Sweet, Spiced, and Perfectly Nice: 9 Cozy Fall Desserts to Make Now

Celebrate the comforting flavors of fall with these nine desserts, including an easy apple pie and apple cider doughnut cake.

By Robin Shreeves
Published September 27, 2025
Platter of apple fritters on a round dish, with one fritter on yellow napkins, ripped open. Glass of milk, and colorful checkered tablecloth

Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

In the summer, I reach for ice cream, no-bake pies, and bowls of fresh fruit topped with whipped cream to help cool off. Then fall arrives with its chill in the air, and suddenly, my cravings shift. I start longing for comforting desserts and all the flavors of fall. If I have to turn on the oven to make them, I'm fine with that—especially if the recipes fill my kitchen with the aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg.

I know I’m not alone: If you, like me, are looking for the comforting warmth and flavors of autumn, we've got you covered. These nine desserts, including an easy apple pie and apple cider doughnut cake, bring the best of the season to your table. 

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  • 10-Minute Microwave Apple Crisp for One

    Overhead view of apple crisp

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Apple crisp is a hallmark dessert of the season, and you can make this version in just 10 minutes. Grab whatever apple you have on hand, cut it up, toss it with a bit of flour, sugar, and cinnamon, and microwave until hot. Top with an oat-based crisp topping for extra crunch, and dessert is served!

  • Miso Butterscotch Pecan Cookie

    A plate of cookies with visible nuts, with a glass of milk in the background

    Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

    Fall is peak pecan season, so why not celebrate the ingredient by incorporating it into these extra-delicious cookies? Browning the butter gives the dough nutty, caramel-like notes, while equal parts spelt and all-purpose flour produce an earthy, flavorful cookie with a tender chew. White miso tempers the sweetness of the butterscotch chips and adds a satisfying fudginess.

  • Apple Fritters Recipe

    Platter of apple fritters on a round dish, with one fritter on yellow napkins, ripped open. Glass of milk, and colorful checkered tablecloth

    Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

    Tart Granny Smith apples help offset the sweetness of the apple cider glaze in these fritters. With their golden brown, crispy edges, the fritters are every bit as delicious as those from a bakery.

  • Red Wine–Poached Pears

    Glazing poached pear

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Classic, easy, and delightfully elegant, these red wine–poached pears are simmered with cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, and star anise, infusing both the fruit and the poaching liquid with warm, spiced notes. The poaching liquid is then reduced into a syrup and spooned over individual servings of the now wine-hued pears, which can be served with a side of vanilla ice cream or vanilla sauce.

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  • Pumpkin Spice Latte Tiramisu

    Slice of PSL Tiramisu on a stylish blue and white plate, with a blue tablecloth, sparkling water, and a gold fork

    Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

    This dessert combines the seasonal flavors of a pumpkin spice latte with the classic profile of tiramisu. Pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice are folded into the mascarpone filling to recreate the flavors of the popular fall drink. Be sure to chill the dessert for at least eight hours, which allows the ladyfingers to soften.

  • Maple Angel Food Cake

    20181217-maple-angel-food-cake-vicky-wasik-12
    Vicky Wasik

    Using maple sugar instead of granulated sugar gives this retro dessert its autumnal flavor. Serve it plain, drizzle it with chocolate ganache, or layer it with fresh fruit and whipped cream to turn it into a trifle.

  • Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

    Overhead view of a whole Apple Cider Dough Cake

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    All the flavor of apple cider doughnuts—no deep frying necessary. Mace and nutmeg add that unmistakable apple cider doughnut flavor to the cake, while ​​cinnamon is reserved for the cinnamon-sugar coating that goes on after baking.

  • BraveTart’s Easy Apple Pie

    20170730-bravetart-apple-pie-vicky-wasik-21.jpg

    Nothing says fall has arrived like a freshly made apple pie. Macerating apples with brown sugar and spices before baking helps reduce excess moisture and concentrate the fruit's flavors. Ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give the dessert its warm, spiced notes, filling your kitchen with a heavenly aroma as it bakes.

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  • Homemade Caramel Apple Recipe

    20160822-caramel-apples-vicky-wasik-1-3
    Vicky Wasik

    Have you ever bitten into a caramel apple and wondered if it was worth chipping a tooth to enjoy it? No need to worry here—this easy five-ingredient version uses a 1:1 ratio of sugar and cream to keep the caramel tender until you're ready to enjoy this autumn treat on a stick.

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