15 Easy Fall Baking Recipes to Make on Chilly Days

Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter
Photo: Andy Lyons

It's always a good idea to spend some time making the kitchen smell divine with cozy fall baking recipes. Here we've shared our favorite easy fall desserts and treats including apple desserts, cookies, bread, and other easy at-home baking ideas. The best part? Each of these fall baking recipes has prep times of 30 minutes or less, making them perfect for your busy autumn schedule.

01 of 15

Maple-Glazed Baked Apples

Maple-Glazed Baked Apples
Andy Lyons

Turn your bag of orchard-fresh apples into an easy fall dessert using only five ingredients. Maple syrup, cider, and butter create the bubbly homemade glaze, while cinnamon sticks inserted into the tops give these individual apple desserts a mini pumpkin look.

02 of 15

Italian Parmesan Pretzels

Italian Parmesan Pretzels
Jacob Fox

Fall baking isn't all about sweets—thanks to frozen bread dough, this elevated game-day snack (perfect for fall tailgating) can be prepped in 15 minutes. Brush the puffy pretzels in butter and a sprinkling of cheesy-garlic seasonings before popping into the oven.

03 of 15

Pumpkin Latte Coffee Cake

Pumpkin Latte Coffee Cake
Kritsada Panichgul

Now you can enjoy your favorite coffee shop's quintessential fall beverage in delightful coffee cake form. The batter of this fall baking recipe features pumpkin, those warm pumpkin pie spices, and instant coffee granules for a breakfast treat worthy of enjoying alongside a steaming cup of PSL.

04 of 15

Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter

Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter
Andy Lyons

Here's a fall baking idea to add to your fall brunch menu. Flaky, tender scones are dotted with sweet-tart apples and infused with warm apple pie spice flavor. Served with homemade spiced maple butter, good luck stopping with just one of these fall treats.

05 of 15

Melt-in-Your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies
Blaine Moats

Say hello to your new favorite fall cookie recipe. (With nearly 700 ratings to date, you really can't go wrong.) Aside from a can of pumpkin, this fall cookie idea uses only pantry staples and a fresh smear of cinnamon-sprinkled frosting.

06 of 15

Nutty Honey Mini Rolls

Nutty Honey Mini Rolls
Andy Lyons

Refrigerated crescent dough is the key to keeping the ingredient count low in this easy fall dessert. The mini cinnamon rolls have an irresistible crunchy bite with the addition of chopped toasted almonds in the filling. A drizzle of honey icing makes these the perfect fall treat to go with your morning cup of coffee.

07 of 15

Baklava Monkey Bread

Baklava Monkey Bread
Brie Passano

Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert of phyllo dough layered with nuts and coated in a honey syrup. Here we've used those flavors as inspiration for our easy fall baking recipe. Stacks of canned biscuits (another excellent shortcut ingredient) get the baklava treatment with walnuts, pistachios, and that signature sweet syrup.

08 of 15

Caramelized Pear Skillet Cake

Caramelized Pear Skillet Cake
Carson Downing

One bite of this moist upside-down cake, and you'll be in buttery, brown sugar bliss. Molasses is also involved to achieve a richer depth of flavor. Did we mention there's a bourbon sauce involved?

09 of 15

Sweet Potato Brownies

Sweet Potato Brownies
Andy Lyons

This easy fall baking recipe utilizes mashed sweet potatoes to add moisture as well as extra nutrients (i.e., fiber, vitamin A, etc.) to your seasonal menu. The healthy chocolate dessert also calls for honey and coconut sugar to keep it naturally sweetened.

10 of 15

Cranberry Chai Cupcakes

cranberry chai cupcakes
Scott Little

For an elegant touch, garnish the silky smooth spiced cream cheese topping with juicy cranberries and sweet shards of cinnamon stick. You can freeze these beautiful mini fall desserts in an airtight container for up to one month before frosting.

11 of 15

Gluten Free Pumpkin-Walnut Streusel Muffins

Gluten Free Pumpkin-Walnut Streusel Muffins
Jason Donnelly

Gluten-free recipes can also go on the list for easy fall baking ideas. With 25 minutes prep time and just 15 minutes in the oven, you'll be celebrating the cool weather and changing leaves with a delightfully warm, spiced pumpkin muffin.

12 of 15

Peppered Pear Scones with Pear Conserve

Brandy-Soaked Currant, Thyme, and Parmesan Scones
Kritsada Panichgul

Enjoy these scones as a light, flaky treat at your next brunch or get-together. Drizzle with our zesty pear-raisin conserve (a mixed fruit jam) for a divine finish to these easy fall desserts. Use one of our buttermilk substitutes if you don't have any on hand.

13 of 15

Cranberry-Almond Wedges

Cranberry-Almond Wedges
Blaine Moats

Some fall cookie recipes can get complicated, but not these tasty fruit wedges. The easy-to-make cookies make a stellar yet simple treat for any cookie swap. Store them at room temperature for up to two days or freeze for up to three months before enjoying.

14 of 15

Cast-Iron Figgy Brie Rolls

figgy brie rolls
Peter Krumhardt

Brie makes a creamy, bubbly filling for these golden honey rolls. Best of all, we've added fig and fresh sage to enhance the flavor of these fall baked goods.

15 of 15

Cheddar-Blue Thumbprints

Cheddar-Blue Thumbprints
Andy Lyons

A tantalizing trio of savory cheeses (white cheddar, blue, and Parmesan) give these peppery almond-coated fall cookies ultra-creamy tang. Sweeten them with a spoonful of raspberry preserves. It might sound a bit weird, but we promise you'll be reaching for seconds as soon as you give one a try.

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