Fall in New Orleans is a sensory feast filled with gilded light, crisp air, and the promise of sweets that feel like warm hugs. There’s nothing more irresistible than reimagining iconic New Orleans desserts with the cozy embrace of pumpkin spice. Below are four delicious recipes that blend local tradition with autumnal flair:

  1. Pumpkin-Spice Beignets

Makes about 24 beignets | Recipe by Louisiana Cookin

Ingredients:

  • For the dough:
    • ½ cup warm water (105–110°F)
    • 1½ tsp. active dry yeast
    • ¼ cup + 1 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
    • ½ cup boiling water
    • ½ cup evaporated milk
    • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
    • 2 tsp. kosher salt
    • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
    • 1 large egg
    • 4¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
    • Oil (canola/vegetable) for frying 
  • For the pumpkin cream filling:
    • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
    • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • ⅓ cup canned pumpkin
    • 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
    • 1⅓ cups confectioners’ sugar
    • 1½ tbsp. heavy whipping cream 
  • Garnish: confectioners’ sugar + pumpkin-pie spice

Instructions:

  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 tsp. of sugar.
  2. Combine boiling water, evaporated milk, melted butter, salt, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla, and egg.
  3. Mix in yeast mixture, flour, and pumpkin-pie spice to form dough.
  4. Let rise, roll out, cut into squares, and fry until golden.
  5. For filling, beat cream cheese, butter, pumpkin, vanilla, spice, sugar, and cream until smooth.
  6. After the beignets cool, hollow and pipe the filling inside.
  7. Dust with sugar and spice. Serve warm.

  1. Praline Pumpkin Roll

Serves ~8 slices | Recipe by Mom on Timeout

Ingredients:

  • Candied pecans:
    • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp. water
    • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
    • ⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp. salt
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Pumpkin cake roll:
    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ tsp. baking soda
    • ½ tsp. baking powder
    • 2 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
    • Powdered sugar (for dusting)
  • Praline cream cheese filling:
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • 1 tbsp. butter
    • 6 oz. cream cheese
    • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

  1. Make candied pecans: combine sugar, water, vanilla, cinnamon, salt; bring to boil and stir in pecans until coated. Cool.
  2. For cake: whisk dry ingredients; separately beat eggs, sugar, and pumpkin puree. Combine to form batter.
  3. Bake as sheet cake (typically 15–20 min.), dust with powdered sugar, and roll warm in cloth.
  4. Make filling: Cook brown sugar, cream, butter until thickened, then mix into cream cheese, adding powdered sugar.
  5. Unroll cake, spread filling, sprinkle candied pecans, and reroll. Chill and slice.

  6. Pumpkin-Spice Bread Pudding

Serves 8–12 | Recipe by Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

  • 10 cups brioche or challah, cut into ¾-inch cubes (~14 slices)
  • 3 cups whipping cream
  • 1½ cups milk
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 5 whole eggs + 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pie mix)

Topping:

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp. bourbon (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven and grease a 13×9” baking dish.
  2. Whisk together cream, milk, sugars, spice, salt, eggs, yolks, and pumpkin.
  3. Stir in bread cubes, pressing down to soak. Let rest.
  4. Bake until set.
  5. Whip topping cream with sugar (and bourbon if desired), and pour over pudding before serving.

  1. Pumpkin-Spice Cake Roll: King Cake Edition

In lieu of a pumpkin-spiced King Cake, this classic Pumpkin Roll delivers that festive spiral and spice.

  • Ingredients & method: Refer to above Pumpkin Roll (same as recipe 2)
  • King Cake twist ideas: Use pumpkin-spice cake batter instead of traditional dough; after baking, decorate with colored sugar (orange, green, purple) or a spiced glaze for Mardi Gras flair.

There you have it—four real, tested recipes transforming New Orleans classics into autumnal delights: pillow-soft beignets oozing pumpkin cream, elegant praline rolls, custardy bread pudding, and a spiral cake fit for royalty. Each is a sweet season mash-up that’ll make your kitchen smell like seasonal magic and your taste buds sing.