19 Pumpkin Purée Recipes as Easy as Opening a Can
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As soon as the calendar turns to fall, there is never not a can of pumpkin purée in my pantry. After all, canned pumpkin purée is shelf-stable and can be turned into a trillion recipes. Like the Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake I just developed. Inspired by New York–style crumb cake, it has nearly as much brown sugar streusel as plush pumpkin bread—pure bliss with a cup of coffee or tea. The only downside? To fit just right into an 8" square pan, you use half a can of pumpkin purée instead of the whole thing.
But a downside can be an upside if you look at it another way. If you have some leftover pumpkin purée in the fridge, lots of our recipes are happy to help out, from fluffy pumpkin pancakes to a real-deal pumpkin spice latte to cozy pumpkin pie. And before you ask: Yes, we have a lot of other pumpkin purée recipes that do use the whole can. And, yes, if you’ve gone the extra mile to make pumpkin purée from fresh pumpkins, you can use that instead, you overachiever. So grab a scarf and let’s take a stroll, shall we?
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks1/19Ultra Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
This pumpkin purée recipe creates the ultimate fall flapjacks. Tangy buttermilk, fresh ginger, and cozy cinnamon round out the flavors. Top with maple syrup–spiked butter and lots of crunchy pecans—or double the gourd love and add a swipe of pumpkin butter.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio2/19Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies With Pecans
Alex Lau3/19Real Pumpkin Spice Latte
A pumpkin spice latte you don’t need to leave the house for. Don’t have an espresso machine? That’s fine—you can swap in super strong coffee instead.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers4/19Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
This pumpkin cake is topped with a warmly spiced streusel. If there is a more comforting afternoon snack or fall dessert, I need not know it.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni5/19Best-Ever Pumpkin Pie
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Micah Morton6/19Spiced Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Glaze
8/19Pumpkin Flan
This custardy flan uses a whole can of pumpkin purée. Orange zest adds brightness, while cloves and star anise add depth. If you’re seeking a gluten-free dessert, this is it.
Photo by Alex Lau, styling by Rick Martinez9/19Pumpkin Cheesecake
Before you dive into this pumpkin cheesecake recipe, heads up: Take out the cream cheese, mascarpone, and eggs from the fridge, and let them come to room temperature.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski11/19Pecan-Rye Pumpkin Pie
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by D'mytrek Brown13/19Pumpkin-Tahini Mousse Pie
This pie filling stands out thanks to lots of tahini, whose toasty, somewhat bitter flavor balances the sweet pumpkin purée. Just make sure you stir it thoroughly before measuring.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht15/19Fun-Size Halloween Cupcakes
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown, Prop Styling by Adrian ababovic, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi16/19Perfectly Spiced Pumpkin Cake
17/19Pumpkin Spoon Bread
Yes, there are a lot of pumpkin desserts on this list, but this spoon bread is one savory exception, thanks to fresh thyme and chives.
18/19Pumpkin and Brown-Sugar Crème Brûlée
Why make crème brûlée when you could make pumpkin and brown sugar crème brûlée? And yes, this pumpkin purée recipe is your excuse to finally buy a kitchen torch.
19/19Pumpkin Agnolotti
