Best Fall Desserts

Crisps, Crumbles, Pies, and More

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 03/02/21
Classic pumpkin pecan pie recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

The fall season offers crisp, refreshing weather, colorful falling leaves, and wonderful food. Think freshly baked pies, warm and wonderful apple crisps and crumbles, cinnamon-spiced cakes and cookies, and anything pumpkin. 

These desserts include everyday sweet treats, seasonal specialties, and extra special cakes and pies perfect for holiday menus. Whether you have an abundance of pears or apples or you need something for your holiday dinner, you're sure to find the perfect dessert in this list.

  • 01 of 39

    Snickerdoodle Creme Brulee

    Snickerdoodle Creme Brulee
    Diana Rattray

    These amazing cinnamon-scented desserts are perfect for holiday dinners. Creme brulees are made in advance, chilled, and then the hard caramelized topping is applied just before serving time.

  • 02 of 39

    Pumpkin Cake Roll

    Pumpkin Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
    Diana Rattray

    This pumpkin cake roll has long been a favorite, and it is quite easy to prepare and bake. A sweetened cream cheese frosting mixture makes the perfect filling.

  • 03 of 39

    Hand-Held Apple Pies

    Hand Held Apple Pies
    Diana Rattray

    These little hand pies are filled with homemade apple filling. The recipe includes homemade pie pastry, but you may use refrigerated crusts as well.

  • 04 of 39

    Pumpkin Sheet Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

    Pumpkin Sheet Cake
    Diana Rattray

    The browned butter and cream cheese frosting is wonderful, but you could also use the creamy butter frosting recipe or a fluffy caramel cream cheese frosting.

    Continue to 5 of 39 below.
  • 05 of 39

    Red Velvet Crinkles

    Red velvet crinkles recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    If you're a fan of chocolate crinkles or molasses crinkles, you'll love this red velvet version of the recipe. The soft, cookies have the festive crackled look when they're baked.​

  • 06 of 39

    Apple Crisp

    Apple crisp recipe

    The Spruce

    If you only make one dessert with your fresh fall apples, make it this fabulous apple crisp. Not only is this dessert delicious, but it's also a very easy preparation.

  • 07 of 39

    Southern Sweet Potato Cobbler

    Sweet Potato Cobbler
    Diana Rattray

     Top this warm sweet potato cobbler with a scoop of ice cream. It's an excellent alternative if you want something other than a sweet potato pie.

  • 08 of 39

    Pecan Pie Bars

    Pecan pie bars on a white serving plate

     The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    This pecan pie bars recipe is easier to prepare than a traditional pie but just as tasty. It starts with a sweet, buttery crust followed by a pecan filling sweetened with brown sugar and honey. Serve it warm or at room temperature.

    Continue to 9 of 39 below.
  • 09 of 39

    Apple Coffee Cake

    Apple Coffee Cake

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni 

    An apple coffee cake makes good use of the seasonal fruit. This beautiful dessert starts with a sour cream batter baked with apples and cinnamon. It's finished up with apple jelly and sliced almonds.

  • 10 of 39

    Mini Apple Pies

    Mini apple pies

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    While these mini apple pies are delicious hot from the fryer and sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, when cooled to room temperature, they make a great portable snack or lunchbox treat. It's a simple recipe of apples, cinnamon, and sugar in a baking-powder pastry.

  • 11 of 39

    Easy Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake
    Diana Rattray

    This pumpkin cheesecake is baked in a graham cracker pie crust, and it takes just minutes to prepare.

  • 12 of 39

    Brown Sugar Cheesecake With Caramel Pecan Topping

    Brown Sugar Cheesecake With Caramel Pecan Topping
    Diana Rattray

     This extra-special brown sugar cheesecake is sure to get you a standing ovation. The creamy brown sugar filling is baked in a graham cracker pecan crust, and it's topped off with an incredible caramel pecan sauce.

    Continue to 13 of 39 below.
  • 13 of 39

    Instant Pot Rice Pudding

    Instant Pot rice pudding desserts.
    Diana Rattray

    Instant Pot rice pudding is flavored with cinnamon and raisins, making it a quick and easy cold-weather treat. Serve warm or chilled

  • 14 of 39

    Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

    Pumpkin cake cream cheese frosting

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

     This is a very popular pumpkin cake for fall bakers. The cream cheese frosting brings this moist, rich pumpkin cake together in the best way.

  • 15 of 39

    Applesauce Cookies

    Apple Sauce Cookies

    The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo

    When we think of fall desserts, we usually think of pies; maybe muffins, but rarely cookies. These applesauce cookies, however, are the perfect subtle and light fall dessert. They're not cloyingly sweet, nor overly spiced as some "pumpkin spice" desserts can be. The apple flavor here is delicate, thanks to the applesauce, and the cinnamon brings that classic "fall" note. These darling cookies come together in just 30 minutes, so they're the perfect impromptu dessert.

  • 16 of 39

    Pumpkin Ice Cream

    maple syrup being poured on pumpkin ice cream

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

    This recipe proves ice cream isn't just a summer treat. All of the familiar pumpkin pie spices are combined with pumpkin puree and homemade ice cream ingredients to make a creamy, flavorful dessert. Add maple syrup and chopped nuts, for a beautiful fall-inspired dessert.

    Continue to 17 of 39 below.
  • 17 of 39

    Crumb-Topped Apple Pie Bars

    Crumb-Topped Apple Pie Bars

    The Spruce Eats / Jessie Sheehan

    These apple pie bars have a familiar flavor with a shortbread crust and crumbly top. The filling is a mixture of Granny Smith apples and cinnamon that's not too sweet, but perfectly delicious.

