5 Ways To Use The Can Of Pumpkin In Your Pantry

Sure, the autumnal equinox isn't quite here, meaning it's technically still summer. But all of our favorite markers of autumn have arrived: football, apple picking, the Starbucks #PSL, and a photogenic yet manageable amount of leaves scattered on the ground, no raking required. Taking these cues, it's finally time to unleash the pumpkin recipes from their vault. (We store them in a cool, dark place to protect them from the summer heat, you see.)

What follows are five unique uses for the can of pumpkin in your pantry, comprising a lineup of sweets, savories, and sauces for whenever you need a hit of fall flavor.

This recipe for Perfect Pumpkin Foam is actually two recipes in one. It starts with a rich batch of pumpkin sauce as its base, which itself can be stored in the fridge and used in ice cream, granola, yogurt, coffee—anything you'd like to infuse with autumn flavor. With a few additional ingredients, the sauce blends beautifully into either cold or hot foam, which you can use to craft the perfect cafe au lait or latte. The Starbucks #PSL can be a little cloying, but thanks to the addition of earthy spices, this stuff never is. Get the recipe for Perfect Pumpkin Foam here.

Leah Koenig's recipe for Yeasted Pumpkin Bread from her 2019 collection, The Jewish Cookbook, makes a gorgeous orange-hued challah that contains those pumpkin-spice-adjacent notes we know and love: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom. "Serve it on an autumnal Shabbat or at any fall meal," Koenig suggests. It can be made into rolls or other types of loaves beyond challah, if you are intimidated by the braiding. Leftovers? French toast is the answer. Get the recipe for Yeasted Pumpkin Bread here.

The pumpkin soup pictured above contains both pumpkin and spices, but you'd never call it a pumpkin spice soup, lest you accidentally imply it's some sort of dessert dish. So let's call it pumpkin and spice soup, which better represents the earthy flavors of pumpkin, onion, curry powder, chicken broth, and crushed red pepper, among a few other staple ingredients. Make a bowl on the first truly crisp autumn day. Get the recipe for pumpkin (and) spice soup here.

Coquito is a drink that's traditionally enjoyed at Christmastime in Puerto Rico, and Pumpkin Spice Coquito lets you extend the season backwards into fall so you always have an excuse to sip on this creamy, inviting beverage. You can spike it or skip the booze, whichever you prefer; poured into a decorative glass bottle, it makes an unmatchable edible gift. Get the recipe for Pumpkin Spice Coquito here.

When you slice into a pie, guests take that as their cue to start customizing. Forget the special orders—"Oh, just a sliver for me!" "I'll take a dollop of whipped cream on the side, not on top"—and make these single-serving Pumpkin Pie Snack Packs instead. Whereas individual pudding cups are usually smooth and jiggly all the way through, we've added textural interest by including instructions for building a pie crust parfait, which calls to mind the best fall dish of all. Get the recipe for Pumpkin Pie Pudding Snack Packs here.