantro

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces. Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes, until softened.
3. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes, puree, both beans, the broth and the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
5. Simmer partly covered 35 to 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
6. Stir in the lime juice, taste for salt, and serve with the toppings.

Quick facts: About 1 hour total | Serves 6 | Contains no major allergens in the chili itself; the cheese and sour cream toppings contain milk

Why it earns a place: If you’re unsure about pumpkin in savory food, start here, since the puree works as a thickener more than a flavor.

8. Stovetop Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

The sauce is built on the stovetop, with a quick roux, then milk, then puree, and the cheese goes in off the heat so it stays smooth. The puree adds body and color, and the nutmeg is barely noticeable. Serve it straight away, because the sauce tightens as it sits.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces (340 g) elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8 ounces (225 g) sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 4 ounces (115 g) Monterey Jack, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
• Black pepper

Method

1. Boil the pasta in well-salted water for 1 minute less than the package says. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain, and set the pasta aside.
2. Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
3. Pour in the milk slowly, whisking, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon.
4. Whisk in the puree, mustard powder, garlic powder, nutmeg and salt. Take the pot off the heat.
5. Stir in the cheese a handful at a time until melted and smooth.
6. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Loosen with reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, until saucy. Season with pepper and more salt to taste.

Quick facts: About 30 minutes total | Serves 4 to 6 | Vegetarian | Contains milk, wheat

Why it earns a place: Cold pot to bowl in about 30 minutes makes this the fastest dinner on the list.

9. Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas

Here the pumpkin lives in the sauce: a chili-powder sauce built on puree and broth instead of a tomato-heavy one. It’s mild and a little sweet, so add cayenne if you want heat. Leftover cooked chicken, black beans and cheese fill eight flour tortillas.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lime juice

Filling and assembly

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, divided
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions, plus extra to serve
• 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Method

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Make the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and chili powder and cook 1 minute. Stir in the cumin, garlic powder, oregano and tomato paste.
3. Whisk in the broth slowly, then the puree and salt. Simmer 8 minutes, until the sauce is as thick as heavy cream. Stir in the lime juice.
4. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce over the bottom of the dish.
5. Mix the chicken, beans, 3/4 cup of the cheese, the scallions and 3/4 cup of the sauce in a bowl.
6. Spoon about 1/2 cup of filling down the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and set it seam-side down in the dish.
7. Pour the remaining sauce over the top and scatter with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
8. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and the cheese is spotted brown. Rest 5 minutes and serve with extra scallions.

Quick facts: About 1 hour total | Makes 8, serves 4 to 6 | Contains milk, wheat

Why it earns a place: Cooked chicken left over from another night gets a second life here, and one baking dish feeds a group.

Sides and Snacks

10. Warm Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Feta and Walnuts

Warm roasted cubes go over arugula with feta, walnuts and dried cranberries, dressed with a lemon vinaigrette sweetened lightly with maple syrup. The heat from the pumpkin wilts the leaves slightly. As a side it’s plenty, and as a main it wants a protein added.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) peeled, seeded pumpkin, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 ounces (140 g) arugula
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Toss the pumpkin with the oil, cumin and salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer.
3. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until tender with brown edges.
4. While it roasts, shake the vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar.
5. Spread the arugula on a platter. Top with the warm pumpkin, feta, walnuts and cranberries, then drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve right away.

Quick facts: About 45 minutes total | Serves 4 as a side | Vegetarian | Contains milk, tree nuts (walnuts)

Why it earns a place: It’s the one dish here with raw greens and a sharp dressing, which balances the richer recipes around it.

11. Pumpkin Hummus

This is hummus first, with pumpkin making up roughly a quarter of the volume and adding a faint sweetness and a golden color. Blend the tahini and lemon juice before anything else, since that’s what makes the texture smooth, and use a food processor.

