Choosing one pumpkin dish for a fall gathering can be tricky when some guests want dessert and others want a proper meal. These 19 recipes offer spiced cookies, pumpkin cakes, muffins, breakfast waffles, a creamy soup, and a savory salmon bowl. Some take only a short time to mix and bake, while cheesecakes and cookie dough need chilling. Serve a few options across the day so there is something for breakfast, a light lunch, and an after-dinner treat.
Copycat Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
Thick, soft cookies get a rich finish in Copycat Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies, which pair pumpkin-spiced dough with swirled caramel cream cheese frosting. The dough includes pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and brown sugar, while caramel sauce flavors the topping. Bake a batch for the dessert end of a fall gathering, then allow the cookies to cool before frosting. Their generous size makes one cookie a substantial sweet option alongside smaller bars or fruit.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
Cake Mix Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Starting with yellow cake mix makes Cake Mix Pumpkin Spice Muffins a manageable bake for a busy morning. Canned pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and chocolate chips round out the five-ingredient batter. The recipe makes 18 muffins in roughly 30 minutes, giving a larger group individual portions without slicing a cake. Serve them with coffee or milk at breakfast, or leave a few on the table for an afternoon snack.
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Pumpkin Brownies
Chocolate lovers get a seasonal option with Pumpkin Brownies, made by swirling spiced pumpkin batter through melted-chocolate brownie batter. Butter, semisweet chocolate, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice create the two distinct mixtures. The recipe makes 16 squares in about an hour. Let the pan cool before cutting so the marbled pieces stay neat, then serve them beside the lighter pumpkin pastries for a choice of textures.
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Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
For guests who want something savory, Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin turns pantry puree into a smooth bowl in about half an hour. Onion and garlic cook in butter before broth, cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg finish the mixture. The recipe serves four, making it useful for a smaller lunch or the first course of dinner. Add toasted bread or grilled cheese so the table includes more than pumpkin sweets.
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Tasty Pumpkin Turnovers
Golden puff pastry pockets make Tasty Pumpkin Turnovers easy to serve when guests prefer individual desserts. Pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and egg create the filling, while cinnamon and coarse sugar finish the pastry. The recipe yields 12 turnovers in about 30 minutes. Arrange them on a platter once they are cool enough to handle, and offer coffee or cider alongside the flaky treats.
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Pumpkin Waffles
At breakfast or brunch, Pumpkin Waffles bring warm cinnamon and pumpkin puree into a familiar family favorite. Milk, flour, melted butter, and baking powder form the batter, which cooks in a waffle iron with crisp edges. The recipe makes six servings in about 28 minutes. Put maple syrup, fruit, and butter on the table separately so each person can finish a waffle the way they prefer.
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Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
Hidden cream cheese filling sets Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins apart from plain spiced muffins. Pumpkin puree, buttermilk, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice flavor the batter, with a cinnamon streusel adding a crumbly top. The individual muffins make convenient breakfast or dessert portions without cutting or plating a larger cake. Serve them alongside a simpler muffin choice so the table has both a filled treat and a less rich option.
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Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Under a buttery pecan topping, Pumpkin Crunch Cake has a custard-like pumpkin layer made with evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Yellow cake mix forms the upper layer before the dessert bakes. It makes 12 servings in about an hour and ten minutes, enough for a shared dessert table. Spoon the cake into bowls and offer whipped topping for guests who want an extra creamy finish.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Marbled layers make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars a convenient alternative to serving a whole cheesecake. Cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and pumpkin puree sit above a graham cracker crust, with pumpkin pie spice flavoring the orange swirl. The recipe produces nine bars and takes about five hours including chilling. Make the dessert early, then cut neat squares once set so each guest can choose a portion after dinner.
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Pumpkin Bread with Streusel & Glaze
Cinnamon crumb topping gives Pumpkin Bread with Streusel & Glaze contrast against the tender pumpkin loaf underneath. Pumpkin puree and warm spices flavor the bread, while the finishing glaze adds another sweet layer. The loaf serves eight and takes a little over an hour to prepare and bake. Slice it for fall brunch, or bring it out with tea when guests want a simple baked treat instead of a frosted cake.
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Pumpkin Blondies
Two kinds of chocolate chips make Pumpkin Blondies a rich bar-cookie option with a soft pumpkin center. Dark brown sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice season the batter, with white and dark chocolate chips mixed throughout. The recipe gives 24 pieces in about 50 minutes. Cut smaller squares for a buffet so guests can sample one and still have room for cheesecake or a muffin.
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Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Glaze
With a drizzle of vanilla icing, Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Glaze fit naturally beside morning coffee or afternoon tea. The dough includes pumpkin puree, butter, heavy cream, egg, and pumpkin pie spice. A batch makes 12 scones in about 55 minutes, with the glaze added after baking. Set them beside the waffles for a fall brunch that offers both a warm breakfast and a pastry guests can pick up.
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Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Rolling the dough in cinnamon sugar gives Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies their familiar coating around a soft pumpkin-spiced center. Pumpkin puree, cream of tartar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice go into the dough, which needs about two hours of chilling. The recipe makes 24 cookies after a short bake. Prepare the dough ahead, then put a plate of cooled cookies out for casual snacking while the rest of the meal comes together.
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Pumpkin Dump Cake
Beneath a golden topping, soft pumpkin custard makes Pumpkin Dump Cake a practical dessert for a family-size table. Pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice form the base, with dry yellow cake mix and butter added above it. It serves 12 in about an hour. Bring the baking dish to the table and provide whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving.
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Old-fashioned oats provide extra texture in Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, which combine pumpkin puree with brown sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. The dough makes 12 servings in about 35 minutes, and a powdered-sugar drizzle finishes the baked cookies. They are a lighter-looking alternative to the large frosted caramel cookies in this collection. Set them out after lunch with milk or coffee for an easy pumpkin-flavored snack.
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Pumpkin Chocolate Cake
Semisweet chocolate deepens the flavor of Pumpkin Chocolate Cake, while pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice bring the fall element. White and brown sugars, butter, eggs, and flour form the batter, with a powdered-sugar topping made using cream. The recipe serves ten in about an hour. Cut slices for the chocolate fans at the table, leaving the simpler pumpkin bread and waffles for anyone wanting a less dessert-heavy option.
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe
Sandwiched around cream cheese filling, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe turns soft pumpkin-spice cakes into handheld desserts. Brown sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and eggs flavor the cake rounds, while butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar make the center. Twelve portions take about 42 minutes before any cooling. Pair equal-size cakes and add filling only when they have cooled so guests can pick up one without the frosting sliding out.
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No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Rather than turning on the oven, No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake uses cream cheese, whipped topping, and pumpkin-spice pudding in premade graham cracker crusts. The recipe makes two pies for 16 servings, with several hours of chilling needed before slicing. This version gets its flavor from pudding mix and spice, not pumpkin puree. Prepare it before guests arrive and keep the pies refrigerated until it is time for dessert.
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Pumpkin Spice Salmon Bowl
Roasted sweet potatoes and citrus-dressed salmon give Pumpkin Spice Salmon Bowl a savory place among these sweet recipes. The four bowls include cooked quinoa or rice, spinach, chickpeas, and crunchy seeds. Orange zest, thyme, pumpkin spice, and citrus dressing season the fish and vegetables. Ready in about 25 minutes, this dish uses pumpkin spice rather than pumpkin puree, making it suitable for guests who want a substantial meal before dessert.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Salmon Bowl