62 Best Pumpkin Recipes For Fall

After a long, hot summer, we're so excited for fall: leaves changing to fiery colors, cool and crisp air, bonfires, cozy sweaters, and of course, pumpkins. And we don't just mean pumpkins on our doorsteps and jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween — this is the time of year when we can't get enough of pumpkin spice and pumpkin treats. Puréed pumpkin blended into muffins, soups, breads, and cakes brings sweetness and harvest color. Pumpkin pie spice — typically a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice — adds so much warming flavor to drinks and sweets, and it even pairs well with savory dishes. 

Here's a round-up of the best pumpkin recipes on Mashed, covering everything from dinner to desserts. There are plenty of fall classics here, including soft pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and creamy pumpkin cheesecakes. Want to add a little pumpkin to your mornings? Try Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats or a batch of pumpkin donuts. Starbucks is the king of autumn treats, and you can easily recreate them at home with copycat recipes for Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Scones. You can even have pumpkin for dinner with savory recipes for pumpkin soup, pumpkin curry sauce, and pumpkin spice ramen. 

Stock up now on canned pumpkin purée and jars of pumpkin spice blend, then jump into dozens of delectable pumpkin recipes. 

When autumn rolls around, we can count on Starbucks to mark the occasion with all kinds of drinks, and treats, including the fall staple that is the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Those pricey lattes can add up, though, so here's a way to enjoy the cozy flavor at home. The latte mixture simmers up on the stovetop in about five minutes, with a blend of pumpkin spice, pumpkin purée, and milk. The recipes calls for instant coffee, but you can also make it with a shot of espresso or brewed coffee.

Recipe: Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

If you're used to buying scones at the store or bakery, you won't believe how easy they are to make at home. Pumpkin scones have fall flavor from pumpkin purée in the mix and spices such as nutmeg. Plus, they're tender and lightly sweet. The ingredients comes together in only 15 minutes: just enough handling to come together into a dough, then slice into wedges. The scones bake up quickly and are tasty with a drizzle of icing. Enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, or as a midday snack. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Scones

Long before pumpkin pie spice became the star of lattes and cheesecake, the OG pumpkin spice treat was a classic pumpkin pie. And this pumpkin pie recipe is so easy to make. Line a pie plate with store-bought pie crust dough, then make the filling using sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, and spices. The pie bakes up in 40 minutes; slices are delicious with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie

Here's one of the absolute best pumpkin treats. Warm slices of pumpkin bread spread with butter are sure to bring the cozy, cool weather vibes, no matter the time of year. The best thing about quick bread recipes, including this one, is that the batter mixes up quickly with no kneading required. Pumpkin bread takes just over an hour to bake, filling your home with an amazing, spicy scent as it does. Cooled loaves can be frozen and reheated slice by slice whenever you crave it. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread

There are all kinds of ways to enjoy the warming flavors of pumpkin and pumpkin spice, and this twist on a classic martini is one of our favorites. In the recipe from Jaime Shelbert, the rims of the cocktail glasses are dipped in maple syrup and a blend of graham crackers and pumpkin pie spice. To make the drink, blend vodka, hazelnut liqueur, spices, and cream, then strain the mixture into the glasses. It's perfect for a cool, autumn night or a weekend brunch.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Martini

Serve a stack of these warm pumpkin pancakes with real maple syrup, a side of bacon, and a hot cup of coffee, and you'll have a hometown diner vibe going on right in your kitchen. Just as easy to make as regular pancakes, this recipe includes pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice for lots of extra flavor. Best of all, Better Homes & Gardens shares that pancakes freeze well, so you can stash pumpkin pancakes in your freezer and easily reheat them on busy mornings or for a sweet snack. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pancakes

This is about to become your new favorite pumpkin treat. It takes the flavors of a classic pumpkin pie and an indulgent cheesecake and brings them together in easy-to-make and easy-to-serve bars. They're made with a graham cracker base topped with a layer of vanilla filling and then a layer of pumpkin filling. Unlike a regular cheesecake, no water bath is needed: Just bake, chill, slice, and serve. Make the bars any time of the year for an easy dessert treat, or in place of a pie for the holiday table. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Even if you haven't yet tried copycat versions of pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin cold brew, you should give this recipe for one of Starbuck's most famous menu items a try: pumpkin bread. Because it's a quick bread, it requires no kneading and it's easy to mix. Use a pumpkin spice blend, or customize the flavor with a balance of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. For the signature Starbucks look, top your loaf with toasted pepitas. Pumpkin bread freezes well, so you can always have it on hand to enjoy with your morning brew. 

