Sweet as Pie

• You can easily make your own puree by either baking or boiling the pumpkin and then pureeing the cooked flesh in a food processor. Strain the mixture to remove any excess liquid. To create a classic pumpkin pie, blend together the pumpkin puree, eggs, whipping cream and light brown sugar. Mix in a variety of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and ground ginger. Add a dash of salt to bring out the flavors. The filling can be used in any number of pie crusts from store-bought to homemade. You can garnish your cooked pie with nuts, whipped cream or a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.

Unexpected Flavor Combinations

• Beyond the standard pie, pumpkin puree can be used to make a variety of delectable cakes and tarts, and blends well with many different flavors. Mocha, chocolate and pumpkin can combine beautifully to create a luscious cheesecake. To ensure a velvety smooth dessert, bring the cream cheese, eggs and puree to room temperature before mixing in the recipe. The earthy flavor of pumpkin merges beautifully with pecans to create a delicious tart. Adding in maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange zest creates an unforgettable dessert. Pumpkin makes a lovely addition to cupcakes. Mix in the puree to vanilla cake batter before baking. Once cooled, top your cupcakes with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Creme de la Creme

• The smooth texture of pumpkin puree blends perfectly into creamy desserts. Blend eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and freshly ground ginger with pumpkin puree to create a delicious flan. Serve the flan with a rich caramel sauce. Pumpkin puree adds a nutty earthiness to bread pudding. Add cinnamon and allspice to further enhance the flavor. Serve the bread pudding topped with vanilla sauce for a delicious dessert. The creaminess of the puree blends beautifully into ice cream. Serve the ice cream sandwiched between two moist chocolate cookies for a mouth-watering flavor combination.

Baked Goodness

• Blend pumpkin purée into chocolate chip cookie dough for an unexpected twist. The spicy flavors of pumpkin blend deliciously with chocolate, creating a new take on an old classic. Mix up a batch of pumpkin cookies flavored with cinnamon, allspice and ground cloves for a treat that tastes just like pumpkin pie. Pumpkin puree adds moisture and richness to sweet bread recipes. Adding cinnamon, vanilla, chopped nuts and chocolate chips will create a decadent quick bread that highlights the rich, pumpkin flavor.