32 Autumnal Recipes
Now that I’ve reached the tailend of a bout of end-of-summer-denial — an annual occurence — I am slowly easing into Fall with some cooking and baking. Fiery pumpkin and squash are suddenly gracing market stands, offering with them lots of blogging inspiration, which — in my summer-loving opinion — is autumn’s consolation prize for full darkness by 7pm. That, along with the promise of Hocus Pocus 2 and Thanksgiving pies. I’ll take it, however grudgingly.
So! I contemplated kicking off the season with a brand new recipe, but opted in the end for a recap of ones that I’ve tested, tasted, and approved over my nearly 9 (!) years of blogging. Think of this as a little stroll down P&B Memory Lane, a refresher of recipes that heavily feature autumnal fruit and veg, from apples to grapes, pumpkin to pears, and mushrooms to squash. Whatever you might be looking for, know I’ve got you covered from breakfast to lunch, dinner to dessert. P.S there’s a snack recipe or two in there, too.
Looking for more recipe compilations? Click here.
Schiacciata CON l’UVA
An annual bake for me — this schiacciata con l'uva is a sweet focaccia from Tuscany, made with juicy grapes whose seeds deliver a traditional and telltale crunch (true schiacciata connoisseurs claim that this is the best part). A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over the top takes it to a whole different level. Thanks to my friend Carla Tomasi for the recipe (found here)!
TORTA DELLA VENDEMMIA
Why should apples and pumpkin have all the fun in the Fall? Grapes are a great addition to this fluffy, vanilla and orange scented cake. The olive oil and yogurt keep the cake moist, and the spoonful or two of sugar over the top adds a pleasant sugary crust to the surface of the cake, making it almost sparkle to boot. Magical! Click here for the recipe.
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE + PEAR CAKE
One of the first ever recipes posted on the blog back in 2014, this cake may look simple, but packs a punch. Chunks of sweet pears are balanced out by pockets of melted bittersweet chocolate, and the brown butter adds a toasty nuttiness to the cake. It is great for with tea or coffee, but also elegant enough to act as a grand finale to any Fall meal. Click here for the recipe.
BAKED APPLE FRENCH TOAST
Think of this as French Toast meets Apple Pie meets Bread Pudding, a delightful mash-up that unapologetically toes the line with dessert. Slices of leftover panettone/brioche are bathed in a pool of cinnamon custard and dressed up with syrupy, brown sugar-apples. Once in the oven, the whole thing puffs gloriously, and the edges become crisp. Serve with lots of maple syrup. Click here for the recipe.
BEST EVER APPLE CAKE
Fresh out of the oven, this cake is excellent. It’s packed with apples and is mildly sweet, one of those cakes that works for breakfast, tea, or dessert. Fast forward to the next day, however, and you’ll discover that this cake is simply phenomenal. The apples have had time to work their magic, their juices settling fully into the cake and rendering it extra moist and apple-y. Click here to get the recipe!
APPLE MUFFINS
As far as muffins go, these are pretty much perfect. The yogurt and chunks of apple the recipe calls for guarantee a batch of muffins that are supremely moist, and taste even better the next day, once the cinnamon has had a chance to sink in. Bonus: the sprinkle of brown sugar on the top gives them a nice crunch that contrasts nicely with the fluffy interior. Click here to get the recipe!
APPLE CRISP WITH PECAN-OATMEAL TOPPING
In this super seasonal crisp, the apples are complimented by just the right amount of cinnamon and sugar. The topping is reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie: spicy and buttery almost caramel-y thanks to the brown sugar, with pieces of crunchy pecan throughout. As is to be expected, a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream here is highly recommended. Click here for the recipe!
APPLE DUMPLINGS
This recipe is inspired by the majestic appelbollen I ate in Amsterdam years ago. Incredibly flaky, buttery pastry is the perfect foil to the aromatic, brown sugar basted apple within. The presentation is lovely, too, a little pastry-wrapped present, perfect topped with a bow of vanilla ice cream (and a ribbon or two of caramel sauce wouldn't hurt here). Click here for the recipe!
APPLE CARAMEL SPICE CAKE
Ladies and gentlemen, this Apple Spice Cake is One of My Very Favorite Things I Have Ever Baked. It is deeply spicy and superbly moist, infused with homemade applesauce and cinnamon and ginger and all things Fall, delicious on its own but oh-so-spectacular when dressed up with a buttery, salty-sweet caramel glaze. Click here for the recipe!
