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Cheesy Gouda, Bacon and Pumpkin Pizza. Homemade pizza dough topped with a spicy pumpkin pizza sauce, kale, and sharp cheddar cheese. Then sweet, creamy, and melty gouda cheese is also added along with a topping of crisp salty bacon. Once out of the oven, finish with a thinly sliced green onion. If you adore the flavors of fall, this is your pizza!
Sometimes I take a look back at older recipes from years ago, even all the way back to our first year of HBH. I either ask myself, “what was I thinking”, or I mumble, “hmm, that sounds pretty delicious”.
It’s usually either one or the other, but either way, it’s fun. This pizza is inspired by a pizza I made years ago. This is my updated variation and it’s so yummy!
I had originally shared a pumpkin pizza recipe with the brand, Wisconsin Cheese. The sounds of a spicy pumpkin pizza with salty bacon sounded unique and really delicious. It’s actually a pizza I’ve wanted to recreate for a while now.
Once I began working on updating this recipe I became more and more excited. I just love this pizza! It’s the perfect pizza for these cold fall months!
It’s a tinsy bit spicy with just the slightest touch of sweetness. There’s also melty cheese and a little salty crunch thanks to the bacon. So yummy!
Here are the details
Step 1: the dough
I use the dough recipe from the HBH Every Day cookbook. It’s my go-to and the pizza dough I use almost every week when we have pizza night.
This time, however, instead of using water, I ended up using a pumpkin beer in the dough. It’s such a flavorful addition if you’re making homemade pizza dough!
Simply mix warm water with yeast and add about a cup of pumpkin beer. Then add flour, bread flour, and salt. I knead the dough with a stand mixer for about 5 minutes, then let it rise for an hour or so. And then it’s ready to go, nothing fancy! It’s my favorite pizza dough!
Alternatively, feel free to pick up your favorite store-bought dough. I love the options from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. Just make sure your dough is at room temperature. This will make shaping your pizzas much easier.
Step 2: the pumpkin sauce
This is the heart of the pizza and what makes it so delicious.
Take canned pumpkin purée and mix it together with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Then mix in your favorite hot sauce, I love Franks.
It’s almost like a spicy pumpkin buffalo sauce. Again, it’s different, but such a wonderful flavor. You have to trust me!
Step 3: everything else
Now, push or roll the pizza dough out. Spread the pumpkin sauce over the dough and add a handful of shredded kale. You could also use chopped broccoli, that would be really great too. It’s actually what I used when I first made this pizza 10 years ago.
Now, add sweet, melty gouda cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. It’s a great combination with the spicy pumpkin sauce.
Finish the pizza with lightly crisped bacon. The bacon adds a salty umami flavor that’s just DELICIOUS. It might sound odd with the pumpkin, but it really is wonderful.
Step 4: bake, eat, and enjoy
Throw the pizza into a super hot oven and cook until the cheese is bubbling up and the bacon is looking perfectly crispy.
And that’s it. Top with thinly sliced green onion, cilantro, and honey, then slice, eat, and enjoy!
I’ve made this pizza a few times recently and it’s always a hit! A great fall pizza for sure. Looking forward to sharing this with family in a few weeks as we head into the busy holiday season!
Looking for other pizza recipes? Here are some favorites
Caramelized Shallot and Bacon Goat Cheese Pizza
Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza
Pull Apart Roasted Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders
Pesto Pizza with Feta Stuffed Crust
Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza
Pesto Potato Burrata Pizza with Spicy Arugula
Lastly, if you make this Gouda, Bacon and Pumpkin Pizza, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Bacon Gouda Pumpkin Pizza
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 313 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- sea salt
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1/2 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
- 1 cup shredded kale
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gouda cheese
- 4 slices cooked bacon
- honey, for serving
- fresh cilantro and green onion, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.2. In a bowl, mix the pumpkin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, hot sauce, and season with salt. 3. On a lightly floured surface, push the dough out until it's thin (about a 10-12 inch circle). Transfer the dough to a baking sheet. Spoon/spread half the pumpkin sauce over the dough and reserve the remaining sauce for another pizza. 4. Top with kale, cheddar, gouda, and bacon. 5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven, Top with honey, cilantro, and green onions. Slice and enjoy!
Wanted to share that I make a very lazy version of this recipe – individual pizzas on grocery store-bought nan bread, Target Good & Gather butternut squash pasta sauce, and whole foods pre-shredded gouda. (I actually cook the bacon and chop the scallions though, haha!) It is one of my favorite things ever. Thanks for the flavor combo and to all my fellow busy cooks, give it a try!
Hey Amanda,
That’s such a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing and using some of the ingredients from this pizza! xT
I’m not a big pumpkin fan, but this sounds so good that I want to try it. Do you think puréed sweet potato could be subbed? Thanks!
Hi Shay,
Totally, that should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe! xx
I would love to have your pizza dough recipe. It would be helpful if you had it available on your website–I did a search and couldn’t find it. You listed the ingredients above, but not the porportions.
Thanks!
Hi Tracy,
You can find that recipe here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/essentials/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I realized I’ve never left a comment on any recipes despite cooking at least one new HBH recipe each week! This pizza is a fall staple for me now. The flavors are perfect together!! I used pre-made raw pizza dough from my grocery store’s bakery. I made rosemary bacon from one of your soup recipes and it was perfect on this. The instructions for the pumpkin sauce are a little confusing (are you using only 1/4 cup on the pizza? why make a 1/2 cup then?), but I just measure with my heart anyway. I think I ended up topping with 1/2 cup of pumpkin and went heavier on the seasonings and hot sauce. Topped with Mike’s hot honey. Yum!
Hi Alex,
I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) I just save the rest for another pizza! Have a great week! xT
Excellent recipe! Made this with purchased cauliflower crust and it was perfect! Enjoyed the zip that the hot sauce brought to the pumpkin purée. A keeper!
That’s awesome Anne! So glad to hear this pizza turned out well for you and thanks for giving it a try! xT
Oops I think I messed this one up. I used the whole can of pumpkin puree… Now rereading, are you supposed to mix 1/2 cup of the puree with the spices? Then use half, 1/4 cup of the mixture?
It was still yummy but diluted. Whoops!
Hi Megan,
You are just using 1/2 cup for the recipe, mixing it with the spices and then spreading half of it on the pizza. I hope this helps! xT
Could butternut squash be substituted for the pumpkin purée? Wondering if it would pair as well with all the other ingredients, thanks!
Hi Marilyn,
Sure, I bet a butternut squash puree would also be delicious here! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Could this be a good topping for a puff pastry base, or would it be a bit too wet for it? Thinking of little individual party size Tarts…
Hey there,
I think that sounds like a great idea! Let me know how it turns out:) Have a great weekend! xT
Just made this for Friday night dinner. So good. Posting pics on Instagram
Thanks so much for trying this pizza Janice!! So glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xT