Four Easy Ways to Enjoy Pumpkin

Pumpkin season is a good time to keep a few simple treats in your rotation. This collection covers creamy pie, crunchy snack mix, frosted bars, and soft cookies.

Choose the recipe that fits your plans, whether you need a make-ahead dessert, a quick no-bake snack, or an easy pan of treats for sharing.

Tap a recipe button below to open the full recipe, including ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

1. No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

No-cook · 4 hr chill · Serves 8

This no-bake pumpkin pie has a creamy pumpkin filling made with cream cheese, vanilla pudding mix, and whipped topping. It sets in a graham crust in the refrigerator, so it is a useful make-ahead dessert when you do not want to use the oven.

What you need

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 8 oz whipped topping
• 1 (3.4 oz) vanilla pudding mix
• 1 graham pie crust
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Best for: Make-ahead fall dessert without an oven

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2. Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix

No-bake · 20 min · Serves 8

Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix is a no-bake fall treat made with crunchy cereal, pretzels, caramel Bugles, white chocolate, pumpkin spice, and candy corn. It takes about 20 minutes of hands-on preparation and is ready once the coating sets.

What you need

• 4 cups Chex cereal
• 2 cups pretzels
• 2 cups caramel Bugles
• 1 cup white chocolate (chopped)
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 cup candy corn

Best for: Fall parties, lunchboxes, and easy edible gifts.

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3. Pumpkin Bars

Bake · 50 min · Serves 8

Soft pumpkin bars with brown sugar and cinnamon are finished with a creamy layer of cream cheese frosting. They bake in a 9-by-13-inch pan and cut into easy-to-serve squares.

What you need

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 batch cream cheese frosting

Best for: Fall dessert trays and make-ahead treats

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4. Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies

Easy · 35 min · Makes 24

These soft pumpkin cookies start with a vanilla cake mix and need only a few additional ingredients. Chopped pecans add crunch, while frosting gives each cookie a finished look for fall gatherings.

What you need

• 1 (15.25 oz) vanilla cake mix
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Frosting (for topping)

Best for: A quick fall dessert for sharing

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Choose the Right Pumpkin Treat

For a chilled dessert, make the No-Bake Pumpkin Pie and let it set in the refrigerator until serving time. Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix is a quick choice when you want something crunchy and ready without turning on the oven.

Pumpkin Bars are a practical option for gatherings because they bake in one pan and cut into squares. Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies keep things simple with a boxed cake mix, pecans, and frosting.

Simple Tips for Serving

Give the no-bake pie plenty of time to chill, and wait for the snack mix coating to set before serving. Let the pumpkin bars cool before spreading on the cream cheese frosting, and frost the cookies once they are fully cooled for a neater finish.

Final Thoughts

These four pumpkin recipes make it easy to match the treat to the occasion. Pick the creamy pie for make-ahead plans, the snack mix for casual nibbling, or the bars and cookies for an easy fall dessert tray.