Fall is arguably the best time of the year to be in the kitchen—delectable aromas like cinnamon, apple, and maple syrup seem to permeate the air. These particular fall desserts are as beautiful as they are delicious!
47 Gorgeous Desserts to Make This Fall
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Maple Walnut Cake
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
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Ginger-Glazed Lemon Bundt
Tangy ginger, tart lemon and puckery cranberries make this melt-in-your-mouth cake as crisp—and gorgeous—as autumn. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Pumpkin Charlotte
My mother-in-law gave me this recipe a while back and I just love it! I make it for my husband and his friends during hunting season and it's a big hit. —Lorelle Edgcomb, Granville, Illinois
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Mama's Spice Cake
This spice cake recipe has stood the test of time and it's one you'll probably hand down yourself.
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Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Whenever I visit friends in Lutsen, Minnesota, I make sure to buy maple syrup there because I think it's even better than in Quebec. These delicious cookies can be decorated with sprinkles but they're just fine as is.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
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Pumpkin Ice Cream Roll
This wonderfully light dessert is our standby at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The hint of pumpkin and the refreshing ice cream make a most delicious after-dinner treat. —Gayle Lewis, Yucaipa, California
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Majestic Pecan Cake
This recipe truly lives up to its name. The pecan-dotted cake is stacked in three layers, and made-from-scratch frosting is the crowning touch.—Karen R. Jones, Claypool, Indiana
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Homemade Pear Pie
I entered this pie in a local baking contest and ended up winning! Bartlett pears hold up well when baked, adding a nice layer of texture. —Darlene Jacobson, Waterford, Wisconsin
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Chocolate Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Icing
Mariann James of Ferguson, Missouri created a sweet and salty favorite with her original recipe for chocolate spice cake with caramel icing. The spicy chocolate cinnamon cane sugar was a perfect addition to her unique cake. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Honeyed Pears in Puff Pastry
A honey of a salute to late-summer pear season, this cozy dessert looks both elegant and decadent. Wrapped in puff pastry, the pears resemble little beehives. —Heather Baird, Knoxville, Tennessee
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Apple-Nut Bread Pudding
Traditional bread pudding gives way to autumn's influences in this comforting dessert. I add apples and pecans to this slow-cooked version, then top warm servings with ice cream. —Lori Fox, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
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Cranberry Coconut Cake with Marshmallow Cream Frosting
Filled with a homemade cranberry curd and smothered with one of the fluffiest frostings you've ever had, this tall cake will make a memorable impression at any gathering. —Julie Merriman, Seattle, Washington
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Pumpkin Shortbread Dessert
My family prefers this to traditional pumpkin pie, which is just fine with me. It feeds a crowd, so I need to make only one dessert instead of several pies. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
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Vermont Maple Oatmeal Pie
This yummy pie has old-fashioned appeal, but is so easy to prepare. Serve it with ice cream drizzled with maple syrup or top it with maple- or cinnamon-flavored whipped cream. —Barbie Miller, Oakdale, Minnesota
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Big Soft Ginger Cookies
These ginger cookies are soft, easy to make and loaded with the flavors of fall.
