From classic pumpkin spice recipes to new flavors like white chocolate hazelnut, these easy fall baking recipes will bring the spirit of the autumnal season to your home.
1/37
Pumpkin Bread
From the Recipe Creator:
I keep my freezer stocked for our harvest crew with home-baked goodies like this easy and deliciously spicy pumpkin bread recipe. —Joyce Jackson, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia
This pumpkin bread is a classic, perfumed with all the right spices—cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg—and an entire cup of pumpkin puree. Always make sure you’re buying canned pumpkin (also known as solid-pack) and not pumpkin pie filling. The latter has water, sweeteners and spices, which will throw off the texture here.
2/37
Cranberry Bog Bars
From the Recipe Creator:
Sweet and chewy, these fun bars combine the flavors of oats, cranberries, brown sugar and pecans. I like to sprinkle the squares with confectioners’ sugar before serving. —Sally Wakefield, Gans, Pennsylvania
If you’re saving cranberries only for the winter holidays, you’re missing out! Cranberries and brown sugar pair beautifully, lending themselves to all kinds of fall desserts. We love the duo in these cranberry bars topped with a knobbly oat streusel for lots of texture.
3/37
Pumpkin Doughnut Drops
From the Recipe Creator:
I always have a few special treats handy when the grandchildren visit. These cake doughnuts are one of their favorite snacks. —Beva Staum, Muscoda, Wisconsin
You’ll be shocked at how quickly these pumpkin doughnut drops come together. Since they’re cake doughnuts, there’s no yeast or kneading involved. Just mix up the batter, fry them in hot oil for one minute, coat them in sugar and devour!
4/37
Cinnamon Crackle Cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is the compilation of many years of baking. I make these cookies for a holiday bazaar and year-round for our family. They freeze well. —Vicki Lair, Albert Lea, Minnesota
There’s more than meets the eye with these cinnamon crackle cookies. Sure, they have the namesake spice, but there’s also nutmeg, brown sugar, almond and vanilla extracts, and lemon and orange zest. These are an explosion of fall flavor, and the secret ingredient (cream of tartar) keeps the cookies nice and chewy.
5/37
Southern Pralines
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is truly southern, and it's been a family favorite for years. I've packed many a Christmas tin with this candy. —Bernice Eberhart, Fort Payne, Alabama
Anything brown sugar and pecan-packed screams fall, and southern pecan pralines are just that. I love that this option isn’t your typical quick bread, cupcake or brownie. Pralines are a confectionery, so they’re a fun treat to bring around that no one’s expecting.
6/37
Sweet Potato Cheesecake Brownies
From the Recipe Creator:
If you're looking for something other than pumpkin, these sweet potato bars are a yummy alternative. Make them ahead—they're even better refrigerated overnight. —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
Part cheesecake, part brownie and all autumnal-flavored, this dessert uses sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin, which is a welcome swap when we’re all pumpkin-ed out. I love the texture: rich, decadent and cakey, with pecans in the cake crust for a little more bite.
7/37
Air-Fryer Cookie Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom used to make cookie bars for every school event while I was growing up. This is my updated version. It takes half the time and tastes just like hers. —Ashley Long, Shawnee, Kansas
This quick, easy air-fryer cookie pie is stuffed with Nutella. Need we say more? You’ll also find toffee bits and a deep, toasty overall flavor, courtesy of browned butter.
8/37
Mom-Mom Bessie’s Coconut Molasses Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
I'm the keeper of my husband's grandmother's handwritten recipe book. Mom-Mom Bessie was one of the best cooks I knew, and we think of her every time we make this pie. The flavor combination of coconut and molasses is a family favorite. —Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Brown sugar, molasses and coconut seem like an unlikely pairing. But in this pie, the deep, caramelly sweetness meets a bright, tropical sweetness that reminds me of the famous Girl Scout Samoa cookies.
9/37
Zucchini Muffins
From the Recipe Creator:
These yummy currant, walnut and zucchini muffins are an excellent and tasty way to use up surplus zucchini from your garden. —Peg Gausz, Watchung, New Jersey
Even as summer turns to fall, there still seems to be a surplus of zucchini. These zucchini muffins turn the summer squash into a fall treat with cinnamon, walnuts and currants.
10/37
Easy Apple Cobbler
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a common dish from where I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. It's a classic Dutch-style apple cobbler recipe—easy, quick and delicious. Who wouldn't love this golden brown delight? —Andrea Robson, York, Pennsylvania
Apple cobbler is a classic fall treat. Don’t use just any apples, though. Tart, firm apples, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, are ideal. The best apples for apple pie are also the best for all other apple desserts!
