Soft pumpkin cutout cookies made with nutty brown butter and warm fall spices, then sandwiched around a thick vanilla cream cheese filling. These beautiful pumpkin sandwich cookies are a fun fall baking project for kids, gatherings, gifting and Thanksgiving.
Read MoreThere’s something about the first pumpkin recipe of the year that makes it officially feel like fall in our kitchen.
Over the years, I’ve made pumpkin into just about everything — cookies, cakes, breakfast recipes, cocktails and even a creamy pasta dinner. So instead of making you search through the blog for all of them, I wanted to gather some of my favorites into one place.
These 13 pumpkin recipes include a little bit of everything. There are easy treats to bake with the kids, cozy recipes for slow fall mornings, desserts worthy of Thanksgiving and even a savory pumpkin dinner when you want something completely different.
If you have a can of pumpkin waiting in the pantry, start here.
Pumpkin is one of those ingredients that can go in so many directions. Pair it with cinnamon, brown sugar and warm spices and it instantly feels like fall baking, but pumpkin is just as good in savory recipes with cheese, herbs and sausage.
In this collection you'll find:
Pumpkin cookies and bars
Cakes, muffins and sweet breads
Fall breakfast recipes
Pumpkin desserts
A pumpkin cocktail
A savory pumpkin pasta
Most importantly, these are recipes that have actually made their way into my kitchen over the years — and several have become recipes I look forward to making again when fall comes around.
Here are 13 to save for the season.
If you want a cookie that tastes unmistakably like fall, start with these Pumpkin Molasses Cookies.
Pumpkin and molasses make them soft and chewy, while cinnamon, ginger and cloves bring in all of those warm flavors I want once fall baking begins. They're especially good with a cup of coffee or cider and make such a cozy afternoon treat.
And there's a reason I'm putting these first: if you have any left over, you can use them again in the pumpkin ice cream further down this list.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are one of the newest additions to my fall recipe collection, and they're such a fun one to make when pumpkin season begins.
They have that classic soft sugar-cookie feel with a seasonal pumpkin twist, making them perfect for everything from an afternoon of fall baking to Halloween and Thanksgiving treats.
They're also such a sweet recipe to make with little helpers in the kitchen.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Pumpkin bread gets even better when you add plenty of chocolate.
This Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Loaf is moist, warmly spiced and filled with pockets of melted chocolate. Serve a slice alongside your morning coffee, pack it up for an afternoon treat or warm it slightly for dessert.
You can use milk or dark chocolate depending on what you love — or whatever happens to already be in the pantry.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Loaf
Pumpkin recipes don't have to stop at baking.
This Pumpkin Espresso Martini combines espresso, pumpkin and warm fall flavors for a seasonal spin on a classic espresso martini. It's a fun cocktail for fall dinner parties, Halloween gatherings or Thanksgiving when you want to serve something a little more special after dinner.
Finish it with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg and a few coffee beans for that cocktail-bar finishing touch.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Espresso Martini
There is a lot happening in these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, in the very best way.
You get soft pumpkin muffins, a creamy cheesecake-style center and buttery streusel on top. They're somewhere between breakfast and dessert, which is exactly where some of my favorite fall baking recipes belong.
Make them for a slow weekend breakfast or add them to a fall brunch spread.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel Topping
Remember those Pumpkin Molasses Cookies from the beginning?
This is what you can make with the leftovers.
My Pumpkin Ice Cream with Pumpkin Molasses Cookie Chunks takes pumpkin ice cream and folds in pieces of those soft, spiced cookies for a fall dessert that's completely different from the usual pumpkin pie.
It's also a fun way to turn one fall baking day into two separate desserts.
For the pumpkin lovers who want to start before dessert, these Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats bring fall flavor straight to breakfast.
The oats have the cozy pumpkin-pie flavors you expect, but my favorite part is the hard chocolate shell on top. Crack through the chocolate to get to the creamy pumpkin oats underneath.
Prep them the night before and breakfast is already waiting in the refrigerator the next morning.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats with a Chocolate Shell
Brown butter, pumpkin and chocolate in one warm skillet is pretty hard to beat.
This Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet is baked until the edges are golden while the center stays soft and gooey. The brown butter adds that deep, nutty flavor that works so well with pumpkin and chocolate.
Serve it warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream on top and let everyone dig in.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing take one of my favorite breakfast treats and give it a pumpkin-season spin. They're soft, sweet and filled with those warm flavors that make the entire kitchen smell amazing while they're baking.
