12 of Our Coziest Bakes for Fall

The heavenly fragrances and indulgent flavors of these cakes, pies, and pastries are just the things to warm you up on a brisk autumn day. From pumpkin spice to apple butter, embrace the coziness of fall with these 12 bakes.

Using buttermilk in your biscuits helps the dough rise and creates taller, fluffier biscuits. The subtle tang from the buttermilk pairs beautifully with the browned butter, sage, and sweet potato for a harmony of flavors perfect for fall. Find more cozy fall bakes in our September/October 2024 issue. 

Buttery-rich brioche bread meets pillowy doughnuts and cracked-top crème brûlée in this one decadent treat. Golden-hued pure maple syrup adds caramel sweetness to the slightly tangy cream filling that is revealed after biting into the satisfyingly crunchy candied sugar glaze. 

Inspired by popular fall festival fare, this recipe takes all the flavors of a fried apple fritter and turns them into a moist and fluffy cake. 

It’s widely accepted that gooey butter cake was created by accident in the 1930s or 1940s in St. Louis, Missouri, by a baker who mistakenly added too much butter to a German-style yeasted coffee cake batter, resulting in a deliciously rich and gooey texture. Our modern version, which utilizes baking powder for lift rather than yeast, is an indulgent combination of buttery richness, sticky sweetness, and crunchy nuts. 

The slightly nutty, toffee-like flavors of browned butter shine through in this elegantly simple Bundt. The caramel aroma of the cake is complemented by the rich flavors of the glaze.

As essential to fall as the changing leaves, these Spiced Apple Cider Doughnuts are a warm, lightly crisp treat that captures the essence of the orchard in every bite. Reduced apple cider and apple butter are paired with cinnamon and apple pie spice to create a sweetly spiced dough that fries into delightfully tender, craggy-topped golden rings.

This isn’t your grandma’s pumpkin pie. A buttery crumb crust made of speculaas cookies and roasted pistachios and a fluffy yet wonderfully rich pumpkin chiffon filling elevate the original, but it’s the Chinese Five-Spice Mix that really sets this Speculaas-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie apart. Sweet and warm thanks to star anise and cinnamon, the blend also packs a punch of fennel, peppercorns, and cloves for a deeper, nuanced flavor. Topped with tangy Sour Cream Whipped Cream, this remake is simply irresistible.

We’re taking poached pears to a whole new level with these Champagne-Poached Pear Muffins. Studded with Bosc and Anjou pears, these tender muffins feature the luxurious pairing of crisp Champagne and rich vanilla. Vanilla beans heighten the Champagne-based poaching liquid with their complex notes, and the muffin batter itself is infused with vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract for a sweet and smooth flavor. Piled in a basket on the breakfast table or served with afternoon coffee, these Champagne-Poached Pear Muffins are sure to be a new fall favorite.

Our Sweet Potato Cinnamon Buns boast an orange-gold swirl thanks to pureed sweet potato. Made epically tangy by a dose of buttermilk in the dough and in the glaze, this is the kind of baked good worth waking up for.

In this velvety two-tone marvel, creamy cheesecake gets swirled with sweet and spicy pumpkin batter to create a gorgeous, fall flavored Marbled Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake. Our gingersnap crust rounds out this recipe with extra crunch and caramelized notes.