35 Vintage Pumpkin Dessert Recipes Perfect for Fall
Updated: Sep. 30, 2022We dusted off Grandma's recipe box for these pumpkin dessert recipes. They're perfectly fall and wonderfully vintage. So grab a can of pumpkin and get started!
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Pumpkin Spice Cake
We sometimes call this pumpkin spice cake “Thanksgiving Cake” because it’s a tasty alternative to pie, but we don’t relegate it to just that holiday. I think you’ll agree it’s delicious any time of the year. —Kathy Rhoads, Circleville, Ohio
So many of these pumpkin dessert recipes start by opening a can. Check out our Test Kitchen’s top canned pumpkin picks.
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Pumpkin Swirl Bread
This combination of pumpkin, nuts and dates makes a delicious, golden pumpkin cream cheese bread. The surprise inside—a rich creamy swirl—is like a luscious layer of cheesecake in each slice. —Cindy May, Troy, Michigan
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Molasses Pumpkin Pie
When our sons come home at Thanksgiving to hunt with their dad, I make this pie recipe from Grandma Fetting. We celebrate Thanksgiving in our cabin in the North Woods, a 40-year-old tradition. —Lois Fetting, Nelson, WisconsinWhen you bake this pie, keep an eye on it! Here’s how to prevent your pumpkin pie from cracking.
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Easy Pumpkin Muffins
These easy pumpkin muffins with cake mix are so good, even picky eaters cannot seem to get enough. They’re also delicious without frosting or nuts. —Samantha Callahan, Muncie, Indiana
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Pumpkin Gingerbread with Hard Sauce
Cakes are a terrific dessert to take to potlucks because they travel well and feed a lot of people. The slightly sweet hard sauce can also be served with quick breads and scones.—Iola Egle, Bella Vista, Arkansas
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Pumpkin Pie Whoopie Pies
Folks line up for these plump, yummy cookies, oozing with creamy filling. Volunteers from the Federated Church of Marlborough, New Hampshire make them for the Keene Pumpkin Festival.
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Pumpkin Pecan Tassies
Field editor Pat Habiger of Spearville, Kansas suggests, “These delicious mini tarts are lovely for Christmas or to serve at a tea. They’re worth the extra time it takes to make them.”
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Spiced Pumpkin Bars
These bars are moist, with bold pumpkin and spice flavors. When I want to lower the cholesterol, I use egg whites in place of the eggs.—Richard Case, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin-Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping
My mother always made these tasty muffins whenever our family got together at her house. Now they’re a family favorite at my house, and my in-laws love them, too! —Carolyn Riley, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin Torte
This beautiful layered cake has a creamy filling with a mild pumpkin flavor and a little spice. It is quick and always turns out so well. The nuts and caramel topping add a nice finishing touch. —Trixie Fisher, Piqua, Ohio
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Libby’s Pumpkin Delights
Just make this dessert once, and Libby’s Pumpkin Delights will be one of the recipes you look forward to each fall! —Melissa Erdelac, Valparaiso, Indiana
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
I'm one of the cooking project leaders for my daughter's 4-H club, where these soft, delicious cookies were a great hit with the kids. —Marietta Slater, Augusta, Kansas
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Pumpkin Cornbread
This has become a regular fall item at our house. It has a subtle pumpkin flavor with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. While it’s sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth, yet pairs well with a soup or stew.—
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Pumpkin Pie Pudding
My husband loves anything pumpkin, and this creamy, comforting pumpkin pudding recipe is one of his favorites. We make our easy pudding all year long, but it's especially nice in the fall. —Andrea Schaak, Bloomington, Minnesota
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Easy Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie does not have to be difficult to make. This easy Thanksgiving dessert recipe has a wonderful taste and will be a hit at your holiday meal. —Marty Rummel, Trout Lake, WashingtonThis pie is so pretty, we know you’ll want to admire your handiwork. Remember, though: Pumpkin pie should be refrigerated.
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Pumpkin Apple Bread
My grandsons think this seasonal loaf is pretty special—so much so they took it with them to college when they knew they wouldn’t be home for the holidays. It’s destined to become a family tradition in your home, too. —Victoria Cooklin, Massillon, Ohio
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Rum-Raisin Pumpkin Pie
This recipe is a great way to change up your desserts for the holidays. Try it and see how many complements you receive from friends and family.—Gertrudis Miller, Evansville, Indiana
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Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Put leftover cranberries and pumpkin to great use in this moist quick bread. It’s very good with my "secondhand turkey" casserole for an after-Thanksgiving meal. —Dixie Terry, Goreville, Illinois
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Pumpkin Pecan Custard
My family loves pumpkin pie flavor, but this is a delicious, creamy, healthier alternative—and we don’t miss the crust at all. It firms up as it cools. —Abby Booth, Coweta, Oklahoma
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Pumpkin Whip
Even though this dessert is quick to fix, it has a creamy pumpkin taste and golden harvest look...just like traditional pumpkin pie. It's a great dessert for both everyday dinners and special-occasion suppers.—Linda Clapp, Stow, Ohio
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Rustic Pumpkin Bread
I received this pumpkin bread recipe from a co-worker who made it for an office party. It is so yummy and moist that I now make it every year at the holidays for friends and family. —Sandy Sandaval, Sandy Valley, Nevada
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Frosted Harvest Cake
Craving brownies but want something a little bit different? Indulge in a fall-flavored version topped with a cream cheese frosting. —Iola Egle, Bella Vista, Arkansas
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Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
The addition of apple butter gives this pumpkin pie a slightly fruity flavor. I’m always happy to share reliable recipes like this. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
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Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
Tart, juicy cranberries enhance the delicate pumpkin flavor of these muffins. Sometimes I dust the tops with powdered sugar to add a little sweetness. —Sue Ross, Casa Grande, Arizona
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Pumpkin Spice Cookies
These big, soft spice cookies created by our staff have a sweet frosting that makes them an extra-special treat. Enjoy these with vintage Thanksgiving recipes selected by our team. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Pumpkin Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Sauce
This old-fashioned treat is so warm and comforting on chilly evenings. Pumpkin gives it great seasonal appeal, and the white chocolate sauce makes it even more irresistible. —Shirley Glaab, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Jumbo Pumpkin Pecan Muffins
Perk up an autumn morning with one of these hearty muffins. You’ll really enjoy the pumpkin-spice flavor and crumbly nut topping and so will everyone else! —Mrs. Janice Christofferson, Eagle River, Wisconsin
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Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Usually I prepare two different desserts for our holiday dinner, but one of them must be pumpkin pie—otherwise, it just wouldn’t seem like Thanksgiving. My version calls for more eggs than most, making this pie’s pumpkin custard fillings especially rich-tasting. —Gloria Warczak, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
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Pumpkin Mousse Trifle
You can speed up this recipe by using a store-bought pound cake or baking and freezing one ahead of time. The sugared pecans can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container.—Becky McClaflin, Blanchard, Oklahoma
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Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake
I have been making this delicious gingerbread cake for years and it’s won several blue ribbons. Serve it with whipped cream and caramel sauce, or dust it with confectioners’ sugar after it cools. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
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Purple-Ribbon Pumpkin Cake
I belong to a Christmas village collectors' club and we all bring a potluck dish to our monthy meetings. The cake is always a hit. It's one of my family's favorite Thanksgiving desserts, too, and disappears before the pumpkin pie does. —Debby Powers, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
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Pumpkin Bread
I keep my freezer stocked for our harvest crew with home-baked goodies like this deliciously spicy, easy pumpkin bread recipe. —Joyce Jackson, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia
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Pumpkin-Butterscotch Gingerbread Trifle
There's more to pumpkin than pie, as this impressive trifle proves. It looks so elegant with alternating layers of gingerbread cake and pumpkin/butterscotch pudding. Try making it ahead of time for a fuss-free dessert when you're planning to entertain guests. —Lyla Lehenbauer, New London, Missouri
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Pumpkin Pecan Loaves
Among all my pumpkin bread recipes, this caramel-glazed creation is the pick of the crop. Often, I'll wrap up a lovely loaf as a homemade gift for teachers and Sunday school leaders. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas
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Iced Pumpkin Cookies
My 2-year-old son, Joshua, especially likes testing—or should I say consuming—these chunky cookies! —Johna Nilson, Vista, California
Originally Published: July 31, 2018
