Pumpkins, apples, warm spices — fall sweets are the best! From spiced pumpkin bread to perfect apple pie, these autumn baking recipes will have you racing to the kitchen.
My grandmother clipped this recipe from a magazine over 50 years ago, and it’s still as wonderful today as it was back then. The recipe is simple — just a bit of mixing and stirring, pop it in the oven, and, in about an hour, you’ll have a house smelling of sweet autumn spices and two scrumptious, pumpkiny loaves. GET THE RECIPE
This is the perfect ginger cookie. It’s got just the right balance of spices — think ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and black pepper — and a buttery crisp texture. GET THE RECIPE
Made partially with whole wheat flour, these muffins have a wholesome flavor and texture. They’re also chockfull of apples, scented with warm autumn spices, and finished with an irresistible crunchy brown sugar topping. GET THE RECIPE
Adapted from a lovely little cookbook, Biscotti: Recipes from the Kitchen of the American Academy in Rome by Mona Talbott and Mirealla Misenti, these cinnamon-spiced biscotti are delicious with your afternoon coffee or tea. GET THE RECIPE
Baked oatmeal is a comforting Amish breakfast casserole with a consistency similar to bread pudding. There are endless variations — the recipe is easily adapted with whatever fruits and nuts you have on hand — but this version filled with tart apples and plump raisins with a crunchy walnut topping is my favorite. GET THE RECIPE
After testing six different versions of pumpkin cheesecake, I came up with this surefire recipe. It’s a family favorite for the holidays, and a welcome change from the usual pumpkin pie. GET THE RECIPE
Want to make the house smell wonderful? Bake this tender banana bread infused with warm chai spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. GET THE RECIPE
These comforting breakfast treats are like a cross between scones and oatmeal cookies: buttery and tender on the inside, crisp and craggy on the outside, and chockfull of oats, pecans and currants. The recipe is the first I tried from Joanne Chang’s wonderful cookbook, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Bakery & Cafe, and it was love at first bite. GET THE RECIPE
Carrot cakes are usually heavy and dense, but this one is light with a fine texture. The secret is finely chopping the carrots in a food processor rather than grating them. GET THE RECIPE
This old-fashioned dessert of warm baked apples and tart cranberries with a crunchy oat streusel topping comes from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson. Bookmark it for the holidays! GET THE RECIPE
This warm, comforting cake is a twist on the classic English dessert, sticky toffee pudding — which is not really pudding at all, but rather a warm, moist cake made with finely chopped dates covered in a sticky toffee sauce. Though it looks impressive, it’s super-easy to make. GET THE RECIPE
What’s the secret to an amazing apple pie? Blind baking the crust and boiling down the juices before filling the pie. These steps add a bit of extra time but ensure a crisp and flaky crust and a syrupy, cider-flavored filling. GET THE RECIPE