Best Fall Desserts

This free-form galette is so much less fussy to make than a traditional pie. It has great flavor and texture from both apples and pears and the crunchy streusel on top. Using unpeeled apples and pears saves time and cuts down on waste.

The maple syrup in this upside-down treat infuses both the apples and the cake, making the dessert taste like a stack of apple pancakes

These hand pies are a curious cross between sweet and savory, featuring rutabaga, a delicious winter root vegetable that is so often overlooked. Combined with the classic pairing of pear and ginger and enclosed by light and nutritious whole spelt pockets, the pies will make an excellent snack, dessert or even side dish.

Chef Matthew Accarrino cleverly adds juicy fresh figs to this delicious pancake-like French dessert, then tops it with port-infused whipped cream.

This super moist loaf spiked with candied ginger is the perfect tea cake.

This reimagined pumpkin pie from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in San Francisco has an ethereal pumpkin-and-white-chocolate-mousse filling and a stellar, crunchy crust.

This moist cake is served with butterscotch sauce, caramelized apples and ice cream.

While this delicious, simple cake bakes, a sweet, rich sauce forms in the bottom of the dish.

Cranberries usually appear on the holiday table as a condiment, but here they flavor a delicious cake, topped with a crumbly, buttery oat streusel.

This beautiful dessert will wow your guests with its impressive presentation and rich flavor.

Sheamus Feeley loves to bake this moist cake at harvest time Sangiovese grapes and grape juice, but any seedless red table grapes and unsweetened grape juice will work.

This flaky, gluten-free pie crust can be used with any fruit filling.

Marinating the pears in a semi-sweet wine, like Moscato d'Asti, enhances the fruit's natural sugars and compliments the delicate tea cake.

This cinnamon-and-vanilla-flavored panna cotta combines creamy and tangy flavors for an elegant after-dinner treat.

These flaky little pies may be the ultimate grab-and-go dessert with tart cranberries and sweet pears.

Perfect for fall dinner parties, this pumpkin cheesecake is rich, creamy and the ideal end to a meal. Using gingersnap cookies for the crust instead of graham cracker adds a spiced-sweetness to the dessert.

The thin, crisp pastry shell is filled with a layer of almond cream made from both finely ground and coarsely chopped nuts that give the tart layers of texture.

Pears are a juicy and beautiful fruit that require little effort. Enjoy serving the fall fruit raw or poaching them in wine, such as the Riesling.

Classic and homey baked custard benefits from a dusting of allspice instead of the usual nutmeg. Custards don't get much quicker to prepare than this one.

Pumpkin pie meets tiramisù, with layers of pumpkin-mascarpone custard and gingersnaps brushed with Calvados syrup. In the freezer, the flavors and textures meld to form a deliciously creamy dessert.

This dish looks like a pumpkin pie, but the filling is actually made with sweet potato.

Slow-simmered cranberries adds a tart and sweet topping to this frozen pie that tastes incredible and will make your kitchen smell amazing.

Inspired by tocino de cielo, a rich, eggy cousin of flan, this is lighter version of a pecan pie with bold flavors.

Buckles, simple streusel-topped cakes studded with fruit, are traditionally made with summer berries. For his autumn version, Jan Birnbaum substitutes tart apples, for a denser, more coffee-cake-like dessert.

Pastry chef Katherine Beto has three rules for making the perfect cheesecake: Start with all of the ingredients at room temperature, scrape down the bowl to avoid lumps and don't overbeat the batter. The result is a sublimely silky and light dessert that she flavors with pumpkin, cinnamon and cloves and tops with a gooey, buttery pecan praline.

Inspired by the best qualities of holiday fruitcakes, these tender, scone-like cookies get a boozy kick from the brandy in the glaze. To make them more kid-friendly, you can use milk instead.

The blend of flavors and textures here—crunchy, smooth, nutty, sweet, tart—makes this simple dessert irresistible. Opt for lebneh or another soft fresh cheese that won't melt quickly underneath the warm apples topped with a quick granola crumble.