22 Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
Healthy pumpkin recipes
It's a shame that pumpkin is only popular for two months out of the year. The low-calorie squash is rich in potassium and vitamin A, and loaded with beta-carotene (a powerful antioxidant). Plus, its natural sweetness brings subtle flavor to baked goods without any added guilt. The good news: many of our favorite pumpkin recipes call for canned pumpkin, so you can enjoy these delicious, nutrient-packed fall comfort food dishes year-round. From pumpkin chili to pumpkin muffins to a spicy pumpkin hummus, here are the best healthy pumpkin recipes.
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Spicy Pumpkin Hummus
Try this recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Hummus
Prefer your hummus on the mild side? Leave out the harissa in this recipe.
Ingredients: Garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, canned chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, ground cumin, harissa, raw honey, salt, freshly ground black pepper, toasted pepitas, paprika (optional)
Calories: 136
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Curried Pumpkin Soup
Try this recipe: Curried Pumpkin Soup
This comforting fall soup can be on the table in just 25 minutes, and is packed with good-for-you nutrients and tons of flavor.
Ingredients: Avocado oil, yellow onion, salt, fresh ginger, Bosc pears, raw cashews, curry powder, turmeric, ground cumin, chili powder, canned pumpkin, low-sodium vegetable broth, black pepper, coconut yogurt (for garnish)
Calories: 266
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Pumpkin Ravioli
This ravioli recipe combines comfort food with yummy pumpkin flavors. And although pumpkin is typically a fall vegetable, this recipe calls for canned pumpkin—meaning you can make it year-round whenever the craving strikes.
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Pumpkin Chili
Yes, this chili is perfect for fall, but you can also enjoy it year-round, thanks to canned pumpkin puree. Black beans deliver protein, and vegetables like carrots, red peppers, and tomatoes bump up the nutrients.
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Pumpkin Waffles With Maple-Walnut Syrup
If you’re the type that counts down the days until Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes come back on the market, then you’ll love our Fall-friendly take on your favorite Saturday morning breakfast food.
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Pasta With Pumpkin Sage Sauce
You need to make this creamy, nutrient-packed sauce before fall is over.
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Grain-Free Pumpkin Muffins
Try this recipe: Grain-Free Pumpkin Muffins
These tasty muffins are grain-free, thanks to a mixture of almond and coconut flour. There's also no refined sugar. Have leftover pumpkin? Freeze it and toss it into a smoothie.
Ingredients: Olive oil cooking spray, blanched almond flour, coconut flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ground cloves, eggs, canned pumpkin, coconut oil, unsulfured molasses, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract
Calories: 190
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Pumpkin Dip
Try this recipe: Pumpkin Dip
Bring out the best of fall's flavors with this super-easy pumpkin dip. Canned pumpkin mixed with maple syrup and cinnamon will be a treat for your taste buds. The cream cheese used in this recipe has a third less fat and makes the dip rich and soft without too many added calories. Serve with fresh apple slices for an extra serving of vitamins and fiber.
Ingredients: Reduced-fat cream cheese, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, maple syrup, ground cinnamon
Calories: 107
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Pumpkin Cheesecake With Glazed Hazelnuts
Try this recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Glazed Hazelnuts
Enjoy fall-flavored cheesecake without guilt! Use Neufchâtel and fat-free cream cheese to radically reduce the amount of saturated fat. Ground coriander and cardamom mixed with vanilla enrich each bite. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts, a good source of vitamin E, over the brown sugar-and-butter topping.
Ingredients: Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, Neufchâte, fat-free cream cheese, flour, vanilla extract, pumpkin-pie spice, coriander, cardamom, eggs, canned pumpkin, hazelnuts
Calories: 334
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Whole-Wheat Bread With Walnuts, Sesame, and Pumpkin Seeds
We took the classic pumpkin bread recipe and made it lighter. The result is a moist and flavorful treat with a lot less fat, calories, and sugar. Watch this Cooking Light video to learn how to make a healthier version of a fall favorite. Get the recipe: Pecan-Topped Pumpkin Bread.
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Pumpkin-Carrot Cake
Try this recipe: Pumpkin-Carrot Cake
Pumpkins and carrots in one dessert? Well, they are both orange—and nutritious! Canned pumpkin combined with grated carrot, orange rind, raisins, and dried cranberries gives this unique cake a natural sweet boost. No need for heaps of added sugar! Use egg whites and whole-wheat flour for less cholesterol and saturated fat.
