We have the Americans to thank for our obsession with all things pumpkin-flavoured. Combining a sweet and savory flavor profile, this much-loved fruit pairs wonderfully with a variety of spices that are commonly associated with the fall season.
If you thought pumpkin pie was the only way to enjoy this delicious ingredient, we are here to tell you otherwise. Everything from scones to cheesecakes to truffles — here are three recipes for pumpkin desserts that you can make and enjoy this fall season.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
Pumpkin, spices and mini chocolate chips come together to create thick, cake-like scones — the perfect accompaniment to your late-afternoon tea.
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 375 gm all purpose flour
- 100 gm sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (grated)
- ¼ tsp Allspice
- 1 pinch cloves
- 250 gm pureed pumpkin
- 2 eggs
- 59 ml milk
- 115 gm butter (frozen)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
For the glaze:
- 453 gm powdered sugar
- 118 ml milk
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 218°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk pumpkin, milk and eggs.
- Grate the frozen butter and add it to the flour mixture; give the mixture a gentle toss. Then add chocolate chips.
- Fold the pumpkin mixture into this until it forms a dough. Divide the dough into two halves.
- Knead the dough halves on a flour-coated surface; shape each half into a 6-inch circle and place them onto the cookie sheet.
- Using a bench scraper, divide each circle into 6 triangles. Gently create a little space between the triangles.
- Bake for 22 minutes. Remove the scones and place them on a wire rack to cool.
- To make the glaze, beat powdered sugar, milk and cinnamon until you reach a smooth consistency. Brush the glaze over the scones before serving.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are so much quicker to make than the standard cheesecake. You can also experiment with the base of the cheesecake using the cookie of your choice.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 7 graham crackers
- 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
For the filling:
- 226 gm cream cheese (softened)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 245 gm pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat your oven to 176°C. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until they turn into tiny crumbs. Add salt and brown sugar, and continue to pulse.
- Add melted butter to this and pulse until the crumbs are moist.
- Take generous tablespoons of the graham cracker mixture and place them at the bottom of the muffin liners. Using the bottom half of a drinking glass, press the mixture to create a flat surface.
- Bake the crusts until they turn golden, for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
For the filling:
- Beat cream cheese, maple syrup and brown sugar in an electric mixer for two-three minutes; the consistency should look fluffy.
- Then, beat in the egg and egg yolk until they’re just about combined.
- Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and beat until they’re combined.
- Finally, add cornstarch, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
- Divide the filling into the 12 cups, about three-fourths of the way full.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should look dry and the center, jiggly.
Once baked, let the cheesecakes cool for about 30 minutes. Then transfer them to the refrigerator for about an hour to cool further. Before serving, peel off the liners and top the cheesecakes with whipped cream.
Pumpkin Truffles
This decadent pumpkin dessert looks and tastes as good as the ones found in fancy dessert shops. They also make for a great gifting idea during the holidays.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 85 gm cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 124 gm white chocolate (chopped)
- 250 gms graham cracker crumbs
- 115 gm pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
For the coating:
- 124 gm white chocolate (chopped)
- 99 gm Cadbury dark chocolate
For garnish:
- White and gold sprinkles
- Graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
- For the filling, use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and powdered sugar for 2 minutes until it is creamy and smooth.
- Microwave the white chocolate at 30-second intervals until it is smooth.
- Combine melted chocolate, pumpkin puree, graham cracker crumbs, ground ginger, pumpkin pie spice and salt with the cream cheese mixture and beat for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to a day.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop 1½ tbsp of the pumpkin mixture into your hands and roll into balls. Place them on a baking sheet and let them chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- For the coating, separately microwave the chopped white and dark chocolate until smooth.
- Using a skewer, dip the pumpkin balls into the melted chocolate (alternate between the white and dark chocolate).
- Place the chocolate-covered balls on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with either the white and gold sprinkles or graham cracker crumbs.
- Chill the truffles for about 20 minutes or until they’ve hardened.
If you’re still looking for more pumpkin desserts to make, here are a few more recipes for you to try.