Falling leaves, cardigans, a crisp breeze, pumpkin spice lattes…these are just a few of the signs that autumn is officially here! With the changing of seasons comes, not only a break from the heat, but a substantial shift in the availability of certain fruit and veggies. We say bye-bye to berries, peaches, and melons, but hello to root vegetables, heartier greens, and gourds! While pumpkins and squash make for fantastic fall decor around your home, we love them even more as the stars of your breakfast, dinner, or dessert menu. Below, you’ll find a few of our favorites squash and pumpkin recipes that will have your kitchen smelling amazing all season long!
Maple Pecan Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Crumb cake? Coffee cake? Call it what you will, but either way you shake it, adding pumpkin to the mix is always correct! The buttery pumpkin cake base gets topped with a traditional brown sugar crumb layer and infused with cinnamon and chopped pecans. It’s finished off with a maple cream cheese drizzle and it makes for the perfect breakfast with a hot cup of coffee!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
For The Cake:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree*
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
For The Crumb:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup pecans chopped
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
For The Icing:
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Ingredients
For The Cake:
For The Crumb:
For The Icing:
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl over medium-low speed, mix together 6 tablespoons softened butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar for 1 minute. Add the eggs and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Mix in the pumpkin, vanilla, and 1/3 cup milk. In a separate bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and beat until well combined. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan.
- In a clean bowl, add 1 cup flour, the dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, pecans, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir together with a fork (or your fingers) until all of the ingredients are well combined. Using your hands, top the pumpkin batter with clumps of the crumb topping to evenly cover the entire pan. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Pour in the milk and maple syrup, beating until they are incorporated into the powdered sugar mixture and a pourable icing forms. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle the top with the icing.
Curried Carrot and Squash Soup with Cheddar, Apple, and Honey Tartines
This soup not only tastes divine, but it’s packed with body-nourishing antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and more than four times the daily requirement of vitamin A! The carrots and kabocha squash are sautéed until soft, then pureed with vegetable broth, curry seasoning, and fresh ginger for a creamy, yet light soup. And those tartines? Those may be our favorite part!
| Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
For The Soup:
- 2 lbs carrots peeled and diced
- 2 lbs kabocha squash peeled and diced
- 2 yellow onions, small peeled and diced
- 6-8 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp curry seasoning
- 4 cans vegetable broth
- 2" piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
For The Tartines:
- 1 baguette or fresh bakery bread cut into 1/4"-1/2" slices
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 5 oz cheddar cheese cut into thin slices
- 2 apples thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup honey
Ingredients
For The Soup:
For The Tartines:
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Peel the carrots and cut into a small 1/4-inch dice. Scrape the seeds and insides out of the squash, reserving the seeds*. Remove the rind of the squash, then cut into a 1/4-inch dice.
- Add the carrots and squash to a large pot over medium heat along with the diced onion, 6 tablespoons olive oil, and curry seasoning. Stir often, adding an additional 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, if needed, to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook the veggies for 12 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and ginger, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 10-15 minutes longer, or until vegetables are soft. Add the soup to the bowl of a blender or food processor and puree until all large chunks are gone.
- While the soup is cooking, place the cleaned squash seeds on one side of a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place the sliced bread on the other side of the sheet, and drizzle both sides with the remaining olive oil, then season with a bit of salt and pepper. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 4 minutes. Flip over the bread and stir the seeds, then roast for an additional 4 minutes. Remove the seeds to a small plate and allow to cool. Top the bread with the sliced cheddar, then put back in the oven and cook for 6-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, then top with sliced apple, chopped pecans, and a honey drizzle.
- Pour the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of the yogurt and a sprinkle of the toasted squash seeds.
Recipe Notes
- If you cannot find kabocha squash in your grocery store or local farmers market, you can substitute butternut squash.
- Serving the soup with the roasted squash seeds is optional! If you prefer not to eat the seeds, you can discard them with the rest of the insides of the squash!
- You can use any brand of blended curry seasoning, but we love this one from The Set Table, as it contains additional amounts of garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon!
Beef and Pumpkin Chili with Pumpkin Cornbread
Chili is one of those comfort dishes that is synonymous with cooler weather, so why not up the fall factor by adding pumpkin? We took our traditional beef and kidney bean recipe, then mixed in pureed pumpkin and let it simmer low and slow on the stove. Bake up a batch of pumpkin cornbread to serve on the side, which is perfection dunked into a hot bowl of chili!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 120 minutes |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
For The Chili:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree*
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 4 oz. can diced green chili
- 1 15 oz. can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tsp sugar granulated
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream optional
For The Cornbread:
- 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
- 1/3 cup milk
- 6 tbsp pumpkin pie filling*
Ingredients
For The Chili:
For The Cornbread:
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add in the ground beef and onion, cooking until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cooking for an additional minute. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to combine well, then mix in the pumpkin puree. Pour in the tomato juice, beef broth, diced tomatoes, green chili, kidney beans, pinto beans, and sugar. Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the Jiffy mix, milk, egg, and pumpkin pie filling until well combined. Pour the mixture into a greased 8x-inch pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cornbread to cool before cutting it into squares for serving.
