The Best Pumpkin Desserts That Aren’t Pie

The flavors of autumn are uniquely spiced, fruity, and warm, making it easily the most highly anticipated season for sweet treats (sorry, Christmas). But there’s one seasonal flavor that undoubtedly kicks all the others to the curb: It wouldn’t be fall without pumpkin-flavored everything. 

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When it comes to pumpkin, we usually default to pumpkin pie and the illustrious PSL (as in, Pumpkin Spice Latte), but there’s a whole word of other sweet fall treats out there to usher in everyone’s favorite season. Let’s take a look at some underappreciated autumnal delights that make pumpkin pie look like one of these sad Great Depression-era desserts à la potato brûlée or a cake made of tears and vinegar. Ditch the boring orange mush haphazardly stuffed into a bland, store-bought pie crust and bring one of these desserts to Thanksgiving dinner if you want to be king for a day.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

I know what you’re thinking: “Summer’s over—get that ice cream away from me!” Well, you’ll be singing a different tune when you take your first bite of pumpkin ice cream. It has all the warm flavors of pumpkin spice (think nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice) in a creamy, refreshing form for those warm, early-autumn days. Try Ben and Jerry’s Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream for a superb store-bought version or make one yourself with pumpkin purée, heavy cream, brown sugar, and spices.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

If you’re looking to bake a better-for-you pumpkin treat, opt for oatmeal cookies. You can swap out butter for canned pumpkin and use a calorie-free sweetener for a low-fat and low-sugar dessert. Load them up with raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips—whatever you want. Pumpkin goes well with more flavors than most people realize. But—for the love of gourd—remember: Blot the heck out of your canned pumpkin to remove as much liquid as possible whenever you’re adding it to cookies, otherwise the texture will be all wrong.

Pumpkin Roll

A pumpkin roll is a great party or Thanksgiving treat because it checks off every box: It’s delicious, looks amazing, and it’s oh so apropos for the season. Layers of pumpkin cake are swirled around spiced cream cheese frosting so that there’s the perfect amount of each in every bite. This is a fun (but challenging) one to make homemade—luckily, you can usually find it at any grocery store bakery come fall.

Pumpkin Spice Crisp

Apple crisp is a classic fall treat here in the Northeast, but what about pumpkin crisp? It’s the same idea that relies instead on the flavor of pumpkin, sure, but more so the famous spices associated with the gourd. Make a pumpkin-based goop with spices, walnuts, oats, dates, raisins, or all of the above topped with a crumbly, crispy coating, like a dessert casserole. Don’t forget to add a nice dose of black pepper along with your regular pumpkin spice seasoning; black pepper really enhances the natural sweetness of pumpkin by giving it an earthy backbone.

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread is a broad term. It can be anything you want it to be, really. Load it up with brown sugar, butter, and your favorite mix-ins for a decadent dessert. Or, bake it with Greek yogurt, no butter (again, pumpkin purée can take its place), and a zero-cal sweetener for a healthier treat that still scratches the dessert itch. The best part? Pumpkin bread—like other “bread” desserts—is so, so easy for even the most novice baker. Dress it up with cream cheese frosting, almond or apple butter, or whatever you’re in the mood for.