What do jobs, school, sports practices and commuting have in common? 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 cinnamon-filled muffins to scrumptious brownies to a cake of vivid pink. will brighten the grayest day.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
1) 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 they're 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
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Chewy Pumpkin Cookies, Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies
Rick Holbrook
2) 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? Their sugar streusel topping and secret cinnamon topping are all you need to lure you into the kitchen, no matter how early it is.
Get the recipe: Streusel muffins with cinnamon filling
Buy the recipe: Baker's Cinnamon Stuffing Mix AND Sweet cinnamon sticks
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Muffins with donuts, Apple muffins
Shilpa Iyer
3) Maple Cornbread
For a quick and easy bread to serve with dinner, there's always cornbread. This simple version gets an extra kick with the addition of maple syrup, which makes it slightly sweet (though certainly nowhere near dessert). Leftovers—if there are any—make a great side for lunches throughout the week.
Get the recipe: Maple Cornbread
Buy the recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Cornbread Pan, Sourdough Cornbread
Photography by Kristin Teig; food styling by Liz Neily
4) Apple Crumb Cake
This cake has a few tricks up its sleeve: Hidden beneath a sweet streusel topping is a sweet layer of spiced baked apples, and it all sits atop a vanilla cake enriched with sour cream. Reviewers have praised this cake for not being too sweet and intensely flavored – it's equally welcome for breakfast or dessert.
Get the recipe: Apple Crumb Cake
Buy the recipe: Vermont Mulled Cider
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Old Fashioned Apple Tart with Brown Sugar Frosting, Whipped Caramel Apple Tart
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
5) Sweet Potato Biscuits
It's sweet potato season! Celebrate by adding them to flaky and buttery cookies. These golden brownies are just as at home alongside a savory stew as they are paired with sweet maple syrup butter.
Get the recipe: Sweet Potato Biscuits
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon, GingerAND cannula
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Pumpkin Cheddar Cookies, Caramelized Onion Dough Cookies
Photography by Kristin Teig; food styling by Liz Neily
6) Harvest bread without dough
For maximum flavor—and not so much effort—turn to this artisan-style bread recipe. It's incredibly quiet (only 15 minutes of active time!) and gives a bread filled with whole grains, dried fruits and nuts. The use of bread flour in the dough ensures that this bread rises well and offers a satisfying chew.
Get the recipe: Harvest bread without dough
Buy the recipe: King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Without kneading everything Bread, No-bake chocolate-cherry bread
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
7) Pumpkin Pie Donuts
Apple cider donuts get all the love this time of year, but we'd like to make a case for these easy pumpkin pies, too. Even though they're not fried, tossing baked donuts in cinnamon sugar adds a crunchy, sugary coating on the outside. Add some pumpkin pie spice to the sugar for even more fall flavor.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin cake donuts
Buy the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Apple Cider Baked Donuts with Maple Glaze, Maple Donuts
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
8) Pistachio Cake with Pomegranate Glaze
This gorgeous cake will dazzle with its pale green shade and pretty pink frosting. It's not all about looks, though: the pistachio rosewater-scented cake is soft, moist and bursting with vibrant Persian flavors. Recipe developer Tannaz Sassooni serves it as part of her Iranian Jewish Rosh Hashanah seder, in which pomegranates play a symbolic role, though it would be at home on any holiday table this month. (Find more Rosh Hashanah recipes here.)
Get the recipe: Pistachio Tart with Pomegranate Glaze
Buy the recipe: Rose water
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Rose-pistachio cookies with cherries and white chocolate, Chocolate Pistachio Pound Cake
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
9) Pumpkin challah
This soft, fluffy scarf gets its warm golden glow and subtle fall scent from pumpkin puree. Wrapped in a simple spiral, it would make a beautiful centerpiece on the Rosh Hashanah table or just a perfect loaf to bake throughout the fall.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Challah
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Classic challah, Harvest Challah Apples
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
10) Only 4 chocolate chip cookies
When you have an uncontrollable craving for cookies, make this recipe. It yields four perfectly sized chocolate chip cookies that are crisp around the edges and soft in the center – and ready in just 30 minutes.
Get the recipe: Only 4 chocolate chip cookies
Buy the recipe: Callebaut Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Super soft super soft chocolate chip cookies, Small Bunch Cinnamon Rolls
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
11) Stuffed Crust Pizza
Take your hand off and enjoy homemade crusty pizzas. Despite its maximalist appeal, this pizza is easy to roll out—just fold the edges of the pizza dough over a ring of seasoned string cheese. The result is a desert tunnel of cheese hidden in the crust of each slice.
Get the recipe: Stuffed Crust Pizza
Buy the recipe: '00' Pizza Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Artisanal no-knead pizza crust, Stuffed pizza
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
12) Light Pumpkin Bread
Super moist and packed with flavor, this quick and easy bread is one of the best ways to bake with pumpkin this month. The dough is mixed by hand and all combined in one bowl, cutting down on time and dishes. The recipe makes two loaves – just split one and keep one for yourself – but the recipe can be halved if you only want one loaf.
Get the recipe: Light Pumpkin Bread
Buy the recipe: Nutmeg
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Sour Pumpkin Spiced Bread, The Biggest Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf
Photography by Patrick Marinello; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
13).
These sourdough suits have a rich buttery flavor; a soft and sweet interior; and golden edges, clear. The sourdough toss adds a light, aromatic color, while the thick salty maple glaze pairs perfectly with the toasted ice cream.
Get the recipe: Maple Sourdough Scones
Buy the recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Maple Bacon Scones, New Hampshire Maple-Walnut Scones
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
14) Spider Web Brownies
If you like all things silly Halloween, 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.
Get the recipe: Spider brownies
Buy the recipe:Double Dark Cocoa BlendAND Espresso powder
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Mother's hand pie, Spider Web Cheesecake
Looking for more apple pie? LOOK Our 16 best apple recipes for fall baking.
Cover photo and food styling by Liz Neily.
Additional contributions by Jessica Battilana.
