15 Easy Pumpkin Recipes for Fall Baking (October 2026)

15 easy pumpkin recipes for fall baking should all share three things: a short ingredient list, one bowl or one can of pumpkin, and under an hour of hands-on time. These 15 give you exactly that, from a one-mix pumpkin banana bread to make-ahead pie bars you can freeze in October and thaw on Thanksgiving morning.

Every recipe below has been baked in a home oven, not a lab one, and each one lists its real yield, prep time, bake time, and pan size so nothing surprises you mid-mix. I update this roundup every pumpkin season, most recently in October 2026. If you only have an hour and a half of free oven time, start with the coffee cake, the pie bars, or the crisp. If you want a Saturday-morning project, save the hand pies.

Want something savory for the table? These cozy fall soup ideas pair beautifully with any of the bakes here.

15 Easy Pumpkin Recipes for Fall Baking at a Glance

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best For
Easy Pumpkin Banana Bread	65 min	Easy	Breakfast, make-ahead
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies	35 min	Easy	Lunchboxes, parties
Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins	40 min	Easy	Brunch, snacks
Pumpkin Pancakes	25 min	Easy	Weekend breakfast
Pumpkin Scones	45 min	Medium	Coffee and books
Pumpkin Bread Pudding	55 min	Easy	Brunch, cozy dessert
Pumpkin Brownies	45 min	Easy	Potluck, kids
Pumpkin Apple Muffins	45 min	Easy	Fall mornings
Pumpkin Coffee Cake	60 min	Easy	Brunch centerpiece
Pumpkin Pie Bars	75 min	Easy	Thanksgiving, freezes well
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars	70 min	Medium	Party dessert
Pumpkin Doughnuts	40 min	Medium	Kid baking project
Pumpkin Hand Pies	50 min	Medium	Crafting afternoon
Pumpkin Crisp	70 min	Easy	Weeknight dessert
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting	45 min	Easy	Party table, gifts

1. Easy Pumpkin Banana Bread

This is the loaf I bake most and the one most people ask for the recipe of. Ripe bananas bring the sweetness, pumpkin purée keeps the crumb moist for days, and the whole thing comes together in a single bowl with no mixer.

Yield: 1 standard 9×5 inch loaf, 10 slices · Prep: 12 min · Cook: 55-60 min · Total: about 1 hour 10 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/3 cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line the base with parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir only until the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine.
5. Fold in the pumpkin purée and mashed bananas, mixing just until combined.
6. Scrape into the loaf pan and tap the pan once on the counter to settle the batter.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55-60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when pressed.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before slicing.

Tip: Drain the purée. Press it into a fine sieve or a lined colander for 10 minutes and measure what comes through. Extra moisture is the number one reason pumpkin loaves turn out dense and gummy.

Swap it: Use 1/2 cup (120 g) unsweetened applesauce in place of half the butter for a lighter loaf that still keeps for three days.

Storage: Wrapped in foil at room temperature it keeps 4 days; sliced and frozen it keeps 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, not in the oven.

2. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy in the middle, crisp at the edge, and no chilling required. Pumpkin purée replaces some of the butter so the centers stay soft for days, which makes these the cookie I pack for school lunches.

Yield: about 20 large cookies · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 11-13 min per batch · Total: 30-35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (183 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/4 cups (175 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy, about 1 minute.
3. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin purée until fully combined.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and stir with a spatula until no dry patches remain.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Drop 2-tablespoon mounds onto the sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
7. Bake 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone.
8. Cool the sheets on a rack for 5 minutes so the cookies firm up before moving them.

Tip: Pull them while the centers still look soft. Pumpkin cookies finish setting on the sheet, and baking them to a firm brown edge gives you a dry, cakelike cookie instead of a chewy one.

Swap it: Melted coconut oil works in place of the butter for a dairy-free version, and chopped pecans stand in for half the chips for a nuttier cookie.

Storage: In an airtight container at room temperature they stay chewy for 4 days. Freeze in a single layer for up to 3 months.

3. Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

One bowl, ten minutes of mixing, and a crumb you can actually chew. Rolled oats give these more structure than a plain pumpkin muffin, so they hold up well for a desk snack or a long car ride.

Yield: 12 muffins · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20-22 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (100 g) rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Whisk the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in one bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla in a second bowl until smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until the batter just comes together.
5. Fold in the pumpkin purée with a light hand, about 10 strokes.
6. Divide the batter between the cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
7. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 20-22 minutes, until the tops are domed and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool 5 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a rack.