Save these for a cozy weekend morning, fall brunch or holiday breakfast.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Crumble is one of those recipes that works just as well for breakfast as it does sitting on the counter for everyone to sneak a piece throughout the afternoon.
The pumpkin cake is soft and moist, while the buttery pecan crumble gives the top a little crunch.
It's especially good alongside a hot cup of coffee — hence the name — and makes a beautiful addition to a fall brunch.
These Pumpkin Swirl Brownies combine rich chocolate brownie batter with a warmly spiced pumpkin mixture, swirled together before baking. The marbled top makes them particularly pretty for fall entertaining, but they're just as welcome for an ordinary night at home.
Chocolate may not be the first flavor you think of when you hear “pumpkin spice,” but these make a very good argument for the combination.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
This Baked Burrata Pumpkin Ziti with Pork Sausage is for the nights when you want pumpkin season to make its way onto the dinner table, too.
Pumpkin sauce, pasta, pork sausage and creamy burrata come together in a hearty baked pasta that's especially good once the evenings start getting colder. If you've only ever used pumpkin for baking, this is a fun way to try it in a completely different direction.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Baked Burrata Pumpkin Ziti with Pork Sausage
And we're ending with one that feels worthy of the holiday table.
This Pumpkin Tiramisu gives the classic Italian dessert a fall-inspired twist with pumpkin, mascarpone, warm spices and coffee-soaked ladyfingers.
It's creamy, rich and beautiful enough to serve for Thanksgiving, but you can also prepare it ahead of time — which is exactly the kind of dessert I appreciate when I'm hosting.
→ GET THE RECIPE: Pumpkin Tiramisu
If you're staring at this list wondering where to begin, here's how I'd choose:
For a cozy fall breakfast:
Pumpkin Coffee Cake or Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
For baking with the kids:
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
For the chocolate lover:
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies or Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
For an easy make-ahead breakfast:
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
For fall entertaining:
Pumpkin Espresso Martinis
For a cozy dinner:
Baked Burrata Pumpkin Ziti
For Thanksgiving dessert:
Pumpkin Tiramisu
For something completely different:
Pumpkin Ice Cream with Pumpkin Molasses Cookie Chunks
A few little things make pumpkin recipes even better:
Don't confuse pumpkin purée with pumpkin pie filling. Unless a recipe specifically calls for pie filling, you generally want plain pumpkin purée so you can control the sweetness and spices yourself.
Measure the pumpkin according to the individual recipe. A little extra pumpkin can change the moisture level of baked goods more than you might expect.
Give warm spices a chance to shine. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg are some of the flavors that pair especially well with pumpkin.
Don't forget the chocolate. Pumpkin and chocolate are such a good combination, especially in the loaf, brownies and cookie skillet in this collection.
Save your leftovers. The Pumpkin Molasses Cookies becoming cookie chunks for Pumpkin Ice Cream might be my favorite example in this entire roundup.
My favorite pieces I use in every recipe:
Once pumpkin season starts, there are plenty of other fall recipes worth bringing back into the kitchen.
My picks would be:
Maple Bacon Fall Salad with Apples, Feta & Maple Walnuts
A savory fall recipe with crisp apples, bacon, feta and maple walnuts.
Apple Pie Overnight Oats
A make-ahead breakfast filled with cinnamon apples and maple flavor.
Walnut Chicken Stuffed Pumpkins
One of the more unique savory recipes to make when pumpkins are in season.
Perfect for cozy evenings and festive celebrations.
I love having posts like this to come back to when a new season begins. Instead of trying to remember which pumpkin recipe I made a few years ago or searching through old posts, they're all here in one place.
Some are recipes for slow fall mornings, some are meant for sharing around the table, and some are simply an excuse to open that first can of pumpkin and make the kitchen smell like fall.
I hope you find a few to make this season — and maybe one that becomes a recipe you come back to every fall.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Psalm 34:8
Made with love for the people you love.
Pumpkin season has a way of finding its way into just about everything in my kitchen, and this Pumpkin Tiramisu is one of my favorite ways to turn those cozy fall flavors into a dessert that feels a little more special.
It starts with ladyfingers quickly dipped in sweetened, pumpkin-spiced espresso. They're layered with a rich mascarpone filling made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice and freshly whipped cream, then the entire dessert chills until all of those layers come together.
The result is creamy and rich with plenty of coffee flavor, but still unmistakably fall.
And possibly my favorite part? You can make it ahead. Give it at least four hours in the refrigerator before serving, or prepare it the night before Thanksgiving or a fall dinner party and have dessert completely taken care of before your guests arrive. The original recipe calls for at least four hours of chilling after assembly.
It's a fun twist on classic tiramisu. You still get mascarpone, espresso-soaked ladyfingers and cocoa, with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice bringing in the fall flavor.
It's made for pumpkin and coffee lovers. The pumpkin doesn't replace the espresso flavor — the two work together.
You can make it ahead. Assemble it earlier in the day or the night before and let the refrigerator do the rest.
There's no last-minute baking. Once the components are prepared and layered, the dessert simply needs to chill.
It's beautiful enough for Thanksgiving. The layers and cocoa-dusted top make this one of those desserts that looks impressive without needing elaborate decorating.
Traditional tiramisu is an Italian dessert built around layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a creamy mascarpone mixture.
This recipe is a fall-inspired variation rather than a traditional Italian tiramisu. I add pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to the mascarpone filling and another touch of pumpkin pie spice to the espresso mixture.
The top is finished simply with cocoa powder and a little more pumpkin spice.
You still get the creamy mascarpone, tender coffee-soaked ladyfingers and cocoa that make tiramisu so good, but with a seasonal pumpkin layer running through it.
There aren't many complicated ingredients here, but a few are especially important.
Ladyfingers — also called savoiardi — are light sponge biscuits traditionally used for tiramisu. Their dry, airy texture makes them especially good at absorbing espresso while still providing structure for the layers.
For this recipe, you'll need 2 packages of ladyfingers.
Mascarpone gives tiramisu its signature rich and creamy texture. You'll use 16 ounces in this recipe.
Use ½ cup plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin gets mixed directly into the mascarpone layer.
You'll need ¾ cup cooled espresso for dipping the ladyfingers.
Let it cool before you begin assembling the tiramisu.
Pumpkin pie spice is used in several parts of the dessert: in the pumpkin mascarpone filling, in the espresso mixture and as part of the finishing dusting on top.
Whipping the cream separately until stiff peaks form gives the pumpkin mascarpone layer a lighter texture once it's folded together.
There are a few separate components, but none of them are particularly complicated. I find it easiest to prepare everything first and then assemble the tiramisu all at once.
Add 3 room-temperature egg yolks and ⅔ cup granulated sugar to a heat-safe bowl and whisk until combined.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.
Continue whisking the mixture constantly until it thickens and feels hot to the touch, approximately 10 minutes. Constant whisking also prevents a film from developing over the top.
Remove the bowl from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Don't walk away from the egg mixture while it's over the simmering water. Keep whisking the entire time. You want it to thicken gently without the bowl touching the water underneath.
In a separate bowl, whip ¾ cup cold heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator while you prepare the mascarpone mixture.
In a third bowl, mix the mascarpone until smooth.
Whisk in the cooled egg mixture until everything is combined, being careful not to overmix it to the point that it becomes runny.
Add the pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice.
Finally, gently fold in the cold whipped cream until the filling is fully incorporated.
This is what creates that thick, creamy pumpkin layer between the espresso-soaked ladyfingers.
Add the cooled espresso to a wide, shallow bowl with:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
A wide bowl makes dipping the ladyfingers much easier.
This little step can make a big difference.
You want the ladyfingers to absorb the espresso, but you don't want to leave them sitting in it.
Dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture for no more than about one second per side, making sure it gets coated, and then immediately transfer it to your baking dish. That's the timing used in the original recipe.
If they're soaked for too long, they'll become overly soft before the tiramisu has even had time to chill.
Quick dip → flip → quick dip → into the pan.
Arrange the dipped ladyfingers in a single layer across the bottom of your dish. Fit them together so the bottom is completely covered.
Spread half of the pumpkin mascarpone filling evenly over the ladyfingers.
Then repeat:
Espresso-soaked ladyfingers → pumpkin mascarpone filling.
Smooth the top, cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator. The original method uses two layers and calls for refrigerating the assembled tiramisu for four hours before serving.
I make my tiramisu in my 360 Cookware Bake & Roast Pan — the same pan referenced in my original recipe.
Give your tiramisu at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
This gives the dessert time to set and allows the espresso-soaked ladyfingers and creamy pumpkin mascarpone layers to come together.
You can also prepare it the night before, which is one of the reasons I love this dessert for entertaining.
Once the tiramisu has chilled, finish the top with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice seasoning.
That simple dusting gives you the classic cocoa finish while tying the top back into the pumpkin-spiced filling underneath.
Then slice, serve and enjoy.
This may be my favorite reason to make this for Thanksgiving.
The dessert needs refrigerator time anyway, so there's no benefit to waiting until the last minute to prepare it.
