29 Pumpkin Desserts to Make All Fall Long

The minute pumpkin season rolls around, I start thinking about all the pumpkin desserts I want to make before fall disappears on me. Pumpkin pie will always have its place at the table, but there is so much more we can do with a can of pumpkin puree and a few warm spices.

This collection has a little bit of everything. There are soft pumpkin cookies, creamy cheesecakes, rich brownies, mini Bundt cakes, sticky buns, donuts, bars, tarts, mousse, crème brûlée, and even a pumpkin lava cake.

Some are perfect for Thanksgiving dessert, while others are exactly what I want with an afternoon cup of coffee on a chilly October day. You'll also find several individual and no-bake desserts that are especially helpful when you're feeding a crowd or don't want another pie taking up space in the oven. So grab the pumpkin puree and your favorite pumpkin pie spice. We have some baking to do.

Pumpkin Lava Cake

If you're looking for something a little more unexpected than pumpkin pie, my Pumpkin Lava Cake is such a fun place to start. The soft cake has pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice baked right into it, giving that classic molten-style dessert a cozy fall makeover.

I love this one when I want pumpkin dessert to feel a little extra special without going straight to another cheesecake or pie. Serve it while it's warm and let that soft center do all the work.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Lava Cake

Pumpkin Better Than Sex Cake

If you want a pumpkin dessert that feels completely over the top but is still incredibly easy to make, this Pumpkin Better Than Sex Cake is the one. The cake itself starts with just pumpkin puree and yellow cake mix, then holes are poked all over the warm cake so sweetened condensed milk can soak down into every bite.

After it chills, the whole thing gets covered with fluffy whipped topping, crunchy Heath toffee bits, and plenty of caramel sauce. The contrast between the soft pumpkin cake, creamy topping, sticky caramel, and crunchy toffee is what makes this one so hard to stop eating. It also needs time in the refrigerator, which makes it a great make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving, fall potlucks, or any party where you want dessert finished before guests arrive.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Better Than Sex Cake

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies give you a softer, chewier alternative to the other pumpkin cookies in this collection. Pumpkin puree keeps the cookies moist, while oats add texture and make them feel a little heartier than your average fall cookie.

Once they're completely cool, a simple maple glaze gets drizzled over the top, which is exactly the finishing touch I want with pumpkin and cinnamon. They're easy enough for everyday fall baking, but that maple glaze makes them pretty enough for a cookie tray too. You can even add chocolate chips, dried cranberries, nuts, raisins, or coconut if you want to change them up.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

This is the dessert for anybody who refuses to choose between pumpkin season and chocolate. A rich homemade chocolate brownie batter forms the base, then a spiced pumpkin cream cheese mixture is spooned over the top along with a little reserved brownie batter. Everything gets swirled together before baking, so every square comes out with its own marbled pattern.

The pumpkin layer is flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and optional nutmeg, while the brownie batter gets even more chocolate from semisweet chocolate chips. They're fudgy, creamy, pretty enough for a holiday dessert tray, and different enough from traditional pumpkin bars to earn their own spot in the roundup.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

There is something about pumpkin cake and cream cheese frosting that just works.

My Pumpkin Cake is soft, moist, and filled with warm fall spices, then that creamy frosting adds the little bit of tanginess I want against a sweet pumpkin cake.

This one works for everything from Halloween gatherings to Thanksgiving dinner, but it's easy enough that you don't need a holiday as an excuse. Sometimes Tuesday needs pumpkin cake too.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

These Iced Pumpkin Cookies are soft, warmly spiced, and exactly the kind of cookie I start craving once the weather cools down.

A sweet icing finishes the top without covering up all that pumpkin flavor underneath. They're simple enough for an afternoon baking session but still pretty enough to add to a fall cookie tray.

Make a batch, pour some coffee, and tell yourself you're saving the rest for later. We both know how that's going to go.
Get the Recipe: Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Caramel Sticky Buns with Pecans

These pumpkin sticky buns are not playing around. Pumpkin is worked into the soft yeasted dough and the spiced filling, then the rolls bake right over a maple caramel pecan glaze that turns beautifully sticky as everything comes together.

They're technically wonderful for breakfast or brunch, but put a warm one in front of me with that buttery maple-pecan topping and I am absolutely calling it dessert too. They take a little more time because the dough needs to rise, but this is exactly the kind of fall baking project that's worth planning an afternoon around.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Caramel Sticky Buns with Pecans

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Pumpkin cheesecake is already one of my favorite alternatives to traditional pumpkin pie, but adding a gingersnap crust makes the whole thing even more fall-ready.