RAINY DAY APPLE TART
You could also categorize this as a crostata, or a galette, or an open faced pie of sorts, but however you call it, the idea is this: pie dough is rolled out and then folded around a heap of apples -- the less perfect, the better, we’re going for rustic -- and then baked directly on a baking sheet, no pie dish or double crust required. You know the drill: vanilla ice cream mandatory. Click here for the recipe!
ALL-AMERICAN APPLE PIE
The apples in the pie filling hold their shape well -- no mushy apples here, a common pitfall of apple pie -- and are complemented and enhanced by just the right amount of sugar and warming spices, allowing the apple flavor to shine. Not to sound like a broken record, but: a slice of this beauty warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is A+, and would be perfect on your Thanksgiving table. Click here for the recipe!
PROSCIUTTO, BRIE, GREEN APPLE SANDWICHES
With its layers of flavorful prosciutto, creamy brie cheese, tart green apple, and tangy mustard (held together by a crunchy-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside baguette) this is unsurprisingly one of my favorite lunches. It is super simple to make, while still managing to be fancy and elegant; your average ham and cheese sandwich, all dressed up for the season. Click here for the recipe!
HOMEMADE PRETZELS
This recipe may not feature a seasonal ingredient, but Oktoberfest = beer & pretzels, right? Pretzels - already my very favorite snack food - get extra points when oversized and soft (you can’t go wrong with bread + salt). These beauties are divinely delicious in the way that freshly baked bread tends to be, unbelievably good when eaten warm, and nice with a little honey mustard on the side. Click here for the recipe.
PUMPKIN PANCAKES
Another one of the very first recipes ever posted on this blog all the way back in 2014, these seasonal pancakes are a snap to make, just a matter of whisking ingredients together in a bowl. I found that the longer you let the batter sit, the more intense the flavor of the spices becomes, so if you want to prepare it in advance and let it sit in the fridge for a bit, feel free. Serve with lots of butter and maple syrup. Click here for the recipe.
PUMPKIN POP-TARTS
These pop-tarts are 100 times better than the slightly cardboard, overly sweet storebought kind I grew up with in the U.S. This seasonal version is made with a buttery, homemade pastry and cinnamon-y pumpkin filling reminiscent of pumpkin pie. Bottom line: this is a sneaky way to eat pie and have it look like breakfast instead of dessert. Don’t skip the icing, it really makes the whole pop-tart experience. Click here for the recipe.
pumpkin spice french toast
There's no better way to start a Fall morning than with a pumpkin-y breakfast, and this French toast was indeed so very perfect on a rainy, cold, October morning. Here we have slices of white bread, dipped in to a sweet, cinnamon-y custard before being fried in butter and topped off with a generous dose of maple syrup. There are few things more delicious. Click here to get the recipe!
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS
These rolls are soft and buttery and a lovely shade of sunset orange to boot, lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The filling is gooey and rich and equally cozy — allspice and cloves join the spice party — and abundant swirls of maple cream cheese frosting make these especially decadent. Click here for the recipe.
PUMPKIN MUFFINS
Apart from being one of the easiest recipes to throw together, you'll find that these beauties taste like Fall, poured and baked in a muffin pan, soft and fluffy and filled with warming spices like cinnamon and ginger and nutmeg. They make for a cozy breakfast with a cup of coffee, or a great afternoon pick-me-up. Click here to get the recipe!
Quite possibly one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever developed, this pumpkin lasagne (lasagne alla zucca) is spectacular – the sweetness of the pumpkin is tempered by white wine and sage, and the whole thing is superbly cheesy with a surprise bite of prosciutto every so often to keep things interesting. I love love love this recipe. Click here to get the recipe!
GNOCCHI DI ZUCCA
These gnocchi are feather-light -– if they’d floated off my fork, I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised -– and blissful when paired with lots of melted butter and the herb equivalent of a-hug-on-a-bad-day, sage. With a shower of Parmesan and a sprinkle of toasted walnuts for a little crunch, there are few things more satisfying. Click here to get the recipe!
butternut squash soup + sage croutons
This is one of those dishes that manages to be nutritious but also delicious, packed with lots of sweet, vibrant squash and slowly cooked onions, their sweetness tempered with not one but two kinds of herbs -– sage and parsley -– plus a bit of aromatic garlic. The croutons on the top make the whole dish, adding a little crunch, a little carb, and an extra hit of sage. Click here to get the recipe!
Besides being a nice change of pace from pasta, risotto is comfort food that is still fancy enough for company, It is extremely versatile — once you have the basic recipe down you can add any other ingredients you want, as I did with this lovely Fall version made with roasted squash, pancetta, and lots of sage. Be generous with the Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Click here to get the recipe!
RISOTTO AI FUNGHI
This risotto is filled with a double dose of mushrooms (porcini and button) plus grated Parmesan cheese that's gone melty, and an edge of butter. Fun fact: the combination of these last two embody the Italian verb mantecare, which seems to have been created just to describe the addition of butter and cheese to risotto, something I find delightful. Click here for the recipe.
Who said pancakes had to be sweet?! These savory cakes are fluffy and light and cheesy, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, slightly sweet thanks to the squash, drizzled with toasty nutty brown butter and cozy crispy sage (squash/pumpkin's soulmate). Eating your vegetables has never been easier. Bonus: these are great for vegetarians who don’t eat the Thanksgiving turkey. Click here to get the recipe!
I could write a whole book about how good this galette is, but let me try and keep this short and sweet: the crust flaky and buttery and easy to work with, the filling packed with caramelized onions and roasted squash, and a finishing touch of lots cheese and sage make for a downright divine combination of ingredients. This is my go-to for vegetarians at Thanksgiving. Click here to get the recipe!
POLENTA AI FUNGHI
Here we have two simple ingredients — basic button mushrooms and humble cornmeal — which combine forces to make a superb dish. The polenta is the perfect canvas for the hearty sauce, packed with meaty mushrooms, fresh parsley, salty pancetta, and a dash of white wine. The two, served together with a little grated cheese over the top, are a match made in dinner heaven. Click here for the recipe.
LUXURIOUS CHICKEN POT PIE
Think of this as an elevated version of the classic Chicken Pot Pie, where the classic carrots and peas are replaced by garlicky, wine-kissed mushrooms, the usual chicken breast is swapped out for roast chicken thighs, and the filling is enriched with fresh herbs. There’s a touch of cream and lots of black pepper for heat, and all together it makes for a supremely satisfying meal. Click here for the recipe.
These doughnuts are reminiscent of coffee cake, rich and cake-y and spiced just enough to let the pumpkin shine. They puff up in a feat of culinary magic when they hit the oil, are a gorgeous, sunset orange, and are exactly what one wants to be fed for breakfast on a chilly Fall day. Bonus: each is finished with a veil of cinnamon glaze. Click here to get the recipe!
Like any good pumpkin bread, this one has a good dose of warming spices, and a terrific trio of pumpkin, vegetable oil, and water keep the bread moist and give it a lovely consistency. The actual preparation is easy as pie — this a matter of measuring ingredients and whisking them together — meaning there is little standing between you and a spicy slice of Fall. Click here to get the recipe!
Among the most popular desserts I’ve ever baked, this pumpkin cheesecake calls for four autumnal spices, whose flavors develop and intensify in the day or two after baking. The accompanying praline sauce tastes exactly like pecan pie without the crust, a brown sugar-y caramel loaded with crunchy pecans. It is dangerously good and a great change of pace from pumpkin pie. Click here to get the recipe!
pumpkin gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting
This spicy pumpkin cake recipe is pretty versatile; here I’ve used it to make a sheet cake with cream cheese frosting, but I’ve also spun it in to an impressive autumnal layer cake and cupcakes. Alternatively, if you wanted to keep things simple, you could leave out the frosting and make pumpkin gingerbread muffins or a pumpkin gingerbread loaf. Click here for the recipe.
CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE
Behold: my most favorite, stand-by Pumpkin Pie recipe to beat all other Pumpkin Pie recipes. The filling is full of Fall spices and made dense, smooth, and rich thanks to a good amount of heavy cream. Speaking of which: this pie is perfect served with a dollop of whipped cream, and makes an ideal ending to your Thanksgiving meal — though I do think that pumpkin pie is something that should be all Fall, not just once a year. Click here for the recipe.