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to serve
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice-cold water
• To serve: smoked paprika and a few pepitas

Method

1. Blend the tahini and lemon juice in a food processor for 1 minute, until pale and thick.
2. Add the olive oil, garlic, cumin and salt and blend 30 seconds.
3. Add the chickpeas and puree and blend 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice.
4. With the machine running, add the cold water a tablespoon at a time until the hummus is smooth and spreadable.
5. Taste and add salt or lemon if needed. Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and finish with paprika and pepitas. It’s a little better after 30 minutes in the fridge.

Quick facts: About 15 minutes total | Makes about 2 1/2 cups, serves 6 as a dip | Vegan | Contains sesame

Why it earns a place: Fifteen minutes and one machine, and you have the dip for the flatbreads in entry 13.

12. Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These are the seeds most people scrape into the bin. Simmering them in salted water first seasons them through and softens the shells, so they roast crisp instead of leathery. The white shells stay on. That gives a chewy-crunchy bite, closer to sunflower seeds in the shell than to green pepitas from a bag.

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, from one medium pumpkin
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt, for the water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Method

1. Put the seeds in a bowl of water and work them with your fingers so the pulp separates. The seeds float, so skim them off and discard the strings.
2. Bring the 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add the seeds and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Drain and spread the seeds on a clean towel. Pat dry and leave for 10 minutes. Dry seeds roast crisp, and wet ones steam.
4. Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
5. Toss the seeds with the oil, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt and cayenne. Spread in one layer.
6. Roast 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until dry and golden. Cool completely on the pan, since they finish crisping as they cool.

Quick facts: About 1 hour total | Makes about 1 cup, serves 4 as a snack | Vegan | Free of the major allergens as listed

Why it earns a place: It costs nothing extra once you’ve cut open a pumpkin for entries 4, 6, 10 or 17.

13. Pumpkin Yogurt Flatbreads

A yeast-free dough of flour, puree and yogurt is rolled thin and cooked in a dry skillet. They puff in spots and stay soft and pliable, though a home skillet won’t blister them the way a tandoor does. Brushed with butter, they’re for scooping up soup, curry, chili or hummus.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing

Method

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cumin in a large bowl.
2. Stir in the puree, yogurt and oil until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead on a floured surface for 2 minutes, until smooth and soft. If it sticks, add flour a tablespoon at a time. It should feel soft and just slightly tacky.
4. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
5. Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each into a round about 6 inches across and 1/8 inch thick.
6. Heat a dry cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each flatbread 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until bubbles form and the underside has brown spots. Flip and cook about 1 minute more.
7. Brush with melted butter as each one comes off the pan, and stack them in a towel so they stay soft.

Quick facts: About 45 minutes total | Makes 8 | Vegetarian | Contains wheat, milk

Why it earns a place: It turns entries 4, 5, 7 and 11 into a fuller meal for the price of half a cup of puree.

Desserts and Drinks

14. Pumpkin Pie

A from-scratch pie with an all-butter crust that is blind baked first, then filled with a custard of puree, cream, milk and eggs. The oven runs in two stages, a hot start to set the crust and then a lower temperature so the custard sets gently without cracking. Most of the time is spent waiting for the dough to chill and the pie to cool.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (140 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• To serve: 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Method

1. Make the dough. Mix the flour, sugar and salt, then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-sized pieces remain. Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons of ice water and stir until the dough holds together when pinched, adding the last tablespoon only if needed. Shape into a disk, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
2. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim, leaving 1/2 inch of overhang, and crimp the edge. Chill 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake 5 minutes more, until pale gold. Raise the oven to 425°F (220°C) for the filling.
4. Whisk the puree, brown sugar, cream, milk, eggs, egg yolk, spices and salt until completely smooth.
5. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet and pour in the filling, stopping about 1/4 inch below the rim. Bake 15 minutes at 425°F (220°C).
6. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake 35 to 45 minutes more, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles slightly when nudged. If the crust browns too fast, shield the edges with foil.
7. Cool on a rack at least 2 hours, then refrigerate until cold. Serve with the whipped cream.

Shortcut: A ready-made 9-inch deep-dish pie shell works with this filling. Bake it according to its package instructions before filling.

Quick facts: About 5 hours until the first slice, mostly waiting | Serves 8 | Vegetarian | Contains wheat, milk, eggs

Why it earns a place: Only this recipe uses a full can of puree, and it’s the one to plan a day ahead.

15. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

The pie is a spiced custard, while this is a cream cheese base with puree in it, baked on a graham cracker crust in an 8-inch pan and cut into small squares. There’s no dough to roll. It needs at least four hours in the fridge before it slices cleanly.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups (about 150 g) graham cracker crumbs, from about 10 full sheets
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted butter

Filling

• 16 ounces (450 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 large eggs

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt into the melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the pan and bake 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 325°F (160°C).
3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer or whisk for about 2 minutes, until smooth with no lumps.
4. Beat in the puree, sour cream, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each disappears.
5. Pour over the warm crust and smooth the top. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and the center wobbles slightly.
6. Cool on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
7. Lift out by the parchment. Cut with a long knife, wiping it clean between cuts, into 16 squares.

Quick facts: About 2 hours of prep, baking and cooling, plus 4 hours in the fridge | Makes 16 small bars | Vegetarian | Contains wheat, milk, eggs

Why it earns a place: It cuts into 16 small squares, which suits sharing better than a whole pie that needs plates and forks.

16. Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are cake-like, not crisp: soft, puffed and tender, with chocolate chips throughout. Blotting the puree first keeps the dough from turning wet. A short chill keeps the cookies from spreading flat. They stay soft instead of snapping.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Spread the puree on a double layer of paper towels and let it sit 5 minutes to draw off some moisture.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a bowl.
4. Beat the butter and both sugars with a hand mixer or strong spoon for 2 minutes, until creamy. Beat in the egg, then the blotted puree.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough 20 minutes.
6. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on the sheets. Don’t flatten them.
7. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look matte. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a rack.

Quick facts: About 50 minutes total | Makes about 24 cookies | Vegetarian | Contains wheat, milk, eggs; check chocolate chip labels for soy

Why it earns a place: One bowl, half a cup of puree, and cookies in about 50 minutes.

17. Pumpkin Halwa

Grated pumpkin cooks down slowly in ghee and milk with sugar and cardamom until it turns glossy and thick, somewhere between a pudding and a jam. Toasted pistachios and almonds go on top. There’s no oven and no eggs, and the trade-off is stirring, which gets close to constant in the last 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds (800 g) peeled, seeded pumpkin, coarsely grated
• 3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, adjusted to taste
• 6 green cardamom pods, seeds crushed (about 1/2 teaspoon ground)
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Method

1. Grate the pumpkin with a box grater or the grating disk of a food processor.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the pumpkin and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it softens and shrinks.
3. Pour in the milk and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until most of the milk has been absorbed.
4. Stir in the sugar. The mixture loosens at first. Keep cooking 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often and then constantly, until it is thick and glossy and the ghee shows at the edges.
5. Stir in the cardamom.
6. Melt the last tablespoon of ghee in a small pan, toast the pistachios and almonds for about 1 minute, and fold half into the halwa. Serve warm, topped with the rest.

Quick facts: About 1 hour total | Serves 6 | Vegetarian | Contains milk, tree nuts (pistachios, almonds)

Why it earns a place: Of the four desserts, this is the only one with no eggs and no oven.

18. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Warm the puree, sugar and spice in a saucepan with a splash of milk, add the rest of the milk, whisk it to a froth and pour it over espresso. There’s no syrup to make and no machine to own. A few fine flecks of puree stay in the cup unless you strain the milk.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus a pinch to finish
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, divided
• 2 shots espresso (about 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee works too)
• Optional: whipped cream

Method

1. Whisk the puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt and 1/4 cup of the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, until warm and smooth.
2. Add the remaining 3/4 cup milk and heat, whisking, for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming but not boiling.
3. Froth with a whisk or an immersion blender, or pour into a jar and shake with the lid held on tightly with a towel. For a fully smooth latte, pour through a fine-mesh sieve.
4. Pour the espresso into a large mug, add the pumpkin milk, and spoon the foam over the top. Add whipped cream if you like and finish with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice.