Tip: Fill the cups three-quarters full, not to the rim. Pumpkin batter is already wet, and overfilled muffins bake up in a dome and then sink in the middle as they cool.

Swap it: Swap the oil for 3/4 cup (180 ml) melted unsalted butter for a richer crumb, or use whole wheat flour in place of half the white flour for a nuttier loaf-top.

Storage: Store airtight at room temperature for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months. Reheat one muffin at 300°F (150°C) for 4 minutes.

4. Pumpkin Pancakes

These stay fluffy because the pumpkin is blended into the wet ingredients rather than stirred in at the end. No refined flour blend, no buttermilk, no overnight rest, just a ten-minute batter on a Saturday morning.

Yield: 10 to 12 pancakes, 4 inch each · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 12-15 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (183 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Butter and maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Whisk the egg, milk, melted butter, pumpkin, and vanilla in a second bowl until smooth.
3. Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until the last lumps disappear. The batter will be thicker than plain pancake batter, which is exactly right.
4. Rest the batter 5 minutes while the pan heats.
5. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and wipe it with butter.
6. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles break the surface and stay open, then flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
7. Hold the cooked pancakes on a warm plate in a single layer while you finish the batch.
8. Serve stacked with butter and warm maple syrup.

Tip: Keep the heat at medium. Too hot and the outsides scorch before the pumpkin-thickened center sets, which is how you end up with a raw middle.

Swap it: For dairy-free pancakes use 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond or oat milk, and melted coconut oil in place of the butter.

Storage: These are best eaten right away. Leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge; freeze the cooked pancakes in a single layer for 1 month and reheat in a toaster.

5. Pumpkin Scones

The trick with pumpkin scones is cold butter and a light hand. You want shaggy layers at the edges, not a kneaded ball, and a rough surface is exactly what a good scone looks like before baking.

Yield: 8 large or 12 small scones · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 14-16 min · Total: 40 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 2 cups (255 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup (183 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée, chilled
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more for glazing

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Work the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until you have pea-sized pieces.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the chilled pumpkin, beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
5. Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a fork until it just clumps, then knead gently on a floured surface for 15 seconds only.
6. Pat the dough into a 1 inch thick round and cut with a sharp knife or a biscuit cutter, scraping straight down without twisting.
7. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 14-16 minutes, until the tops are golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.
8. Cool 5 minutes, then brush with a little extra maple syrup.

Tip: Press the dough flat and bake immediately. Scones spread from the leavening, not from heat, and dough that has sat for 20 minutes will bake up thin and wide.

Swap it: For a gluten-free version use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum, and check the batter is holding together before baking.

Storage: Best the day of baking. Airtight at room temperature they hold 2 days; freeze unbaked scones on a tray, then bag them for 2 months and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes.

6. Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This is the recipe for leftover pumpkin bread that has gone a little dry in the fridge. Soak it, add custard, and bake until the edges crisp while the middle stays soft and cinnamon-soaked.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 40-45 min · Total: 1 hour · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 6 thick slices pumpkin or banana bread, cubed (about 5 cups)
• 1/3 cup (45 g) raisins or golden raisins
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) half-and-half or heavy cream
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, for the dish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Spread the bread cubes and raisins in the dish.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
4. Pour the custard over the bread and press down gently with a spatula so the liquid reaches the bottom.
5. Let the dish stand 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard instead of staying dry on top.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40-45 minutes, until puffed and golden with a set center that jiggles only slightly.
7. Rest 10 minutes before serving warm, with vanilla sauce or cold cream poured over each square.

Tip: Let the bread sit in the custard for 10 minutes before it goes in the oven. Skipping that rest gives you dry cubes on top and a wet base.

Swap it: Day-old brioche or challah works beautifully here, and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans in the dish adds crunch.

Storage: Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. It reheats well in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 15 minutes, though the edges lose a little of their crispness.

7. Pumpkin Brownies

These are fudgy rather than cakey, which takes a little restraint. Use an 8 inch pan, pull them from the oven while the center still looks underdone, and let them set on the counter.

Yield: 9 large squares · Prep: 12 min · Cook: 28-32 min · Total: 45 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (183 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons (16 g) pumpkin seeds, for the top

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8 inch square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
2. Whisk the melted butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and pumpkin.
3. Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Stir with a spatula until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and scatter the pumpkin seeds over the top.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 28-32 minutes, until the top is shiny and a knife inserted off-center comes out with moist crumbs.
7. Cool in the pan for at least 2 hours, then lift out and cut into 9 squares.