11/37
Magic Pumpkin Buckle
From the Recipe Creator:
Probably my family's favorite pumpkin dessert, this is something I've been making since our two daughters were small. The crust mixture, which is actually poured in first, rises to the top during baking to form a rich topping. You won't get a soggy bottom crust as you do with a pie. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
The classic summer buckle gets an autumnal twist thanks to canned pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. If you’re looking for something super easy and equally as comforting, bake this pumpkin buckle.
12/37
Orange-Chip Cranberry Bread
From the Recipe Creator:
Tart berries, crunchy nuts and sweet chocolate are simply scrumptious when mixed together in this easy quick bread. Sometimes I'll top it off with an orange-flavored glaze. —Donna Smith, Fairport, New York
I love when my quick breads are about 60% bread and 30% mix-ins, which is exactly what we get from this orange-chip cranberry bread thanks to the cranberries, walnuts, chocolate chips and orange zest. The orange icing is the perfect finishing touch.
13/37
Slow-Cooker Monkey Bread
From the Recipe Creator:
I often take this monkey bread to church potlucks—children and adults love it! Use the rum extract for a robust flavor. —Lisa Leaper, Worthington, Ohio
This monkey bread is incredibly easy, just make sure you’ve planned enough time for the slow cooker to work its magic. If you need it a little sooner, follow our monkey bread recipe, which has just five ingredients and bakes in the oven for 35 minutes.
14/37
Apple Doodles
From the Recipe Creator:
This apple doodle recipe originally started as an apple cake. But I worked it into a recipe for cookies and have been making them this way ever since. It's a nice way to feature fall's delicious produce. —Cecilia Lorraine Ruiz, Sunnyvale, California
Anyone who loves snickerdoodles will adore this apple version. These cookies have all the same great fall spices as regular snickerdoodles, and the inclusion of apples takes them right into fall desserts. If you prefer pumpkin, try our pumpkin snickerdoodles!
15/37
Pecan Banana Bundt Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
My daughter, Liz, often made this banana Bundt cake for us. It was delicious and different. She discovered five-spice powder during a culinary class field trip. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
Pears and Chinese five-spice powder turn a typical banana cake into an autumnal dream. If you’ve never baked with this spice blend before, know that it’s a gorgeous, warming blend of cinnamon, aniseed, fennel seed, cloves and peppercorn.
16/37
Maple-Bacon Rice Krispies Treats
From the Recipe Creator:
Sweet with a touch of smoky flavor, these maple-bacon Rice Krispies treats will make you fall in love with this classic flavor combo even more. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Classic Rice Krispies get a sweet and salty upgrade with maple flavoring and crumbled bacon. This is a great fall dessert for anyone who isn’t always a fan of sweet treats but still wants to enjoy something autumnal (thank you, maple flavoring!).
17/37
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
You will want to make these cookies again and again. I like to take them to church get-togethers and family reunions. They are rich and scrumptious—crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. —Denise DeJong, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
These nutty, rich hazelnut cookies are studded with creamy, smooth white chocolate chips. If you’ve never had this pairing before, it’s outstanding. Roast the hazelnuts beforehand to bring out their natural sweetness and help extract their papery skins.
18/37
Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
This pretty layered pie is easy to assemble with convenient canned pumpkin, store-bought candy bars and a prepared crust. While it's perfect for a Halloween party, this make-ahead dessert is delicious any time of year. —Suzanne McKinley, Lyons, Georgia
Our no-bake ice cream pie starts with a store-bought chocolate wafer crust that’s filled with one layer of Heath-studded vanilla ice cream and topped with pumpkin and fall-spiced ice cream. Let the layers set up in the freezer for a few hours, then dig in!
19/37
Sweet Potato Biscuits
From the Recipe Creator:
We often think of sweet potatoes in a supporting role as a side dish—mashed, baked whole, cubed or roasted. Here's another thought: Why not give them a starring role for breakfast when made into biscuits? Served with cinnamon-honey butter, they're all kinds of awesome. —Cathy Bell, Joplin, Missouri
While sweet potatoes are the star ingredient in these biscuits, the cinnamon-honey butter takes them over the top. They’re gorgeous on a fall afternoon, fresh from the oven with an autumnal tea.
20/37
Pumpkin Seed Toffee
From the Recipe Creator:
My kids are allergic to nuts, but they can eat pumpkin seeds! Every fall we save the seeds from our pumpkins to add to various recipes, including this one. —Suzanne Earl, Spring, Texas
Who knew candy-making was so … easy? Cooking sugar seems tricky, but our pumpkin seed toffee dispels the technique. And since it’s flavored with pumpkin pie spice and crunchy pepitas (pumpkin seeds), it’s fit for fall.
21/37
Pumpkin Dump Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
Canned pumpkin and cake mix make these bars an effortless alternative to pumpkin pie. It's a tried-and-true dessert that always brings big smiles. —Linda Guyot, Fountain Valley, California
Want to bake something so easy it’s almost effortless? This pumpkin dump cake mixes together pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice and pours it into a pan. Then, cake mix quite literally gets dumped on top, and everything is baked together. Now that’s easy.
22/37
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe was extremely popular at the annual Christmas party sponsored by our homemakers club. The bars are a terrific dessert for fall. —Agnes Jasa, Malabar, Florida
Cheesecake bars are a great dessert to take to a party. Anything handheld lends itself well to mingling. And rich, decadent pumpkin cheesecake sitting on a tender crust is a lovely textural complement.
23/37
Cranberry Zucchini Wedges
From the Recipe Creator:
I try to slip zucchini into as many dishes as possible. These cake wedges have wonderful flavor and a tender texture. They are pretty, too, with bits of pineapple, cranberries and zucchini. And they're perfect for brunch. —Redawna Kalynchuk, Sexsmith, Alberta
Cranberry zucchini cake is just the thing to keep around the house. I love having a wedge whenever the moment calls, whether for breakfast, as an afternoon treat or for a lighter dessert. The secret ingredient (pineapple!) adds a lot of moisture and sweetness.
24/37
Applesauce Spice Cupcakes
From the Recipe Creator:
I began making these moist cupcakes in grade school and still bake them today. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
I love that these cupcakes have all the yummy flavors of apple without having to peel, core and chop whole apples. Instead, applesauce makes a quick ready-to-use swap, and cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves build up the fall flavors. Finish each cupcake with a swirl of cream cheese frosting.
25/37
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
These big, soft spice cookies created by our staff have a sweet frosting that makes them an extra-special treat. Enjoy! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Soft, light and sweet, these cookies are a little closer to the texture of cake thanks to a box of yellow cake mix. They’re loaded with pumpkin puree (a whole can’s worth!) and a gorgeous blend of pumpkin pie spices. The finishing touch is the orange glaze!
26/37
Easy Tiramisu
From the Recipe Creator:
No one can resist this quick and easy tiramisu recipe. Make it ahead for added mealtime convenience. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
This tiramisu is a lot easier than the classic recipe, which requires egg yolks to be cooked with sugar until they reach the “ribbon stage” to make the creamy filling. Instead, this version uses instant vanilla pudding and whipped cream to make the creamy layers—no eggs or tricky cooking method needed.
27/37
Swedish Apple Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
This decadent Swedish apple pie serves up homemade flavor in every bite. This is a perfect snack with coffee or as an after-dinner treat. —Sarah Klier, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Although it’s baked in a pie pan, Swedish apple pie is more like a cake than our typical American apple pie. The autumnal flavors shine with apples, cinnamon and walnuts. If you don’t normally like walnuts, try toasting them first. Toasting the nuts removes their raw, oily edge and brings out their naturally nutty sweetness.
28/37
Doughnut Muffins
From the Recipe Creator:
Back when my children were youngsters, they loved these doughnut muffins as after-school treats or with Sunday brunch. —Sharon Pullen, Alvinston, Ontario
All the yumminess of doughnuts meets the ease of muffins in this autumnal treat. Each doughnut muffin is filled with jam, cinnamon and nutmeg, then coated in cinnamon sugar. Feel free to stuff the doughnut muffins with apple jam or apple butter instead!
29/37
Pear Crisp
From the Recipe Creator:
Since my husband is a livestock truck driver, he often starts work early in the morning. This pear crisp recipe keeps him going until breakfast. Our two boys love to have it for dessert and in their school lunches. —Joanne Korevaar, Burgessville, Ontario
Prefer pears to apples? This recipe turns the classic apple crisp into a perfect pear version, with lots of warming fall spices to boot. The oat and brown sugar topping adds just the right amount of texture to offset the soft pears.
30/37
Maple Bacon Walnut Coffee Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
Wake up the sleepyheads in your household with this moist, tender coffee cake that’s both sweet and savory. Bacon and nuts in the crumbly topping blend with flavors of maple, nutmeg and cinnamon. Yum! —Angela Spengler, Clovis, New Mexico
This recipe is a contest winner for a reason. From the cinnamon, nutmeg and apple cake to the walnut, bacon and maple syrup topping, it’s loaded with all the fall flavors we love.
