40 Easy Fall Dessert Recipes for the Coziest Time of Year

Fall is definitely one of my favorite times of year for baking. As soon as the weather starts cooling down, I’m ready for all the pumpkin, apple, cinnamon and caramel desserts I can get my hands on.

I’ve put together 40 of my favorite fall dessert recipes here, and there’s a real mixture. Some are really quick and easy, some are a bit more impressive, and there are plenty that would be perfect for Thanksgiving or a fall party.

There’s lots of pumpkin in here (obviously!), but I’ve made sure that’s not all there is. You’ll find chocolate, peanut butter, cranberry, pecan and plenty more too, so there should be something for everyone.

1. Caramel Apple Sheet Cake

This one is packed with warm apple and caramel flavors, with a soft, fluffy cake underneath it all. It’s a lovely one for feeding a crowd too, especially if you need something easy for a fall get-together or potluck.

2. Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you love pumpkin spice, this is such a good one to make when fall rolls around. It’s creamy, full of those warm autumn flavors and much simpler to make than you might expect.

3. Reese’s Peanut Butter Magic Bars

These are loaded with chocolate and peanut butter, plus plenty of chopped Reese’s cups for good measure. They’re sweet, gooey and really easy to throw together when you fancy something a bit indulgent.

4. Pumpkin Apple Pie

Can’t decide between pumpkin and apple pie? This gives you both in one dessert, with plenty of warm fall spice in every slice. It’s a lovely one to bring out for Thanksgiving too.

5. Churro Cheesecake Bars with Cajeta

There’s so much going on in these, from the creamy cheesecake filling to the cinnamon sugar on top. A drizzle of sweet caramel sauce finishes them off and makes them feel extra special.

6. Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake

It doesn’t get much easier than this when you want something full of pumpkin flavor without loads of fuss. It’s warm, sweet and perfect served with a big spoonful of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

7. Pecan Pie Dip

This is such a fun way to get all those classic sweet, nutty flavors without actually making a whole pie. Serve it with cookies, graham crackers or apple slices for an easy fall dessert everyone can dig into.

8. Banana Cinnamon Roll Cake

Banana and cinnamon are always a good combination, and that sweet cinnamon swirl makes this one even better. It’s soft, full of flavor and finished with a simple glaze over the top.

9. Chocolate Pumpkin Pie with Ganache

Chocolate and pumpkin might not be the most obvious combination, but they work so well together here. The rich ganache makes it feel a little extra special without making it complicated.

10. Caramel Apple Fluff

This is basically caramel apples turned into a creamy, spoonable dessert, and I’m very much here for it. It’s ridiculously easy to make too, which is always handy when you’ve got other things to get on with.

11. S’mores Pumpkin Bars

These bring together two of my favorite fall flavors – pumpkin and s’mores. You get that lovely spiced pumpkin layer with plenty of chocolate and gooey marshmallow too.

12. Cheesecake Brownies

You really can’t go wrong with brownies and cheesecake together. These are rich and chocolatey with a creamy cheesecake swirl running through them, and they’re always a good one for sharing.

13. Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles

These little trifles are a nice one when you want something that looks a bit special without loads of work. They’ve got plenty of pumpkin and cheesecake flavor, and I love serving them in individual glasses.

14. Cinnamon Roll Dessert Dip

If you’re a cinnamon roll fan, this is a really fun way to get those same flavors in dessert form. It’s sweet, creamy and made for scooping up with cookies, graham crackers or fruit.

15. Butterfinger Cookie Bars

There’s something about adding chopped-up candy bars to a cookie bar that makes them so much better. These are thick, chewy and packed with chocolate and peanut butter in every bite.

16. Pumpkin Gingerbread Poke Cake

Pumpkin and gingerbread together just screams fall to me. This one is full of warm spices and all those lovely flavors soak right through the cake.

17. Southern Buttermilk Pie

This old-fashioned pie is one of those simple desserts that doesn’t need loads of fancy ingredients to be good. The filling is sweet and creamy with a slight tang from the buttermilk, all baked inside a flaky pie crust.

18. Pumpkin Pie Truffles

These little bite-sized treats have all the flavor of pumpkin pie without needing to bake an actual pie. They’re really easy to make ahead too, so they’re a good one for fall parties or Thanksgiving.

19. German Chocolate Cupcakes

The coconut pecan topping is what really makes these, and there’s plenty of it piled on top. Underneath you’ve got a really good chocolate cupcake, so there’s a lot to like here.

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20. Pumpkin Biscoff Truffles

Biscoff and pumpkin are such a good match, especially at this time of year. These little truffles are full of warm spiced flavor and they’re nice and easy to make ahead too.

