What do jobs, school, sports practices and commuting have in common? They all prevent us from baking as much or as often as we would like. But when we get the chance, we want a slam-dunk recipe—or 14. Here's a list of our favorite fall recipes to make this month: from a cookie with a secret, to cereal fudge brownies, to a puckery coffee cake that will brighten the grayest day.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
1) Samosa Knish
This wonderful mash features a spiced potato and pea filling (like a samosa) and soft, fluffy dough (like a knish). They're baked instead of fried and are the perfect on-the-go snack to pop into a lunchbox.
Get the recipe: Samosa Knish
Buy the recipe: All purpose flour AND PArch paper
Kristen dough
2) Magic in between
Why settle for store-bought peanut butter cups when you can have them in home-baked cookie form instead? For people who want this classic combination of flavors, The magic in between are both trick and treat, with a nostalgic chocolate chip cookie on the outside and peanut butter on the inside. Make them using black cocoa for a special color contrast and intense chocolate flavor.
Get the recipe: The magic in between
Buy the recipe: Black cocoa AND Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
3) Cinnamon Apple Bread
Here in Vermont, October marks the peak of apple picking season. And nothing embodies the shared sweetness of that effort like Apple Cinnamon Pulled Bread. Detached loaves are ideal for enjoying with friends and family; no cutting and waiting required. Add to that the smell of apples and cinnamon wafting through the kitchen and you have the perfect fall celebration bread.
Get the recipe: Apple Cinnamon Pulled Bread
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon, Pure vanilla extractAND Tea tray
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
4) Spider Web Brownies
If Halloween makes you love all things goofy, Spider brownies are a quick and delicious way to look like you've spent ages decorating. A little cream cheese gives this twist Fudge Brownies a look that's creepy without being over the top. The recipe requires a little menthol in the filling, but feel free to use the flavoring of your choice. Sicilian flowers it's lovely alongside chocolate, or add it Pumpkin Pie Spice for a seasonal twist. (And if you've eaten enough chocolate, try using the same technique to make one spider web cheesecake.)
Get the recipe: Spider brownies
Buy the recipe: Double Dark Cocoa Blend AND Espresso powder
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
5) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Forget what the calendar says: Fall hasn't officially begun until you've eaten your first pumpkin pie of the season. These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are generously filled with chocolate chips and finished with frosting and are a great way to get into the fall spirit.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Buy the recipe: cinnamon, GingerAND Callebaut Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
6) Light multigrain bread
For morning toast, midday sandwiches and evening cheese boards, we love having a piece of this hearty grain on hand. The not-so-secret ingredient in this nutty bread is ours Mixture of harvest grainsa blend of eight grains and seeds that gives the bread texture and character.
Get the recipe: Light multigrain bread
Buy the recipe: Mixture of harvest grains, High gluten flourAND Whole wheat flour
7) Dessert donuts with sour cream
Few things are as delicious as a freshly fried doughnut, especially if it's a sourdough doughnut. AND ESPECIALLY if there is frost. This recipe comes from baking superstar Claire Saffitz, who filmed this video that guides you through every step of the recipe.
Get the recipe: Dessert donuts with sour cream
Buy the recipe: Cake flour AND It sprays
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
8) Old Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
This simple apple sheet cake is a perennial fan favorite. Containing almost a pound of chopped apples (plus nuts and apple pie spice) and requiring only one bowl, it's a quick dessert for a crowd. The penuché-like brown sugar filling takes it over the top.
Get the recipe: Old Fashioned Apple Tart with Brown Sugar Frosting
Buy the recipe: Apple Pie Spice AND Boiled cider
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
9) Challah Sourdough
For Shabbat dinner or French toast anytime, bake a batch of sourdough challah. The recipe comes from the bakers at Hot Bread Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that creates economic opportunity through careers in food. The golden bread has a soft, feathery crumb sweetened with honey and raisins. Are you nervous about training? This video will show you how to make a beautiful four strand round braid.
Get the recipe: Challah Sourdough
Buy the recipe: Bread flour AND Orange blossom water
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
10) Ginger Lemon Curd Coffee Cake
This may be the best option for us Recipe of the year still! Reverse-cream gives the cake its especially soft crumb; in this iteration, the cake is topped with lemon curd and ginger streusel crumbs. It's a crisp, smooth triumph meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee on a cold autumn day.
Get the recipe: Ginger Lemon Curd Coffee Cake
Buy the recipe: Mini Diced Ginger AND Lemon paste
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
11) Small children
These soft and chewy cookies, sweetened with piloncillo and honey and flavored with cinnamon, are as delicious as they are adorable. A popular one sweet bread found in most Mexican bakeries, they are an irresistible treat. (This recipe is part of our feature to celebrate Pan Dulce. Find more recipes here.)
Get the recipe: small children
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
12) Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars
With their oatmeal cookie base and marshmallow frosting, these bar cookies will be the MVP of your next bake sale or potluck. Says one reviewer, “I found this recipe a week ago and have made them twice, they are so good!”
Get the recipe: Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars
Buy the recipe: King Arthur Pan Square AND Offset shoulder
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
13) Cinnamon Streusel Stuffed Muffins
It can be hard to get out of bed some mornings. But what if you knew there was a batch of these muffins waiting for you? You'll probably hop right in so you have time to enjoy a streusel-filled beauty with your morning coffee.
Get the recipe: Streusel muffins with cinnamon filling
Buy the recipe: Baker's Cinnamon Stuffing Mix AND Sweet cinnamon sticks
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
14) Crusty Bread Stuffed with Gruyère
Soup season is upon us, which also marks the start of cheesy bread season, the ideal accompaniment to any all-you-can-eat-a-bowl meal. These rolls are absolutely packed with nutty Gruyère cheese, which bakes and oozes out of the bread like magma from a volcano, forming a caramelized, crispy edge underneath each one.
Get the recipe: Crusty bread stuffed with Gruyère
Buy the recipe: Bread flour AND Pizza dough flavor
Additional contributions by Kat Mayerovitch
Looking for more fall baking? Look our favorite pumpkin recipes.
Cover picture (Streusel muffins with cinnamon filling) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
