Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

Classic chocolate chip cookies get a fall update by mixing in pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Not only are these pumpkin cookies even more flavorful than regular chocolate chip cookies, they're also oh-so-soft and cakelike. Use chocolate chunks for big gooey bites of chocolate or opt for mini chocolate chips to ensure a bit of chocolate in each bite.

Two favorite quick breads come together in this healthy pumpkin banana bread recipe. Pumpkin puree and mashed banana add sweetness to help cut down the amount of added sugar while ensuring this 100-percent whole-wheat loaf stays moist and tender.

This sweet little treat is made with good-for-you whole wheat flour, but even the pickiest of eaters won't notice. These mini pumpkin and chocolate chip muffins are also incredibly easy to make--just stir all of the ingredients together, no mixer required. For a more filling and indulgent snack, smear your bite-size piece with almond butter or Nutella.

"Kibbeh" describes dishes made with bulgur, onions and spices. That mixture is combined with everything from tomatoes to goat. It's layered and baked, shaped into balls or footballs, stuffed, deep-fried or eaten raw. This vegetarian kibbeh recipe is made with pumpkin and stuffed with seasoned greens. Sorrel adds a lemony flavor, but you can use chard or kale and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the filling. Use fine bulgur or the texture of the dough will be gritty.

This deeply dark chocolate vegan cake is not just for vegans. This fudge-like cake is also gluten-free, perfect for Valentine's Day and can even be made kosher to enjoy for Passover by making your own confectioners' sugar. The fresh berries on the side are a nice addition to the rich chocolate.

This pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sauce is a great way to elevate canned pumpkin. Wonton wrappers make the perfect envelope for the lightly flavored filling. Nutty brown butter and crispy sage add richness to this classic fall pasta dish.

This healthy whole-grain pumpkin pancake recipe produces fluffy cakes with a beautiful orange hue from pureed pumpkin and light crunch from toasted pecans. If you want to experiment with different types of whole grains, replace up to 1/2 cup of the whole-wheat flour with cornmeal, oats and/or buckwheat flour. Or add extra fiber and omega-3s by adding up to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or chia seeds.

What could possibly make pumpkin muffins even better? Mini chocolate chips! Our healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are made with white whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour and are sweetened with just the right amount of brown sugar to make them sweet without being cloying.

This pudding-like pumpkin cake has a luscious cream cheese swirl amid the spiced pumpkin layer. Organic cake mix is "dumped" on top, then the cake is smothered with butter. Once baked and cooled, the mix forms a sweet and crispy topping.

No super-sweet sugar bombs here! Make your very own pumpkin spice latte at home with this healthy recipe that allows you to control just how much added sugar goes into your coffee drink. If you would rather have a vegan latte, use whatever nondairy milk you'd like. Real pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cinnamon and coffee—it's fall in a mug! For a grown-up version, try spiking your PSL with bourbon, dark rum or a coffee liqueur such as Kahlúa. (If using a sweetened liqueur, consider cutting down on the maple syrup in the recipe.)

If pumpkin pie is a must for the holidays, this version fulfills that holiday tradition without derailing your meal plan.

These tender pumpkin-oatmeal cookies have the perfect amount of sweetness from brown sugar and raisins and a slightly nutty flavor from almond butter. Enjoy them as an after-school snack or a healthy dessert. Several testers also said they'd love to eat them with a cup of coffee in the morning.

This easy soup recipe mixes in allspice, curry powder, spicy chiles and ginger to give this pumpkin curry soup a Jamaican feel. While habanero is traditional, jalapeños provide a mellower kick.

These homemade dog biscuits were a major hit with all the 4-legged taste-testers who tried them. Plus, they let your dog get in on the fall pumpkin fever. Some spices are dangerous to dogs. Avoid substitutions in this recipe.

For bigger hits of chocolate goodness, use chopped bittersweet chocolate in place of the chips. Hold on to the leftover pumpkin puree--it's yummy stirred into your morning oatmeal or yogurt.

This quick and easy vegan pumpkin black bean soup is filled with veggies. Convenient canned pumpkin, beans and coconut milk flavored with curry make it a hearty fall meal.

This vegan pumpkin soup, filled with spices and creamy cashews, can make an easy weeknight dinner or be elevated to a vegan main dish worthy of a holiday dinner by serving it in a hollowed-out freshly roasted pumpkin.

This riff on the Thanksgiving favorite combines a traditional pumpkin pie filling with swirls of sweetened cream cheese. And since it's only Thanksgiving once a year, we've topped it all off with a buttery spiced-pecan topping. This easy pie recipe will please anyone at your table this holiday.

Flaxseed meal, which develops a gelatinous texture when mixed with water, replaces the eggs and provides structure to this moist, flavorful loaf.

These gluten-free spiced pumpkin waffles with your choice of toppings will soon be a new family favorite.

Deliciously warm spiced cake layers are rolled together with slightly tangy cream cheese frosting. This pumpkin jelly roll tastes decadent, but each serving is under 200 calories and has less than 20 grams of sugar. Don't be intimidated by this jelly roll--so long as you work quickly while the cake is warm, it's hard to mess it up or crack the cake.

Pumpkin puree and applesauce provide tenderness and moisture to this pumpkin Bundt cake, eliminating the need for butter or oil.

Indulge your PSL obsession with these pumpkin spice cookies. Instant espresso powder gives these soft, cakey cookies a subtle yet recognizable coffee flavor. Spread with cream cheese frosting (with more pumpkin pie spice flavors) and sprinkle with cinnamon to finish. And, go ahead, drink a pumpkin spice latte while you eat them for the full PSL experience. After all, it's only fall for so long (though we'd eat these cookies year-round). To make these cookies kid-friendly, simply omit the espresso powder.

This pumpkin oatmeal is creamy from both the whole milk and the natural starches from the steel-cut oats. Steel-cut oats naturally yield a creamier oatmeal than old-fashioned rolled oats, but this oatmeal can be made with either. If you don't have all the individual spices, pumpkin pie spice or chai spice will work in their place. To make this recipe vegan, simply swap the butter for 1½ teaspoons canola oil and the milk for almond milk.