I love fall because I can finally start eating pumpkin again! I’m one of those people who loves pumpkin so much that I will eat it all year. Here are 16 of the best pumpkin recipes I like to use!

16 Of The BEST Pumpkin Recipes

I LOVE anything pumpkin. I think if there were a food shortage and I could only have one food it would be pumpkin! I just LOVE it and could eat it all year. Here are some of our best pumpkin recipes that I use all the time. A few of these are from our Dining On A Dime Cookbook so if you love them a much as we do, grab a copy so you can have them all the time!

 

This easy pumpkin bars recipe makes super delicious spice bars with a cake like consistency! It’s a wonderful treat and a great way to use pumpkin!

Easy Pumpkin Bars Recipe

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 (15 oz.) yellow cake mix
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 can vanilla frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan. Combine sugar, oil, pumpkin and eggs. Beat on high for 1 minute. Add cake mix and pumpkin pie spice. Mix 2 minutes on high speed. Fold in nuts, if desired.

Pour into the pan and bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Combine the frosting and cream cheese until smooth. Frost cooled bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Latte Recipe

1 cup milk (any % is fine or even 1/2 milk and 1/2 half and half)
2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree

1 Tbsp. sugar (white or brown)

1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/8 tsp. cinnamon, tiny pinch nutmeg, tiny pinch cloves)
1/4 cup strong coffee or espresso

whipped cream

Add the milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring almost to a boil. (Or you can microwave it until very hot but not boiling.)

Remove from heat and add to a blender. Blend on high until the milk begins to froth, about 2 minutes. (A hand blender works great for this.)

Divide the milk mixture between two mugs. Add the coffee slowly down the side so you don’t disturb the milk froth. Add a squirt of whipped cream and top with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice and whipped cream. Serves 1. (Just double the recipe for each additional person you want to serve.)

 

The Best Homemade Pumpkin Pie

1 pie crust
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

Bake pie crust at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes until crust starts to puff with small bubbles. Watch carefully. Then remove from the oven. Blend all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into pie crust and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 degrees for 45 minutes. When a knife is inserted into the center of the pie and comes out clean, it is done. Makes one pie.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

 

Easy 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

1 cake mix (any flavor works, but chocolate is our hands down favorite!)
1 can pumpkin or 2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin

Beat the ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth. (It will be really thick.) Add 1 cup mini chocolate chips and stir. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups and spray with non-stick spray. Use an ice cream scoop to put the batter into the muffin cups. (I can get 24 from one box of mix.) Bake at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes. Cool and frost if desired. My family likes them just as they are when they are hot from the oven.

Spice cake mix is great – add white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips.

I have made pumpkin muffins with white cake mix and yellow cake mix too. They have around 120 calories a piece with the mini chocolate chips and are virtually fat free. If you are on weight watchers they only count as 1 point.

This is a fabulous way to sneak some vitamin A rich veggies in on the kids. Just don’t let them see you put the pumpkin into the muffins and they will never know it is there. These are more moist than name brand very expensive double chocolate chip muffins.

Sarah D.

 

Pumpkin Roll Recipe

3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 
powdered (confectioners) sugar for dusting
1 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper well.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs on high for five minutes. Gradually add the white sugar and pumpkin. Add flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle walnuts evenly on top.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately turn out onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners sugar. This works best by placing the towel on top of the cake and holding it taught while turning the cake over. Peel off the paper and roll the cake up in the towel, starting with the short end. Cool.

To Make The Filling: Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, butter or margarine, and cream cheese together until smooth.

Carefully unroll the cake. Spread the filling over the cake to within 1 inch of the edges. Roll up again. Cover and chill until serving. Dust with additional confectioners sugar, if desired.

Pumpkin Bread

This is one of the easiest quick breads to make. If you need more tips on making quick breads, check these out.

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup oil
1 cup pumpkin
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder 
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Mix the sugar, eggs, oil and pumpkin in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients and water in the order given. Mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins if desired.

Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or longer if needed. To test doneness put a knife in the center of the bread. If it comes out clean it is finished. Serve with Honey Butter (in Dining On A Dime page 229). Makes 1 loaf.

 

Pumpkin Frosting Pie

1 can vanilla frosting
1 (15oz.) can pumpkin
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 small carton of whipped topping
1 graham cracker crust that has a little cinnamon and nutmeg added to it

Mix everything but whipped topping and crust. Then fold in topping and pour it all into crust. Chill

 

Pumpkin Pie Dip Recipe

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 container of frozen whipped topping, thawed

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add pumpkin, sour cream, and spices. Mix. Fold in the whipped topping. Store in the refrigerator. Serve with cinnamon graham crackers, apples or gingersnaps.

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups flour

Cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the tops with milk. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Top with frosting.

Frosting

2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4-5 tsp. milk

Melt butter and blend in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and 4 tsp. milk. Stir until well blended. Add one more teaspoon of milk if needed to make it smooth.

 

Pumpkin Crunch Recipe

1 package Yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) solid pack pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts
1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Then sprinkle with nuts. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, served chilled. Serve this pumpkin crunch with whipped topping.

 

Creamy Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

1 pkg. spice cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg. vanilla instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix cake mix as directed on package. Add dry pudding and pumpkin. Mix well. Pour into 24 paper lined muffin cups. Beat cream cheese, sugar and egg together and drop a spoonful into the center of each cupcake. Swirl gently with a spoon. Bake at 350° for 18-21 minutes.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Boil seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt. Place a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees. Stir after 30 minutes. Bake 1/2-1 hour more or until crunchy.

*Squash seeds may also be used.

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Combine ingredients. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy. Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with Pumpkin Maple Sauce and nuts.

 

Pumpkin Maple Sauce

1 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cups pumpkin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Mix together until well blended.

 

How To Roast A Pumpkin

You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has been carved and sitting out for several days.

To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.

To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.

To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.

A 5 lb pumpkin makes about 4 1/2 cups of mashed (pureed) pumpkin.
a 15-16 oz can of pumpkin equals about 2 cups of mashed pumpkin.
So if the recipe calls for a 15-16 oz can of pumpkin use 2 cups.

 

Pumpkin Smoothies Recipe

1/2 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup milk or vanilla yogurt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
4 ice cubes
whipped cream (optional)
sprinkles (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top. You may also add orange sprinkles if you like. Serves 2-3.

 

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