Bity
These easy fall desserts are the bakes that come out in my kitchen the moment the apples arrive and the first tin of pumpkin hits the cupboard: crumbly apple crisp, a soft pumpkin dump cake, sticky pecan pie, spiced gingerbread and a tray of warm cinnamon rolls. All twelve are my own tested recipes, so every link takes you to a dessert I have baked, photographed and shared around the table.
Most of them need one bowl, one dish or no mixer at all, which is exactly what I want on a busy weekend. I have grouped them by flavour, and after the recipes you will find a make-ahead chart, my best baking tips and the questions readers ask me most.
Quick Breakdown
Apple Fall Desserts
Nothing beats a warm apple bake on a cold evening. A mix of tart and sweet apples gives the best flavour, and a firm variety holds its shape instead of turning to sauce.
1. Easy Apple Crisp
This is the first thing I bake every October. Sliced apples are tossed with sugar and cinnamon, then buried under a buttery oat topping that turns crisp and deep golden in the oven. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the juices, and the whole house will thank you.
Get the Easy Apple Crisp recipe →
2. Apple Crisp Pizza
Imagine apple crisp and apple pie had a very good idea together. A pie crust is pressed into a pizza pan, covered in cinnamon apples and a crumbly oat topping, then finished with a drizzle of caramel. It slices into neat wedges, so it is brilliant for parties and bake sales.
Get the Apple Crisp Pizza recipe →
Six apples is a fair bit of peeling, so an apple peeler and corer is a real time saver for both the crisp and the pizza.
Pumpkin, Pecan and Sweet Potato Fall Desserts
These four are the flavours of Thanksgiving and harvest suppers. Two of them are pies, and two are so easy that you can make them on a weeknight.
3. Pumpkin Dump Cake
If pumpkin pie and a cobbler had a baby, this would be it. A spiced pumpkin custard goes into the dish, dry cake mix is scattered over the top, and melted butter turns it into a crisp, golden crust. There is no mixer and no pastry, yet it disappears faster than any pie I make.
Get the Pumpkin Dump Cake recipe →
4. Pumpkin Muffins
Seven ingredients, one bowl and half an hour; that is my kind of baking. The muffins come out soft, gently spiced and properly domed, and they make the kitchen smell wonderful. I bake a batch on Sunday for packed lunches, although they rarely last until Wednesday.
Get the Pumpkin Muffins recipe →
5. Easy Pecan Pie
For years I was nervous of pecan pie, and then I realised how forgiving it is. The filling is whisked in one bowl, poured into an unbaked crust and baked until the centre just wobbles. There is no blind baking at all, and the result is sticky, nutty and gorgeously rich.
Get the Easy Pecan Pie recipe →
6. Sweet Potato Pie
Silky, warmly spiced and a little lighter than pumpkin pie, this is the one my family asks for at harvest time. Boiled sweet potatoes are mashed until smooth, then whisked with butter, evaporated milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. In fact, the crust needs no pre-baking, which saves a whole step.
Get the Sweet Potato Pie recipe →
Both pies bake happily in a 9 inch glass pie dish, and the glass lets you check that the base has turned golden before it leaves the oven.
Spiced Bakes and Warm Puddings
When it is properly cold outside, I want something warm from the oven with a cup of tea. These four tick that box in very different ways.
7. Gingerbread Loaf
Dark, soft and full of molasses, this is the cake I bake when the leaves really start to fall. Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg give it a gentle warmth, and baking it low keeps the crumb tender. Better still, it tastes even better the next day, so it is perfect for making ahead.
Get the Gingerbread Loaf recipe →
8. Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Let the bread machine knead the dough while you get on with the morning. Once the cycle finishes, you roll it out, spread it with butter and cinnamon sugar, roll it up and slice. The buns bake up soft and buttery, and a thick vanilla glaze over the warm rolls is pure autumn comfort.
