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Here are all the top pumpkin desserts to make this season! These recipes are classic and delicious, from cookies to bars to cheesecake.

Pumpkin Cake
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When the season is right, there’s nothing better than ending a meal with a pumpkin dessert! Cozy spiced and classic, there are so many treats with this humble squash to try. It’s a small window, so when the craving strikes it’s time to get baking!

Here are our favorite pumpkin desserts to make this season, from cookies to cheesecake to brownies, truffles and more! We’ve collected all the top sweets from our website, then sourced a few from some of our favorite creators from around the web. Ready to get started?

Our top pumpkin desserts to make this season

More pumpkin recipes

There are lots more pumpkin recipes to try outside of desserts! Breakfast, snacks, drinks and more are better with pumpkin. Here are a few ideas:

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30 Tasty Pumpkin Desserts

Pumpkin Cake
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5 from 1 review

This classic pumpkin cake recipe is moist and perfectly spiced! Top with cream cheese frosting for an irresistible treat.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 12 to 16 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

For the pumpkin cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (purchased or homemade)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup neutral oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

For the cream cheese frosting (optional)

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 x 13″ or equivalent baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil and applesauce. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth into an even layer. 
  3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool until for 30 minutes, then refrigerate about 15 minutes until it comes to room temperature. (Or allow to cool and refrigerate it, then frost before serving.) If desired, dust with powdered sugar before serving or proceed to the cream cheese frosting (recommended). 
  4. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting: Beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. Reduce the speed to low, then add the vanilla. Slowly sift in the powdered sugar until thickened. Refrigerate the icing until frosting the cake.
  5. Spread the frosting on top of the cake to the desired thickness (you can use the entire batch or less if desired). Stores refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze the completely cooled unfrosted cake tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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1 Comment

  1. Sabrina says:

    great, thank you for all of these, especially since I’m stjll not tired of pumpkin, and these are so creative, starting with the lava cake