Easy Pumpkin Desserts for Fall and Thanksgiving

These easy pumpkin desserts offer something for every fall occasion. You’ll find a creamy no-bake pie, soft cookies, frosted muffins, a crowd-sized cake, pumpkin mousse, mini tarts, and two festive cookie recipes. Some are quick enough for a family treat, while others feel special enough for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Halloween parties, or fall potlucks.

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Before you start baking, make a jar of homemade pumpkin pie spice so you can use it in cookies, muffins, mousse, and cozy coffee drinks. If you’re planning a fall party, serve dessert with these pumpkin cocktails or pour a warm Pumpkin Spice Irish Coffee after dinner.

Which Pumpkin Desserts Should You Make?

Easy Pumpkin Desserts for Fall

1

Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

This easy no-bake pumpkin pie needs only about five minutes of active preparation. Pumpkin puree, vanilla pudding, whipped topping, and pumpkin pie spice create a light and creamy filling. Chill it in a graham cracker crust for an easy Thanksgiving dessert that does not use valuable oven space.

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2

Caramel Pumpkin Crumbl Cookies

These Caramel Pumpkin Crumbl Cookies combine soft, oversized pumpkin cookies with caramel cream cheese frosting. They are ready in about 30 minutes and bring bakery-style flavor to your kitchen.

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3

Pumpkin Muffins With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting are soft, warmly spiced, and easy to serve. Add the frosting for dessert, or leave it off for breakfast or an after-school snack.

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4

Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake

This pumpkin honey bun cake is one of the best pumpkin desserts for a crowd. The 9×13-inch cake combines pumpkin puree, yellow cake mix, brown sugar, walnuts, warm spices, and a sweet glaze.

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5

Maple-Sweetened Pumpkin Mousse

For a creamy individual dessert, try this pumpkin mousse. Pumpkin puree, cream cheese, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice are whipped together and chilled before serving.

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6

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Tarts

These pumpkin crème brûlée tarts have a chocolate cookie crust, creamy pumpkin custard, and crisp caramelized sugar topping. Make the tarts one day ahead, then brûlée the tops shortly before serving.

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7

Pumpkin Meringue Cookies

Pumpkin meringue cookies are light, crisp, and shaped like tiny pumpkins. Pumpkin flavoring and orange gel coloring give them their seasonal look and flavor without using pumpkin puree.

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8

Pumpkin Linzer Cookies

These pumpkin Linzer cookies are spiced almond sandwich cookies filled with thick pumpkin butter. Their pumpkin-shaped cutouts make them especially pretty on cookie trays or in homemade gift boxes.

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Pumpkin Puree, Pie Filling, and Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin puree is plain cooked pumpkin without added sugar or spices. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned, so the two should not be substituted without adjusting the recipe.

Pumpkin butter is sweeter and much thicker than puree. That thicker texture keeps it from leaking out of the Linzer cookies. For more control over the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in your fall baking, try this homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Make-Ahead Pumpkin Dessert Ideas

The no-bake pie can be prepared one or two days before serving. Pumpkin mousse needs time to chill, while the crème brûlée tarts can be baked and refrigerated one day ahead.

Unfrosted Crumbl cookies, muffins, and unglazed honey bun cake can be frozen. Pumpkin meringues keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. Prepare Linzer cookie dough up to 48 hours ahead, then bake and fill the cookies closer to serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good pumpkin desserts besides pie?

Try pumpkin cookies, muffins, cake, mousse, meringues, or individual pumpkin custard tarts. These options are also easier to serve at parties and potlucks.

What is the easiest pumpkin dessert in this collection?

The no-bake pumpkin pie has the shortest active preparation time. It takes about five minutes to assemble, followed by at least four hours of chilling.

Which pumpkin dessert is best for a crowd?

The pumpkin honey bun cake makes about 15 servings. Muffins, Crumbl cookies, and meringues are also convenient because guests can serve themselves.

Which recipes contain cream cheese?

The caramel pumpkin cookies use cream cheese in their frosting. The frosted pumpkin muffins and maple-sweetened pumpkin mousse also contain cream cheese.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

Not as a direct replacement. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sweeteners and spices, which can make the finished dessert too sweet or strongly seasoned.

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