Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

Now everyone can enjoy this moist, sweetly spiced fall favorite.

If you can't decide between pecan and pumpkin pie, then you'll appreciate our solution. This instant classic is so impressive and irresistible, you'll want to make it every year (if you can wait that long).

Chocolate wafer cookies create the crust of this dessert that always demands seconds.

The sweet winter squashes in this pie, which is lighter than the traditional pumpkin variety, sing with a hint of sage.

A chocolate cookie crust forms the base of these chocolate-swirled pumpkin cheesecake bars. They're a pretty, portable dessert that can be made up to two days ahead.

Nutmeg, ginger, and allspice season this light, fluffy confection perfectly.

Hand-held whoopie pies are a great dessert for kids -- but with a rich chocolaty filling between two soft pumpkin-flavored cookies, grown-ups will want in, too.

Rich, anise-scented pumpkin custard bakes with bread cubes and pecans in this rustic dessert. Drizzle it with homemade or store-bought dulce de leche just before serving.

An easy gingersnap crust sets this pumpkin pie apart. The silky-smooth custard filling is cooked on the stove top.

With a cakelike interior and sugar-coated exterior, these treats capture the essence of doughnuts without the mess of deep-frying. Buttermilk and pumpkin puree make them melt-in-your-mouth moist.

The Italian restaurant standby gets dressed up for Thanksgiving, with the addition of canned pumpkin puree, and almond liqueur replacing the espresso syrup. This is a perfect make-ahead dessert, as it tastes even better after it's been refrigerated overnight.

Maple syrup and lemon zest give a nuanced sweetness to the filling of this tart. Fold fresh breadcrumbs into the pumpkin custard before baking for a unique texture.

This pumpkin icebox pie is an easy solution to Thanksgiving dessert. This pumpkin pie gets its silky texture courtesy of cream cheese and gelatin, rather than the usual baked custard filling. Plus, the only baking involved is for the graham-cracker crust.

Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves give this pumpkin cake a warm, comforting holiday flavor. The easy honey-and-cream-cheese frosting adds a sweet and tangy flourish. This recipe works well in a square pan or a loaf pan.

The filling of this traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie is lighter than some, as it's made with evaporated milk rather than cream. The fluted crust is blind baked for 30 minutes before the pumpkin custard is poured in to ensure that it's golden-brown and flaky from top to bottom.

Either roasted-sugar-pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin may be used to make the filling of this pie, which is poured into a press-in graham crust made with whole-wheat flour, ground pepitas (pumpkin seeds), brown sugar, and a touch of cinnamon. The candied pepitas that top this pumpkin pie are seasoned with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Ground ginger adds bright flavor to this pumpkin bread drizzled with an easy confectioners'-sugar glaze. Serve this moist bread for Thanksgiving breakfast, or for dessert with a dollop of rum-spiked whipped cream.

This pumpkin pie features an exceptionally creamy spiced-pumpkin filling. The whipped-cream topping is stabilized with gelatin so it doesn't collapse, making it possible to assemble the entire pie the day before Thanksgiving.

This pumpkin Bundt cake, spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, is a wonderful treat when served with coffee or tea after Thanksgiving dinner. It also makes a perfect potluck dessert. If you don't have cake flour, you can substitute 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus a 1/2 cup cornstarch.

In this upgraded pumpkin pie, a layer of bittersweet chocolate coats the graham-cracker crust, while semisweet chocolate adds depth and smoothness to the pumpkin custard filling. Make this pie the day before Thanksgiving to give the filling time to set in the refrigerator; drizzle on the melted milk-chocolate topping just before serving.

A chocolate cookie crust is coated with semisweet chocolate, which adds an extra layer of rich flavor and keeps the crust from getting soggy. The maple-sweetened pumpkin-custard filling can be made with homemade sugar-pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin.

A deep, dark caramel topping complements this richly spiced pumpkin flan. This is a refreshing alternative to the usual Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Butter is simmered on the stove top until it turns golden-brown in color and nutty in flavor, adding a sophisticated note to the confectioners' sugar icing. These soft, cakelike iced pumpkin cookies will be a welcome addition to a Thanksgiving dessert buffet.

The crust for this pumpkin pie tastes like a shortbread cookie, and is easy to make. No rolling pin required; just press it into the pan with your hands. The pumpkin custard pie is extra rich, thanks to a cup of heavy cream.

These are a Thanksgiving take on blondies, with pumpkin puree and a generous tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. Kids will love them, and so will the adults. Make sure to cool the pumpkin squares completely before slicing.