Recipe: Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

Dairy Queen offers this favorite fall treat for just a short time each year, but this copycat recipe means you can blend up a batch any time you wish. Most people don't have soft-serve ice cream machines at home, so instead, this recipe combines vanilla ice cream and a little milk to create a soft base. The pumpkin pie flavor for this homemade blizzard come from 'Nilla wafer cookies and pumpkin purée, along with a dash of pumpkin spice. And it only takes five minutes to make.

Recipe: Copycat Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard

Pumpkin spice often brings to mind sweet dishes such as breads, ice cream, and sweet lattes — so it might be jarring at first to see a recipe for pumpkin spice ramen noodles. But the flavors of pumpkin spice, including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pumpkin itself are also delicious in savory dishes, such as these brothy noodles. Begin by making an easy base of vegetable broth, coconut milk, aromatics such as onion and ginger, and pumpkin purée. Simmer for just a half hour, then add the ramen noodles for a few minutes more. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Ramen Noodles

As you carve your jack-o'-lanterns, save those pumpkin seeds. It's easy to turn them into a tasty snack with your favorite sweet or savory spice blends. Sweet cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds last for months in the pantry, and they're a great choice to make and give away as gifts. This recipe also explains how to dry out your pumpkin seeds in the oven to get them ready for seasoning. Enjoy them as a snack by themselves or mixed into granola and trail mix.

Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

Got pumpkin? Whether you have a whole pumpkin to carve or some pre-sliced chunks from the store, it's a great excuse to make a batch of this pumpkin hummus. Roast the pumpkin pieces in the oven with a little oil and salt to bring out the sweetness as they caramelize. From there, use a blender or food processor to purée the pumpkin with classic hummus ingredients such as chickpeas, tahini, and garlic. Serve it with pita chips or crackers, or use this hummus as a spread in sandwiches.

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Hummus

Bob's Red Mill shares that there are a lot of reasons to love overnight oats. They save time over traditionally cooked oats, they're filling, and they can be customized with all kinds of flavors and mix-ins. If you need one more reason to love them, how about this pumpkin pie-inspired overnight oats? Regular oats are blended with coconut milk, pumpkin purée, chia seeds, and yogurt — and pumpkin pie spice, of course. After the oats rest overnight, add chopped nuts, grated nutmeg, whipped cream, or any other toppings you wish to this hearty breakfast treat. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

A few ingredients from the baking aisle will help you pull together a tasty and easy batch of pumpkin muffins. They're soft, fragrant, and have a crumbly, spiced, streusel topping. Boxed spice cake mix blended with a can of pumpkin purée are all that's needed to create the muffin batter: Once it's added to the muffin pan, top each one with the pumpkin spice crumble. The whole recipe including bake time is less than 30 minutes, and what a delicious breakfast or brunch treat these muffins make. Serve them with butter and jam. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

You can use this homemade caramel sauce in so many ways: as a topping for ice cream sundaes, to drizzle over pancakes and waffles, or to stir into a cup of hot cocoa. If you've never made homemade caramel, don't worry — it's easier than you think. This recipe shows you how to cook sugar and water until golden brown, then add in butter, cream, pumpkin, and spices to finish it off. It'll keep in your fridge for up to a week.

Recipe: Pumpkin Caramel Sauce

Everyone should try making homemade Pop Tarts at least once in their life. They're surprisingly easy and taste a thousand times better than the store-bought ones. Why not get started with this recipe for Pumpkin Pop Tarts? The pastry dough comes together in minutes using a food processor; from there, just roll it and cut out rectangles. The filling, made with pumpkin purée, brown sugar, and spices, is sealed inside the rectangular pockets before baking. Frost your pumpkin Pop Tarts with a quick glaze, sprinkles, or a dash of cinnamon.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pop Tarts

Freshly-made donut holes are a favorite to pick up in the fall at pumpkin patches and apple orchards — and now, you can make some at home, too. These donut holes are perfect for fall and holidays because they're made with pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice. Because the batter is quick to mix, you can make it at the same time you heat the oil, and each batch fries in just minutes. They're best eaten the day you make them; somehow, we don't think that will be a problem.

