Best Pumpkin Recipes

The sweet and subtle spice of pumpkin has experienced a surge in mass-appeal in recent years. It is the epitome of fall comfort food. There's almost nothing more satisfying that a warm slice of pumpkin pie topped with a generous dollop of Cool Whip, but it's appeal does not end there. Today we enjoy hot pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin cremes and sauces over pasta, grilled pumpkin slices in stir fries and more.

The following are some of the season's most delicious pumpkin recipes. If you're ready to broaden your culinary horizons, give one or all of these a try. You won't be disappointed!

2 ¾ lbs sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, halved and seeded

1 onion, peeled and quartered

2 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed; wipe caps clean

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ c olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

5 c homemade or low sodium vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. Combine pumpkin, onion, mushrooms, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Add oil and 2 teaspoons salt; toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until pumpkin is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and tossing vegetables halfway through. Let cool, then remove skins.

Transfer vegetables to a medium saucepan; heat over medium. Pour in 2 cups stock; puree with an immersion blender until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add remaining 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth. Bring soup just to a simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

8 oz uncooked fettuccine

2 applewood-smoked bacon slices, chopped

2 TBSP finely chopped fresh sage, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c canned unsalted pumpkin puree

2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

3/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 TBSP heavy cream

2 TBSP chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in colander over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook 4 minutes or until almost crisp, stirring occasionally. Add 1 TBSP sage and garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in pumpkin puree, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add pasta, reserved 3/4 c cooking liquid and heavy cream. Toss to coat. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining TBSP sage and parsley.

2.1 oz tapioca flour (about 1/2 c)

1.3 oz white rice flour (about 1/4 c)

1 oz stone-ground whole-grain corn flour (about 1/4 c)

2 TBSP brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/2 c canned pumpkin

1/4 c vanilla almond milk

1 TBSP canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 c maple syrup

Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flours, brown sugar, and next 4 ingredients (through allspice) in a medium bowl; Whisk ingredients to combine. Then whisk pumpkin, almond milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs together. Add to flour mixture,. Stir until smooth.

Heat nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour 2 TBSP batter per pancake onto pan; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully flip pancakes. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Serve with maple syrup.

12 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

2 ½ c graham cracker crumbs

2 ¾ c sugar

salt

2 lbs cream cheese, room temp

¼ c sour cream

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

6 lg eggs, room temp, lightly beaten

1 TBSP vanilla extract

2 ½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

2 c sweetened whipped cream

1/3 c toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brush 10-inch spring form pan with butter. In medium bowl, stir remaining butter with graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c sugar and pinch of salt. Press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of spring form pan. Pack tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap outside of spring form pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.

Bring medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese with mixer until smooth. Add remaining sugar and beat until light. Scrape down sides of bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in sour cream, then add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla, 1 tsp salt and spices and beat until combined. Pour into cooled crust.

Gently place roasting pan in oven (don't pull rack out) and pour boiling water into roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of springform pan. Bake until outside of the cheesecake sets but center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off oven and open door briefly to let out some heat. Leave cheesecake in oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with toasted pecans.