Four pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars on a white surface.
Sarah Kieffer
1 of 9

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

These pumpkin swirl cheesecake bars combine the best of pumpkin pie and cheesecake in a convenient form of a bar that you can either snitch and run or sit and linger over at the table. You’re welcome.
Recipe

These pumpkin cheesecake bars are outrageous. Creamy, rich and sweet. Loved by my whole crew!

Margo W.
A jar of pumpkin spice syrup with a spoon resting on top and two spoons beside the jar.
Averie Sunshine
2 of 9

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

This pumpkin spice syrup is made with sugar, water, pumpkin puree, and spices just like you’ll find at Starbucks. But better. It’s a fantastic (and inexpensive!) way to add some pumpkin spice flair to your lattes, smoothies, pancakes, or frosting. Here’s how to make it.
Recipe

OMG, this pumpkin spice syrup is both amazing and delicious! Pure fall in syrup form. I have a hunch I’ll need to make a double batch next time! 

Neil G.
A slab of pumpkin spice seven layer bars cut into ten pieces on a wooden board.
Averie Sunshine
3 of 9

Pumpkin Spice Seven Layer Bars

These pumpkin spice seven layer bars are appropriately autumnal yet hearken back to the classic with graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and chocolate. Lovely any time of year.
Recipe

Oh. My. Goodness. I never knew that seven layer bars were so versatile!

I’ve made the “normal” seven-layer bars for many different occasions, and they always came back with rave reviews. This pumpkin adaptation was even better than I could’ve imagined—slightly spicy due to the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and oh-so gooey thanks to the sweetened condensed milk.

Victoria M.
A container of Pumpkin Meringue Pie Ice Cream with a scoop.
David Leite
4 of 9

Pumpkin Meringue Pie Ice Cream

Pumpkin meringue pie ice cream is the ultimate mashup of pumpkin ice cream−spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and mace−creamy-dreamy meringue, and crunchy bits of Oreo-cookie crust. Think frozen pumpkin-spice latte.
Recipe

I LOVE this pumpkin meringue pie ice cream. My husband is nuts about all things pumpkin, and there are only so many pumpkin cakes, pumpkin loaves, and pumpkin cheesecakes I can make. The great thing about this recipe is he can have his pumpkin fix year-round instead of just in the fall. Thank you!

Tarouco
A glazed pumpkin pound cake on a plate--a pumpkin Bundt cake with a milk-sugar poured glaze.
Alexandra Grablewski
5 of 9

Glazed Pumpkin Pound Cake

This glazed pumpkin pound cake has a moist, dense crumb that’s not too sweet and aromatic with autumnal spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The glaze makes an already amazing cake even more over the top.
Recipe

Downright delicious! This is the best pumpkin cake I have ever made. The spices are the perfect combination and measurements to give each bite a pop of flavor. The icing was delicious and not overpowering. 

April
Pumpkin swirl brownies, uncut, in a large rectangular baking pan.
Susan Barnson Hayward
6 of 9

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

These pumpkin swirl brownies are made with cream cheese and taste as if pumpkin spice cheesecake swirl collided with chocolate fudge brownies.
Recipe

I made these chocolate pumpkin brownies last night for a party. I came home with an empty pan. They were gobbled up in seconds. Moist, rich, not overbearingly sweet (I was hopeful when I saw the amount of sugar to use), and very relevant for this time of year.

Carlin B.
Pumpkin pie babka in two loaf pans beside a rolling pin and a bowl of pumpkin pie spice.
Amie MacGregor
7 of 9

Pumpkin Pie Babka

Pumpkin pie babka combines two traditional baked goods—babka and pumpkin pie—and makes them into one phenomenal food. Soft, fluffy bread is layered and twisted with pumpkin pie filling, then topped with a crisp streusel.
Recipe

This pumpkin babka recipe fulfilled my craving for yeast bread with something extra. Pumpkin pie and fresh bread wrapped up together…what could be better? The recipe was easy to follow and easy to prepare. And the result is impressive.

Cindy
Seven pumpkin spice cookies on a green plate.
Averie Sunshine
8 of 9

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These lovely spiced pumpkin cookies are spiced perfectly, easy, and pumpkin-pie-delightful. Delicately flavored, with a soft center and crisp edges, they're the autumn treat you've been craving.
Recipe

Pumpkin spice ANYTHING—sign me up! These pumpkin spice cookies exceeded my expectations. The rest of my family loved them, too, including my beagles. The dogs went crazy over them.

Mike P.
Pumpkin pie spice in a glass jar on a wooden cutting board, surrounded by measuring spoons full of various spices.
Averie Sunshine
9 of 9

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie spice is easy to make at home. Just pour the spices you already have in your pantry in a bowl and stir. An easy and inexpensive substitute for store-bought blends.
Recipe

This is, by far, the easiest and the best recipe for pumpkin spice that I have found. 

Austin L.

Pumpkin Spice FAQs

What is pumpkin spice?

It’s a blend of spices commonly used in drinks and baking, particularly for pumpkin recipes. It’s typically made from cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

What are the most common uses for pumpkin spice?

Although it’s probably best known for flavoring autumn-themed pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, pumpkin spice is frequently used for amping up fall baking made with pumpkin, such as pumpkin pie, muffins, pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, and cheesecake.

Is there pumpkin in pumpkin spice? (This is a more common question than you can imagine.)

Nope! It’s made only from ground spices.




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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