If there's one ingredient you probably have a ton of in your kitchen during fall, it's pumpkin puree. Whether saving it for Thanksgiving pumpkin pie or other holiday desserts, pumpkin puree is the first step to fall deliciousness. Along with pumpkin spice, puree is the main ingredient that turns any recipe into nothing short of a pumpkin extravaganza.
If you happen to grab way too much pumpkin puree with big baking ideas in your head, don't panic. Ahead are 30 mouthwatering pumpkin puree recipes that may surprise you. Not only are there plenty of tasty pumpkin desserts, from whoopie pies and cookies to donuts and cheesecake bars, but you can also add pumpkin puree to comforting breakfast dishes like granola, baked oatmeal and pancakes.
In addition to sweet treats, the list of pumpkin puree recipes has savory choices too. You can also use pumpkin puree for meals that include chili, soup and lasagna. Just imagine what a little pumpkin flavor can add to dishes like mac and cheese or gnocchi. Transform these already wonderful everyday meals into autumn classics ready to become your newest family tradition.
Celebrate the power of pumpkin puree and find your next favorite pumpkin recipe to get started!
Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel
An everyday snack becomes a salute to fall with pumpkin muffins topped with pecan streusel. It uses a whole can of pumpkin puree and spices to let you know it's autumn outside. The streusel topping has pecans and cinnamon to perfectly complement the pumpkin muffin itself.
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Those of us who crave warming autumn soups often think of butternut squash or carrot soup first. What we may not know is it's super easy to prepare a hearty pumpkin soup using pumpkin puree (in 20 minutes). Unique spices like cayenne and ginger give this soup some extra kick, while maple syrup offers some mild sweetness.
Pumpkin Brownies
It's no surprise that pumpkin and chocolate go so well together, but when did you last try making pumpkin brownies? It's not a recipe that comes naturally in the cozy season, but once you do, there's no going back. This simple recipe starts with a suped-up brownie mix and a layer of pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree for a delectable contrast.
Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is one of the most convenient ways to wake up to a wholesome, comforting breakfast. When it's chilly outside, add some pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for something between breakfast and dessert. It calls for a sprinkling of dried cranberries for the best finish.
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Once you know that making pumpkin creme brulee has only five ingredients, it may not intimidate you as much. You'll need a set of oven-proof ramekins to hold your precious custard and a cup of pumpkin puree. You can achieve its famous crackle top with the help of a hand torch or warming in the oven.
This recipe for pumpkin creme brulee is from Natasha's Kitchen.
Pumpkin Bacon Carbonara
Many pasta recipes add pumpkin for an extra comforting touch of fall. Carbonara is tailor-made for the addition of pumpkin puree, with its creamy base and bits of bacon. It's the ideal recipe to try on a chilly autumn night when you want a quick and satisfying dinner and have a can of pumpkin puree to spare.
Pumpkin Streusel Bars
For an extra-sweet snack the whole family can enjoy, try making a tray of pumpkin streusel bars. They employ Greek yogurt for moisture, warming spices, pumpkin puree and cream cheese. The streusel topping is made with cinnamon and brown sugar to add some texture to this irresistible treat.
Pumpkin French Toast
Pumpkin puree and some dependable spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger turn French toast into an autumn breakfast staple. There's no better way to greet a chilly fall morning than with thick buttery slices of French toast boasting the rich flavor of pumpkin in each mouthful.
White Bean Pumpkin Hummus
Just when you thought you couldn't improve upon the creamy texture of hummus, pumpkin shows up. This recipe uses white beans instead of chickpeas and pumpkin puree to achieve its very dippable quality. Spices like cumin, paprika and cinnamon add enough warmth to help you through both fall and winter.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
When you crave cheesecake, but are a little short on time, pumpkin cheesecake bars are the perfect middle ground. Staples you'll find around the house in fall like pumpkin puree, cream cheese and sour cream create the best blend of tangy, yet substantial flavor. The pumpkin swirl adds a whimsical creative touch everyone will appreciate.
Pumpkin Roll
A Swiss roll-style cake has a few rules to follow but is otherwise an easier version of a layer cake (that looks really cool). The Genoise sponge cake has pumpkin puree for flavor and a whipped cream cheese filling that's not too dense or heavy. Get your roll right and you'll be in artistic dessert heaven.
One Pot Stove-Top Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Want to create a unique mac and cheese this autumn but find you lack lobster or truffles? All you need is a cup of pumpkin puree and some flavorful cheeses to make this one-pot comfort meal happen. It doesn't even have to go into the oven to delight anyone who takes a bite.
Pumpkin Granola
Not every pumpkin puree recipe has to center around pasta, cheese or something sweet. One cup of pumpkin puree, along with ingredients like pistachios, almonds, and coconut can make a pumpkin granola like no other you've ever tasted.