Recipe: Fried Pumpkin Donut Holes

Not all pumpkin recipes have to be sweet. This savory recipe has tender chunks of pumpkin in a savory and warming stew that's perfect for the cool days of fall. Look for precut pumpkin pieces, or buy sugar pumpkins, which are smaller and taste better than huge carving pumpkins. Filling your kitchen with the scent of garlic, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon, this stew simmers on your stovetop and is ready in less than an hour. Served with soft pita bread, it's perfect for dinner or as a make-ahead lunch. 

Recipe: Moroccan Pumpkin stew 

Enjoy this homemade pudding as a casual fall treat or as an enticing dessert option for the holidays. Made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, sugar, and plant-based milk, this easy pudding cooks on the stovetop in only 10 minutes. Chill the pudding for two hours to let it set, and you can even make it up to three days ahead of time. Serve the pudding with whipped cream or dairy free topping, crushed graham crackers, or toasted marshmallows. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pudding

According to The Culture Trip, pumpkin is a traditional ravioli filling in Northern Italy; the stuffed pasta is served with a sage and butter sauce. It's perfect in the fall at the height of pumpkin season, but these ravioli can be enjoyed throughout the year. This recipe uses wonton wrappers to save time, but you can also use pasta dough if you'd rather. Stuff the squares with a blend of pumpkin purée and Parmesan, then cook and serve with butter and sage. Another traditional pumpkin ravioli component? Crushed amaretti cookies sprinkled over the tops. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Ravioli

Soft, sugary, homemade donuts — what a treat to make for your family and friends. It's easy to whip up a batch of cinnamon sugar-dusted pumpkin donuts because the batter comes together in minutes, and no deep fryer is needed because they're baked in the oven. The only equipment you need is a donut pan, with donut-shaped wells to hold the batter. Look for pans from online sellers or at kitchen stores. If you happen to have a mini donut maker, you can use it with this recipe, too. 

Recipe: Baked Pumpkin Donuts

If you have four minutes, you have time to make a sweet and creamy dip that tastes like autumn. Blend together pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, and whipped topping (regular or dairy-free) to make this cool dip that's perfect for dunking slices of apple, graham crackers, and cookies. Pumpkin pie dip is right at home on a Halloween charcuterie board or for any fall or holiday spread. The dip can also be layered with whipped cream and crushed crackers or cookies to make cute parfaits. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Dip

From pumpkin bread to pumpkin lattes, Starbucks is the go-to place to get a much-needed taste of fall. This recipe makes it easy to recreate the flavors of their Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew at home. Two of the crucial components for this drink, pumpkin spice syrup and vanilla simple syrup, cook up quickly on the stovetop and best of all, they keep well in your fridge for weeks. Add these to your cold brew along with some frothed pumpkin cream and ice. 

Recipe: Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Try a delicious twist on traditional curry sauce with the addition of a little pumpkin. The sauce has Thai-inspired flavors from coconut milk, garlic, red chilies, and ginger, but with the flavor and brilliant orange color of pumpkin. Serve over rice with stir-fried veggies, chicken, or beef. Use the sauce for a fresh take on English chips and curry by serving it with french fries or tater tots. The curry sauce takes only 20 minutes from start to finish. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Curry Sauce

Biscotti are the best accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa: flavorful, crisp, and firm enough for lots of dunking. And it's easy to make this café treat at home. NPR shares that the word "biscotti" is derived from Latin and means "twice-baked" — and that's literally how this treat is made. Form an easy, no-knead dough into a rectangular loaf, bake it, slice it into pieces, then bake them again. Made with pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices, they're fragrant and tasty. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Biscotti

Everyone's in on the pumpkin spice game, including McDonald's, which have a Pumpkin Spice Latte as part of its seasonal McCafé menu offerings. We think you should skip the drive-thru, however, and make a latte at home in just five minutes. Simmer together a mixture of milk, pumpkin, and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg to make the creamy pumpkin base of this drink. Stir in your favorite instant coffee and sugar, and it's ready to serve. You can even chill the mixture in the fridge to enjoy iced pumpkin lattes. 