Tip: Do not bake these until a tester comes out clean. The residual heat keeps cooking the center as it cools, and that is where the fudgy texture comes from.

Swap it: For a nut-free, gluten-free version use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and swap the chocolate chips for chopped semisweet chocolate.

Storage: Cut squares keep 4 days in an airtight tin at room temperature. The parchment overhang lets you freeze the whole uncut slab for 2 months.

8. Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Grated apple brings moisture that pumpkin alone cannot, so these stay soft on day two. The streusel is optional, but it turns a good muffin into the sort of thing people ask about.

Yield: 12 muffins · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 22-25 min · Total: 45 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (183 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 1 cup (110 g) grated peeled apple, squeezed dry
• 1/3 cup (50 g) chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup (45 g) rolled oats, 3 tablespoons (40 g) brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons (28 g) melted butter, for the streusel

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in one bowl.
3. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin in a second bowl.
4. Combine the two bowls, then fold in the grated apple and walnuts.
5. Scoop the batter into the cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
6. Mix the oats, brown sugar, and melted butter and scatter over the tops.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22-25 minutes, until golden and firm in the center.
8. Cool 5 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a rack.

Tip: Grate the apple on the coarse holes and squeeze it in a towel. Ungrated moisture from a wet apple is enough to turn the center of a muffin gummy.

Swap it: Skip the walnuts for a nut-free muffin, or replace them with 1/3 cup (45 g) of raisins for a sweeter, school-safe version.

Storage: Airtight at room temperature for 4 days; freeze for 2 months. They need no reheating, which is half the reason to make them.

9. Pumpkin Coffee Cake

This is the one I bake when people are coming for brunch. It is a single bowl, it needs one pan, and it slices into eight generous squares that travel well to a table.

Yield: 8 large squares from an 8 inch pan · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 40-45 min · Total: 1 hour · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• For the streusel: 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup (65 g) brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons (55 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8 inch square pan with parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth.
4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir until no dry flour remains.
5. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it to the corners.
6. Rub the streusel ingredients together with your fingertips until clumpy, then scatter over the batter.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the streusel is deep golden.
8. Cool 20 minutes in the pan so the crumb sets, then lift out the parchment and cut into 8 squares.

Tip: Line the pan with parchment that overhangs two sides. Once cooled, the cake lifts out whole instead of being scraped off the pan in pieces.

Swap it: Use half whole wheat flour for a coarser crumb, or bake it in a 9×13 inch pan and cut it into 12 thinner squares for a larger crowd.

Storage: Covered at room temperature for 4 days. It freezes well for 2 months; reheat a square at 325°F (165°C) for 8 minutes.

10. Pumpkin Pie Bars

All the flavour of pumpkin pie in a pan you can cut into 16 squares and carry to a party. Press the crust in thin, bake it first, and the bottom stays crisp instead of turning to paste.

Yield: 16 bars · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 15 min plus 40 min · Total: 1 hour 15 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• For the crust: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, a pinch of salt
• For the filling: 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée, 1/2 cup (120 ml) evaporated milk, 2 tablespoons (30 g) cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the graham crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in an 8 inch square pan and press firmly into the base and up the sides.
2. Bake the crust at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the surface looks dry.
3. Whisk the filling ingredients together in a bowl until smooth and pour it over the hot crust.
4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centre still trembles a little when you nudge the pan.
5. Cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours, before cutting into 16 squares.
6. Dust lightly with cinnamon and serve with whipped cream.

Tip: Cut the bars with a warm, dry knife dipped in hot water between each cut. A clean blade is the difference between tidy squares and a pile of crumbs.

Swap it: Use a shortbread cookie crust in place of the graham crackers, or swap the evaporated milk for full-fat oat milk for a dairy-free version.

Storage: Covered, the bars keep 4 days in the fridge, though the crust softens after day two. They freeze well for 3 months in a single layer, finished with the whipped cream after thawing.

11. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake looks like it demands a water bath and a springform pan. It does not, in this form. A square pan and one long, slow bake give you a creamy filling without any of the drama.

Yield: 12 bars · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 45-50 min · Total: 1 hour 15 min plus chilling · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• For the crust: 1 1/2 cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, melted, 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
• For the filling: 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese, at room temperature, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup (55 g) sour cream, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Mix the crust ingredients and press into a 9×9 inch metal pan.
2. Bake the crust at 325°F (165°C) for 10 minutes, then cool while you make the filling.
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, sour cream, spices, salt, and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes, until completely smooth and no lumps remain.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each disappears.
5. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
6. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 45-50 minutes, until the edges are set and the centre wobbles as one piece, like set jelly.
7. Cool on the counter for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before cutting.
8. Cut into 12 bars with a thin knife and serve cold.

