31 Pumpkin Purée Recipes, From Pancakes to Pasta
As soon as fall arrives, canned pumpkin purée earns a permanent spot in the pantry. After all, it’s shelf-stable and can be turned into a trillion recipes, sweet and savory alike. Just be sure you’re using plain canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
Some recipes, like our Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake, call for just half a can, while others, like Weeknight Pumpkin Chili, use the whole thing. But if you have leftover pumpkin purée hanging out in the fridge, consider it a good thing—it just means another pumpkin recipe is on the horizon. And if you’ve gone the extra mile to make pumpkin purée from fresh pumpkins, you overachiever, check the recipe before swapping it in: Homemade purée can be wetter than canned. So grab a scarf and let’s take a stroll, shall we?
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks1/31Ultra Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley2/31Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens5/31Pumpkin Bread With Salted Maple Butter
Fresh ginger gives this super-moist pumpkin bread a little kick, while pumpkin seeds add crunch. The secret to its tender crumb? Extra-virgin olive oil. And don’t skip the salted maple butter for slathering on every slice.
Read more: What Kind of Olive Oil Should You Use in Olive Oil Cake?
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker6/31Pumpkin and Cheddar Strata
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown, Prop Styling by Adrian ababovic, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi8/31Perfectly Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Micah Morton9/31Spiced Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Glaze
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers10/31Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
Photograph by Lucia Bell-Epstein, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, and Prop Styling by Erica Lutz12/31Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake
Pumpkin and chocolate cake batters combine for a dramatic marbled effect in this striking Bundt cake. A glossy chocolate ganache finishes the job. It looks like a project, but you don’t even need a mixer.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley13/31Pumpkin Mochi Crumb Cake
Classic crumb cake meets chewy, bouncy mochi in this pumpkin-spiced mash-up. Sweet rice flour gives the cake its distinctive texture, while a buttery pecan streusel adds crunch. It’s particularly good for sharing at Friendsgiving.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio14/31Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni15/31BA’s Best Pumpkin Pie
Silky filling, flaky crust, a whisper of spice: This is pumpkin pie done right. And there’s no need to roast and purée a fresh pumpkin—our favorite canned variety delivers the consistency we’re after.
Photography by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco16/31Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson18/31Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon–Sour Cream Topping
The caramelized notes of bourbon and tang of sour cream balance this classic Gourmet dessert. Chopped pecans give the graham cracker crust a little extra crunch.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones19/31Marbled Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski20/31Pecan-Rye Pumpkin Pie
Imagine a pumpkin pie with pecan pie’s best feature—obviously, the candied nut topping. A splash of rye whiskey adds a little malty complexity to this two-for-one Thanksgiving dessert.
Photography by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi22/31Pumpkin Flan de Queso
This autumnal riff on Puerto Rican flan de queso gets its exceptionally velvety texture from cream cheese. Pumpkin purée and warm spices bring the seasonal flavor, while a glossy caramel topping makes it hard to resist.
Photo by Tim Morris23/31Pumpkin and Brown-Sugar Crème Brûlée
What’s more satisfying than cracking through that caramelized sugar topping? Finding a luscious, pumpkin-spiced custard underneath. This recipe uses an entire can of purée, and you can finish the sugar under the broiler if you don’t own a kitchen torch.
Photography by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi24/31Pumpkin Tiramisu
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Linden Elstran, Food Styling Kaitlin Wayne25/313-Ingredient Curry Pumpkin Soup
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness26/31Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley27/31Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness28/31Weeknight Pumpkin Chili
A full can of pumpkin purée adds richness, body, and an autumnal hue to this speedy chili without making it taste like pumpkin pie. Ground beef, beans, and savory spices keep the flavors firmly in chili territory.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley29/31Pumpkin Bolognese
Adding pumpkin purée to Bolognese might not seem obvious, but it gives the sauce rich body without hours of simmering. Cooking it with tomato paste brings out its nutty, caramelized flavor.
Photograph by Doan Ly, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Christina Allen30/31Pumpkin Lasagna Roll-Ups
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley31/31No-Knead Pumpkin Focaccia
Canned pumpkin purée gives no-knead focaccia a golden hue, subtle sweetness, and plush crumb. Finish with rosemary and flaky salt (both optional, both recommended), and serve with a dish of olive oil for dipping.
