Love pumpkin season, but not pumpkin pie? Same. These 10 pumpkin desserts lean on chocolate, brown butter, black sesame, and chewy mochi.
Just because I don’t like pumpkin pie doesn’t mean I don’t like pumpkin. I actually LOVE pumpkin. It adds moisture, a gorgeous rich color, and a slight earthy sweetness to baked goods. To me, it works better as a supporting flavor and not the entire show.
This is my list for pumpkin pie skeptics. In my opinion, these are the best pumpkin desserts that aren’t pie! You’ll find different textures, bold flavors, and spices kept in balance (no overpowering cloves or ginger!).
Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Butter mochi is made with glutinous rice flour (often sold as mochiko), which bakes into a chewy, bouncy texture with crisp, golden edges. My version is topped with cinnamon sugar. This is excellent for potlucks and bake sales.
Black sesame tastes a bit like peanut butter: nutty, toasty, and slightly savory. Paired with pumpkin, it makes a loaf cake that’s earthy and cozy. It’s the most unexpected recipe on this list and one of my favorites. (It's a new recipe that's already getting a lot of love on Instagram!)
These are soft, cakey donuts baked in a donut pan instead of fried. They are generously coated in cinnamon sugar. They’re quick enough for a weekday morning and fun to make with kids
This is a tender, lightly spiced bundt finished with a spiced glaze drizzle. It feeds a crowd, slices cleanly, and tastes even better the next day. Another one that's great for potlucks and bake sales.
Fudgy chocolate brownies get a tangy pumpkin cheesecake swirl on top. The chocolate does the heavy lifting, and the pumpkin just makes the swirl creamy and festive. If you’re bringing one dessert to a skeptical crowd, bring these.
These are soft, fluffy rolls with pumpkin in the dough and a chocolate cinnamon filling swirled inside. Then it's layered with thick chocolate frosting. Pumpkin keeps the dough tender and gives it a pretty golden color, but the flavor reads chocolate first. They’re perfect for a fall weekend brunch.
Yield: three layer 6-inch cake
Browning the butter adds nutty, toffee-like notes that make this cake taste rich and grown-up. It’s a simple cake that doesn’t need much fuss. This is my proof that pumpkin and brown butter belong together. I love this cake so much that I made it the top layer of my wedding cake!
This is four layers of moist pumpkin cake filled with chocolate caramel cream cheese frosting and chopped dark chocolate. It’s finished with pistachios and rosemary sprigs, so it looks like a little forest.
Basque cheesecake is baked hot, so the top caramelizes to a deep, almost burnt brown while the center stays creamy. That bittersweet crust and tangy cream cheese pull it far away from pie territory. It has an Oreo cookie crust bottom that takes it over the top.
I’ll be honest: this one is the closest to pie. But the crisp, buttery tart shell and thinner layer of filling give you more crunch in every bite, and the one-bowl filling comes together fast. Think of it as the gateway recipe for pie skeptics who want to give pumpkin one more chance.
Questions You Probably Have
Pumpkin butter mochi is hands down the easiest recipe. It’s impossible to overmix. Simply throw all the ingredients together in one bowl and whisk until smooth.
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. All these recipes were tested and created using standard canned pumpkin puree.
Fresh pumpkin puree (homemade puree) tends to have more moisture and water than the commercial stuff.
That’s a trick question. All of these can be prepped or made ahead of time. Thus, making these great for Thanksgiving prep!
Pumpkin season doesn’t have to mean pie. Pick the dessert that sounds most like you, whether that’s chocolate, chewy, or nutty, and give pumpkin another shot. If you make one, let me know which recipe changed your mind.