Chewy Cinnamon Chip Pumpkin Cookies
This recipe for chewy cinnamon chip pumpkin cookies stands alone among pumpkin puree recipes. It uses pumpkin puree to bring out the flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice while keeping the cookies moist throughout. You might also become a super fan of cinnamon chips which don't appear much outside of scones.
Pull-Apart Bread With Pumpkin and Spinach
Not all pumpkin puree recipes have to center around desserts. It's possible to put together savory bread to go with an autumn dinner using pumpkin puree and frozen spinach. The pull-apart bread is pretty to look at and boasts other flavors from pecorino cheese and nutmeg all at once.
Find the recipe from Epicurious.
Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Many of us have never considered adding pumpkin to ice cream. After all, ice cream usually tops a pumpkin pie. This ice cream recipe comes together fast, with pumpkin puree and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. A little bourbon gives this frozen treat the kick it needs to stay with you after you've enjoyed it.
Pumpkin Pancakes
It seems obvious that adding pumpkin puree to a luxurious pancake recipe makes perfect sense. It's as easy as adding a half cup of pumpkin puree, along with a bunch of autumn spices to send the message home. Sundays in fall just got a whole lot tastier with pumpkin pancakes on the breakfast table.
Spicy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
Who says pumpkin puree can't make a Mexican dinner that much better? This recipe calls for spicy black bean chicken enchiladas and saves the pumpkin flavor for the final touches. The pumpkin enchilada sauce warms up this already toasty recipe plenty and won't let your taste buds down.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
With all the fancy pumpkin puree recipes out there, sometimes all you need to feel good is a pumpkin bundt cake. The incredibly easy recipe calls for a can of pumpkin puree and cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for added warmth. It's the kind of cake you break out when guests show up or you just need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
White Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse with Spiked Whipped Cream
Many of us are still unaware of the magical combination of pumpkin and white chocolate. This recipe for white chocolate pumpkin mousse shows us otherwise. Four ingredients allow this beautiful confection to come alive and include spiked whipped cream using chocolate vodka.
Pumpkin Chili
Erin Clarke of Well Plated
One of the easiest ways to add pumpkin to your tried-and-true weeknight meals is with chili. This recipe for turkey chili still depends on peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, and the proper spices. The addition of sweet potato and pumpkin puree offers extra comfort and flavor you'll be thankful you used!
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
If you find yourself making whoopie pies, you're thinking like a kid with big dessert dreams. Pumpkin whoopie pies are the ideal combination of sweet cream and hearty pumpkin flavor all in one place. If the cream cheese filling doesn't keep you wanting more, the fall spices in the whoopie pie will.
Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts
If a fall carnival or hay ride isn't in your future, these pumpkin cake doughnuts may be. They're a lot less time-consuming than dough-based doughnuts yet still employ pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree. The doughnuts bake in less than 20 minutes so you can have autumn pumpkin spice sweets in no time.
Harvest Spice Bread Recipe
Some recipes using pumpkin puree can still focus on other flavors as well. This harvest spice bread is about everything from brown sugar and pumpkin spice to chocolate chips and walnuts. The end result is a sweet cake that'll make each day better in one bite.
Pumpkin Lasagna with Ricotta and Swiss Chard
Reprinted with permission from FOOD& WINE/ PHOTO: © ALEXANDRA ROWLEY
Lasagna seems to be the perfect pasta vehicle for pumping up pumpkin flavor. The creaminess of ricotta is joined by the spice of cayenne and the nuttiness of two cheeses. Nutmeg warms things up even more while pumpkin puree makes this lasagna sauce nothing short of unforgettable.
Sea-Salted Pumpkin Praline Tart
This recipe for sea-salted pumpkin praline tart looks at every angle when thinking about flavor. The filling is crammed with pumpkin puree and the fall spices that go along with it. The praline topping of pecans, maple syrup, and brown sugar only adds to the sophisticated tart's attraction.
Gnocchi with Bacon & Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Gnocchi may be one of the best ways to bring out pumpkin flavor with pasta. Here it's used with bacon, cream cheese and fresh thyme, which pairs beautifully with pumpkin. All you'll need is a half-hour to make supper no one will forget.
Pumpkin Spice Truffles
While truffles may traditionally center around just chocolate, these pumpkin spice truffles would be equally appropriate for Thanksgiving dessert. The pumpkin, graham cracker and cream cheese filling can be dipped in dark or white chocolate to suit any taste.
Pumpkin Stew with Beef
There are few meals as easy to make as a basic beef stew. This recipe features the addition of a can of pumpkin puree and is served in bread bowls for extra oomph. The stew simmers for well over two hours to achieve the well-developed flavor that cooking with care creates every time.
Mini Pumpkin Pies
This recipe may seem obvious, but when using your many cans of pumpkin puree for pies, why not make them mini? You can reduce a store-bought pie crust to miniature size with the help of cookie cutters. The pumpkin pie filling is the same as a normal-sized pie, ingredient-wise. The recipe also allows you and yours to take your own individual bite whenever you want to.
