Fall is quickly approaching, and we can’t be the only ones anticipating the cozy pumpkin flavors that come with the season. Whether you’re looking to make a warm and comforting dinner or a classic dessert, these four- and five-star rated dishes will leave you craving pumpkin flavors year-round. Recipes like our Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese and Pumpkin Overnight Oats are so delicious, you’ll want to make them again and again.
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Pumpkin–Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood.
These pumpkin–chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are a soft, chewy dessert that blends fall flavors with just the right amount of sweetness. Pumpkin puree adds moisture and a lovely orange hue, while warm pumpkin spice enhances the seasonal vibes. Studded with dark chocolate chips, each bite is the perfect balance of sweet and spice.
Pumpkin Trifle
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
We think this pumpkin trifle is the best dessert you’ll enjoy this fall, combining layers of pumpkin spice-flavored cake and a creamy pumpkin filling that captures the season perfectly. As a time-saving shortcut, we use vanilla pudding mixed with canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice for the filling, making it both easy to prepare and delicious. This festive dessert is sure to be a hit for the holidays or at any autumn gathering!
Pumpkin-Summer Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
This summer squash ravioli is like traditional ravioli with one simple swap: it uses thin slices of squash wrapped around the filling instead of pasta. These brown butter and sage–basted ravioli have a fall twist with a creamy pumpkin and goat cheese filling. The squash slices are cut with a mandoline. If you don’t have one, a vegetable peeler will work too. Make sure the slices are very thin and pliable enough to wrap around the filling.
High-Protein Pumpkin Bread
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
This easy pumpkin bread gets a protein boost from yogurt and a nutty pumpkin seed topping. Warm spices combined with pumpkin make this the perfect fall breakfast. Bake a loaf on the weekend and enjoy it during the week as you dash out the door. If you like your pumpkin bread a little sweeter, drizzle it with the optional glaze after it cools.
Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Rolls
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
These pumpkin-goat cheese puff pastry rolls combine sweet pumpkin with savory goat cheese for the perfect fall appetizer. Opt for pre-crumbled goat cheese to keep the pinwheels dry and easy to slice. If you want to tip these easy rolls to the sweeter side, add a little pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon or cloves to the pumpkin mixture.
Warm Butternut Squash & Kale Salad with Goat Cheese & Pepitas
Ali Redmond
This healthy salad makes the perfect side dish for the holidays. Butternut squash turns tender in the oven, while goat cheese and pumpkin seeds add creaminess and crunch. Letting the kale and lemon juice sit helps tenderize the leafy green, so don’t skip that step.
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Sara Haas
This healthy pumpkin sheet cake is perfectly spiced from the pumpkin pie spice blend, a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. A tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting helps balance the flavors. This cake is perfect for any fall gathering.
Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin
This easy pumpkin risotto with goat cheese uses sweet and earthy canned pumpkin as a flavor base and creamy goat cheese to add creaminess and tang. Toasted pumpkin seeds add texture and nutty notes. Parsley adds mild fresh flavor, but any chopped fresh herb would work just as well.
Pumpkin-Spice Latte Overnight Oats
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Enjoy the cozy flavors of fall with this recipe for pumpkin-spice latte overnight oats! It’s a convenient make-ahead breakfast inspired by the beloved fall drink, complete with real pumpkin and a creamy yogurt topping. Blending all the ingredients gives the oats a smooth texture and helps meld flavors that will have you reaching for this recipe again and again.
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
These easy pumpkin muffins are packed with oats and chocolate chips. Plus, these mini gluten-free pumpkin muffins are made entirely in the blender, making cleanup a breeze. If you’d rather make 12 regular-size muffins, bake for 18 to 20 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pan.
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Caitlin Bensel
Canned pumpkin adds mellow background flavor and works to thicken up this turkey pumpkin chili. Smoked paprika adds flavor with a hint of spice. This chili is on the thicker side—if you want it thinner, add a bit more water.
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel
This riff on the Thanksgiving favorite combines a traditional pumpkin pie filling with swirls of sweetened cream cheese. And since it’s only Thanksgiving once a year, we’ve topped it all off with a buttery spiced-pecan topping. This easy pie recipe will please anyone at your table this holiday.
Pumpkin Brownies
Sara Haas
These healthy pumpkin brownies are packed with mini chocolate chips. Warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves pair well with the chocolate for a seasonal twist on a classic dessert. The batter will be thick, so be sure to spread it in an even layer for even baking.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies
Indulge your PSL obsession with these pumpkin spice cookies. Instant espresso powder gives these soft, cakey cookies a subtle yet recognizable coffee flavor. Spread with cream cheese frosting (with more pumpkin pie spice flavors) and sprinkle with cinnamon to finish. And, go ahead, drink a pumpkin spice latte while you eat them for the full PSL experience. After all, it’s only fall for so long (though we’d eat these cookies year-round). To make these cookies kid-friendly, simply omit the espresso powder.
Gnocchi with Bacon & Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Get into the fall spirit with this one-pan gnocchi with a creamy pumpkin sauce. Some pumpkin and other squash sauces can be cloyingly sweet, but not this one–it’s savory all the way, thanks to the bacon, garlic and thyme. Instead of being boiled, a package of store-bought gnocchi–one of our favorite convenience products–is browned and crisped in a little bit of bacon fat. Then the sauce (made with canned pumpkin–another great convenience product) is prepared right in that same pan, so cleanup is minimal too. Serve with a simple green salad for an easy dinner that comes together in 30 minutes.
