Deep Dive into Pumpkin Flavor

Every year when pumpkin season rolls in, there’s this rush of recipes, like pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cheesecake, but few people stop to ask what “pumpkin flavor” actually is. Is it the pumpkin itself? The spices? The brown sugar? The texture? As a baker, that question is worth unpacking, because pumpkin can be a texture modifier, a moisture agent, and a flavor carrier all at once — and learning how to balance those roles is what separates a good pumpkin bake from a great one.