31/37
Butterscotch Pecan Dessert
From the Recipe Creator:
Light and creamy, this butterscotch dessert never lasts long when I serve it. The fluffy cream cheese layer topped with cool butterscotch pudding is a lip-smacking combination. —Becky Harrison, Albion, Illinois
Butterscotch is an underrated fall flavor that pairs excellently with all the others. Here, it’s our main ingredient. The lovely butterscotch pudding sits on a layer of sweetened cream cheese and a butter-pecan crust.
32/37
Butterscotch Toffee Cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
With its big butterscotch and chocolate flavor, my cookie stands out. I like to enjoy it with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. It’s my fallback recipe when I’m short on time and need something delicious fast. —Allie Blinder, Norcross, Georgia
This five-ingredient recipe makes some of the best fall cookies we’ve ever tried, without any of the classic mix-ins! A butter pecan cake mix is doctored with one egg and canola oil to create the chewy cookie texture, and butterscotch chips and English toffee bits create the flavor.
33/37
Air-Fryer Apple Danish
From the Recipe Creator:
I came up with this quick and tasty treat when my daughter had a sleepover. I whipped these together in no time, and the girls devoured them! — Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa
Refrigerated crescent dough takes all the hard work out of making Danishes. All there’s left to do is unroll the dough, stuff it with applesauce, brush the tops with apple cider, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the rolls and air-fry them to golden, flaky perfection.
34/37
Apple Zucchini Bread
From the Recipe Creator:
Since apples and zucchini are so abundant in this area, it's only natural that the two be used together in one recipe. I really don't know the origin of this bread, but I do know it's been one of my favorites for many years. —Patti Dillingham, Scranton, Arkansas
There’s zucchini bread, and then there’s zucchini bread with apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and pecans. This recipe is the latter and is completely perfect for the fall season. This bread never lasts over 24 hours in my house; everyone sneaks a piece!
35/37
Pumpkin Bars
From the Recipe Creator:
Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the ultimate fall treat. But my family likes them so much, they ask me to make them all year long! —Brenda Keller, Andalusia, Alabama
I think these pumpkin bars are just an excuse to eat little pieces of cake throughout the day, and I’m here for it. And with a decadent cream cheese frosting spread on top of pumpkin-cinnamon bars, how could you not be?
36/37
Air-Fryer Apple Fritters
From the Recipe Creator:
These air-fryer apple fritters are healthier than old-fashioned fritters, yet they are still just as delicious. They're a quick and easy dessert that includes a scrumptious brown butter glaze! —Alyssa Castriotta, North Scituate, Rhode Island
This lighter take on apple fritters ditches deep-frying oil for the air fryer. Deep frying can often make your house smell like a county fair, but since these are air-fried, all you’ll smell are the apples and cinnamon permeating your home.
37/37
Pumpkin Banana Muffins
From the Recipe Creator:
These pumpkin banana muffins are the perfect bite-sized snack for fall. —Desiree Rasch, Blue Springs, Missouri
Sweet bananas and pumpkin puree bake together into these ultra fluffy and moist muffins, with cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg for a boost of fall flavor. With two types of fruit, they’re already a healthier muffin. Whole wheat flour adds a lot of fiber and nutrients, so you can feel good about having more than one throughout the day.
Easy Fall Baking Recipe FAQS
What are the easiest fall desserts to make?
The easiest fall desserts to make are our air-fryer cookie pie, apple doodles, maple-bacon Rice Krispies, white chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin ice cream pie, easy tiramisu and butterscotch toffee cookies. All these recipes are super easy and take less than 30 minutes to make, start to finish.
Can I substitute fresh pumpkin for canned pumpkin in recipes?
Try to avoid using fresh pumpkin in place of canned pumpkin in recipes. Fresh, homemade pumpkin puree often varies with its water content, meaning it could possibly have too much water, which will throw off the texture of your recipes. The best canned pumpkin is consistent in texture and taste. You can, however, use canned pumpkin in place of any recipes that call for fresh pumpkin puree.
Are there any no-bake fall dessert recipes?
Yes, there are lots of no-bake fall dessert recipes to make! For those who prefer pumpkin, try no-bake pumpkin cheesecake and no-bake pumpkin pie. Apple fans will love classic caramel apples (naturally no-bake!) and our no-bake apple pie. Looking for a dessert without pumpkin or apple? Try our no-bake cinnamon cranberry oat bars.
