13 Fall Desserts Better Than Pumpkin Pie

 

13 Fall Desserts Better Than Pumpkin Pie

13 Fall Desserts Better Than Pumpkin Pie

Autumn is here, and while pumpkin pie has its loyal fans, it’s not the only dessert worth cozying up with. Think beyond the traditional slice—spiced cakes, caramel-drizzled treats, and fruity crisps are stealing the spotlight this season. These 13 fall desserts will make your taste buds dance, your kitchen smell irresistible, and your guests beg for seconds. Honestly, you might forget pumpkin pie even exists.

1. Apple Crisp with Oat Topping

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups peeled, sliced apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • ½ cup brown sugar

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ½ tsp nutmeg

  • ¾ cup rolled oats

  • ½ cup flour

  • ½ cup butter, cold and cubed

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

  2. Toss apples with lemon juice, ¼ cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan.

  3. Mix oats, flour, remaining sugar, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

  4. Bake 40–45 minutes until topping is golden and apples are tender.

  5. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

2. Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 cup flour

  • ¾ cup cocoa powder

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 cup chopped pecans

  • ½ cup salted caramel sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 pan.

  2. Melt butter, mix with sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

  3. Fold in flour, cocoa, salt, and pecans.

  4. Pour half batter into pan, drizzle caramel, then add remaining batter. Swirl lightly.

  5. Bake 30–35 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing.

3. Maple Walnut Blondies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, melted

  • 1 cup brown sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • 1 ½ cups flour

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 8x8 pan.

  2. Mix butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

  3. Fold in flour, baking powder, salt, and walnuts.

  4. Pour into pan, drizzle maple syrup on top, swirl lightly.

  5. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden. Cool before cutting.

4. Pear and Almond Tart

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

  • 3–4 ripe pears, thinly sliced

  • ½ cup almond flour

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • 2 tbsp apricot jam

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll puff pastry on a baking sheet.

  2. Mix almond flour, sugar, egg, and extract; spread over pastry, leaving 1-inch border.

  3. Arrange pear slices on top. Fold edges over slightly.

  4. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden. Brush with warmed apricot jam.

5. Spiced Cranberry Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups flour

  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • ½ tsp nutmeg

  • ½ tsp cloves

  • 1 cup butter

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease bundt pan.

  2. Mix dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla.

  3. Fold in dry mix alternately with sour cream, gently fold in cranberries.

  4. Pour into pan, bake 50–60 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, invert onto wire rack.

6. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • ½ cup butter, melted

  • 16 oz cream cheese

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1 cup chopped apples

  • ½ cup caramel sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix crumbs, sugar, butter; press into 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes.

  2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla. Fold in apples.

  3. Spread over crust. Bake 25–30 minutes. Drizzle caramel on top once cooled.

7. Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups flour

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 2 tsp ginger

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp cloves

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • ½ cup butter

  • ½ cup brown sugar

  • 1 egg

  • ½ cup molasses

  • ½ cup milk

Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese

  • ¼ cup butter

  • 2 cups powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line muffin tin.

  2. Mix dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add egg, molasses, and milk. Fold in dry mix.

  3. Fill muffin cups ¾ full, bake 18–20 minutes. Cool.

  4. Beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

8. Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

Ingredients:

  • 1 pre-baked tart shell

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 8 oz chocolate, chopped

  • ½ cup hazelnut spread

  • Chopped hazelnuts for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Heat cream until simmering, pour over chocolate and hazelnut spread. Stir until smooth.

  2. Pour into tart shell. Chill 2 hours.

  3. Top with chopped hazelnuts before serving.

9. Carrot Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs

  • ¾ cup sugar

  • ½ cup flour

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp nutmeg

  • ½ cup grated carrots

  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

Filling:

  • 8 oz cream cheese

  • ¼ cup butter

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line jelly roll pan with parchment.

  2. Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Fold in flour, baking powder, spices, carrots, walnuts.

  3. Spread evenly, bake 12–15 minutes.

  4. Turn onto towel, roll while warm. Cool.

  5. Mix filling, unroll cake, spread filling, reroll. Chill.

10. Baked Cinnamon Donut Holes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup flour

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ½ cup milk

  • 1 egg

  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Coating:

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease mini muffin tin.

  2. Mix dry ingredients, add milk, egg, butter. Spoon into tin ¾ full.

  3. Bake 12–14 minutes.

  4. Toss warm donut holes in cinnamon-sugar.

11. Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Crust

Ingredients:

  • 1 9-inch pie crust

  • 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

  • ¾ cup sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • ½ cup milk

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ¼ tsp nutmeg

  • ¼ tsp ginger

  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line crust with pecans along edges.

  2. Beat sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, spices. Pour into crust.

  3. Bake 45–50 minutes until set. Cool before serving.

12. Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups cubed day-old bread

  • 1 ½ cups milk

  • ½ cup cream

  • 3 eggs

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • Zest of 1 orange

  • 1 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 9x13 pan.

  2. Whisk milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, zest. Pour over bread cubes, stir in cranberries.

  3. Let soak 15 minutes. Bake 40–45 minutes until golden.

13. Maple Pecan Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ¾ cup butter, softened

  • ¾ cup brown sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • ½ cup chopped pecans

  • 1 pint maple ice cream

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheet with parchment.

  2. Mix flour, soda, salt. Cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla. Combine with dry ingredients, fold in pecans.

  3. Scoop dough onto sheet, bake 10–12 minutes. Cool.

  4. Sandwich maple ice cream between cookies, freeze 1 hour before serving.

Final Thoughts

These desserts prove fall is more than pumpkin pie. From tart pears to gooey caramel brownies, each recipe carries cozy flavors without feeling repetitive. Honestly, you’ll find yourself reaching for seconds (or thirds) before the first cup of coffee is finished. Try a few of these, share with friends, or even experiment by swapping ingredients—autumn treats are all about comfort and creativity. Which one will you make first?

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