Pumpkin Desserts Other Than Pie
While pumpkin pie is the undoubted leader of autumn pumpkin desserts, it is not to everyone's liking. Even those of us who enjoy a slice in the fall may be pretty tired of it long before Thanksgiving rolls around. This isn't to say that pumpkin can't be delicious when incorporated into a dessert. We simply might want to create something a little different with this base flavor. This is why oneHOWTO shares our list of pumpkin desserts other than pie. Included in our alternative pumpkin desserts are pumpkin flan, pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin cake, among others.
Pumpkin flan
Our first pumpkin dessert other than pie is pumpkin flan. A completely different texture and something which will give custard lovers something to enjoy. Flan is essentially a set custard, but various flavors can be incorporated into it to give this base custard more excitement. Make a fall flan with this easy-to-make pumpkin alternative dessert:
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (about 240g)
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
Method
- Mix cooked pumpkin puree with condensed milk, eggs and a touch of vanilla until completely homogenous.
- Place in flan mold and place mold into a bain-marie or a high-rimmed baking tray with water up to the lip of the mold.
- Cook the ingredients for about 50 minutes, ensuring the custard is set, but still jiggly
- Let it cool before serving.
If you want to enhance the sweetness of this pumpkin flan, accompany it with a touch of caramel sauce. If you want to make a similar dish which uses caramel, take a look at our Baileys crème caramel recipe.
Pumpkin and cinnamon cake
Another excellent option for a pumpkin pie alternative is a cake made with this autumn gourd. This pumpkin cake uses the spice flavor which perhaps best pairs with pumpkin, cinnamon. Follow this recipe for our cinnamon pumpkin cake:
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (about 240g)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (60ml)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (or yeast equivalent to 1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Method
- In a bowl, mix the cooked pumpkin puree with eggs, sugar and a splash of oil.
- Mix the flour, yeast, a little cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
- Sieve the dry ingredients into the wet and stir as you do so.
- Pour the batter into a greased mold and bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 35 to 45 minutes. You can check if the cake is done by sticking a toothpick in it and if it comes out dry, it will be cooked through.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes and invert onto a cooling rack.
You can enjoy this pumpkin and cinnamon cake on its own, especially with a delicious cup of coffee in the afternoon. You can also choose to frost it with a lemon and cinnamon frosting to give it a decadent edge. Check out our article on how to make lemon frosting from scratch to learn more.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Can you imagine enjoying an authentic cheesecake with a pumpkin flavor? This dessert with cooked pumpkin is very easy to prepare and an excellent way to take advantage of this seasonal product other than pumpkin pie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (about 240g)
- 12 oz cream cheese (340g), softened
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups crushed cookies (e.g., graham crackers or digestive biscuits)
- 1/4 cup melted butter (60g)
- Caramel syrup (for serving)
Method
- Preheat oven to 320ºF (160ºC).
- Mix pumpkin puree, cream cheese, eggs and sugar until homogenous.
- Add spices and mix thoroughly.
- Crush the cookies and mix with melted butter.
- Line the bottom of a suitably sized baking tray with greased parchment paper.
- Pour in the wet mixture and cook for about 50 minutes or until set in the middle.
- Take out and leave to cool.
- Serve with caramel drizzled over top.
In just a few minutes you can enjoy all the flavor of this delicious pumpkin cheesecake that you will want to make all year round. If you want another cheesecake alternative, take a look at our fuwa fuwa recipe for Japanese cheesecake.
Pumpkin pudding
Pumpkin pudding is another dessert that isn't pie, but is delicious. It is creamy, comforting and very easy to prepare. You just need to follow these steps:
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (about 240g)
- 1 1/2 cups milk (360ml)
- 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (24g)
Method
- Put the pumpkin puree, milk, sugar and cinnamon into a high-sided pan.
- Cook on low heat, stirring continuously.
- Make a slurry of cornstarch and a little water.
- Slowly add the slurry while you keep stirring until it reaches a thick consistency.
- Transfer the pudding into either one large bowl or separate ramekins for individual servings.
- Let cool until they firm up and serve.
Combine the pumpkin pudding with a little sprinkle of cinnamon or accompany it with cream to make this dessert much more complete and delicious.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Just because the fall is cold, doesn't mean we can't eat ice cream. Pumpkin ice cream is a creamy and delicious pumpkin dessert that isn't pie, although you could also add a scoop to a piece of pumpkin pie if you wanted to go extreme pumpkin. Here is how to make it:
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (about 240g)
- 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups whipping cream (480ml)
- 1 cup milk (240ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Mix the pumpkin puree with the sugar and dry spices in a bowl.
- Mix the whipping cream and milk together with vanilla extract and pour into the puree mixture.
- Combine until homogenous and refrigerate for 2 hours until completely cooled.
- Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker and churn according to instruction (usually around 30 mins).
If you don't want such a heavy pumpkin dessert, learn how you can substitute ice cream for healthier alternatives.
Pumpkin and chocolate cookies
Another delicious sweet pumpkin pie alternative where you can make the most of pumpkin is by preparing some homemade cookies. We recommend combining them with chocolate chips so you have a better range of flavors and textures:
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (about 240g)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220g)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (90g)
Method
- Mix pumpkin puree in a bowl with brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt until homogenous.
- Sift flower and slowly mix into the puree mixture.
- Once a soft dough forms, fold in the chocolate chips.
- With your hands take pieces of the cookie dough and roll into balls as large as you want each cookie to be.
- Place onto a lined baking tray and press down so they are disc shaped.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350ºF (180ºC) for 12-15 mins.
- Cool on a wire rack and serve.
If you are looking for another fall dessert other than pumpkin pie, why not try this delicious Halloween ghost cookie recipe.
If you want to read similar articles to Pumpkin Desserts Other Than Pie, we recommend you visit our Recipes category.