Get the Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls recipe →
9. Easy Peach Cobbler
Peaches may feel like summer, but a warm cobbler on a chilly night is hard to beat. Jammy, cinnamon spiced fruit sits under a golden, buttery topping that bakes up soft in the middle and crisp at the edges. So, once fresh peaches are gone, I simply use drained tinned ones.
Get the Easy Peach Cobbler recipe →
10. Chocolate Dump Cake
For the chocolate lovers in your life, this one is gloriously easy. Cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil and chocolate chips go straight into the dish, and that is about all there is to it. It bakes into something between a brownie and a pudding, soft and fudgy in the middle.
Get the Chocolate Dump Cake recipe →
Make Ahead Treats for Gifting
These two are rich, sliceable treats that keep well, so I make them for gift boxes, bake sales and the long run up to the holidays.
11. Caramel Pecan Turtle Fudge
Chocolate, soft caramel and toasted pecans layered into one gorgeous slab. You melt the chocolate with condensed milk, spread half in the tin, pour over the caramel and finish with the rest. There is no candy thermometer needed, which makes it the easiest homemade sweet I know.
Get the Caramel Pecan Turtle Fudge recipe →
12. Homemade Salted Caramel Twix Bars
A buttery shortbread base, a layer of homemade salted caramel and a snap of dark chocolate on top. They take a little more care than the rest of the list, yet every step is simple, and they taste far better than the shop version. After all, homemade caramel is worth it.
Get the Homemade Salted Caramel Twix Bars recipe →
How Far Ahead Can You Make These Fall Desserts?
If you are baking for a gathering, here is how I would plan it so nothing is rushed on the day.
| Dessert | Best made | How it keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Turtle fudge | Up to a week ahead | Freezes for up to 2 months |
| Salted caramel bars | Up to 5 days ahead | Fridge 5 days, freezer 2 months |
| Sweet potato pie | The day before | Fridge for 3 to 4 days |
| Pecan pie | The day before | Needs at least 2 hours to set |
| Gingerbread loaf | The day before | Even better on day two |
| Apple crisp, cobbler and dump cakes | On the day | Best served warm from the oven |
| Cinnamon rolls and pumpkin muffins | On the morning | Lovely warm, fine the next day |
Tips for Easy Fall Desserts
- Use the right pumpkin. Reach for plain puree, not pie filling. If you fancy making your own, Illinois Extension recommends small pie or sugar pumpkins for cooking, because they are sweeter and less watery than carving pumpkins.
- Keep apples cold. Crisp apples make a better bake. Illinois Extension advises storing apples cold in perforated bags in the fridge, so they stay firm until baking day.
- Do not stir a dump cake. The dry cake mix layer is what turns into the crisp topping.
- Trust the wobble. Pecan and sweet potato pies should still jiggle slightly in the centre; they firm up as they cool.
- Serve warm bakes warm. Apple crisp, cobbler and pumpkin dump cake are at their best about 10 to 20 minutes out of the oven, with ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing Fall Desserts
What are some good dessert ideas for autumn?
Anything with apples, pumpkin, pecans or warm spices. My favourites are apple crisp, pumpkin dump cake, pecan pie and gingerbread loaf, and a tray of cinnamon rolls makes a lovely weekend treat.
Which fall desserts are easiest for beginners?
Start with the dump cakes or the pumpkin muffins. They need one bowl or one dish, no mixer and no pastry skills, and they are very hard to get wrong.
Are there any no bake options?
Yes. The turtle fudge needs no oven at all, just a saucepan and the fridge. The salted caramel bars need a short bake for the shortbread base only.
Baking for a Crowd
What is the best dessert for a crowd?
The pumpkin dump cake and the apple crisp pizza each serve 12, and the turtle fudge makes 25 squares. All three travel well to parties and potlucks.
Can I make these desserts ahead?
Many of them, yes. Pies, fudge, bars and the gingerbread loaf all improve with a day of rest, while the crisp and cobbler are best baked on the day and served warm.
Can I use canned fruit?
Of course. Canned peaches work well in the cobbler as long as you drain them, and canned pumpkin puree is exactly what the dump cake and muffins call for.
