Editors' Picks: Recipes We Can't Wait to Make This Fall

Pumpkin Banana Bread French Toast
Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

With the first hint of cool breeze, we feel it: a burning desire to start making fall recipes. Kick off the season with dishes like Pumpkin Banana Bread French Toast and New Orleans-Style Jambalaya.

01 of 10

Smoked Duck Breasts

Smoked Duck Breasts with Apple-Brandy Caramel
William Hereford

"Angie Mar's centerpiece-worthy duck dish embraces the flavors of fall- caramel apples and smoked meats. She cold smokes the duck breast to gently infuse the meat with a subtle sweetness, and then slowly renders the fat cap to golden brown perfection. A brandy-spiked caramel brings it all together, balancing the rich meat and sweet-tart apples." –Paige Grandjean, Associate Food Editor

02 of 10

Roasted Butternut Squash with Chorizo-Spiced Kale

Roasted Butternut Squash with Chorizo Spiced Kale
Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero

"I despise autumn on a visceral level, which tends to be a surprise to people. Yes, I am an eldergoth who rejects the notion of 'Spooky Season' because in the words of Ministry's Al Jourgensen, 'every day is Halloween,' and the daily creep of twilight toward somewhere around 3 p.m. causes my psyche to wither and blow away on a chilly wind. But dang it, that's when you get honeynut squash at the market, and can make this soul-warming dish from Damian Sansonetti, so I guess I have to deal. The recipe title may say butternut, but the smolder of Pimentón de la Vera and pan-toasted cumin and coriander, dirty density of Lacinato kale, and mild sting of apple cider vinegar sing in a glorious harmonic minor with the meaty sweetness of this smaller hybrid, or any other hard winter squash. Fine — have at your cozy sweaters and two-handed mugs fulla mulled stuff. I'll be hunched in the corner eating my smoky little squash steak and trying, uncharacteristically, to look on the bright side." –Kat Kinsman, Executive Features Editor

03 of 10

Pumpkin Banana Bread French Toast

Pumpkin Banana Bread French Toast
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

"It's hard to imagine a more perfect breakfast than French toast, and the addition of pumpkin banana bread helps transition this delightful dish into the best season of the year. Sweet, soothing, and convenient to make (the bread and custard can both be made a day ahead) this is about to be the centerpiece of October brunch." –Oset Babür-Winter, Senior Drinks Editor

04 of 10

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Butter

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
© Sarah Bolla

"As soon as it begins getting cooler outside and the leaves begin to change, pumpkin gets added back into my baking rotation. This fall I'm excited to make this gluten-free pumpkin bread and even top it off with Pumpkin Butter!" –Alexandra Domrongchai, Editorial Fellow

05 of 10

Mango Fluff

Mango Fluff
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

"Chef Sam Fore's genius Mango Fluff combines the lightness of whipped cream and the rich fruity flavor of Kesar mangos into a delightfully airy-yet-vibrant pudding-like dessert. It's incredibly easy to make. You whip the cream, then whip canned mango pulp, condensed milk, and bloomed gelatin, and then fold those two whipped things together and chill it all for a few hours. The yield is ample: 1 batch provided dessert for 5 kids and 4 adults at a recent dinner party, where, sumptuous and bright, it was both indulgent and refreshing at the end of the meal. I'll definitely be serving this all fall — and possibly alongside my Thanksgiving pies for an upgrade on whipped cream." –Karen Shimizu, Executive Editor

06 of 10

Creamy Chicken Stew

Creamy Chicken Stew
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

"Feeling cozy is my favorite part of fall, and nothing accomplishes that quite like a warm bowl of stew. Heavy cream and herbs create a super luxurious sauce in this recipe, coating tender potatoes, sweet carrots, and rich, dark meat chicken. As an added bonus, it couldn't be easier to make — you sauté a few things, then put it all in a pot and let it simmer. Fall mode: engage." –Merlyn Miller, Social Media Editor

07 of 10

New Orleans-Style Jambalaya

New Orleans Style Jambalaya
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

"As the air gets a little cooler and I start thinking of heartier dishes to cook and eat, this New Orleans-Style Jambalaya will definitely be on the table. I love cooking the andouille sausage, bacon, and smoked sausage first; it renders enough fat to cook the onion and vegetables, and gives them spicy, smoky undertones that you taste in each bite." –Chandra Ram Associate Editorial Director, Food

08 of 10

Fregula cun Cocciula

Fregula cun Cocciula (Sardinian Fregola with Clams)
Photo by Cedric Angeles / Prop Styling by Stephanie Bohn

"Any dish from MARCH, the exquisite restaurant in Houston, Texas, promises elegance and delight. Delicate, briny clams pair so well with toasty, chewy fregola. The epitome of end of summer, start of fall, this dish has brightness and a rich depth from the spiced broth. If I can make my bowl look even close to our gorgeous cover star of the September 2022 issue, I'll be quite pleased." –Lucy Simon, Editorial Assistant

09 of 10

Sweet Plum Focaccia

Sweet Plum Focaccia
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

"Plums are my favorite shoulder season produce. Sweet, juicy, and tart, they recall the brightness of summer while ushering in fall. So this autumn, I'm eager to bake Kate Leahy's Sweet Plum Focaccia. Topped with wedges of red plums that gorgeously stain the top crust while lending their subtle sweetness to the airy, light, and crisp bread, it's the perfect not-too-sweet dessert or cheeky breakfast bake." –Kelsey Youngman, Food Editor

10 of 10

Maple-Meringue Donuts

Maple Meringue Donuts Recipe
Tara Donne

"Yes, these donuts from Joanne Chang, the Boston-based pastry chef who founded Flour Bakery + Café, take a while to make. But that's only because of proofing—not active cooking time—so don't be scared away! The pillows of yeasty, sugary goodness, filled with a marshmallowy maple meringue (say that ten times fast!), are worth the wait. Whether in the morning for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, they're the perfect fall treat." –Nina Friend, Features Editor

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