There’s nothing like a freshly baked sweet treat to warm up a chilly fall day. From cinnamon sugar to pumpkin spice, fall introduces a variety of delicious flavors for you to enjoy, and warm, inviting scents of autumn to fill your kitchen. Cozy up in your blanket and sip on your tea while you explore a variety of autumn’s best desserts, and put twists on your favorite baked goods with this fall baking guide.

Caramel pumpkin cookies:

Drop everything, including your pumpkin spice lattes; a new pumpkin sweet has arrived! The chewy caramel of these caramel pumpkin cookies adds a unique element to the traditional pumpkin flavor. These bite-sized sugary snacks are perfect to treat yourself or your loved ones. 

Prep time: 45 minutes

Bake time: 9 minutes 

Yields: about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups of all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon of baking soda 

1 teaspoon of baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon of salt 

1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice, or mix cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves

2 tablespoons of vanilla extract 

2 eggs and 1 egg yolk 

1 stick of room-temperature unsalted butter 

3/4 cup of granulated sugar 

1/3 cup of pumpkin puree 

1 cup of white chocolate chips

To make the caramel:

1 cup of brown sugar

½ cup of unsalted butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper or butter.
2. Place brown sugar and butter in a pot on the stove with medium heat. Stir regularly until smooth and caramelized. This should take about 5-7 minutes, then set aside the mixture to let cool for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to let the caramel sit for too long.
3. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. 
4. Add the caramel, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Mix well! 
5. Spoon the batter onto baking sheets and bake for 9 minutes. 
6. Once cooled, melt the white chocolate using a double boiler or 20-second intervals in a microwave. 
7. Drizzle white chocolate over the caramel pumpkin cookies and enjoy! 

Brown butter chocolate chip pumpkin bread:

What’s better than pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookies? Pumpkin and chocolate chip cookies, in the same pan! Soft and fluffy, this combination of two classic treats makes for a fun, new addition to your fall baking rotation. 

Prep time: 20 minutes

Bake time: 60 minutes

Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups (15 oz can) pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a bread pan with parchment or grease it well.
2. To brown butter turn the stove on to medium heat and melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a medium-sized pan. Keep stirring frequently for about 5-7 minutes until butter starts to foam and turns golden brown.
3. Remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl, and let it cool.
4. In a large bowl, mix browned butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup brown sugar until smooth and sugar is dissolved.
5. Add a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the bowl and whisk everything together until fully combined 
6. In a separate small bowl, mix 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
7. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture until fully combined. 
8. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter and mix them in evenly.
9. Transfer the batter to your prepared bread pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
10. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
11. Remove bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, or if you prefer, try it warm.
12. Slice and enjoy!

Pumpkin snickerdoodles:

Another pumpkin twist on a beloved oldie turned into a fall goodie, pumpkin snickerdoodles are  a quick and easy pick-me-up and one of the simpler recipes on this list. These cookies are perfect for a study break or after a long day, so give in to sugary delight and the warmth of pumpkin spice this fall! 

Prep time: 30 minutes

Bake time: 10-12 minutes

Yields: about 17 cookies

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of white sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, or mix cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for rolling

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper or butter.
2. Put one cup of butter into a saucepan over medium heat until it is slightly browned and has a nutty aroma. Be careful not to over-brown the butter and watch it closely. 
3. Let the browned butter cool in a fridge or freezer until it is around room temperature. The butter should still be liquid, but not warm.
4. Dry the pumpkin puree by dabbing at it with paper towels to absorb extra moisture. The puree should now be smaller and drier.
5. Whisk the room-temperature browned butter with the white and brown sugar together.
6. Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree into the mixture.
7. Mix in other dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, and pumpkin spice. Don’t overmix.
8. Combine the cinnamon and sugar for rolling in another small bowl.
9. Scoop 1-3 tablespoons of dough into a ball and roll it in the cinnamon sugar. Place the balls onto a tray. Repeat until no more dough is left.
10.  Place the trays into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
11. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes then enjoy!

Mini apple pies:

For fall fans looking for a tamer taste, these mini apple pies are bite-sized, cute, and simple, in both recipe and flavor. While the other recipes on this list have been revamped from their original forms, this apple pie recipe holds nostalgia from past Thanksgivings with its classic flavor. Smaller pies also mean avoiding the messiness of slices, so dig right in and enjoy!

Prep time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 25 minutes

Yields: 12 mini pies

Ingredients:

2 pie crusts (either homemade or store-bought)

2 ½ cups diced apples

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 12-count muffin tin. 
2. Roll the pie dough out on a lightly floured counter, and use a knife or cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles from the pie crusts. Save any extra dough by combining it into a ball and putting it in the refrigerator. Place the dough in the greased muffin pan and put in the refrigerator.
3. In a large bowl, combine the diced apples, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and ground nutmeg. 
4. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator and use the excess crust to create designs like a lattice for the top crust. 
5. Place in the oven for 25 minutes. To know when the pies should be taken out of the oven, use a toothpick and remove when the apples inside feel soft to the touch.
6. Plate with some vanilla ice cream and enjoy the fall treat!