Ingredients: All-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, eggs, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, vegetable oil, butter, grated orange rind, raisins, grated carrot, dried cranberries, walnuts
Calories: 219
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Pumpkin and Caramelized-Pecan Pie
Try this recipe: Pumpkin and Caramelized-Pecan Pie
This decadent pie has a nutritious side, too. It has more than a day's worth of vitamin A. Plus, it contains 3 grams of fiber. Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger spice up the flavor—with only 1/3 cup added brown sugar. Use whole-wheat crust for extra fiber.
Ingredients: Sugar, pecans, butter, canned pumpkin puree, whipping cream, egg, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, salt
Calories: 332
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Pumpkin Muffins
Try this recipe: Pumpkin Muffins
These tender muffins have a sugary crunch on top and make a perfect low-fat breakfast or snack. Replace up to half the white flour with whole wheat for extra fiber, and/or toss in 1/2 cup of toasted, chopped pecans to add some heart-healthy fats.
Ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, canned pumpkin, fat-free sour cream, fat-free milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, egg, brown sugar
Calories: 164
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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Looking for a dessert recipe that everyone in your family can enjoy—even family members trying to cut back on their cholesterol? Look no further.
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Pumpkin-Orange Cake
Try this recipe: Pumpkin-Orange Cake
Wow your guests with this beautiful fall cake topped with colorful, antioxidant-rich pomegranate seeds and mandarin oranges. Each slice provides an entire day’s worth of vitamin A, thanks to the addition of pumpkin, which also keeps the spiced cake layers tender and moist.
Ingredients: Sugar, butter, canned pumpkin, egg substitute, vanilla extract, cake flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, evaporated fat-free milk
Calories: 338
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Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Try this recipe: Pumpkin-Pie Pudding
There's no need to be concerned about your diet while enjoying this dessert as it has half the fat of other popular puddings. And don’t worry about satisfying your sweet tooth, because the sweetness of the pumpkin won’t disappoint.
Ingredients: 2% milk, dark brown sugar, cornstarch, eggs, canned pumpkin, salt, pumpkin-pie spice
Calories: 168
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Pumpkin Pancakes
Try this recipe: Pumpkin Pancakes
Festive and flavorful, these pancakes contain half the calories of those made with buttermilk. Plus, pumpkin contains beta-carotene, which may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offer protection against heart disease.
Ingredients: Canned pumpkin, low-fat vanilla yogurt, baking soda, eggs, cake flour, egg whites, salt, maple syrup
Calories: 90
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Pumpkin Pie Cake
Try this recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cake
Pie or cake? You won’t have to choose with this delectable dessert. It incorporates all the cinnamon spice of pumpkin pie, as well as the fiber and beta-carotene of pumpkin, into a delicious cake layered with velvety cream cheese frosting—no pastry crust required.
Ingredients: Flour, sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, eggs, egg substitute, unsweetened canned pumpkin, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin-pie spice, salt, butter, reduced-fat cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange juice, toasted pecans, orange slices
Calories: 318
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Healthier Pumpkin Pie
Try this recipe: Healthier Pumpkin Pie
Unlike your traditional, flour-based crust, this recipe calls in graham cracker crumbs to get the job done. To make it even healthier, use whole-wheat graham crackers. This recipe also features coconut milk, which may help improve your cholesterol.
Ingredients: Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, vegetable oil, pumpkin, coconut milk, eggs, light brown sugar, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, optional whipped cream
Calories: 276
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Pumpkin-Chai Quickbread
Try this recipe: Pumpkin-Chai Quickbread
This sweet bread uses a half-cup of whole-wheat pastry flour, which is less processed and contains more fiber than white flour. And at less than 200 calories a slice, it's a figure-friendly alternative to pumpkin pie.
Ingredients: Baking spray with flour, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cardamom, ground allspice, eggs, egg white, 2% reduced fat milk, canola oil, canned pumpkin puree, pumpkin seeds
Calories: 184
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Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes
Try this recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes
In a hurry? Canned puréed pumpkin is a good option if you're short on time. A half-cup serving is loaded with nutrients, including 4 grams of filling fiber. Just be sure to buy 100 percent pure pumpkin, not sugary pumpkin pie filling.
Ingredients: Whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt, unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, egg, canned pumpkin, plain yogurt, reduced-fat cream cheese, vanilla extract, confectioner's sugar
Calories: 101
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Spiced Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Try this recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Is it a cookie, a cake, or a pie? No matter how you categorize it, this pumpkin treat is delicious.
Ingredients: All-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut oil, light brown sugar, pumpkin puree, large eggs, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, nutmeg, cream cheese, coconut cream, confectioners' sugar, crystallized ginger
Calories: 207