Description
These adorable Crescent Pumpkins are a delightful fall treat, featuring flaky crescent roll dough filled with a creamy sweetened cream cheese center and spiced pumpkin pie filling. Shaped to resemble little pumpkins using kitchen twine and topped with pretzel stick ‘stems’, they are perfect for festive gatherings or cozy autumn desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
Crescent Dough
- 8 oz. refrigerated crescent rolls
- 2 ½ tablespoons melted butter
- Kitchen twine for shaping
- Pretzel sticks for stems
Cream Cheese Filling
- 5 oz. softened cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree, drained
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Drain the Pumpkin: Lay several layers of paper towels and place the pumpkin puree on top. Gently press with additional paper towels to remove excess moisture, then set aside for a few minutes.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a bowl, combine the drained pumpkin puree, egg yolk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and well blended.
- Cream Cheese Filling: In another bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Roll the Dough: Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into four rectangles, sealing any perforations. Cut each rectangle in half to make 8 squares total.
- Assemble the Crescents: Gently stretch each dough square and spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling in the center, followed by 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie filling. Gather the dough corners and pinch to form a sealed ball.
- Shape the Pumpkins: Wrap each dough ball with long kitchen twine, dividing it into eight even sections to create a pumpkin look. Place them seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush and Bake: Brush the dough balls with melted butter and bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool and Decorate: Let the pumpkins cool slightly, then carefully remove the twine. Insert a pretzel stick into the top of each to resemble a pumpkin stem.
- Serve and Enjoy: Present your charming Crescent Pumpkins filled with cream cheese and spiced pumpkin pie filling to guests or enjoy as a festive snack.
Notes
- Draining the pumpkin puree is essential to prevent soggy dough and ensure the filling sets properly.
- Sealing the crescent dough thoroughly prevents filling leakage during baking.
- Kitchen twine is food-safe and can be gently removed after baking; do not bake with plastic or non-food-safe strings.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute cream cheese with vegan cream cheese and butter with a plant-based alternative.
- Pretzel sticks add a fun decorative touch and a salty contrast to the sweet filling.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Crescent rolls, pumpkin dessert, cream cheese filling, fall recipe, halloween treat, pumpkin recipes, easy baking, holiday dessert