Recipe: Copycat McDonald's Pumpkin Spice Latte

As Martha Stewart explains, snickerdoodle cookies consist of chewy sugar cookies coated with cinnamon and sugar. This twist on that classic has pumpkin purée in the batter and pumpkin pie spices such as cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, along with the cinnamon. The cookie dough needs only a brief chill in the fridge, and then the cookies bake up in only 10 minutes. Kept tightly sealed, the cookies will last for over a week — assuming you don't eat them all the first day, that is.

Recipe: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

According to Country Living, pumpkin has many surprising health benefits including generous doses of vitamins C, E, and A, as well as fiber and protein. These are excellent reasons to add pumpkin to your daily smoothie, whether it's pumpkin spice season or not. This recipe blends canned pumpkin purée with milk (use a plant-based milk if you'd rather,) banana, and spices. Top your smoothie with a dash of nutmeg, whipped cream, sliced fruit, or cream cheese-flavored baking chips for a cheesecake vibe. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

You should always have a good coffee cake recipe bookmarked; it's such a versatile treat. Coffee cakes are welcome at brunches or showers, and when you have family or friends staying with you, a coffee cake is an easy morning dish. Or, make one for yourself, for several days' worth of breakfasts and snacks. This recipe combines pumpkin and brown sugar to make a beautiful, fall-flavored cake that bakes up in 30 minutes. Top the coffee cake with simple icing and cinnamon streusel.

Recipe: Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Make a homey pumpkin dish that's so comforting on chilly nights. Because it's prepared in an Instant Pot, this pasta is ready in just 10 minutes from start to finish. The thick sauce is made from a blend of sautéed onions, vegetable stock, coconut milk, pumpkin purée, plus miso paste and herbs. Penne pasta cooks in the Instant Pot along with the sauce — it's so easy. Enjoy Pumpkin Pasta as a meal with a side of bread or biscuits, or serve it as a side dish for roast chicken or other meaty mains. 

Recipe: Instant Pot Pumpkin Pasta

Use your regular or mini waffle maker to make up a batch of these spiced, pumpkin waffles. The batter is made with canned pumpkin purée, eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Serve the waffles hot off the iron with butter, maple syrup, and whipped cream. You can also let them cool, then freeze the waffles for an easy breakfast to reheat in the toaster. If you love the sweet-savory combination of waffles topped with fried chicken, this is a way to give that comfort food dish a whole new spin. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Waffles

A whole cake AND topping from only three ingredients — amazing. Create a tender pumpkin cake using boxed white cake mix plus canned pumpkin pie mix. Don't confuse this with pumpkin purée, which contains only pumpkin; pumpkin pie mix also has sugar, flavorings, and spices. For the topping just pour on some marshmallow fluff. It's reminiscent of marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole and makes a great dessert for serving at a fall gathering. 

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Marshmallow Pumpkin cake

Although not square like the pumpkin scones at Starbucks, these copycat scones have all their flavor and tender texture — plus, they're easy to make at home. Pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup give these scones their warm and cozy flavor, and grated, cold butter creates a soft and crumbly texture. Decorate the baked scones with sweet glaze and pumpkin drizzle. The scones should be enjoyed within two days, but they're so quick to make, you'll be baking them often. 

Recipe: Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Making homemade granola isn't just a way to save money over store-bought varieties; it also puts you in control of what goes into it. Pumpkin spice granola is full of healthful ingredients, including rolled oats, dried cranberries, pepitas, and two types of nuts. Toss these with a blend of pumpkin purée, coconut oil, and plenty of pumpkin pie spice and then bake. Your kitchen will have the most incredible aroma, and you'll have a flavorful granola to enjoy with yogurt, in smoothie bowls, or for snacking.

