20 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Options)

Looking for some delicious ways to enjoy pumpkin, an ingredient that is both delicious and good for you? Well, you’ve come to the right spot! We have a ton of Dietitian-approved, Test Kitchen-approved, and Mom-approved healthy pumpkin recipes for you to enjoy right here! From breakfast pumpkin recipies to dessert pumkin recipes and more, we are certain you’ll find more than one delectable pumpkin recipe here that you’ll want to print and make right away!

This post was originally published Sept 17, 2019; Updated Sept 20, 2022.

The Best Healthy Pumpkin Recipes With Easy Swaps!

Though typically not ones to fall for the hype, we can’t help but get on the ‘everything pumpkin’ train when the days start getting shorter and the mornings start off crisp and cool. Here you’ll find healthy pumpkin recipes for everything from sweet treats and lunchbox snacks to satisfying smoothies and coffee drinks. We’ve included some gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, grain-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, too, so there’s truly something for everyone with these 20 delicious and healthy pumpkin recipes.

Canned Pumpkin is Great For Baking & Good For You, Too!

All of these recipes call for canned pumpkin, in amounts varying from 1/4 cup to a full 15-ounce can. No matter how much canned pumpkin you want to use, you can combine recipes to make several goodies and use up all that pumpkin at once! We find that canned pumpkin is a great ingredient to help reduce some of the fat in a recipe while still resulting in a tender baked good. It also adds some subtle sweetness and warming flavor that is so well loved by so many.

We love to bake with canned pumpkin because it’s not only easy to use, but it is impressively high in vitamin A, a nutrient our bodies use for eye health, proper cell growth, and immunity. Canned pumpkin is also an excellent source of potassium, fiber, and antioxidants you need for hearth health, gut health, and healthy skin. Three cheers for pumpkin season!

Enjoy these 20 healthy pumpkin Recipes all Year

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Total Time: 40 Mins | Dairy Free | Egg Free | Gluten Free | Vegan

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/2 Cup

Imagine a lightly sweet and cinnamon scented pumpkin spice granola studded with dried cranberries and crunchy nuts and seeds that actually contains real pumpkin and not just pumpkin spice? It’s true! We’ve created just that and kept the sugar (from pure maple syrup) low for stable blood sugars all morning long.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Total Time: 1 Hour, 15 Mins | Gluten Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 3/4 Cup

Pumpkin pie meets cheesecake in these adorable and irresistible Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. This easy pumpkin recipe starts with a graham cracker pecan crust that gets a luscious layer of pumpkin cheesecake added on top. Then, baked to perfection and topped with a dollop of maple-syrup infused whipped topping.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Total Time: 25 Mins | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Vegan Option

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/3 Cup

Love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies AND pumpkin desserts? Then this recipe for oatmeal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is made for you! It’s the best of both worlds, with warm fall oat-pumpkin-cinnamon flavors studded with pockets of melty chocolate.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Total Time: 1 Hour | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 3/4 Cup

This beautiful and delicious gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake includes a ribbon of buttery cinnamon swirl and pecans that runs through the middle layer. An easy-to-make pumpkin recipe that is the perfect addition to breakfast or brunch or a special afternoon treat.

Pumpkin Protein Muffins

Total Time: 30 Mins | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 (15-oz) Can

These warm, sweet, and tender pumpkin protein muffins disappear fast when we make them at home. If you love the pumpkin bread from Starbucks, consider this a Starbucks pumpkin bread clone recipe, just in muffin form (and with a lot less added sugar). Plus, we’ve made them high in protein and sans the gluten, so you can feel good when a batch of this healthy pumpkin recipe disappears fast in your home, too.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Total Time: 25 Mins | Gluten Free | Egg Free | Nut Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 1/4 Cups

You’re going to love these big, soft pumpkin cookies, filled with the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice, and just sweet enough to let the cream cheese frosting be the star. They also happen to be gluten-free and egg-free, making them perfect for sharing! They’re the kind of cookie that will make you want to throw on a flannel, grab a seat on the porch with a cup of coffee on a cool fall day, and enjoy the heck out of every single bite. 

Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal

Total Time: 41 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Egg Free| Vegan

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 (15-oz) Can

Combine two fall favorites, pumpkin and oatmeal, for a cozy breakfast that can start your day on the right foot. In this delicious and healthy pumpkin recipe, you cook hearty steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot. Get all those other morning tasks out of the way while the Instant Pot builds up and releases steam to complete your perfect pumpkin oatmeal. All you have left to do is slip on your favorite sweater and enjoy that first cup of coffee.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Total Time: 40 Mins | Gluten Free | Grain Free | Dairy Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/4 Cup

Enjoy the fall-favorite pumpkin flavors with these healthy baked pumpkin donuts.  They’re the ultimate classic donut recipe made gluten-free with the perfect texture from almond flour and coated in a delicious layer of cinnamon-sugar.