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Cranberry Cheesecake
Every year when the cranberries are harvested, my family looks forward to eating this cheesecake. —Nairda Monroe, Webberville, Michigan
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Toffee-Pear Crisp Bread Pudding
My son loves pear crisp, but one night I was making bread pudding. He asked if I could make both. I compromised by combining two desserts into this one dish. It's absolutely fantastic! —Kurt Wait, Redwood City, California
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Pumpkin-Butterscotch Gingerbread Trifle
There's more to pumpkin than pie, as this impressive trifle proves. It looks so elegant with alternating layers of gingerbread cake and pumpkin/butterscotch pudding. Try making it ahead of time for a fuss-free dessert when you're planning to entertain guests. —Lyla Lehenbauer, New London, Missouri
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Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Bring these extra special cupcakes to your next event and watch how quickly they disappear! With a caramel topping and spice cake base, they're the perfect mix of two fall-favorite treats. —Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas
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Grilled Cranberry Pear Crumble
My husband loves it when I make dessert. Fruit crisps are easy and quick to prepare, so I make them often! I created this fall-flavored grilled version with fresh pears and items I had on hand. We loved it. —Ronna Farley, Rockville, Maryland
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Pumpkin Torte
This beautiful layered cake has a creamy filling with a mild pumpkin flavor and a little spice. It is quick and always turns out so well. The nuts and caramel topping add a nice finishing touch. —Trixie Fisher, Piqua, Ohio
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Apple-Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake
We love the combination of classic fall fruits in this cake. I bake the apples on the bottom to keep them plump and moist, then flip the cake so they're on top. This is best served warm with vanilla ice cream, but we enjoy digging in any time of day. —Christina Yahraes, San Francisco, California
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Chocolate Pear Hazelnut Tart
As a teenage foreign exchange student in the south of France, I was horribly homesick. Then my host family's Grandmother Miette arrived and asked if I'd like to help her bake this nutty tart from scratch. It turned my trip around and inspired my lifelong passion for baking. Weighing ingredients, roasting nuts, kneading dough—the art of baking transcends language. —Lexi McKeown, Los Angeles, California
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Cranberry-Almond Apple Pie
My grandmother made this treat every year for Christmas. It’s much better than everyday apple pie. The recipe is a family treasure. —Maxine Theriauit, Nashua, New Hampshire
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Olive Oil Cake
Grab your favorite bottle of EVOO and break out the mixer. We'll show you how to make olive oil cake with a hint of citrus and almond.
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Gran's Apple Cake
My grandmother occasionally brought over this wonderful cake warm from the oven. The spicy apple flavor combined with the sweet cream cheese frosting made this recipe one that we treasured. Even though I've lightened it up, it's still a family favorite. —Lauris Conrad, Turlock, California
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Billie’s Southern Sweet Potato Cake
I made sweet potato cakes for my kids when they were younger and they told me in their little voices, “Mommy, you’re the best baker.” Little did they know that was Mommy’s first attempt at homemade cake! —Billie Williams-Henderson, Bowie, Maryland
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Apple Crostata
This apple crostata recipe has firm apple slices covered with cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of caramel topping, resting in a simple dough circle. This is a terrific dessert to make when you don't want to bother with shaping and blind-baking a pie crust.
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Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
When I was little, my grandpa always had a bag of caramels in his truck and a few in his pocket. Whether we were camping or going to a movie, I enjoyed sharing caramels with him. Now I try to put caramel in as many of my desserts as possible, including this sweet and salty tart. —Leah Tackitt, Austin, Texas
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Miniature Pumpkin Cake Towers
I make these pumpkin treats every autumn and they are gone in minutes. The spice combination is perfect for fall, and it is all wrapped up in a pretty little cake.—Deb Lyon, Bangor, Pennsylvania
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Cranberry Bread Pudding
This down-home dessert takes on a touch of elegance when I serve it warm and drizzled with a thin orange custard sauce. It's so pretty that I often make it for dinner guests using either fresh or frozen cranberries. —Margery Richmond, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Coffee Maple Spritz
I like spritz cookies because they're easier to make than rolled cutouts but I can still be creative with different shapes and sizes. Feel free to substitute vanilla or rum extract for the maple flavoring. —Dierdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
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Easy Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes
Cheesecake is the ultimate comfort food, but a big slice can be too rich. These bite-sized cheesecakes topped with apples and creamy caramel dazzle the senses. —Brandie Cranshaw, Rapid City, South Dakota
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Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding
Savor your favorite fall flavors with this scrumptious bread pudding, served warm with a sweet vanilla sauce. Yum! —Judith Bucciarelli, Johnson, New York
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Aunt Lou's Fresh Apple Cake
My Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia
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Cranberry Layer Cake
I adapted a Bundt cake recipe to create this layer cake. Cranberries, walnuts and homemade frosting make it taste so delicious that you'd never guess it starts with a convenient cake mix. —Sandy Burkett, Galena, Ohio
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Apple Pie
Baking apple pie from scratch is a fall baking tradition we treasure. Perfect your technique with our apple pie recipe, full of all the tips and tricks you'll need.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
Move over, pumpkin pie: This pumpkin cheesecake recipe might just be our new favorite fall dessert.
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Pear Bundt Cake
Next time you make cake from a mix, try my easy and delicious recipe. The pears and syrup add sweet flavor and prevent the cake from drying out. And since there's no oil added to the batter, this tender fall-perfect cake is surprisingly low in fat. —Veronica Ross, Columbia Heights, Minnesota
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