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Granola

If you love donuts and you have an air fryer, you're going to be psyched for this recipe. You can put together an easy donut dough made with pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice in about 15 minutes. Roll the dough and cut out the donuts, then pop them into the air fryer basket. They fry in only 10 minutes, and are so delicious once brushed with butter and dusted with sugar. The recipe is fast enough to make for breakfast or a midday snack. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Pumpkin Donuts

No ice cream maker? No problem. This no-churn recipe only requires a freezer and a little patience. The ice cream features pumpkin purée and a pumpkin pie spice blend, which includes nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Blend everything together, then put in the freezer for eight hours. The heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk in the mixture allow the ice cream to freeze firm while staying scoopable and creamy. Enjoy pumpkin ice cream in cones, a hot fudge sundae, or to make fall-inspired ice cream sandwiches. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Ice Cream

Pumpkin pie is holiday must-have as well as a favorite treat when the days grow cooler in fall. Baking and chilling a classic pumpkin pie can take some time, and my be a daunting process for novice bakers. This recipe solves these problems with a no-bake version: It's filled with a creamy, cheesecake-inspired pumpkin filling with a crunchy, graham cracker crust. You can even save time with a store-bought graham crust. Assemble the pie in 20 minutes, then chill it for two hours. Serve slices with whipped cream and crumbled gingersnap cookies. 

Recipe: No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

These look just like the classic peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses in the middle, but they have a delicious twist. The cookies are made with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, which tastes absolutely incredible with chocolate. They have a puffed and tender texture, too. The cookies bake up in only 20 minutes and the recipe makes plenty to share or to store in the fridge for up to 10 days. Use milk chocolate Hershey's Kisses or try other flavors, including caramel-filled or white chocolate Hugs. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Hershey's Kiss Cookies

A creamy spread made of blended pumpkin seeds is not only quick to make (about 15 minutes using a high-speed blender or food processor), but it's also a fantastic alternative to nut butters. And it's delicious, with a smooth and creamy texture. Use store-bought pumpkin seeds or those you gathered from a fresh pumpkin; the white shells should be removed so that only the green seeds remain. Also, choose unsalted pumpkin seeds because you'll add the salt yourself. Spread pumpkin seed butter on crackers, in sandwiches, or add it to smoothies.

Recipe: Pumpkin Seed Butter

Make one of the best-loved fall baking treats even better — with chocolate, of course. Pumpkin and chocolate are an incredible flavor pairing, so it should come as no surprise that soft, spiced pumpkin bread studded with chocolate chips is absolutely amazing. The quick bread requires no kneading: Just mix everything together and pour it in a pan. The bread bakes up in just under an hour, and can be served for breakfast, brunch, or as an after-school snack. 

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

It's literally a milkshake made from pie. Get your pumpkin fix in a new and fun way by combining a slice of pie with vanilla ice cream and milk, plus a little extra pumpkin pie spice to boost the flavor. The milkshake is ready in minutes, can be made with homemade or premade pie, and is even better topped with whipped cream. Because store-bought, frozen pumpkin pie is available year-round, you can treat yourself to this pumpkin treat any time — even in the middle of summer. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Not only is this recipe full of sweet pumpkin and vanilla flavor, but it's also ready to eat in five minutes — no cooking or chilling required. The secret is instant vanilla pudding, one of the best dessert ingredients because it sets up so quickly once blended with milk. Mixed with pumpkin purée, the mousse is an easy treat to make for fall evenings or as a fun option for Thanksgiving dessert. Add toppings of your choice, such as whipped cream cacao nibs, a drizzle of salted caramel, or crushed gingersnaps. 

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Mousse

According to the Food Timeline, humans have been enjoying bread pudding for thousands of years as a clever way to turn stale and leftover bread scraps into a sweet and creamy treat that's delicious for breakfast or dessert. This recipes uses cubed pieces of flaky croissants to soak up a batter of cream, pumpkin purée, and pumpkin pie spice. Once it's baked, top it with a sticky, bourbon-spiked caramel sauce. A big pan of pumpkin bread pudding serves eight, and it's a great make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread Pudding With Caramel Sauce

There's nothing quite like making a big pot of soup on a chilly day. Your home fills with a comforting, savory scent while you create enough exquisite soup to feed a crowd — or to feed yourself for days to come. Pumpkin soup is perfect for fall and early winter, but because canned pumpkin purée is in stores year-round, you can make it any time of year. Sautéed shallots and ginger simmer with the pumpkin, beans, coconut milk, and spices, and the soup is ready in only 15 minutes. 

Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Flex your baking skills by making a batch of cream puffs filled with delectable pumpkin cream. The puffs are made from choux pastry, a surprisingly easy dough to make. Pipe this batter into rounds on a baking sheet, then bake them for 20 minutes. Slice open the airy, light puffs to fill them with a tasty blend of cream, pumpkin, and spices. Make them for friends as a decadent fall treat or for special celebrations. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Cream Puffs

Sometimes, nothing but a homemade muffin will do, and this recipe is one you should bookmark. Pumpkin muffins are simple in appearance but wonderfully soft and full of pumpkin spice flavor. The muffin batter is easy to make, and The Kitchn shares that the most important thing to remember is to not mix it too much — doing so creates gluten that makes the muffins tough. Instead, stir the dry and wet mixtures together by hand just until they're incorporated. Enjoy warm pumpkin muffins with butter, jam, or even a little Nutella. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins

Enjoying more pumpkin doesn't have to mean lattes, breads, or pies. Use store-bought pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) or seeds that you saved from whole pumpkins to add crunch and flavor to a healthy kale salad. Diced apple, Brussels sprouts, dinosaur kale, and broccoli slaw make up this hearty salad and they're all tossed in a sweet-tangy poppy seed dressing. Pepitas are mixed in too, and scattered over the top of the salads as a lovely garnish. Pair this salad with soup, sandwiches, or add a protein such as shredded chicken.

Recipe: Sweet Kale Salad

Cannoli fans will be pleased to learn that it's so easy to make a batch of these tasty pastries at home. For those who are less familiar with them, Allrecipes explains that cannoli are made of fried, rolled-up pastry shells that are filled with a sweetened ricotta or mascarpone cheese filling. This recipe uses both cheeses blended with pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice, plus using pre-made cannoli shells saves lots of time. The pumpkin-cheese mixture needs an overnight rest to achieve the right consistency, but after that it's a cinch to fill and serve them.

Recipe: Pumpkin Cannoli

There are plenty of shortcut ways to make cheesecake-inspired treats, but for the most diehard cheesecake fans only the real deal is acceptable. Here's the chance to make a real cheesecake that also has pumpkin and spices for a perfect fall dessert. This recipe walks you through the steps to make a graham cracker crust, blend the filling, and bake the cheesecake in a water bath. Several steps, yes, but you can do this. Once the cheesecake cools, chill it then serve with whipped cream, caramel, and toasted nuts. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Despite what trendy oatmeal hacks would have you believe, making oatmeal the old-fashioned way is pretty easy and only takes about 30 minutes. Pumpkin oatmeal is a great example: Just add hearty, steel-cut oats to boiling water along with pumpkin purée, spices, and maple syrup. Cover and cook the oats until they're tender. This fragrant, flavorful oatmeal recipe makes six servings that you can store and reheat for breakfast all week. Add any toppings you wish, such as sliced apples, chocolate chips, brown sugar, or toasted nuts. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Oatmeal

Celebrate fall, pumpkin season, and holiday season with one of the easiest cakes you'll ever make. Blend up the cake batter that includes pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, then stir in chopped cranberries. The cake needs only 30 minutes to bake, and slices can even be enjoyed warm. Top the cooled cake with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or serve slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cake freezes well, too, so make an extra one, if you're so inclined.

Recipe: Pumpkin Cranberry Cake

If you've always wanted to try making Instagram-worthy macarons — or if you're a pro and want to try a new macaron flavor — this is a great recipe to get you started. Delicate macaron cookies are made with egg whites, sugar, almond flour, and a little food coloring to give them a pumpkin-like hue. Learn how to mix, pipe, and bake the macarons to crispy perfection, then sandwich them with an indulgent, pumpkin spice-white chocolate ganache. The hardest part is chilling the macarons for two days before eating them, but they're worth the wait. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Macarons

These are some of the most delicious biscuits you'll ever try. A regular biscuit recipe is elevated by pumpkin purée in the batter, lending sweetness and brilliant orange color, along with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. A batch of 24 bakes up in only 15 minutes, and are best served warm with plenty of butter. Pumpkin biscuits are a delicious side with pumpkin chili, Thanksgiving turkey, or with a steaming bowl of soup.