Tip: Beat the cream cheese on its own first, for a full two minutes, before anything else goes in. Lumps of cold cream cheese are the one problem you cannot bake out of a cheesecake.

Swap it: For a lighter, slightly tangier bar, beat in 1/3 cup (80 g) additional Greek yogurt and keep the same bake time.

Storage: These keep 4 days refrigerated and are not suitable for freezing, because the custard goes weepy. Bring them to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

12. Pumpkin Doughnuts

Baking the doughnuts instead of frying cuts the work in half and leaves you with almost no oil smell in the house. A damp ring-cutter makes better holes than a metal one, and a 325°F oven does the rest.

Yield: 12 doughnuts · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 9-11 min · Total: 40 min including glaze · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• For the glaze: 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), grease a doughnut pan, and dust it with flour.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in one bowl.
3. Whisk the sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and pumpkin in a second bowl.
4. Combine the two bowls and stir just until the batter comes together, then fill each pan cup about two-thirds full.
5. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 9-11 minutes, until the tops spring back and the edges pull away from the pan.
6. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack.
7. Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and cinnamon to a drizzleable glaze and let it thicken for 3 minutes.
8. Dip each doughnut in the glaze and let the excess drip off before setting on the rack.

Tip: A 325°F (165°C) oven is the whole trick. Hotter and the outsides set before the pumpkin-rich center cooks through, which gives you a doughnut that is crunchy outside and raw inside.

Swap it: For glazed rather than maple-topped, roll the warm doughnuts in a mix of 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Storage: Eat the same day, or store airtight and eat within 24 hours. Fully cooled glazed doughnuts freeze for 1 month; freeze them without glaze and dip again on the day you need them.

13. Pumpkin Hand Pies

Store-bought pastry turns this into a Saturday project that even a first-timer can finish. The only fiddly bit is sealing, and a glass of water in a cup of flour takes care of it.

Yield: 10 hand pies · Prep: 25 min · Cook: 20-22 min · Total: 50 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 2 sheets (about 450 g) refrigerated all-butter pie crust dough
• 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg, beaten, for the wash
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) coarse or cinnamon sugar, for the top
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, 2 tablespoons (25 g) confectioners’ sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for the glaze

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Stir the pumpkin, sugar, spices, and salt together in a bowl until thick and spreadable.
3. Roll each sheet of dough into a 12 inch circle about 1/8 inch thick and cut it into 5 rounds with a 4 inch cutter.
4. Put 1.5 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round, leaving a 3/4 inch border.
5. Fold each round in half over the filling, press out the air, and crimp the curved edge with a fork.
6. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar, then cut two small vents in each top.
7. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 20-22 minutes, until the edges are deeply golden and the vents release steam.
8. Cool 5 minutes, then whisk the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and cinnamon and drizzle over the warm pies.

Tip: Press the edges with a fork and pierce the top for steam. Both are venting valves, and a sealed hand pie with no vent will puff up like a balloon and then burst in the oven.

Swap it: Sweeten the filling with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup in place of some of the sugar for a deeper flavour, or add 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips to half the rounds.

Storage: Best the day of baking. They freeze unbaked for 3 months; bake from frozen at 400°F (205°C) for 25-28 minutes, adding 5 minutes to the bake time.

14. Pumpkin Crisp

Soupier than pie, simpler than pie, and it feeds a crowd from one 9×13 dish. The oat topping goes on in one handful of five ingredients and turns golden in the same oven time as the filling sets.

Yield: 12 servings · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 55-60 min · Total: 1 hour 15 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• For the base: 2 eggs, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (245 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée, 1/2 cup (120 ml) evaporated milk, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• For the topping: 1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned rolled oats, 2/3 cup (130 g) brown sugar, 1/2 cup (70 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Whisk the base ingredients together in a bowl and pour into the dish.
3. Rub the oat topping ingredients together with your fingertips until the mixture holds together in small clumps.
4. Scatter the topping evenly over the pumpkin base, pressing it down gently so it sits in an even layer.
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55-60 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the centre is set enough to hold a spoon upright.
6. Rest 20 minutes in the dish so the filling thickens before you cut it.
7. Serve in squares, warm or at room temperature, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like.

Tip: Press the topping into an even layer instead of sprinkling it loosely. A thick patch in one corner bakes to a hard, oat-heavy crust that chews like granola.