Quick facts: About 10 minutes total | Serves 1 (multiply to serve more) | Vegetarian | Contains milk

Why it earns a place: Ten minutes makes it the shortest recipe on the list.

How to Choose From This List

Pick by the constraint you actually have.

• 40 minutes or less: entries 1, 5, 8, 11 and 18. The latte takes 10 minutes and the hummus 15.
• Least hands-on time: entry 6 goes into the oven after about 15 minutes of work, and entries 2 and 3 are mix-and-bake.
• Cooking for a group: entry 7 feeds six, entry 9 makes eight enchiladas, and entry 15 cuts into 16 bars.
• Making it a day ahead: entries 14 and 15 both need cooling and chilling anyway, and entries 2 and 3 keep for several days.
• Cooking from a whole pumpkin: entries 4, 6, 10, 12 and 17.
• Never cooked with pumpkin: start with entry 1 or 7, where the flavor is mild and hard to get wrong.

Allergen and Dietary Notes

These are drawn from the ingredient lists as written above. Substitutions were not tested.

• Milk: entries 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, plus the cheese and sour cream toppings on entry 7.
• Eggs: entries 1, 2, 3, 14, 15 and 16. Eggs set the custard in entries 14 and 15, and there’s no reliable swap for them there.
• Wheat and gluten: entries 1, 3, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15 and 16. No gluten-free versions were developed.
• Tree nuts: entry 2 (pecans, optional), entry 10 (walnuts) and entry 17 (pistachios and almonds). Entry 2 and entry 10 work without the nuts. In entry 17, toasted pepitas can take their place.
• Sesame: entry 11 (tahini). There is no true one-to-one swap. Sunflower seed butter would change the flavor noticeably.
• Dairy-free as written: entry 4 (with the coconut milk), entries 5, 6, 11 and 12, and entry 7 without the toppings. The other recipes rely on butter, milk, cheese or cream cheese, and no dairy-free versions were developed for them.

Chocolate chips, graham crackers, tortillas and packaged broth often contain soy or other allergens, so read those labels. Cross-contamination and individual sensitivity vary. Anyone with an allergy should check every ingredient and label themselves.

Equipment Notes

Most of the list needs only a standard kitchen, but a few recipes call for specific pieces.

• Blender or immersion blender: entry 4.
• Food processor: entry 11. Entry 17 is quicker with the grating disk, though a box grater works.
• 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, plus pie weights or dried beans: entry 14.
• 9 x 5-inch loaf pan: entry 3.
• 8-inch square pan: entries 2 and 15.
• 9 x 13-inch baking dish: entry 9.
• Hand mixer: entries 15 and 16 (a whisk or a strong spoon does the job with softened ingredients).
• Wide, heavy pan: entry 17.

Tips

• Make your own pumpkin pie spice. For 1 tablespoon, mix 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or cloves. Entries 1, 2, 3, 15, 16 and 18 all use it.
• Freeze leftover puree in measured portions. The recipes use anywhere from 2 tablespoons (entry 18) to a full can (entry 14). Freeze 1/2-cup portions in small bags or containers, or freeze it in an ice cube tray (many cubes hold about 2 tablespoons), label it with the date, and thaw in the fridge.
• Buy the pumpkin for the whole plan. A pumpkin of 5 to 6 pounds gives enough peeled flesh for two of entries 4, 6, 10 and 17, and seeds for entry 12.
• Steady the pumpkin before cutting. Slice a thin piece off the base so it sits flat, then cut through the top and split it in half. A pumpkin that rocks is how knives slip.

Common Mistakes

Using pumpkin pie filling instead of puree. The cans sit close together on the shelf, and pie filling (also sold as pumpkin pie mix) already contains sugar and spices. It isn’t a swap for any recipe here. The fix is to check the label for a can that lists pumpkin and nothing else.

Skipping the draining step on fresh puree. Roasted pumpkin flesh holds more water than canned puree, which turns bread gummy and makes the pie filling weep. Drain fresh puree in a fine sieve for 30 minutes, or cook it a few minutes in a dry pan.

