Celebrate the unofficial holiday that is pumpkin season with these 15 favorite pumpkin desserts!
Are you like me and feel that every season is starting to creep into the last? What I mean is that every holiday season, official or unofficial, seems to be starting earlier and earlier. We’ve all seen those Christmas decorations showing up before Halloween, right?
I don’t think this is a bad thing, especially when it comes to seasonal dessert flavors. A good example is pumpkin desserts. It’s a distinct flavor tied to fall that its seasonality will always be at least somewhat baked in, but who doesn’t want to let pumpkin creep into more of their life? With that in mind, whether it’s early September or late February, here are some of my favorite pumpkin desserts to enjoy.
More Fall Dessert Recipes
Pumpkin Desserts
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Basque cheesecake with its mahogany-colored top and super-rich custardy interior is one of my all-time favorite desserts. I was inspired by the season to add roasted pumpkin and spices to the cheesecake base and it may not be traditional, but it’s delicious.
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I know pumpkin can be a divisive flavor, even inside families. Grandma may love it. Uncle Bob may hate it. But pumpkin is sure to end up on most Thanksgiving tables. I love these bars as a pumpkin compromise because they are a great way to ease into the Thanksgiving essential, and give a loving gesture to those who adore pumpkin.
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I made this Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Bundt Cake with my friend Andrew Zimmern last year. I recently made a pumpkin pie and roasted several pumpkins and squash, so I have lots of great gourd puree on hand and this is one of my all-time favorite cakes, so I wanted to share it with you.
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The pear and cranberry add a natural sweet and tart flavor to this wonderful take on a crisp or crumble. In true Minnesota fashion, I call it a “Hot Dish.”
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This is a simple and delicious spiced pumpkin cake that is perfect for any fall occasion. I shaped it like a pumpkin to make it a fun centerpiece for a Halloween party or Thanksgiving dessert table.
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The silky texture of pumpkin and cheesecake go together perfectly for this fall treat. The candied almond adds a crunchy texture to compliment the silky filling.
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This is a combination of my pumpkin spice bundt cake — another Midwestern classic — and a caramelly apple crisp. It’s perfect straight from the oven with a scoop of ice cream as dessert, then served warm the next morning for breakfast.
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A twist on basic pumpkin cake, this pumpkin spice cake is covered in beautifully torched balsamic cinnamon meringue with bittersweet ganache between the layers. This cake is made of several recipes from my book, Zoë Bakes Cakes.
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This recipe combines some wonderful flavors into a bread pudding that is warm, sweet and hearty. The pumpkin, spices, the prune combo is absolutely delicious.
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This cheesecake is topped with some beautiful red fruits, including sugared cranberries. The tartness combined with the crisp sugar coating is a perfect compliment to the smoothness of the cake.
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Pot de crème, which is essentially as decadent as creme brûlée, without the crack of caramel resting on top. The texture is like silk and the taste is lightly sweet, with just a slight bitter edge from the burnt sugar in the butterscotch. Check the recipe notes for a pumpkin version!
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This most and delicious cake combines two favorite fall flavors—apple and pumpkin—to create a wonderful treat for the season.
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All pumkin’d out? Check out my Thanksgiving Desserts collection where I share options for lots of flavor profiles.
- 1 1/2 pounds / 680g cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup / 200g granulated sugar
- 1 cup / 244g pumpkin puree roasted or canned
- 3/4 cup / 180g sour cream at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 3 yolks at room temperature
- 3 Tbsp / 25g all-purpose flour or corn starch
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
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Preheat oven to 475℉ and line a greased 8-inch x 3-inch tall springform pan with parchment paper.The easiest way to ensure the batter doesn’t get under the paper is to start with a rectangular piece of parchment and just push it down into the pan, smoothing some of the creases up the sides of the pan. Then, spray the inside of the parchment with cooking spray and place another piece of parchment going the other direction to ensure all sides of the pan are fully covered in parchment so the batter doesn’t get under the paper. Spray again and you’re ready to add the batter to the pan.
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese on medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and mix for another 30 seconds. Add the sugar and mix for about 1 minute, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla on medium speed until evenly mixed. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each. Mix for 30 seconds.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour, spices and salt. Add about 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture to the flour and whisk until smooth. Add back into the bowl of cream cheese and mix until uniformly blended.
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Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.
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Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. The center will still be quite wobbly, but not quite like liquid. If you over bake the cheesecake, it will lose its creamy texture, but still taste great. If the top isn’t quite dark enough, switch the oven to convection heat and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes.
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Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least several hours, but overnight is best.
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Slice with a thin bladed knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean after each slice.