15 Pumpkin Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular dessert made from pumpkins? ›

I'd be remiss not to mention the star of all pumpkin desserts: pumpkin pie. It's an icon when it comes to Thanksgiving pies, but I don't reserve it for just one day of the year. My recipe is simple to make and packed with pumpkin flavor. I use a touch of black pepper to accentuate the pumpkin spices…

Yield: One fresh (3-pound) pumpkin makes about 2 cups of pumpkin puree, as much as one (15-ounce) can from the store.

To complement pumpkin with sweet flavor pairings, consider using spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla, or sweet ingredients like chocolate, maple, honey, cranberries or brown sugar. Create savory dishes by pairing pumpkin with spices like chilies, cajun, cayenne or pepper.

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

Based on my taste tests, I think that fresh puree would easily elevate any savory pumpkin dish such as soup or pasta. The fresh, unadulterated flavor and fluffy texture would work wonderfully in savory dishes, especially because even “sugar pumpkins” aren't very sweet on their own.

It's thicker, fresher, and sweeter tasting than canned. I used homemade pumpkin puree when baking pumpkin bread this weekend. The pumpkin was so sweet tasting that I was able to reduce the sugar in the recipe by one third.

Canned pumpkin (labeled as "100% pure pumpkin") is a purée of pumpkin that is sometimes mixed with other kinds of winter squash. It is unsweetened and does not contain any added spices. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same thing, and you'll often see the terms used interchangeably in recipes and cookbooks.

Mandarin oranges have a distinct flavor profile that make them easy to use in many different recipes. But one pairing you might not have considered is the pumpkin. You can taste for yourself with our Foodpairing-inspired dessert creation: Pumpkin Ice Cream with Mandarin oranges and Chocolate mousse.

Sugar pumpkins

These much smaller pumpkins are less stringy and sweeter. Their skin is softer, which makes it easier to cut as well. Look for round pumpkins that have a dark orange color, are about 10 inches (25 cm) and weigh no more than 10 pounds.

What happens if you use pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree? ›

Pumpkin pie filling shouldn't be used in place of pumpkin puree since the finished dish will be too sweet. You can always set the can aside to make a quick pumpkin pie another day.

Due to its high soluble fiber content, pumpkin is very good for your dog's digestion. If you feed your dog some pumpkin, it will add bulk to their stool. This helps reduce issues with diarrhea. In addition, fermentation of the same fiber produces beneficial fatty acids that supply energy to cells.

Most canned pumpkin is pureed pumpkin. It's been cooked and canned, but you'd have to cook it anyways to make it soft enough to puree. As long as you get plain canned pumpkin without added seasonings, it's the same as what you would make at home.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

It's no surprise that pumpkin pie is at the top of everyone's list, so we're leading with it too. This version is exactly what you expect when you think of classic pumpkin pie — a velvety smooth custard that's sweetened and lightly spiced, baked into a buttery, crisp pie crust.

Kabocha. A popular Japanese variety, the Kabocha has a rough but edible peel, and a round plump shape. It can be dark green or bright orange-red, and has firm, orange flesh. One of the sweetest varieties of pumpkin, its flavour has been compared to sweet potato, while its firm flesh holds together well in the oven.

Pumpkin is popular in pancakes, pies, custards, and muffins, but it also works well in savory dishes. You can cook it into a soup or roast it with other vegetables. Canned pumpkin can be combined with coconut milk and spices to make a creamy curry base. You can also eat other parts of the pumpkin plant.