You get a smooth, creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling against that crisp, warmly spiced cookie crust, so every bite has both texture and plenty of seasonal flavor. This is the kind of dessert I'd make ahead for Thanksgiving and happily let it chill in the refrigerator while I worry about everything else on the menu.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Sometimes I want pumpkin pie without dealing with traditional pastry, and that's where a graham cracker crust comes in beautifully.

The buttery, slightly sweet crumb crust gives you a wonderful contrast against smooth pumpkin filling while keeping the whole dessert familiar enough for the pumpkin pie traditionalists at the table. Add a generous swirl of whipped cream and I don't think anybody is going to miss rolling out pie dough.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

This Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse gives you creamy cheesecake flavor and cozy pumpkin spice in a light, fluffy dessert that doesn't need to be baked. It's a really nice option when your Thanksgiving oven is already packed, but I'd make it just as happily for a casual fall dinner or Halloween party.

Serve it in individual glasses and suddenly an easy no-bake dessert looks like you had a whole elaborate plan. That's my favorite kind of recipe.
Get the Recipe: Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

Pumpkin Brownies

Chocolate and pumpkin don't get paired together nearly as often as they should.

These Pumpkin Brownies bring fudgy chocolate and pumpkin together in one pan, giving the classic brownie a warm fall twist without losing everything we love about brownies in the first place.

They're especially handy when half the family wants chocolate and the other half has already entered full pumpkin-spice mode. Now everybody can calm down and have a brownie.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Brownies

Pumpkin Streusel Bread Recipe

This Pumpkin Streusel Bread is one of those recipes that can very easily move from breakfast to snack to dessert without asking anybody's permission.

The pumpkin bread stays soft and moist underneath a buttery crumb topping that adds just enough texture to every slice. I love it slightly warm with coffee, but it's also the kind of thing I'd leave sliced on the counter during a fall weekend and watch mysteriously disappear.

If you're looking for pumpkin baking that doesn't require frosting, decorating, or a pie plate, this is such a good one.Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Streusel Bread Recipe

Pumpkin Roll Recipe

A pumpkin roll always looks impressive sitting on a dessert table, but underneath that pretty spiral is a combination everybody already loves.

Soft spiced pumpkin cake is rolled around a creamy, tangy cream cheese filling, so each slice gives you that beautiful swirl along with plenty of fall flavor.

This is a great one for Thanksgiving because it slices easily and looks especially pretty arranged on a platter. A little dusting of powdered sugar on top and you're done.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese

Whoopie pies are one of those desserts that immediately make people smile, and the pumpkin version feels right at home during fall.

Soft, cake-like pumpkin cookies sandwich a generous cream cheese filling, giving you all those familiar pumpkin-and-cream-cheese flavors in a handheld dessert.

They're especially good for parties because nobody needs a plate, knife, or complicated serving situation. Put a platter out and watch what happens.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese

Soft Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Pumpkin cookie on the outside. Creamy cheesecake hiding in the center. I really don't need to make a much stronger argument than that.

These soft-baked cookies combine a tender pumpkin cookie with a cheesecake filling, so they're a little more special than your everyday fall cookie. They're the kind of treat I'd save for a fall gathering, cookie swap, or weekend when I'm in the mood for a baking project with a very worthwhile surprise in the middle.
Get the Recipe: Soft Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

Easy Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars

These bars are what happen when pumpkin pie decides it would rather be easier to serve.

The pumpkin filling sits over a buttery shortbread-style base and gets covered with an oatmeal crumble, giving you creamy pumpkin pie and crisp streusel in the same square. Add fresh whipped cream and you've got all those Thanksgiving pie flavors without trying to cut perfect wedges from a pie plate.

They bake in an 8-inch square pan and are especially nice when you want a dessert that can be cut into neat little portions for a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Easy Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars

Pumpkin Pie Tartlets (Mini Pumpkin Tarts)

Little desserts always seem to disappear faster, and these mini pumpkin tarts are definitely in danger.

Each tart has a creamy spiced pumpkin filling inside a homemade cream cheese and pecan crust. The crust is pressed into the pans rather than requiring the rolling and shaping you'd expect from traditional pie pastry, which makes these much more approachable than they look.

They're bite-sized, party-friendly, and absolutely adorable with a little whipped cream on top.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Tartlets (Mini Pumpkin Tarts)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Take everything you love about a classic snickerdoodle and give it a pumpkin-season makeover.

My Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies have a soft pumpkin cookie inside with that familiar cinnamon-sugar coating on the outside. You still get the little bit of crunch from the sugary exterior, but the center stays soft and full of fall flavor.

These belong next to a glass of cold milk, hot coffee, or pretty much any warm drink you plan on holding while wearing a sweater.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

This is the pumpkin dessert I'd make when I want Thanksgiving to feel a little fancy.

