Food & Cooking Recipes Seasonal Recipes Fall Recipes 18 Pumpkin Puree Recipes That Capture the Flavors of Fall Embrace pumpkin spice season with these sweet and savory recipes. By Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley is an associate food editor for Martha Stewart Living. Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 21, 2024 Close If you’re anything like us, you always have a few cans of pumpkin puree on hand this time of year. Canned pumpkin is just the thing for all kinds of seasonal recipes, sweet and savory alike. It adds a pure pumpkin flavor to pies, cookies, and even ice cream. And the best part is, you don’t have to cook and mash your own pumpkin. Using canned pumpkin puree is a convenient shortcut to use, especially during the holidays when you have more important things to think about. Just like a lot of canned fruits and vegetables, pumpkin is pureed and preserved when it's perfectly ripe and in season, so each can is guaranteed to be sweet. It can add moisture to baked goods and a creamy texture to pasta and sandwich spreads. We’ll show you how to incorporate canned pumpkin into your favorite autumn recipes, whether you’re using the whole can or need to use up a few leftover spoonfuls. 10 Fresh Pumpkin Recipes for Fall That Go Beyond Pie 01 of 18 Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie With Phyllo Crust Christopher Testani Switch up your pumpkin pie routine this year with this five-spice version. The Chinese spice blend adds new layers of flavor to the custard filling—it’ll keep your friends and family guessing. Using layers of crisp, buttery phyllo dough is a fun spin on traditional pie crust. View Recipe 02 of 18 Penne With Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Canned pumpkin puree and Parmesan cheese make luscious pasta sauce even more creamy and delicious. The pumpkin adds a hint of sweetness to this perfectly al dente pasta, which is topped with crispy bits of fried rosemary. View Recipe 03 of 18 Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Cream-Cheese Filling Yossy Arefi Pumpkin puree contributes to the soft, cakey texture of these whoopie pies. Each individual cake is sandwiched with a silky smooth cream cheese frosting, which cuts the sweetness and adds a burst of flavor to each bite. Don’t be surprised if you make your way through two or more of these pies. View Recipe 04 of 18 Pumpkin-Orange Bread Marcus Nilsson This delicious bread is perfect for an after-school snack or to accompany tea. The orange flavor complements the pumpkin nicely, and the pepitas on top add some nice crunch. The batter comes together very quickly, thanks to the canned pumpkin puree. View Recipe 05 of 18 Ruffled Pumpkin Milk Pie Johnny Miller A fun twist on Greek galatopita, or milk pie, this pumpkin version will delight anyone who's ever enjoyed a pumpkin-spiced drink of any kind. It's also stunningly beautiful, with phyllo pastry shaped into ruffles—a technique that's much easier than it sounds! View Recipe 06 of 18 Gluten-Free Spiced Pumpkin Pie linda xiao Almonds and crispy rice cereal make the crumbly crust for this gluten-free pie. We use canned pumpkin in the custard filling and plenty of warming spices to bring out the sweet squash flavor. View Recipe 07 of 18 Pumpkin Snickerdoodles linda xaio Once you try these, you'll wonder why haven't always been making snickerdoodles with pumpkin puree. It's a fun and delicious variation, with a cake-like center that is sure to please cookie lovers. View Recipe 08 of 18 Pumpkin Pancakes Sang An Whip up a short stack with just a few tablespoons of leftover pumpkin puree. This standard batter has a hint of spice and makes for the fluffiest pancakes. Stir some cinnamon sugar into softened butter to spread over the top if you want something extra special. View Recipe 09 of 18 Pumpkin Cornbread These crumbly cornbread muffins are a great addition to any dinner this time of year, even the Thanksgiving table! Both pumpkin puree and buttermilk keep them moist and tender, while molasses adds a hint of sweetness. Serve them warm with softened butter for spreading. View Recipe 10 of 18 Pumpkin Spice Cake With Honey Frosting Each bite of this cake is reminiscent of the beloved pumpkin spice latte. Warming spices and smooth pumpkin create a flavorful cake, and the honey-infused cream cheese frosting is just sweet enough. View Recipe 11 of 18 Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing These cookies will remind you of little pumpkin cakes, with a richly flavored brown butter icing to top them off. They're a delicious treat for fall, great for lunches and afternoon snacks. View Recipe 12 of 18 Pumpkin Custard These custards are like pumpkin pie minus the crust. You get all the deliciousness of the spiced pumpkin filling in an individual serving that can be eaten with a spoon. Top with whipped cream for an added treat. View Recipe 13 of 18 Pumpkin Grilled Cheese Alpha Smoot Pumpkin puree isn’t just for pie and other sweet treats. A generous smear of leftover pumpkin is just the thing to take grilled cheese to the next level—pair it with tangy Dijon mustard, nutty white cheddar cheese, and a few fresh sage leaves. View Recipe 14 of 18 Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins A super popular recipe, these doughnut muffins are baked in a muffin tin but have the cake-like consistency of a doughnut on the inside. Tossed with cinnamon sugar, they're hard to resist. View Recipe 15 of 18 Pumpkin Pie Canned pumpkin puree is an easy shortcut to take when making pumpkin pie. This filling is spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Make a flaky homemade pie crust or use your favorite store-bought dough. View Recipe 16 of 18 Pumpkin Spread Leftover pumpkin puree can be mixed into a maple-sweetened compound butter. Spread it over toasted bread, waffles, pancakes, biscuits, and more. View Recipe 17 of 18 Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies David Prince Bittersweet chocolate is added to half of the batter, while seasonal pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg are stirred into the other half. Both batters are swirled together in the pan before baking, so each bite you take will have a little bit of each flavor. View Recipe 18 of 18 Easy Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting Mike Krautter A delightful dessert that's a blend between sheet cake and bar cookie, this is a great option for those people who aren't so keen on pumpkin pie. The cake is moist and dense, with a fluffy icing on top. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit