Lifestyle How to Choose the Right Pumpkin for the Job From Cinderella to sugar to just plain gigantic. By Adam Campbell-Schmitt and Kelsey Jane Youngman Kelsey Jane Youngman Kelsey Jane Youngman is a New York–based cook, baker, writer, and editor for Food & Wine with over 7 years of experience in food media. Kelsey has developed recipes, worked in culinary production, starred in cooking videos, and baked cookies for Cookie Monster.Expertise: recipe development, cooking, baking, food styling.Experience: Kelsey Jane Youngman has spent her life in kitchens, and began her professional training at the San Francisco Cooking School before moving to New York City to attend the Natural Gourmet Institute. She completed an externship in the Good Housekeeping test kitchen and cooked on the line at several city restaurants before joining Food & Wine's test kitchen editorial team. There, Kelsey has managed the kitchens, tested and developed recipes, written feature stories, worked as a culinary producer on multiple video series, and starred in her own series, "The Best Way," as well as several episodes of "F&W Cooks." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 30, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Kevin Reid/Getty Images Pumpkin spice season seems to start in the middle of the dog days of summer in recent years, so in the spirit of the ever-earlier infusion of that fall flavors into our diets, it's never too early to reacquaint ourselves with pumpkins. Whether you traditionally opt to gorge on this gourd in sweet or savory dishes, we've put together this primer on when and how to use each of the common (and expanding number of) pumpkin varieties you're likely to come across at your local supermarket, whether your goal is Sweet Treats, Slicing & Dicing, or Spooking & (Table)'Scaping. From sugar to Cinderella to just plain gigantic, here's a guide to choosing the right pumpkin for the job. Marcia Straub/Getty Images Jack-O-Lantern and Field Pumpkins Good for: Spooking & 'Scaping These common carving pumpkins tend to have a tough outer skin and very stringy, watery, and tough flesh. While they may take over the produce aisle (and usually entire front of the supermarket) in the fall, they really are best for decorative purposes. But don't count them out for the snack table—you can always roast the seeds or turn one into a keg! Christian Science Monitor/Getty Images Sugar and Pie Pumpkins Good for: Sweet Treats These little-r gourds have a sweet and creamy flesh, plus the sugar content you'd want in a delicious pie or other desserts. rdparis22/Getty Images Cinderella & Fairytale Pumpkins Good for: Sweet Treats, Slicing & Dicing While these pumpkins look straight out of a Disney movie (and do make fantastic decorations), you're going to want to turn to these plump and squat varieties for sweet and savory applications alike, as their brightly-colored red-orange flesh has a high water content and creamy texture perfect for pies, custards, and curries. The thick skin can be tricky to cut into, but it's worth it! AlpamayoPhoto/Getty Images Cheese Pumpkins Good for: Slicing & Dicing Also short and squat, Long Island Cheese or Musee de Provence pumpkins contain dense, sweet flesh with a savory and earthy finish. Wally Eberhart/Getty Images White Pie Pumpkins Good for: Sweet Treats As their name suggests, these spookily-pale pumpkins are ideal for baking. If you've never cut into one but have always been curious, despite their skin color they actually contain orange flesh. Zen Rial/Getty Images Japanese Pumpkins / Kabocha Good for: Slicing & Dicing The firm flesh inside these green and yellow squash stay firm when cooked, offering a flavor that balances sweet, nutty, and savory. That's why you often see them popping up in curries and tempuras. Zeynep Ugurdag/Getty Images Red Kuri Pumpkins Good for: Sweet Treats, Slicing & Dicing These reddish-orange squash sure look pumpkin-y enough to sneak into the patch. The flesh is lightly sweet, tender and creamy, and some people even liken the flavor to chestnuts. They're great for both sweet and savory applications (like soups), or roast it halved lengthwise (just scoop out seeds), and eat the whole thing (yes, their super smooth and thin skin is edible!). Lew Robertson/Getty Images Miniature Pumpkins Good for: Spooking & 'Scaping Their extremely tough skin and little bang for your buck in actual innards make these a much better (and extremely adorable) fit for decoration. picture alliance/Getty Images Giant Pumpkins Good for: Spooking & 'Scaping If you happen to see one of these massive C. maxima variety pumpkins, they're certainly an impressive addition to any fall tableau, but you're probably best turning it into a boat before you try to bake with it. By Adam Campbell-Schmitt By Kelsey Youngman Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit