Healthy Pumpkin Recipes

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.

"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.

Can't get enough pumpkin spice and pumpkin? Get those fall flavors you love in this dairy-free and vegan ice cream alternative made with bananas and pumpkin puree. This easy and healthy dessert contains no added sugar, unless you use the optional maple syrup--which is a delicious touch. Add some chopped pecans to make it really special.

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 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.

Coconut milk gives this pumpkin soup a creamy texture and rich flavor, without making it too heavy. This soup would make a wonderful starter for a special meal, such as Thanksgiving dinner. If you'd like to add some texture, feel free to garnish it with lightly toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds). A drizzle of pumpkin seed oil is also a nice touch.

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.

This tasty fall blender breakfast gets protein from almond milk and Greek yogurt.

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 low-fat crustless pumpkin pie is a perfect dessert for the dieters at your holiday meal or people who are watching their carbs.

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.

You don't have to have pumpkin pie to still enjoy pumpkin and spice in a Thanksgiving dessert. Pumpkin helps keep this cake tender and moist while, delicate spices add the classic Thanksgiving flavors.

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.

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.

The deep flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg make these wholesome pumpkin cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour. They are also the perfect texture for a sandwich cookie--fill them with a slightly sweetened cream cheese frosting.

A whole orange pulverized in the food processor gives these nutrient-rich date-pumpkin muffins a wonderful intense flavor.

These vegan pumpkin muffins are studded with chocolate chips and can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert or snack time. Be sure to buy unseasoned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to make these vegan muffins.

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

This healthy roasted pumpkin soup recipe calls for a pie pumpkin, not the carving kind. Roasting the pumpkin brings out a sweet, almost smoky flavor and creates a soup with depth and character. Store-bought pepitas are a good topper, but the homemade glazed ones here are really special. Serve with a swirl of crème fraîche, sour cream or smoked olive oil, if desired.

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.

Bored with plain waffles and syrup? Don't settle for the ordinary any longer--with just a few extra ingredients your breakfast waffles can taste like a delectable dessert! Just a tablespoon of canned pumpkin mixed with reduced-fat cream cheese will have you asking for seconds.

Plenty of bittersweet chocolate chips and pumpkin pie spices make this pumpkin bread recipe extra special. But this moist bread requires just 15 minutes of active prep time, so it doesn't have to be just a special-occasion treat. Serve it warm with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.

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.

Pumpkin isn't just for pie! In this healthy gnocchi recipe, canned pumpkin serves as the base for a creamy sauce. For the best flavor, top with real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Save the leftover pumpkin puree for a smoothie or pancakes.