20 Genius Ways to Use Canned Pumpkin -- It's More than Just Pie Filling!

By Rebecca Farley
July 24, 2015
Yes, truly there is more to canned pumpkin than pie making: pumpkin butter, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pasta...and more! Don't let fall slip away without trying these recipes.
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Credit: Bryan Gardner

Pumpkin puree, especially abundant on grocery-store shelves in the fall, is a convenient and nutrient-rich pantry staple. Stock up, then think outside the pie plate!

Health Benefits: You reap all the goodness of pumpkin without the fuss of slicing, roasting, and scooping out the squash. One half-cup serving of pumpkin has a mere 42 calories and provides a full serving of vegetables, 14 percent of your daily quota for fiber, about 380 percent of your recommended immunity-boosting vitamin A, and healthy doses of vitamin C and potassium.

Shopping Tip: Make sure you grab a can of the real deal (the ingredient list should have just one item: pumpkin) and not pie mix, which is packed with added sugar and has more calories and sodium.

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Pumpkin Grilled Cheese

Credit: Alpha Smoot
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Gooey melted cheddar gets an assist from pumpkin puree and fresh sage in this sweet-and-savory grilled cheese.

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Pumpkin Waffles

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Too early for pumpkin pie? Enter these fall-perfect waffles made with pumpkin puree and warming spices and finished with toasted pumpkin seeds.

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Warm Pumpkin Pudding with Hard Sauce

Credit: John Kernick
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Swap out the usual dates for pumpkin puree in this Thanksgiving take on sticky toffee pudding. And what is hard sauce, you ask? It’s the fluffy concoction you get when you cream butter and sugar with booze -- in this case, bourbon -- and it makes this dessert even more irresistible.

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Pumpkin Spread

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Got a little bit left in the can? Make this spicy maple compound butter and put it on everything.

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Credit: Mike Krautter
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How can you possibly make cinnamon rolls even more ooey-gooey and irresistible? By adding pumpkin and spice and everything nice.

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Pumpkin Roulade with Mascarpone and White Chocolate

Credit: Mike Krautter
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White chocolate ganache mixed with mascarpone and orange zest makes a sensational filling for this rolled pumpkin cake.

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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Credit: linda xaio
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Use pumpkin puree to add an extra boost of flavor to your favorite cinnamon sugar cookie. 

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Penne with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

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Here's another way to put pumpkin on your pasta: with a creamy, cheesy sauce finished with fried rosemary.

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Pumpkin Smoothie

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Here's a pumpkin-spice breakfast treat that's actually good for you: Blend nutrient-packed pumpkin puree and banana with fresh ginger, cinnamon, and a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweet start to your day.

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Pumpkin Scones

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Tender pumpkin-spice scones are the perfect fall brunch pastry.

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Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

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With their cakelike interior and sugar-coated exterior, these muffins capture the essence of doughnuts but are much easier to make.

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Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Dulce de Leche

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Don't forget to top this sticky-sweet dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

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Pumpkin-Chocolate Tiramisu

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Like a pumpkin spice latte plus chocolate in cake form. Yes, please!

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Pumpkin, Sage, and Browned-Butter Cakes

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Better than banana bread? We do love pumpkin bread, and the addition of sage to these mini loaves is unexpected -- and totally addictive.

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Pumpkin Bars

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Oh, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves: A touch of spice goes oh-so nice with pumpkin in cake form. Fluffy cream cheese frosting takes the dessert to the next level.

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Pumpkin-Chocolate Whoopie Pies

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Who knew pumpkin and chocolate were meant to be together? We did, and you will once you try this recipe.

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Pumpkin Flan in a Pastry Shell

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They may look like mini pies, but these custardy Spanish desserts are their own glorious entity.

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Pumpkin-Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches

Credit: John Lawton
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Homemade pumpkin ice cream + homemade gingerbread cookies = the best kind of summer-fall fusion.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Crunch Bites

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Team a buttery graham cracker crust with a rich pumpkin-cream cheese filling and crunchy streusel-like pecan topping for these crowd-pleasing bars.

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Pumpkin Pasta

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Pumpkins, kale, and sun-dried tomato pesto come together in this deliciously savory recipe.

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By Rebecca Farley