  • 18 of 39

    Raisin Pie

    Raisin PIe

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni 

    Dark raisins and sour cream seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg come together in this raisin pie recipe. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream for an old-fashioned taste everyone will enjoy.

  • 19 of 39

    Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Cinnamon Roll Cake

    Kristina Vanni

    Ideal for any fall celebration, this cinnamon roll cake turns a favorite breakfast treat into a beautiful dessert. The yeast dough is covered with brown sugar and cinnamon, cut into strips, and spiraled in a cake pan. Once baked, it is topped with a cream cheese icing.

  • 20 of 39

    Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing

    Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
    Diana Rattray

    These soft pumpkin cookies are lightly spiced and topped with a brown butter icing. Bake them for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any fall day. These cookies freeze well, too. Just freeze in a single layer and then transfer them to a food storage bag. Ice them when you take them out of the freezer.

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  • 21 of 39

    Warm Spiced Pear Crisp With Ice Cream

    Warm Pear Crisp With Ice Cream
    Diana Rattray

    Ripe sliced pears are topped with a classic crisp brown sugar and oat topping in this yummy dessert. Serve the crisp warm with a big scoop of ice cream or a drizzling of cream for a fabulous fall dessert.

  • 22 of 39

    10 Minute No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

    10 Minute No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
    Diana Rattray

     Here's a great dessert if you're short on time, and nobody will guess it took only 10 minutes to prepare! Serve this delicious concoction with a scoop of whipped cream or thawed whipped topping and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

  • 23 of 39

    Classic Snickerdoodles

    snickerdoodles on a plate
    Diana Rattray

    These classic cinnamon-coated cookies are a holiday essential. Keep them on hand for fall and winter holiday guests.

  • 24 of 39

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    Peanut Butter Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips
    Diana Rattray

    This moist banana bread has it all. Subtle peanut butter flavor and mini chocolate chips add special flavor and texture to this banana bread loaf.

    Continue to 25 of 39 below.
  • 25 of 39

    Chunky Slow Cooker Applesauce

    crock pot applesauce
    Diana Rattray

    This chunky applesauce is an excellent way to use that surplus of apples this fall. The apples are sweetened, spiced with cinnamon, and slow-cooked to perfection.

  • 26 of 39

    Instant Pot Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

    Instant Pot bread pudding with sauce.
    Diana Rattray

    Warm, spiced bread pudding is quick and easy in the pressure cooker. It's even better when it's topped with a creamy bourbon sauce.

  • 27 of 39

    Pumpkin Pie Bars

    Pumpkin Pie Bars

    The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo 

    Pumpkin pie bars everything you love about pumpkin pie put into bar form. They look lovely sliced and taste great with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.

  • 28 of 39

    Fresh Apple Cranberry Cake

    Fresh apple cranberry cake recipe

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

    This delicious 5-star apple cranberry cake is great with warm caramel sauce.

    Continue to 29 of 39 below.
  • 29 of 39

    Apple Cranberry Cobbler

    Fresh Apple Cranberry Cobbler
    Diana Rattray

    Fresh cranberries and fresh sliced apples make this a fantastic fall dessert. The topping is an easy cake-like batter.

  • 30 of 39

    Gingerbread Biscotti

    gingerbread biscotti

    The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer 

    Warming ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and allspice taste like fall in cookie form. Gingerbread biscotti is the perfect after-dinner treat, especially when paired with coffee, espresso, or hot tea.

  • 31 of 39

    Sweet Potato Bread Pudding With Dates and Pecans

    Sweet Potato Bread Pudding wit Dates
    Diana Rattray

    Croissant crumbs make this sweet potato bread pudding extra buttery, and dates and pecans provide texture. Serve this delicious bread pudding with Caramel Sauce or Brown Sugar Sauce.

  • 32 of 39

    Butternut Squash Cupcakes

    Butternut squash cupcakes recipe

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Frost these wonderful autumn cupcakes with a basic cream cheese frosting or this easy and delicious caramel cream cheese frosting.

    Continue to 33 of 39 below.
  • 33 of 39

    Classic Pumpkin Pecan Pie

    Classic pumpkin pecan pie recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    This pie gives us the best of both worlds. Pumpkin pie and pecan pie get together in this classic dessert, and it's one of my favorites for holiday dinners. It's a nice change from the classic pumpkin pie.

  • 34 of 39

    Pepita Brittle

    Pepita brittle

    The Spruce

    This brittle candy is filled with raw pumpkin seeds—pepitas. This is a great treat to make for fall parties and guests. 

  • 35 of 39

    Apple Crumble Pie

    Apple Crumble Pie
    Diana Rattray

    This apple pie is an easy one-crust pie with a brown sugar crumb topping. If pie crust isn't your favorite thing to make, this is an excellent alternative to the classic apple pie.

  • 36 of 39

    Snickerdoodle Cake

    Snickerdoodle Cake

    The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo

    The scent of cinnamon just reminds us of fall. Turn the cinnamon sugar cookie into an impressive dessert with this two-layer cake that is filled and topped with a marshmallow frosting.

    Continue to 37 of 39 below.
  • 37 of 39

    Easy Mini Apple and Puff Pastry Tarts

    Easy Mini Apple Tarts
    Diana Rattray

    These easy apple tarts couldn't be easier! They're made with sheets of puff pastry and thinly sliced apples.

  • 38 of 39

    Easy Apple Cranberry Pie

    Easy apple cranberry pie recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Not a baker? No problem! This easy pie is made with pie filling and cranberry sauce. Use a refrigerated pie crust or the included easy food processor pastry.

  • 39 of 39

    Classic Mississippi Sweet Potato Pie

    Sweet Potato Pie

    The Spruce

    Sweet potato pie is a Southern classic. Bake this pie for a fall potluck or add it to your holiday dessert menu.