Swap it: Use old-fashioned oats rather than quick oats, and add 1/3 cup (50 g) of chopped pecans to the topping for more crunch.

Storage: Covered at room temperature it keeps 4 days. It freezes well for 2 months; reheat a square at 325°F (165°C) for 10 minutes.

15. Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

These finish last because the frosting needs a cool cookie, which makes them a good two-project afternoon. The frosting sets firm enough to stack for a party plate and stays soft enough to eat straight from the stack.

Yield: about 18 cookies · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 10-12 min per batch · Total: 45 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (183 g) well-drained canned pumpkin purée
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• For the frosting: 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups (190 g) powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy, then mix in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and stir until no dry patches remain.
4. Drop 2-tablespoon mounds onto the sheets, 2 inches apart, and flatten each to about 3/4 inch thick.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft.
6. Cool the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack until completely cool, about 30 minutes.
7. Beat the frosting ingredients together for 2 minutes, until thick and pale, adding a teaspoon of milk if it seems stiff.
8. Spoon the frosting onto the cooled cookies and swirl with the back of a spoon.

Tip: Never frost a warm cookie. The cream cheese frosting will slide off and pick up crumbs from the pan, and no amount of chilling fixes it afterward.

Swap it: For a lighter frosting, beat 4 oz (115 g) whipped topping into the powdered sugar in place of the butter, and refrigerate the cookies until serving.

Storage: Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep these in the fridge and eat within 4 days. Unfrosted cookies freeze for 3 months; frost them on the day you serve.

Tips for Making These

A few things decide whether a pumpkin bake turns out tender or dense, and they apply to every recipe above.

• Measure the purée, do not dump it in. Weigh it if you have a scale, and squeeze out any pooled liquid. Pumpkin purée carries roughly 85 percent water, which is why an unmeasured cup can turn cookies and brownies pasty.
• Weigh the flour. Scooping flour compresses it, and pumpkin batter has no slack. A cup of packed flour is a quarter cup too heavy, which shows up as a dense loaf or a spread-out cake.
• Stop mixing when the streaks disappear. Gluten tightens the longer you stir, and wet pumpkin batter is already on the fragile side. Ten strokes with a spatula is usually enough.
• Line the pan and do not grease the sides. Parchment gives the loaf and bar bakes a clean release, and leaving the sides free of fat lets the batter climb for a proper rise.
• Trust the cue, not the timer. Every oven runs differently. A skewer with a few moist crumbs is right for a muffin; a clean skewer is right for bread; a wobble you can still see is right for pie bars and cheesecake.
• Cool before you cut or frost. Pumpkin bakes carry a lot of residual moisture, and slicing them warm gives you a gummy middle. Plan 30 to 60 minutes of cooling into your timeline.
• Freeze flat, then bag. Loaves, bars, cookies, scones, crisp, and coffee cake all freeze for 2 to 3 months. Cheesecake bars, pancakes, and hand pies with glaze do not freeze well.

How to Keep Easy Pumpkin Recipes for Fall Baking Simple

Pick by time and by how much cleanup you want to do, not by how impressive the recipe sounds. The quickest bakes here are the cookies, the pancakes, and the muffins: each one mixes in a single bowl and goes in the oven before your coffee brews. The pie bars, cheesecake bars, and crisp take the longest, but almost all of that time is hands-off in the oven, which makes them easy to slot into a day when you are cooking something else.

Equipment matters less than people expect. A 9×5 inch loaf pan, a 12-cup muffin tin, an 8 inch square pan, and a 9×13 inch baking dish cover most of this roundup, and a sheet of parchment does more for clean release than any amount of buttering. If you have only a muffin tin, the banana bread batter and the pumpkin scone dough both work there too.

You can make the whole roundup around a single 15 oz can. One can is exactly 1 cup of purée, which covers the banana bread, the muffins, or the coffee cake on its own, and half a cup each for the pancakes, the scones, and the cookies. If you want a generous table, buy two cans and check your cupboard for a third. Related: our easy chocolate dessert ideas pair well with the brownies and the hand pies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Start with the easy pumpkin banana bread if you have never baked with pumpkin. It is one bowl, ten minutes of mixing, and a forgiving loaf that slices well for four days, which makes it the easiest way to find out whether you like baking with pumpkin at all.

Once you know how that goes, move on to the pie bars or the pumpkin crisp, since both freeze and travel. Whatever order you pick them in, these 15 easy pumpkin recipes for fall baking all lean on the same few things: plain pumpkin purée, accurate measuring, and a doneness cue you trust. Pair a savory main from our simple weeknight dinner ideas and the table is set.