Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love

Sure, you've seen this combo before. But not done this well. This recipe doesn't use a whole can of pumpkin, so add leftovers to a smoothie, a pot of chili, hot oatmeal or even hummus.

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Like the chocolate-and-vanilla retro classic, this gingery icebox cake requires some make-ahead assembly—but no baking. And it's absolutely drool-worthy.

Related: Video—How To Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake

Cream cheese strudel inspired the owner of Just Pies in Westerville, Ohio, to build a pumpkin pie with a surprise cream cheese layer. For the creamiest pumpkin pie, don't overbake.

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This nutty layer cake is a favorite dessert with Midwest Living readers. Whipped cream topping complements a moist filling of pumpkin, brown sugar, pecans, butter and more whipping cream.

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Trot this one out at the holidays and watch those pies quake in their aluminum plates. Gingersnaps in the base and tangy sour cream topping balance the pumpkin-spice sweetness.

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The combination of maple and pumpkin flavors make a second slice of this pie hard to resist. Prepare the pecan brittle up to a week ahead, then sprinkle on just before serving.

Rather than cube the bread, we made sandwiches, layering cinnamon-raisin swirl bread with a creamy pumpkin filling. Serve with a generous drizzle of boozy cheaters' caramel sauce.

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With its ripple of chocolate, cinnamon and toasted pumpkin seeds (and browned butter in the batter!), this pumpkin bread is an indulgent afternoon treat.

Related: 20 Sweet Quick Bread Loaves

Swirl a layer of cream cheese and pumpkin into chocolate batter to create these luscious brownies, and sprinkle walnuts on top for extra crunch.

Related: Rich, Moist Brownie Recipes

These tiny pies, baked in a muffin tin, showcase the flavors of pumpkin and pecans in a one- or two-bite dessert.

This utterly unforgettable autumn cake layers moist chocolate-pumpkin cake, luscious milk chocolate ganache and fluffy pumpkin-spice whipped cream. The recipe comes from Minnesota blogger Amanda Rettke (iambaker.net). See a short video about how to make this cake.

"This recipe is adapted from my mother's classic pumpkin pie," says Linda Hundt, owner of Sweetielicious Bakery Cafe in DeWitt, Michigan. "I added cream to make it a bit richer and orange zest for flavor." The result is a dark mahogany pumpkin pie with ginger-cinnamon-clove spiciness.

The Inn at Irish Hollow in Galena, Illinois, serves this creamy, curried soup throughout the fall and winter. You can make your own crème fraîche for the garnish, or use purchased crème fraiche or sour cream.

Related: Simmering Soups and Stews

A spiced marshmallow filling is sandwiched between cakelike pumpkin cookies in this easy-to-make dessert.

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Set this pretty golden fudge on a plate with traditional chocolate fudge and a white fudge for an appealing array of colors. The recipe is from a Cherokee, Iowa, reader and was a winner at the Clay County Fair.

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The innkeepers at Burchell's White Hill Farmhouse Inn in Minden, Nebraska, make this moist spiced bread using homegrown heirloom pumpkins, but this version of their recipe uses canned puree.

Baked in a casserole dish, this unusual dessert channels the spirit of marshmallow-topped sweet potato, with the added spice of pumpkin pie. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets (Crown Publishing).

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A spiced filling, made from whipped cream, creates a lighter-tasting version of traditional pumpkin pie. The gingersnap crust adds more kick than classic crusts.

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Cream cheese, pumpkin, dark chocolate, whipping cream ... this pumpkin dessert is pure decadence!

Lisa Johnson of Gardner, Kansas, added banana to pumpkin bread for a new twist on quick bread treats. "This pumpkin bread is a favorite with our family," she says. "It's easy to make, and my two girls enjoy helping me. They especially enjoy it when it's done baking. It makes the house smell wonderful."

Cream cheese, oatmeal cookie mix, pumpkin and semisweet chocolate combine for a sensational seasonal treat. 

A cheesecake layer and nut topping help this pumpkin pie stand out from its peers. This recipe was a winner at the Morton, Illinois, Pumpkin Festival baking competition.

This dessert comes from a Hayward, Wisconsin, cafe. It's creamy, cool and not overpowered by the pumpkin or the spice.

We packed a bushel of fall into this homey loaf: pumpkin, apple, nuts and spices. 

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The classic pumpkin pie gets even better with the addition of apple butter, which gives extra sweetness and a slightly softer texture to the dessert. A streusel topping adds a bit of crunch.

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These cakelike pumpkin drop cookies are delicious by themselves, but even better topped with a simple brown sugar frosting.

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Puree wintry vegetables like potato, leek and parsnip into a velvety soup. Don't skip the crisp, buttery dippers. They're delicious dunked in the soup.

Love sweet and salty combos? You'll fall for these bars with sweet toffee, toasted pecans and a spiced Ginger Crumb Crust.

Satisfy your sweet-salty afternoon cravings with this nutrient-packed dip, made with canned pumpkin, white beans and maple syrup. It's fab with honey-wheat pretzel twists, and very kid-friendly.

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This hearty soup boasts a bounty of veggies and seasonings, including pumpkin or squash, fresh ginger, lime juice, cumin and fresh cilantro.

Our  "twist" on the pumpkin craze. Nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon add even more flavor.

Pumpkin, cranberries and brown sugar swirl through a tender, moist coffee cake with a golden pecan topper.

A cream cheese layer and rich chocolate frosting make this pumpkin cake a crowd-pleaser. 

The bakers at Wick's Pies in Winchester, Indiana, crossed chess pie with pumpkin pie, adding more eggs, more spices and a little cornmeal to their pumpkin recipe. The result: a pie with a more intense pumpkin and spice flavor, and a slightly thicker filling.

This make-ahead bar cookie offers an irresistible stack of flavors: sweet graham cracker crust, rich chocolaty cheesecake, spicy pumpkin cheesecake and a topping of sour cream.

The famous St. Louis dessert gets a makeover from Emily Hobbs of Springfield, Missouri. She adds pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the moist cake. The recipe was one of the finalists at Midwest Living's first Best of the Midwest cook-off.

Pumpkin and chocolate blend beautifully in these spiced muffins from Thorp House Inn of Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and cloves flavor the batter.

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