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Total Time: 35 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Egg Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/2 Cup

Need a nutritious breakfast option for those on-the-go mornings? These Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies are just the ticket. Made with easy to find, budget-friendly ingredients, this is a healthy pumpkin recipe you’ll want to make year-round.

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal with Toasted Pecans

Total Time: 47 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 Cup

Our Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal with toasted pecans is a cozy and healthy pumpkin recipe and nutritious breakfast to enjoy on a crisp fall morning! Take this recipe to the next level by drizzling it with a little maple syrup, a dusting of pumpkin pie spice, a few toasted pecans, and whipped topping or Greek yogurt. So much goodness in one bite! 

Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Total Time: 30 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 Cup

These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins are soft, tender, fluffy, and studded to perfection with chocolate chips and pecans. They’re incredibly easy to make and perfect for make-ahead meal preps, adding to lunchboxes, breakfast on the go, afternoon snacking, serving at fall gatherings, or gift-giving to a new parent or anyone who could use a little pick-me-up! You’ll also appreciate that this healthy pumpkin recipe is made with less sugar, too. 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Scones

Total Time: 30 Mins | Gluten Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/2 Cup

These freezer-friendly gluten-free pumpkin scones are tender and light, and just sweet enough to hit the spot with a warm mug of coffee or tea. Featuring the perfect seasonings in the spiced dough and pumpkin pie spice in the glaze, this scone recipe is exactly what you want on your fall breakfast or brunch table.

Pumpkin Spice Butter Coffee

Total Time: 5 Mins | Gluten Free | Vegetarian | Paleo

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 2 Teaspoons Per Serving

Forget downing a sugary, overpriced PSL, and opt instead for this low-sugar fall-inspired pick-me-up that you can make easily at home. Using real pumpkin, (instead of flavored syrup), this Pumpkin Spice Butter Coffee adds a little fiber and vitamin A to your day, too. Replace the butter or ghee with coconut oil to make it vegan.

No-Bake Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Total Time: 10 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/3 Cup

These no-bake pumpkin granola bars are infused with antioxidant rich pumpkin, flavored with pumpkin pie spice, and studded with chocolate chips. This pumpkin recipie is the perfect one to make for pre-workout fuel, grab-and-go breakfasts, lunchbox additions, or afternoon treats you’ll feel good about serving.

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Total Time: 50 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Paleo | Vegan

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/4 Cup

The desire for something perfectly pumpkin spiced and enrobed in dark chocolate is one you’ll have often after tasting these incredibly easy-to-make pumpkin pie truffles. The filling of these dessert bites is made from canned pumpkin (contributing fiber and beta-carotene), almond butter (with magnesium and vitamin E), coconut butter (more fiber plus medium chain fatty acids), and coconut flour (yet more fiber), and sweetened with just the right touch of pure maple syrup.

Paleo Pumpkin Pie Bars

Total Time: 50 Mins | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Paleo | Vegan

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 1/4 Cups

When the craving for pumpkin recipes hits, what could be better than delicious layers of pecan almond crust, lower-sugar pumpkin pie filling, and a creamy drizzle topping dusted with pumpkin pie spice? These pumpkin pie bars are the real deal when you want all the flavors of pumpkin pie without the fuss of actually making a pie.

Paleo Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

Total Time: 55 Mins | Gluten Free | Grain Free | Paleo

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 Cup

Nothing says fall like a loaf of cinnamon-y sweet pumpkin bread studded with pecans and chocolate chips. This grain-free pumpkin chocolate chip bread is the something everyone will love, whether they’re eating Paleo or just trying to cut down on refined carbohydrates and added sugars. Keep a few slices in the freezer for when friends drop by for easy autumn entertaining.

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

Total Time: 10 Mins | Gluten Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/2 Cup

This cool and creamy pumpkin protein smoothie is just like eating pumpkin pie with whipped cream, but it’s totally acceptable for breakfast because it’s packed with protein and healthy fats. For an added nutrient bonus, throw in a handful of spinach and blend your way to dessert-inspired bliss.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Brownies

Total Time: 4 Hours, 10 Mins | Dairy Free | Gluten Free | Grain Free | Paleo

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1 1/2 Cups

These Slow Cooker Pumpkin Brownies are grain-free, gluten-free, nutritiously sneaky, and make for a tasty treat when you’re craving a little something sweet! They’re a tasty perfect dessert and healthy pumpkin recipe you can make right in your crockpot.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Total Time: 5 Mins | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Vegetarian

Amount of Canned Pumpkin Used: 1/3 Cup

These easy-to-make, cozy, and creamy pumpkin overnight oats will have you looking forward to breakfast! This gluten-free, make-ahead healthy pumpkin recipe is perfect for fall and can be served warm or cold.

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Photo Credit: Some photos in the post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter and some photos in this post were taken by Rachel of Half Acre House

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish any of these recipes, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!