21. Cinnamon Toast Crunch Pie

If you grew up loving Cinnamon Toast Crunch, this pie is a very good excuse to turn it into dessert. It’s creamy, packed with cinnamon flavor and has that crunchy cereal twist that makes it a bit more fun.

22. Hummingbird Poke Cake

This one has banana, pineapple and warm spices all baked into the cake, so there’s plenty of flavor going on. The poke cake version makes it even softer and gives all that lovely topping somewhere to sink into.

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23. Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough Dip

This is basically cookie dough with a fall makeover, and I’m not complaining. It’s creamy, full of pumpkin spice and perfect for scooping up with cookies or graham crackers.

24. Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cakes

Chocolate and peanut butter is always a good idea, and making them into individual little cakes somehow makes them even better. They’re rich, chocolatey and just the right size when you want your own little dessert.

25. Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

The streusel topping is my favorite thing about these, that little bit of crunch works so well with the soft pumpkin muffin underneath. They’re full of cinnamon and fall spices too, so they’re a good one for this time of year.

26. Samoa Cookie Bundt Cake

If you love Samoa cookies, you’ll definitely want to try this one. It’s got all that chocolate, caramel and coconut going on, but in a big Bundt cake that’s made for sharing.

27. Pumpkin Pie Dip

This is a really easy one to put out when you’ve got people over and don’t fancy making an actual pie. Just add some cookies, graham crackers or apple slices for dipping and you’re good to go.

28. Snickerdoodle Truffles

These are a fun little alternative to regular cookies, with plenty of cinnamon sugar flavor packed into each bite. They’re easy to make ahead too, which is always useful if you’re making a few different desserts.

29. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Muffins

These are basically an excuse to put chocolate and peanut butter cups into a muffin, which works for me! They’re soft, chocolatey and have plenty of peanut butter goodness in there too.

30. Pumpkin Patch Cake

This is such a cute one for fall, especially with the Oreo “dirt” and little candy pumpkins on top. Underneath all that you’ve got an easy chocolate poke cake with chocolate pudding, so it tastes as good as it looks.

31. Cranberry Orange Muffins

These are a nice change from all the pumpkin and chocolate, with tart cranberries and plenty of fresh orange flavor. They’re great with a cup of coffee, but sweet enough to count as dessert too.

32. German Chocolate Bundt Cake

This one is all about the chocolate, coconut and pecan combo, and there’s plenty of each in every slice. I love that it’s made as a Bundt cake too, so it looks impressive without needing any fancy decorating.

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33. Pumpkin Fluff Dessert

This is one of those really easy desserts that takes hardly any effort but still feels perfect for fall. It’s creamy, full of pumpkin spice and really good with graham crackers or cookies for scooping.

34. Coconut Pecan Italian Cream Cake

Coconut and pecans are the stars of this one, and there’s plenty of both packed into every layer. It’s a proper big cake for sharing and would be lovely on a fall or Thanksgiving dessert table.

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35. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Trifle

There’s a lot to like about this one – chocolate, peanut butter and banana all layered together with plenty of creamy filling. It’s great when you need a big dessert for a crowd too.

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36. Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake

The caramelized bananas on top get all sticky and sweet as the cake bakes, and they’re definitely my favorite bit. It’s a lovely way to use up a few ripe bananas when you fancy something other than banana bread.

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37. Tiramisu Cupcakes

Coffee and dessert in one is always a good idea, especially when there’s plenty of creamy mascarpone involved. These have all those classic tiramisu flavors but in a little cupcake that’s much easier to serve.

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38. Matilda Chocolate Cake

This is the kind of chocolate cake you make when a regular chocolate cake just isn’t going to cut it. It’s three big layers of really moist cake, with chocolate frosting and even a chocolate soak in there too.

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39. Sugared Cranberries

These are so pretty once they’ve got that sparkly sugar coating, and they’re surprisingly simple to make. Pop them on cakes and desserts for an easy fall or Thanksgiving decoration, or just eat them as they are.

40. Southern Banana Pudding

This is proper comfort food in dessert form, with layers of creamy pudding, fresh banana and vanilla wafers. It’s an old-fashioned favorite that’s great when you need something everyone will happily dig into.

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 box (11 ounces) vanilla wafers
• 4–5 ripe bananas, sliced
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Meringue:

• 3 large egg whites (room temperature)
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.
3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble, about 7–10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
5. Spread a thin layer of pudding over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add a layer of vanilla wafers, followed by a layer of sliced bananas.
6. Pour half of the remaining pudding over the layers, then repeat with another layer of wafers, bananas, and the rest of the pudding, ending with pudding on top.
7. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
8. Gradually add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla extract.
9. Spread the meringue over the warm pudding, making sure it reaches the edges of the dish to seal.
10. Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly golden.
11. Remove from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for about 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours before serving.