Classic crème brûlée gets a fall makeover with pumpkin and warm spice, while the top still has that thin, crisp caramelized sugar shell you get to crack through with your spoon.

Underneath is that creamy custard texture, which makes the contrast with the brittle sugar topping even better. Individual ramekins also make serving easy, and everybody gets to crack their own topping. That's half the fun.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

Pumpkin Tart with Meringue

If your pumpkin pie needs a dramatic cousin at the Thanksgiving table, this is it.

A creamy pumpkin filling sits inside a nutty almond-flour crust, then the whole tart gets topped with a generous layer of fluffy meringue. That tall white topping against the deep orange pumpkin filling makes this one especially beautiful once it's sliced.

It's familiar enough for pumpkin pie lovers but different enough that it won't feel like you're serving two versions of the same dessert.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Tart with Meringue

Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe with Frosting

These cookies are for the days when you want homemade fall treats without pulling half the pantry onto the counter.

The dough uses sugar cookie mix, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice to create soft pumpkin cookies, then a fluffy cream cheese frosting finishes each one.

They're especially good when you're baking with kids, need a last-minute fall dessert, or simply want the pumpkin cookies without a complicated ingredient list.
Get the Recipe: Easy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe with Frosting

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

My Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars give you rich cheesecake and pumpkin in a much easier-to-share form.

A buttery graham cracker crust sits underneath a creamy cheesecake layer swirled with pumpkin, giving each square a little bit of both flavors. Bars are one of my favorite choices for fall potlucks and Thanksgiving dessert tables because they're so much easier to portion than an entire cheesecake.

You can cut them smaller when there are several desserts on the table, which there usually are around here.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

When the oven is full of casseroles, rolls, and everything else Thanksgiving requires, a no-bake dessert starts looking very attractive.

These bars have a graham cracker crust underneath a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling, giving you that familiar fall cheesecake flavor without needing oven space.

Make them ahead, let them chill, and dessert is already waiting in the refrigerator while you're trying to figure out how six side dishes are supposed to fit into one oven.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Sometimes the filling really is the part everybody wants anyway. This Crustless Pumpkin Pie skips the pastry and lets the smooth, spiced pumpkin filling take center stage. That also makes it a useful option when you'd rather avoid making a pie crust or need a simpler pumpkin dessert for your fall table.

Add whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice on top and you still get that classic pumpkin pie feeling, minus the crust drama.
Get the Recipe: Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

I love individual desserts for fall entertaining because everybody gets their own little something instead of waiting for someone to carve up a cake.

My Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes are soft and warmly spiced with plenty of pumpkin flavor, then a maple glaze runs down all those pretty Bundt ridges.

They look special enough for a shower, brunch, Thanksgiving table, or fall dinner party, but they're still cozy enough to eat with coffee on an ordinary afternoon.Get the Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

Pumpkin S’mores Cookies

Pumpkin season and campfire season decided to join forces for these cookies, and I am completely okay with that.

These Pumpkin S'mores Cookies combine soft pumpkin cookies with the gooey chocolate-and-marshmallow flavors we usually associate with s'mores. It's such a fun change from the standard pumpkin cookie and especially good for Halloween parties or a fall movie night.

Kids are going to notice the s'mores part. Adults are going to pretend they're taking one for the kids. Everybody wins.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin S’mores Cookies

Barriguitas de Vieja (Puerto Rican Pumpkin Fritters)

I really like having something in this collection that moves beyond the usual American pumpkin pie and cookie lineup.

Barriguitas de Vieja are Puerto Rican pumpkin fritters made into sweet little fried treats. They have pumpkin at the center of the recipe but give you an entirely different texture and experience from the cakes, cheesecakes, and bars surrounding them.

If you've been making the same pumpkin desserts every fall and want to try something different, put these on the list.
Get the Recipe: Barriguitas de Vieja (Puerto Rican Pumpkin Fritters)

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

I'm never going to argue with a donut that comes covered in maple pecan glaze. These Pumpkin Spice Donuts are baked rather than fried and bring together pumpkin, fall spices, maple, and pecans in one very cozy little package.

Technically you can serve them for breakfast. You can also put them on a dessert plate after dinner and I promise nobody is going to report you to the donut authorities.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Donuts

No Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

And we're finishing with another recipe that understands how valuable oven space becomes during fall and holiday cooking.

My No Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes give you creamy pumpkin cheesecake in individual portions without needing to bake an entire cheesecake. They're easy to serve, easy to dress up for a party, and everyone gets their own little dessert.

These would be especially helpful for Thanksgiving when you want to make dessert ahead, but they're just as good for Halloween parties, fall dinners, or whenever pumpkin cheesecake starts calling your name.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake