The slight chill in the air and the shortening of daylight let us know the fall season is coming. Many of us get super excited about apple picking, warm sweaters and finding the tastiest fall dessert recipes. You know you're obsessed with autumn when you dream about desserts flavored with crisp apples and warming pumpkin spice.
Autumn recipes have come a long way since basic apple or pumpkin pies. The best home cooks are putting their unique spin on everything from crème brûlée and snickerdoodles to cheesecake. Fall flavors are not all about pumpkin, either. Autumn is a peak time to bake using everything from pears and cranberries to figs, pecans and toffee.
Ahead you'll find 50 of the best fall dessert recipes using ingredients you may already have. In the autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving give us even more reason to celebrate with festive baking ideas. Other recipes include creative ingredients we love to indulge in during the fall season such as s'mores, oatmeal and sweet potato.
Get ready to dive into 50 delicious fall dessert recipes that both your family and friends will love. You can rest assured that the only thing they'll ask for after dessert is a second helping.
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Taste of Home
There's no denying the allure that apple cider doughnuts have in the fall. The spiced brown sugar coating and hot apple cider filling make us wonder why these doughnuts aren't around all year long. This recipe includes an option for topping the doughnuts with either chocolate or maple glaze.
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
Natasha's Kitchen
You won't believe how easy it is to make crème brûlée using pumpkin puree (canned or homemade if you're feeling domestic). It's a surprisingly straightforward recipe to prepare. You'll also find it incredibly satisfying to brown the tops of the crème brûlée with a handheld torch!
Apple Crumb Cake Muffins
Two Peas and Their Pod
The sweetness of apple cake and buttery crumb topping comes together for an autumn treat made in less than 40 minutes. It makes for a sweet snack or a breakfast you'll look forward to. Other than using Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, we bet you've got all the ingredients ready to go.
Autumn Spice Cake
Cooking Classy
This recipe uses the warm spices of fall such as cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to create a lavish layer cake. Rich cream cheese frosting and an optional dusting of pecans make this the ideal cake for a festive autumn birthday celebration.
Pear Galette
Bon Appetit
This unexpectedly simple pear galette recipe removes any stress by offering the option of using canned pears. The ease of store-bought puff pastry also adds to the recipe's simplicity. The ginger almond cream is a flavor your taste buds won't forget.
Apple Pie Ice Cream
What would happen if you enjoyed your favorite apple pie à la mode in the form of apple pie ice cream? Sheer bliss is the answer. Adding cooked apples to an ice cream base that includes snickerdoodles is one of the best apple pies you can have.
Oatmeal Cookie Cake
Liv for Cake
The only thing better than a batch of fresh oatmeal cookies is a cake flavored with brown sugar and chocolate chips. It's topped with the dynamic duo of an oatmeal cookie buttercream and crumble that'll make you smile.
Vanilla and Cider Panna Cotta
Food & Wine
Panna cotta is a lot harder to say than it is to make. The recipe comes together quickly and uses the tempting fall flavors of cinnamon and apple cider. Serve the panna cotta with spiced ginger cookies to make this cool treat extra special.
S'mores Bars
Food 52
Autumn is the perfect season to bring s'mores back to life indoors with these tasty s'mores bars. The end result is even better since the recipe adds extras such as toffee into the mix. Sit back, kick your feet up, and have a s'mores bar in the comfort of your home.
Pumpkin Macarons
Preppy Kitchen
For those of us who love a challenge in the kitchen, macarons are the answer. It's finally time to enjoy macarons with the No. 1 flavor of fall — pumpkin. The buttercream filling employs flavor makers such as espresso, pumpkin and ginger to stand out.
Nantucket Cranberry Tart
Taste of Home
Cranberries don't have to wait for the underwhelming canned side dish we see on Thanksgiving. This Nantucket-style cranberry tart doesn't even bother with a crust. You won't miss it when you bite into this moist but (yes) tart dessert, which works just as well for Thanksgiving.
Glazed Sweet Potato Scones
Baked by an Introvert
We often lose our way when using sweet potatoes once a pie is made, but there are other options, too. These scones stay buttery throughout and are topped with a brown butter glaze that screams autumn is here.
Fresh Fig & Ricotta Cake
Barefoot Contessa
Figs are the gateway fruit that's around from late summer into fall. They seem scary to some, but once you've tasted figs in the right fall dessert recipes, you'll be a convert. This easy-to-make fig cake uses whole-milk ricotta for the richest cake you'll have all season long.
No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Pies
Life, Love and Sugar
Even in the fall, it's fun to make desserts without having to turn on the oven. You'll be delighted by these no-bake pumpkin pies that make an autumn classic simple enough for every day. The parfait-style pies can be eaten in a glass jar for an extra enjoyable take on pumpkin pie.
Overnight Cinnamon Roll Bread with Chai Frosting
Half Baked Harvest
The warming spice of chai tea has fall written all over it, and it becomes the ideal flavor addition to cinnamon rolls. The overnight option makes it easy to impress houseguests in the morning with cinnamon roll bread topped with spiced chai frosting.
Apple Cobbler
A Cozy Kitchen
When classic fall treats such as apple cobbler come with a quick-and-easy recipe, it's hard to resist making it all the time. Pour the biscuit batter directly over the filling, and don't worry about how it looks — how it tastes is amazing!
Blackberry Crisp
Love & Lemons
Blackberries are the unsung hero of fall baking since they fruit in late August up until the first freeze. For those of us who prefer crisps to cobblers, this recipe doesn't disappoint. The crisp topping with oats, almond flour and walnuts is the best complement for the tart blackberry filling.
Monster Truffles
Delish
Fall dessert recipes wouldn't be as interesting without a fun Halloween treat or two. Kids (and adults) will literally eat up these colorful monster truffles made with a handful of ingredients. If you dig into your Halloween candy stash, you're probably halfway there.
Apple Cheddar Pie
Sally's Baking Addiction
Pies are everywhere from the start of fall through the holiday season, so it might be time to try your pie Canadian-style. The controversial addition of cheddar cheese in an apple pie may make you a fan of our neighbors to the north. The salty-sweet combination never fails, and the buttery crust is top-notch.
Milk Chocolate Pecan Toffee
Betty Crocker
The nuttiness of pecans is front and center in this toffee recipe, which is great when you crave something simple and sweet. It has a short list of ingredients and only needs to sit for an hour or be refrigerated before being gobbled up by everyone.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Well Plated by Erin
Certain fall recipes reach a whole new level when you add pumpkin to the mix, as these oatmeal cookies do. They use pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to help you get excited about fall's many celebrations. The maple glaze won't be optional once you try it one time.
Ghost Brownies
The Food Network
These cute ghost brownies are another enjoyable Halloween sweet treat that can be prepared quickly. The black icing is gooey, while the scary white chocolate ghosts are easier than you think to scare up.
Football Whoopie Pies
The Baker Mama
Fall is the time for football watch parties, which is a great theme to use when making whoopie pies. Just fill these babies with heavenly marshmallow fluff and decorate them like footballs for party guests to enjoy between touchdowns.
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
Big Oven
Everyone knows the only solution to having day-old bread is to make some bread pudding. Using fall flavors such as pecan and brown sugar only adds to the ultimate comfort that bread pudding brings us all. Waiting for it to bake is the only time-consuming part.
Brown Butter Toffee Blondies
Martha Stewart
Brown butter feels like the best way to enjoy buttery treats every autumn in desserts such as these toffee blondies. The deep flavor of the butter pairs wonderfully with toffee for a sweet snack anyone will adore. You can also cut the bars into fall-friendly shapes like leaves or pumpkins.
Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles
Fall is about trying new things, such as combining the traditional sweet potato with a classic cookie like snickerdoodles. The brown sugar and cinnamon that we use for savory sweet potatoes make these snickerdoodles worth remembering. They also keep up to a week, for when your next snickerdoodle craving hits.
Butterscotch Cake
Cooking Channel
Making a butterscotch layer cake seems obvious, but few have tried this irresistible candy-in-cake form. Light brown sugar transforms an already great cake into something special. You may also find yourself sneaking extra helpings of the butterscotch sauce.
Candy Corn Fudge
Princess Pinky Girl
Why reserve the guilty pleasure of candy corn for Halloween night only? You'll only need a few key ingredients such as white chocolate and honey to make this festive fudge a reality. With a little food coloring, you'll have a treat kids will love to get on Halloween or any other day.
Apple Pie Streusel Bars
Just a Pinch
Dessert streusel bars are an easy way to enjoy the best of fall flavors without losing a day in the kitchen. A crumb pastry crust makes the recipe ready in no time, while the glaze topping adds an extra sweet finish. You may never ask for apple pie again.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
The Pioneer Woman
It's super simple to make cheesecake a reliable fall favorite. The addition of pecans to the graham cracker crust and the spiced pumpkin filling will have you wanting more before you take a bite. It's a fun way to transform a chilled dessert into a fall treat.
Salted Caramel Apple Tart
Tutti Dolci
Who can resist the pairing of caramel and apples resulting in an autumn frenzy of flavor? You might attempt to combine them in a pie, but the unique texture and ease of making a tart instead is worth trying. This recipe even adds a lattice top to fool you into thinking you're enjoying an apple pie.
Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread
Averie Cooks
We usually make at least one batch of pumpkin bread during fall, but adding cream cheese is definitely the missing link. The bread uses pumpkin pie spice for instant autumn vibes in every bite. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the decadent cream cheese filling, which makes this recipe unique.
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Joy of Baking
The beauty of making an upside-down cake is that you can enjoy it with almost any fruit topping (on the bottom, on the top). This recipe employs a basic batter and cranberry topping to complement the arrival of autumn with sweet-tart deliciousness.
Chestnut Pudding
Saveur
We're happy to introduce you to the wonder that is chestnut. It's traditionally used in old-world bakes and has a taste like no other nut. The chestnut puree is prepared like any pudding and is topped with nutmeg whipped cream. The best part is that you can enjoy it right out of the refrigerator.
Pumpkin Cannoli
Mashed
Turning rich cannolis into a pumpkin-friendly dessert may seem out of reach — until now. Once you buy store-bought cannoli shells, the hard part is done. All that's left is a whipped pumpkin mascarpone filling to make dessert a whole new adventure.
Coffee Skillet Monkey Bread
Well + Good
Fans of dessert for breakfast all know who we are. This comforting monkey bread, which is made in a skillet, is all about cinnamon sugar, maple coffee glaze, and cinnamon cream cheese icing. The monkey bread will leave your breakfast companions completely satisfied.
Pear Tarte Tatin
A tarte Tatin is an extra-gooey way to enjoy fall fruits such as apples. Making a tarte Tatin with pear may have you switching teams in a flash. Whether you make your own crust or buy one, it's fun to artfully arrange the elongated pears in a beautiful pattern. Plus, candied ginger really brings out the autumn flavor of the pears.
Pumpkin Mousse
Sweet & Savory Meals
When a pumpkin craving hits you, this pumpkin mousse will save the day in less than 30 minutes! Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and a few other ingredients are all that are needed to achieve fluffy heaven. The best part is that the mousse gets even better after two or three days in the refrigerator.
Banana Bread Brownies
The Spruce Eats
A chilly autumn night is the best time to whip up some banana bread — or some brownies. You can enjoy both with this intoxicating combination of chocolate and banana that includes using coconut oil. The creative decoration of a split banana on top will make everyone feel like a kid again.
Gingerbread Spice Cupcakes
Sugar Spun Run
Fall is never too early to start playing with gingerbread and spice. Cupcakes are an easy way to enjoy these chilly-weather flavors without too much stress in the kitchen. The luxurious cream cheese frosting flavored with cinnamon will have you ready for fall (and winter, too)!
Apple Fritters
Grandbaby Cakes
You don't have to go to a harvest festival or autumn hay ride to enjoy delicious apple fritters this fall. This recipe uses both apples and apple cider for a one-two punch of flavor you won't forget. The golden fritters are topped with a spiced apple cider glaze that'll make you very popular.
Pumpkin Tiramisu
Tiramisu is so easy to make, why not make it pumpkin-friendly for friends and loved ones this fall? All you need is a large glass bowl to show off your layers of ladyfingers, pumpkin mousse and whipped cream. When you bring the tiramisu to the table, don't be surprised if you hear applause.
Big Apple Crumb Cake
Smitten Kitchen
Crumb cake may be the perfect breakfast, but crumb cake with apple and cinnamon is even more inviting. Here, the cake is dwarfed by the apple mixture and a hefty share of buttery crumb topping. It won't seem like too much once you've had a massive bite.
Pumpkin Spice Swiss Roll
Tasty
A Swiss roll (also called a roulade) is a delightful cake with cream filling. In this case, you can look forward to a spiced pumpkin cake with a cream cheese spiral. As long as you pre-roll the cake to keep its shape, you'll love this creamy dessert each and every time.
Pumpkin Dessert Lasagna
The Cookie Rookie
Whoever claimed lasagna isn't for dessert doesn't yet know of this pumpkin pie lasagna. The sweet layers include a graham cracker crust, pumpkin pie filling, and a white chocolate whipped cream topping. Dessert lasagna may become your default setting once you take a bite.
Autumn Fruit Pavlova
Great British Chefs
Light and airy pavlova topped with summer berries is nice, but there's no reason you can't enjoy pavlova in the fall. This meringue is topped with blackberries, figs and plums, but you can assemble using any mixture of autumn fruits. You'll impress guests when you serve them this dessert, which celebrates the season in style.
S'more Ice Cream Cake
How Sweet Eats
When a kid (or adult) has an autumn birthday coming, nothing less than a s'mores ice cream cake will do. This cake salutes the traditional s'mores flavors we cherish from childhood. It manages to celebrate them with a dessert that's as fun to make as it is to eat.
Apple Sticky Toffee Pudding
Epicurious
Gooey apples are the perfect addition to a sticky toffee pudding this fall. The cake uses both apples and dates for extra stickiness and is served with a brown sugar sauce and ice cream. Pouring on the sauce tableside makes for an extra good time for all.
Pear & Gingerbread Cake
Jamie Oliver
Once you discover how well pear and gingerbread go together, there's no looking back. This recipe is an easy-to-make tray bake using the flavors of pear, stem ginger and chocolate. It's as if all the best parts of fall united for a flavor-filled party like no other.
Apple Dessert Pizza
The Country Cook
This recipe for apple dessert pizza is the answer you need when you don't have time to make a traditional apple pie. Using a store-bought crust and canned apple pie filling helps create a dessert pizza to beat all others. This is also the only pizza you'll make that's topped with icing!
