I always get excited for fall cooking and recipe seasons. I finally get to get out my sweaters and do not need to be blasting the AC in my car. Living in the Northeast I loved fall because of the beautiful foliage and the crisp air. Now that I live in the Southeast I love fall because it is a break from the excessive summer heat. Regardless of where you live, fall is an amazing time of year because of the great cooking it brings. And when fall arrives that means Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas are all right around the corner. Here is a roundup of some of my favorite recipes from our site.
Fall Recipe Categories
I have split this list into three categories to help you navigate your fall cooking, eating and drinking. I also added some Halloween recipes at the bottom in case you need some fun ideas for the kiddos. Not all the recommended recipes are stereotypically fall and loaded with pumpkin, squash, and spices. Many are just dishes that are great to enjoy once the days get a little shorter and the air gets cooler and you want something a little heartier. Don’t worry. There are still plenty of recipes with apples, pumpkin, and cinnamon.
- Cocktails
- Desserts and Sweet
- Entrees and Vegetables
My 3 Favorite Fall Cocktail Recipes
Boozy Caramel Hot Chocolate Cocktail for when you want something warm, sweet and with a little kick. It is great for those late fall days right when it transitions to winter.
Pumpkin Spice White Russian – a perfect fall cocktail with all your classic flavors from the pumpkin spice latte but as a nice iced cocktail. This is sure to become a fall friday favorite.
A Sweeter Rusty Nail Cocktail – this cocktail is perfect for after dinner on those cooler evenings. It has a nice sweetness and spice note from the Drambuie with a nice smoky note from the scotch. Drink it while sitting outside around the fire wrapped in a blanket.
My 5 favorite fall desserts or sweets
These recipes are all apple or pear focused. I love pumpkin too, but I think early fall is all about apples and making delicous desserts and sweets with pears, apples and applesauce.
Apple Sauce Donuts – these are great for breakfast or dessert. Made with apple sauce they have a nice fall flavor and are a little healthier than your typical donut.
Pear and Pumpkin Cobbler – this cobbler is sweet and moist. It is amazing served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or enjoy the next day with some greek yogurt for breakfast.
French Apple Cake – This is one of my favorite desserts to make instead of apple pie. I highly recommend trying this amazing apple dessert this fall.
Peanut Butter Apple Pie – This is a fun twist on the classic apple pie recipe. The peanut butter crumble on top really makes this dessert a fall favorite.
Apple Pie Filling – If you have lots of apples at the end of fall try this canning recipe. The apple pie filling can be used in pies, on pancakes, french toast, with yogurt or ice cream
My 3 favorite Fall Entrees Plus 2 Sides
It was just by coincidence that my 3 favorite fall entrees are all pork dishes. I do think that pork is the perfect fall meat. It is heartier than chicken and fish which are amazing in the summer when it is so hot, but not as heavy as beef or lamb. It also pairs so well with fall vegetables like squash, cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, and brussels sprouts.
Pork Chops with Sauerkraut and Apples – this dish is the ultimate fall dinner. The combination of pork, sauerkraut and apples. It has a great combination of sweet, a little sour and tender pork. The recipe is a New Years tradition but I love making it in the fall during peak apple season.
Pork Pot Pie – this is a very quick and easy recipe. Its does use grocery store ingredients and frozen items making it perfect for those busy fall weeknights when you are rushing the kids around to sporting events.
Pork Loin Tips with Gravy – another easy fall weeknight dinner that is great with pasta, potatoes, rice, roasted squash or sweet potatoes.
Glazed Sweet Potatoes – Yes, this is a great Thanksgiving side but I like eating sweet potatoes all fall. They are also an amazing breakfast side and alternative to home fries.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts – brussels sprouts are a great fall and winter green vegetable. This Longhorn copycat recipe has been one of our most popular side dishe recipes.
Bonus: 3 Fun Halloween Recipes
Here are three fun and easy recipes to make around halloween. I like them because they are halloween appropriate from a visual perspective but taste like normal food making them kid and parent appropriate.