There’s nothing like fall baking recipes to make your home warm and inviting, especially when you imagine setting out a gorgeous pie or tart as part of your Thanksgiving table decor.

You don’t have to focus on just apple dessert recipes, either (although fall apple recipes are exceptionally delicious with varieties such as Braeburn, Cortland, Empire, Jazz, and Jonagold). The sumptuous colors and tastes of the season are inspirations for a variety of fall baking treats.

Whether you enjoy pies, breads, or cakes, we’ve found fall dessert recipes everyone will love. Break out the muffin pans and baking dishes, and get ready to let these fall baking ideas bring your family together.

Easy Fall Baking Recipes

Spiced Pumpkin Bars

Yield: 24 bars

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cooking oil
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • Pecan halves (optional)
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture; beat until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans if desired.
  3. Spread batter into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
  4. For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
  5. Spread frosting on cooled pumpkin bars. If desired, top with pecan halves. Cut into squares to serve, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 package (14 ounces) all-butter puff pastry, thawed
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 Braeburn apples (about 2 pounds), peeled and with about 3 cheeks cut from each (i.e., slice straight down around the core, keeping the fruit)
  • 3/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay puff pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper. (If your box of pastry includes two sheets, unfold both and lay them on top of each other.) Roll pastry to an 11-inch square. Cut an 11-inch round from the pastry; reserve the remaining pastry for another use. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until needed.
  2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron (or another oven-proof skillet) over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter. Add as many apples, cut side down, as will fit in a single layer. Slice the remaining apple pieces into wedges. Tuck them around the apples in the bottom.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook until liquid is bubbling and lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 4 minutes more.
  4. Sprinkle apples evenly with five-spice powder and salt. Flip apples, rounded side down. Cook for about 1 minute, until liquid thickens and turns deeply golden. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes.
  5. Cover apples with pastry round, tucking edges into skillet. Cut two slits in the center of the pastry. Bake until pastry is golden and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
  6. Run a knife around the tart’s edge. Carefully but quickly invert onto a serving plate.

Cinnamon-Sugar Bourbon-Pumpkin Muffins

Yield: 24 muffins

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 1/3 cups sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup bourbon or water

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line twenty-four muffin cups (2 1/2 inch) with paper baking cups.
  2. In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup sugar, pecans, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and bourbon (or water). Add egg mixture all at once to well in flour mixture. Stir just until moistened.
  4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with nut mixture.
  5. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups 10 minutes. Remove; cool completely on wire racks.

Slow-Cooker Apple-Spiked Monkey Bread

Serves: 14

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 4 cans (7.5 ounces each) refrigerated biscuit dough (40 biscuits total)
  • 1 1/2 cups diced, peeled apples
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup rum or apple juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Coat the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, or line the interior with a disposable liner. In an extra-large, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar mixture in the bottom of the prepared slow cooker. Set the remaining sugar mixture aside.
  2. Cut each “biscuit” of dough into fourths. Add biscuit pieces, apples, and pecans to sugar mixture in bowl, tossing to coat. Add mixture to slow cooker. Sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.
  3. In a small bowl, combine butter, rum (or apple juice), and vanilla. Pour over biscuit mixture in slow cooker.
  4. Cover and cook on high heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn off the slow cooker. Carefully remove the lid so condensation from the lid does not drip onto bread.
  5. Cover top slow cooker completely with paper towels; place the lid on top. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Run a knife around the slow cooker’s edge to loosen bread; transfer bread from the cooker to a large serving platter. Spoon any remaining topping and nuts from the cooker onto bread. Serve warm.

Pear Tart

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

Crust

  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling

  • 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 can (15 ounces) reduced-sugar sliced pears, drained well and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Make crust: Beat butter, sugar, and cinnamon until crumbly. Beat in flour and walnuts. Coat a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan.
  2. Make filling: Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Spread over crust. Arrange pears over top, one covering another in a fan-like pattern. Mix cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over pears.
  3. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until filling is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 1 hour on wire rack. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Can’t you just smell all that cinnamon and deliciousness? Break out the hot cocoa, hot tea, or coffee to complement any of these treats while enjoying your fall decor.