What to Do With Leftover Pumpkin Pie Filling: 10 Sweet Ideas

If you're making pumpkin pie, don't worry if you have some filling left over from your can after the pie's in the oven. With these delicious recipes, you'll be able to use up every bit of that pumpkin-y goodness.

Tasty Pumpkin Popsicles

If you live in a warmer climate or if you simply enjoy a cool popsicle snack no matter what the weather, this is a great recipe to use up your leftover pumpkin.

Servings: About 2 to 4, depending on popsicle mold size

Ingredients

• 1 cup leftover canned pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vanilla flavored yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Brown sugar as garnish

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender.
2. Pour mixture into popsicle molds about ¾ of the way full.
3. Add a little brown sugar around the top (bottom of the popsicle) of each mold and then carefully pour in the rest of the mixture.
4. Close molds and add sticks.
5. Freeze for four hours before unmolding.
6. Add more brown sugar if desired.

Honey Drizzled Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes

Adding leftover canned pumpkin pie filling to pancake recipes is a great idea. It's similar to your traditional pancake recipe with a few minor adjustments to accommodate the additional wet filling.

Yield: Approximately 12 pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup leftover canned pumpkin pie filling
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Dash of salt
• Honey, as garnish
• Crushed pecans, as garnish

Instructions

1. Turn your stovetop to medium-high and heat a non-stick flat griddle pan.
2. In a medium-bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil.
3. Stir in the leftover pumpkin pie filling.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Mix together until all the large clumps are out of the flour, but don't overmix.
6. Do a test pancake by pouring a ¼-cupful onto your griddle pan. These pancakes are heavier due to the pie filling, so watch them closely. When they start to form air bubbles across the top or the edges are lightly browned, flip over. Continue cooking for several minutes. This will help you time the rest of the batch.
7. Continue pouring pancakes by the ¼-cupful until your batter is spent.
8. Drizzle with honey and top with pecans. Alternatively, for a sweet treat, spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting between pancakes.

Pumpkin Smoothie

It sounds a bit odd at first, but a pumpkin smoothie is a refreshing, seasonal snack or breakfast option for using up your leftover pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin and banana are chock full of vitamins, and the protein from the dairy or dairy substitutes make this a satisfying treat.

Servings: Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin pie filling
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or vegan alternative)
• 1 cup milk or non-dairy alternative
• 1 banana sliced and frozen
• 6 ice cubes
• 2 tablespoons of honey, maple syrup, or other sweetener, to taste (optional)
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Add everything to a blender and blend until it's smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with ground cinnamon or nutmeg for garnish, if you like. To be a little extra decadent, consider garnishing with a dollop of whipped cream.

Quick Pumpkin Whip

For a quick, easy dessert that makes use of leftover pumpkin pie filling, consider mixing it with whipped cream. This is almost a non-recipe -- essentially, you'll want to fold the leftover pumpkin into whipped cream. A 2:1 ratio of whipped cream to pumpkin makes for a nice, fluffy, almost mousse-like treat.

Pumpkin Cookies

If you have leftover pumpkin pie filling, these easy cookies make for a satisfying snack.

Yield: Around 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup pumpkin pie filling
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the shortening, sugar, egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined or greased baking sheets.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Cool completely, then sift powdered sugar on top before serving.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

This easy, creamy dessert is a refreshing way to help use up some of that extra pumpkin pie filling, with seasonal flair.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1¾ cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup pumpkin pie filling
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, milk and egg in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over medium heat, bringing the mixture to a boil.
2. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat.
3. Combine the pumpkin pie filling and vanilla in a bowl, then slowly add the pumpkin mixture to the milk mixture.
4. Stir constantly over low heat for three minutes.
5. Divide the pudding evenly between 4 bowls.
6. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
7. Chill thoroughly for at least 3 hours. Top with whipped cream if desired, and serve.

Perfect Pumpkin Cupcakes

Spicy pumpkin spiced cupcakes make a perfect snack or dessert, and they're very easy to make.

Yield: 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup pumpkin pie filling
• ¼ cup plain yogurt

For the frosting:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions:

1. Start by baking the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and either line muffin cups with liners or use nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy, for about three minutes.
4. Whisk the egg and pumpkin pie filling together in another bowl, then beat it into the butter mixture.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with yogurt until everything is combined.
6. Spoon an equal amount into the muffin cups, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
7. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, salt, and confectioner's sugar until it's smooth and fluffy.
8. Frost the cupcakes once they've cooled completely.

Pumpkin Scones

This is the perfect treat to have with coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.

Yield: 12 scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup pumpkin pie filling
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Raisins, chocolate chips or dried cranberries (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Combine it all with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture looks crumbly. Set aside.
4. Whisk the heavy cream, egg, pumpkin pie filling, brown sugar, and vanilla together, then pour the mixture into the flour and combine everything.
5. If you want to add something like raisins, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries, add them now.
6. Form the dough into 2 evenly-sized balls, then press or roll each ball into a 6-inch disk. Divide each disk evenly until you have 12 scones, total.
7. Place the scones about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet (use more than one sheet if you don't have room on a single sheet for all of them.)
8. Bake on the middle rack for 18 to 20 minutes.

Super Easy Pumpkin Spice Lattes

For this quick, easy recipe, you're basically combining any leftover pumpkin pie filling with your coffee creamer of choice (half and half, creamer, milk, or a non-dairy substitute) until you get a flavor you enjoy. Add as much as you want to brewed coffee, and maybe add a dollop of whipped cream on top for a perfect, tasty coffee treat.

Pumpkin Yogurt Fruit Dip

This is another quick, easy way to use up your leftover pumpkin pie filling. Combine the pumpkin with an equal amount of Greek yogurt and maybe a drizzle of honey. Use this mixture as a dip for apples, bananas, pears, or any other fruit you have on hand.

Other Uses for Leftover Pie Filling

Leftover pumpkin pie filling can be used in a variety of other recipes as well. Because canned pie filling has sugar and spices, you'll need to adjust the recipe accordingly.

• Swap 1¾ cups leftover pie filling for the can of pumpkin puree in the Thanksgiving dessert Pumpkin-Ginger Harvest Trifle. Leave the pumpkin pie spice out of the recipe.
• If your leftover filling is vegan, try swapping it for the puree in the Vegan Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie recipe. Skip the cinnamon and ginger. This will add a slightly sweet flavor to the spiced drink since pie filling has sugar.
• For a hint of additional moisture and flavor, you can add a tablespoon or two to the Moist Banana Bread Recipe. It will also lend a little additional sweetness.
• Swap the 2 bananas in the Moist Banana Cake Recipe for approximately ¾ cup leftover pumpkin pie filling. You shouldn't need to make any other adjustments, as there is no additional sugar or spices in the recipe.
• If you want a sweeter version of the Thanksgiving drink Pumpkin Puree Cocktail, substitute pumpkin pie filling for the pumpkin puree.

Substitutions: Pie Filling vs. Puree

Canned pumpkin pie filling includes spices and sugar. Pumpkin puree, on the other hand, is simply pumpkin. If you're swapping pie filling for another ingredient, make sure it's a sweet ingredient. Unsweetened puree can be used for oil and butter.

Delicious Pumpkin Dishes

Whip up some yummy pumpkin recipes in the fall or anytime of the year when you have leftover pie filling. It adds a hint of sweetness to any of your favorite desserts and treats!