- Taste the chili, adjusting the seasoning, if needed. Spoon the chili into individual bowls, then top with a bit of shredded cheddar and sour cream, if desired, before serving alongside a slice of cornbread.
Recipe Notes
- The chili calls for 100 percent pure canned pumpkin. For the cornbread, we recommend using canned pumpkin pie filling. The difference is that the pie filling contains a combination of spices to make it sweeter, which lends itself better to the cornbread!
Squash and Goat Cheese Penne Pasta
Give that marinara sauce a rest from its weekly rotation, and instead, blanket your pasta in a tangy goat cheese and squash cream sauce! The squash adds just the right amount of sweetness to counter the tartness of the goat cheese, and when topped with freshly grated parmesan, chopped pecans, and frizzled onions, it creates the most magical restaurant-quality dish right in your own kitchen!
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
For The Fried Onions:
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- vegetable oil for frying
For The Pasta:
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 lbs butternut squash peeled & cut into a 1/4" dice (about 5 cups)
- 1 tsp salt + more as needed
- 1 tsp pepper
- 8 leaves fresh sage minced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 oz goat cheese
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 2 oz grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Ingredients
For The Fried Onions:
For The Pasta:
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Instructions
- Peel the squash; then cut into a 1/4-inch dice. Measure out 5 cups and set aside.
- Cut the end off of one onion and peel off the outer layers. Cut the onion into very thin rings, then break the rings apart. Place the onion rings into a bowl and top with the milk and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes while preparing the rest of the dish.
- Place a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the pasta and cook for 12 minutes, or until softened. Drain.
- While the water is coming to a boil, add 3-4 tablespoons olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in the diced onion, squash, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and minced sage. Sauté for 12-15 minutes, or until the squash is softened. Stir in the garlic, cooking for an additional minute. Add the chicken stock, cinnamon, and nutmeg and allow to simmer for about 8 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, goat cheese, maple syrup, and butter. Once the goat cheese and butter have melted, transfer the contents on the pan to a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth and creamy. Taste, adding more salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce into the pot with the drained pasta and stir to combine.
- Meanwhile, add about 3 inches of vegetable oil to a pot over medium-high heat.
- While the sauce is cooking, remove the onion rings from the milk and put them into a bowl with the flour, 2 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss until they are well coated, then place into the hot vegetable oil. Fry for about 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- To serve, scoop some of the pasta into a bowl and top with the grated parmesan, chopped pecans, and frizzled onions.
Recipe Notes
- If you cannot find butternut squash, you can substitute with kabocha squash.
- For the maple syrup, we recommend 100 percent pure maple syrup!
Pumpkin Cheesecake
If pumpkin pie has reigned supreme as the king of your fall dessert repertoire, may we recommend giving this cheesecake a whirl? The crust is made from crushed gingersnap cookies instead of graham cracker crumbs, which highlights the pumpkin flavor and reminds us of our childhood! Pumpkin puree and fall spices (think cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves) are then incorporated into the New York-style batter and baked, creating a dense, creamy cheesecake that is poised to knock that pumpkin pie off of its throne for good!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 60 minutes |
| Passive Time | 6 hours |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
For The Crust:
- 2 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 40 cookies)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
For The Cheesecake:
- 3 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree*
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- whipped cream or cool whip optional
Ingredients
For The Crust:
For The Cheesecake:
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the gingersnaps into a blender or food processor and blend until fine crumbs are formed. Pour 2 cups of crumbs into a large bowl along with 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 6 tablespoons melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir together with a fork until well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan, being sure to press down firmly and to even out the crust as much as possible. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat together the cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup brown sugar for 3-4 minutes, or until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Add the sour cream and pumpkin, then beat again for 1-2 minutes until smooth, scraping the sides halfway through to ensure that it is well mixed. Finally, add the eggs, pumpkin spice, and vanilla. Beat again until all of the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth. Pour on top of the gingersnap crust, then bake for 60 minutes.
- Once the cheesecake is through baking, turn off the heat, crack open the door, and allow it to sit in the oven for 1 hour (this helps minimize cracking and to bring the cheesecake to room temperature more gently). Remove from the oven and continue to cool on the counter until no longer warm. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal) before serving.
- To serve, run a butter knife along the edges of the cheesecake to ensure that the crust is not sticking to the pan. Release the outer ring off of the springform pan and then cut into wedges. Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Want to jazz up a fall weeknight dinner? Learn to Master Homemade Kansas City-Style BBQ Sauce.
Photo Credit: Christina Carter
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