Overmixing thick batters. Puree makes batters heavy, and extra stirring builds gluten, so pancakes, bread and cookies come out dense. Fold until the flour disappears and stop.

Baking custards until the center is firm. Entries 14 and 15 keep cooking from residual heat after they leave the oven. Pull them while the center still wobbles slightly, or they turn rubbery and crack.

Storage, Reheating, Freezing, and Make-Ahead

Refrigerator. The USDA advises eating refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. That covers entries 4 to 11 and 17, and the baked goods in entries 1 to 3, 13 and 16, stored airtight. Keep the dressing separate from the greens in entry 10 until serving.

Custard desserts. The pie (14) and the cheesecake bars (15) contain eggs and dairy and belong in the fridge. Don’t leave them out longer than the USDA’s 2-hour limit for perishable food.

Freezing. Soup, curry and chili (4, 5 and 7) freeze well in portions. So do pancakes (1), baked oatmeal squares (2), bread slices (3), flatbreads (13) and baked cookies (16), wrapped well with parchment between layers where they’d stick. Mac and cheese (8) and the salad (10) don’t freeze well.

Reheating. Warm leftover chicken, chili, enchiladas and soup until steaming hot throughout, to 165°F (74°C) per USDA guidance. Loosen mac and cheese with a splash of milk. Warm pancakes in a toaster and flatbreads in a dry skillet for 30 seconds a side.

Make-ahead. Bake the pie and the bars the day before serving, since both need to chill. Entry 11 tastes a little better after 30 minutes in the fridge, and the baked oatmeal can be portioned on the day you bake it and reheated over the next few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

Not in these recipes. Pumpkin pie filling, sometimes labeled pumpkin pie mix, already has sugar and spices in it, and sometimes thickeners, so it would throw off the sweetness in the bakes and taste wrong in the savory dishes. The swap only works in the other direction. Puree plus your own sugar and spices makes pie filling, which is what entry 14 does.

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned puree?

Yes. Halve a sugar pumpkin, sometimes labeled a pie pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, and roast the halves cut-side down at 375°F (190°C) for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Scoop out the flesh, blend it smooth and drain it in a fine sieve for 30 minutes. After draining, use it 1 to 1 for canned. Large carving pumpkins are stringy and watery, so save those for the seeds.

What can I use instead of pumpkin puree?

Roasted and pureed butternut squash or kabocha is the closest match in color, texture and mild sweetness. Sweet potato works too, but it’s sweeter and starchier, so taste sweet batters and doughs before adding all the sugar. Drain any homemade puree first, as in the answer above.

Can I get two recipes out of one can?

Yes, because a 15-ounce can holds about 1 3/4 cups and most recipes here use 1 cup or less. Entry 5 or 7 (1 cup each) plus entry 13 (1/2 cup) uses 1 1/2 cups, and so does entry 8 paired with entries 1 and 11. Entry 14 needs the whole can by itself.

Which of these recipes can I make ahead?

Entries 14 and 15 are best made a day ahead, since they need to cool and chill anyway. Soup, curry and chili reheat well across several days, and the baked oatmeal and bread keep too. Entries 8 and 10 are at their best fresh, so cook those last.

Why did my pumpkin bread turn out gummy or sink in the middle?

The two usual causes are underbaking and watery puree. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, and avoid opening the oven door before the last 15 minutes. If you used fresh puree, drain it first, and let the loaf cool for at least an hour before slicing, since the crumb is still setting.

Which of these recipes are dairy-free?

Entries 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12 are dairy-free as written, as is entry 7 without the cheese and sour cream. Every other recipe uses butter, milk, cheese, yogurt or cream cheese. No dairy-free versions of those were developed, so anyone avoiding dairy should check each ingredient list.

Where to Start

What sets these pumpkin recipes apart is whether they start with a can or a whole pumpkin. Thirteen skip the peeling entirely. Entries 4, 6, 10 and 17 don’t, and in the first three the extra work buys browned, roasted edges that puree can’t give you. If you can’t decide where to begin, entries 1 and 7 keep the pumpkin flavor mild, and entry 14 is the one to save for a day when you can let it cool without watching the clock.