Make the tiramisu the day before, cover it and refrigerate it overnight. Then you have one less thing to think about while you're making everything else for Thanksgiving dinner.
I'd wait to give the top its final cocoa and pumpkin-spice dusting until closer to serving so it looks freshly finished.
Cool the espresso. Don't dip your ladyfingers into piping-hot espresso.
Dip quickly. About one second per side is enough.
Let the cooked egg mixture cool. It should come back to room temperature before you combine it with the mascarpone.
Don't overmix the mascarpone filling. Once everything is smooth and incorporated, stop mixing.
Fold in the whipped cream. Don't aggressively beat it into the filling.
Plan for at least four hours of chilling. This isn't a dessert to assemble right before dinner.
Overnight is even easier for entertaining. Get dessert out of the way the day before.
Because tiramisu already has coffee incorporated into the dessert, serving it with a fresh cup of coffee or espresso is an obvious choice.
For a fall dinner party, I also love the idea of ending the night with Pumpkin Tiramisu while serving Pumpkin Espresso Martinis for anyone who wants a cocktail.
And if you're planning your fall baking list, I just gathered 13 of my favorite pumpkin recipes in one place, from cookies and cinnamon rolls to pumpkin coffee cake, brownies and savory pumpkin pasta.
These are the kitchen and baking pieces I reach for throughout fall baking season.
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup cold heavy whipping cream
16 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ cup pumpkin purée
¾ cup espresso, cooled
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 packages ladyfingers
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice seasoning
These quantities preserve the original recipe exactly.
In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and ⅔ cup granulated sugar until well combined.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.
Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and feels hot to the touch, approximately 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Add the cold heavy whipping cream to a separate bowl.
Using a hand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form.
Place in the refrigerator to keep cold while you prepare the mascarpone.
In another bowl, mix the mascarpone until smooth.
Whisk in the cooled egg mixture until combined, taking care not to overmix.
Add the vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin purée and mix until incorporated.
Gently fold in the whipped cream until evenly combined.
Pour the cooled espresso into a wide bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture for no more than approximately one second per side.
Arrange the dipped ladyfingers in a single layer across the bottom of your dish.
Spread half of the pumpkin mascarpone filling evenly over the ladyfingers.
Add another layer of quickly dipped ladyfingers followed by the remaining pumpkin mascarpone mixture.
Smooth the top.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Before serving, dust the top with the cocoa powder and pumpkin spice.
Slice and enjoy.
Yes. In fact, this is one of my favorite things about the recipe. It needs at least four hours to chill, so making it the night before works especially well when you're serving it for a holiday or dinner party.
Espresso is what the original recipe uses and gives the ladyfingers their coffee flavor. The recipe calls for ¾ cup cooled espresso.
Very quickly — approximately one second on each side. You want them saturated with flavor without allowing them to sit in the liquid and become overly soft.
No. This is my fall-inspired pumpkin variation on tiramisu. It uses recognizable tiramisu ingredients like mascarpone, ladyfingers, espresso and cocoa while adding pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice.
Absolutely. It's especially convenient for Thanksgiving because you can assemble it ahead of time and leave it in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of dinner.
Keep leftover Pumpkin Tiramisu covered and refrigerated.
13 Best Pumpkin Recipes to Make This Fall
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Crumble
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Whether you're making this for Thanksgiving, a fall dinner party or simply because pumpkin and coffee sounded too good to resist, save the recipe card below so it's easy to come back to whenever you're ready to make it.
Some of my favorite recipes are the ones that take something we already love and give it just enough of a seasonal twist to make it feel new again.
Tiramisu already has so many of my favorite things — espresso, mascarpone, layers of ladyfingers and that dusting of cocoa on top. Adding pumpkin and warm spices makes it feel right at home on a fall table.
And because it can be waiting in the refrigerator before everyone arrives, it's exactly the kind of dessert I love for gathering around the table.
I hope it becomes one you look forward to making when pumpkin season comes around, too.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Psalm 34:8
Made with love for the people you love.
Soft pumpkin cutout cookies made with nutty brown butter and warm fall spices, then sandwiched around a thick vanilla cream cheese filling. These beautiful pumpkin sandwich cookies are a fun fall baking project for kids, gatherings, gifting and Thanksgiving.
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Soft pumpkin cutout cookies made with nutty brown butter and warm fall spices, then sandwiched around a thick vanilla cream cheese filling. These beautiful pumpkin sandwich cookies are a fun fall baking project for kids, gatherings, gifting and Thanksgiving.