Recipe: Pumpkin Biscuits

The classic pumpkin pie that we all know and love consists of a uniform layer of baked pumpkin filling sitting in a pie crust. This recipe is a twist on the classic; it performs a bit of magic as it bakes. The blended filling made from pumpkin purée, eggs, milk, sugar, and spices is poured into the crust. During baking that filling separates into two delicious layers: A silky custard on the bottom of the pie and a fluffy, pumpkin layer covering the top. Serve slices with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Recipe: Layered Pumpkin Custard Pie

If you love pumpkin bread (and who doesn't) then you probably love playing with variations on the loaves. The sweet flavor of pumpkin and warming spices such as cinnamon and ginger pair well with other ingredients, such as the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips in this recipe. Butter a loaf pan and make the quick bread batter like usual, then fold in a generous helping of chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Sprinkle more on the top and then bake the loaf for about an hour. Experiment with different types of chocolate and even other nuts such as pecans or almonds. 

Recipe: Harvest Spice Bread

La Cucina Italiana shares that a traditional carbonara sauce is made with eggs, cured meat such as guanciale or bacon, Pecorino cheese, and pepper. This fall-inspired variation calls for easy-to-find Parmesan cheese, garlic, and pumpkin purée. With a little hot pasta water added in, the ingredients are whisked into a into a smooth sauce that's savory but with a little sweetness. Tossed with bacon, garlic, and pasta, it's comforting and delicious. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Carbonara

Know someone who has an autumn birthday, or who loves spice cake and pumpkin spice treats? This is going to become their new favorite cupcake. The simple cupcake batter includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin purée, and they bake up in only 20 minutes. Frost the cooled cupcakes with an easy cheesecake frosting and they're ready to devour. You can top the cupcakes with toasted pecans, salted caramel, fall-themed sprinkles, or a dollop of canned apple pie filling. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Pecan Cupcakes

Sometimes you just need an easy dessert to make when friends are coming over or to bring to a party. This recipe for pumpkin bars requires only five ingredients, including boxed yellow cake mix, pumpkin purée, and eggs. The cake mix is for the bottom layer of these tender bars, and after pumpkin is spread over the layer, more cake mix is added to the top in dollops. Bake the bars for 40 minutes and serve them plain or with whipped cream. You can make these bars in advance as well, and keep them covered at room temperature until you need them.

Recipe: Pumpkin Bars

No matter how busy you are, you have time to make this easy pumpkin pie that needs only five ingredients and five minutes to assemble. The filling is made with pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and spice, and it's poured into a store-bought graham cracker crust. It bakes up in just under an hour. The fast prep time means that while the pie bakes and then cools, you're free to prepare the rest of the meal or get other stuff done. Serve slices with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie

This moist sheet cake is simple to make but full of pumpkin spice flavor. The from-scratch batter includes applesauce, butter, and canned pumpkin pie filling, plus plenty of warming, fall spices. Bake it up in a 9x13-inch pan in only 25 minutes. The cooled cake is frosted with a cream cheese-pumpkin spice frosting. It's a perfect treat to make for a special occasion, or just to have in the house whenever you crave something sweet. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Sheet Cake

As easy as they are, most quick bread recipes still have a long list of ingredients, which folks with little room for storing baking ingredients may find frustrating. Thankfully, this pumpkin bread recipe requires only four ingredients. The shortcut ingredient that makes this possible is boxed spice cake mix — it has all the flour, sugar, and leaveners for your pumpkin bread. Blend this with pumpkin purée, milk or alternative milk, and some pumpkin pie spice. The loaf bakes up in less than and hour, and it's delicious.

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix

According to Taste Of Home, the ingredients used to make a traditional, Mexican mole sauce can vary, but one that's often used is pumpkin seeds (or pepitas.) Try your hand at making a slow-simmered mole, with ingredients that include pepitas, dried chile peppers, cinnamon, onion, dark chocolate, and garlic. The result is a thick, intensely flavorful sauce: Spread it on chicken before baking or braising, add it to soups or beans, or to flavor fillings for tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. 

Recipe: Authentic Mole