44 Easy Potluck Desserts for Fall

From the Recipe Creator: A local newspaper featured this potluck-friendly recipe years ago. A creamy alternative to pumpkin pie, it quickly became one of my favorites. —Peggy Shea, Lowell, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: Here's proof that peanut butter and chocolate just belong together. These peanut butter blossom cookies are an easy family favorite and never fails to make my children smile. —Tammie Merrill, Wake Forest, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: When my kids and I make apple crisp, we use all sorts of apples to boost the flavor and texture. Add melted caramels, and you’ve got something scrumptious. —Michelle Brooks, Clarkston, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: With tangy dried cranberries tucked inside and a creamy brown butter frosting, these mildly spiced pumpkin bars are doubly delightful. It's a good thing the recipe makes lots, because once you taste one, you won't be able to resist going back for more! -Barbara Nowakowski, Mesa, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: Dotted with cranberries, orange zest and vanilla chips, these cookies are so colorful and fun to eat. They look lovely on a dessert tray and would be a great addition to your Christmas cookie lineup. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: These cookie pops are a great way to liven up a Halloween party. Kids love them! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Meet the Cook: 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

From the Recipe Creator: This moist applesauce cake recipe is a treasured heirloom passed down from my Grandma Stuit, who cooked for a family of 13 during the Depression. At reunions, it's the first dessert gone...including the crumbs! —Joanie Jager, Lynden, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: You only need three ingredients to make these super simple acorn cookies! —Jane Stasik, Greendale, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont

From the Recipe Creator: My mom’s apple crisp is the best in all of Texas, honest! I tweaked it slightly, though, and now I spend less time in the kitchen and more time catching up with my spry 92-year-young mother. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This apple pandowdy, which comes from a very old cookbook, is tangy and delicious. —Doreen Lindquist, Thompson, Manitoba

From the Recipe Creator: Who doesn’t love a good gooey caramel apple? Make a double batch because these treats always go fast! —Karen Ann Bland, Gove, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: Here's a charming use for pumpkin. Bursting with flavor and plenty of eye-catching appeal, these sweet and spicy filled cupcakes are bound to dazzle your family any time of the year. —Ali Johnson, Petersburg, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: These are so tasty and simple to prepare! Each delightful little cookie is loaded with cranberries, nuts and vanilla, giving them the taste of a treat that’s been slaved over. —Louise Hawkins, Lubbock, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I get tremendous satisfaction making and giving time-tested yuletide treats like these dipped gingersnaps. Dipping them in white chocolate makes much-loved gingersnaps even more special. —Laura Kimball, West Jordan, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: Our town has a pumpkin-canning factory, so we're known as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World." New pumpkin recipes are always welcomed by our family, and this has become a favorite. The gingersnap crust is the perfect flavor pairing to the pumpkin. —Nilah Fischer, Morton, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: My grandma used to bake a version of this for me when I was a little girl. She would make it using fresh apples from her tree in the backyard. I've adapted her recipe because I love the combination of apples, pecans and caramel. —Emily Hobbs, Springfield, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: I began making these moist cupcakes in grade school and still bake them today. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: My mother passed this old-time recipe on to me because she knew I'd want to make it. I love desserts—especially this one! —Mary Wright, Morriston, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: This maple-flavored cake with candied walnuts honors beloved my grandpa, who made maple syrup when I was a child. It honors his memory and has proven to be a favorite with family and friends throughout the years. —Lori Fee, Middlesex, New York

From the Recipe Creator: My mom made this for me, and one bite can completely take me back to my childhood. You can easily convert it into a great carrot cake recipe: just use grated carrots in place of pumpkin and add raisins. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: The neighbor who shared this recipe with me predicted that I'd serve it often, just as she has for more than 30 years. It's easy to put together and is wonderfully fruity. I like to serve it with ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. —Diann Mallehan, Grand Rapids, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: The holidays wouldn't be complete without cranberries and eggnog. I use them both in this flavorful cheesecake that's the perfect finale for a special dinner. Set it out at the start of the meal, not just to solicit "oohs" and "aahs," but to remind folks to save room for dessert! —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: Before I cut these bars into triangles, I trim the edges so all the cookies look the same. My husband and daughter love this part because they get to eat the scraps. —Dawn Burns, Lake St. Louis, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: A cookie-like crust holds the sensational filling of cream cheese, apples and almonds. This comforting apple torte will be welcomed addition to a bake sale or potluck. —Sheila Swift, Dobson, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Even my adult children love these Halloween cupcakes! We serve them every year at our pumpkin-carving party. You can also make these fall cupcakes with the fudge stripes on their wings facing up for variety. —Joyce Moynihan, Lakeville, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: These bars taste like a cross between pumpkin pie and pecan pie—yum! If you can't find butter cake mix, yellow cake mix works. —Sue Draheim, Waterford, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: After my sister took the family to the local cranberry festival, my mom bet me that I couldn't make a holiday pie out of cranberries and oranges. Considering the pie was gone before the holidays arrived, I think I won! —Heather Cunningham, Whitman, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: My mother has had this recipe for years. I love it! These bars make great snacks, but can also be served for dessert. —Margaret Adelman, Bellingham, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Friends sometimes ask me to make these for wedding receptions. For a fancier presentation, I cut the bars into triangle shapes and drizzle white chocolate over each one individually. —Erika Busz, Kent, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: My mother made this German apple cake for my brothers and me when we were kids. It's an excellent choice for a Christmas potluck or actually any time of year. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: After taste testing lots of apple cakes, I've found this apple cake recipe the best. Full of old-world comfort, the yummy brown sugar sauce really makes the cake special. For a festive occasion, top with a dollop of whipped cream. —Debi Benson, Bakersfield, California

From the Recipe Creator: These ooey-gooey cake bars that pull ever so gently from the pan and hold a firm cut are a baker’s dream come true. —Cay Keppers, Nisswa, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: When pears are in season, I love to make this family favorite. It's moist and keeps well, and makes a wonderful dessert as well as a breakfast or brunch cake.

From the Recipe Creator: This creamy sweet potato pie is subtly spiced and slices beautifully! We suggest baking up a few sweet potato pies around the holidays to give to friends and family. —North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

From the Recipe Creator: This is my take on my mother's recipe for chocolate chunk bars, which she made every Christmas Eve. Our family is scattered across the country now; making these reminds me of home. If you don't have a pastry cutter, you can use two sharp knifes or a potato masher. My mom makes this with semisweet chocolate chunks. —Erin Powell, Amarillo, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Hot chocolate is my go-to winter indulgence. To go with it, I like this moist pumpkin cake dusted with cocoa for an extra chocolate boost. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: Folks are sure to share some tricks in order to get some of these pleasing pumpkin-shaped treats. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: I turned sour cream raisin pie into a cookie bar with a crunchy oatmeal crust, custard-style filling and crisp topping. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: I won a baking contest with these chunky glazed cookies that are so easy, even novice bakers can pull them off. What makes them special? Fresh cranberries. —Laurie Cornett, Charlevoix, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: These apple treats are a staple in my Christmas goody packages. Sometimes I add an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne to the cinnamon mixture for a little extra kick. —Laurie Bock, Lynden, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: My friend gave me a recipe for orange cookies. I just had to embellish it. Now my friends and family crave these tarts. —Nancy Bruce, Big Timber, Montana