50 Fabulous Fall Recipes
Cider-Braised Chicken, Brussels Sprouts and Apples
This fantastic one-pan dinner is ideal for a Sunday supper or casual fall get-together with friends; the sauce is delicious, so serve with bread or mashed potatoes to soak up every delicious bite.
Autumn Beef Stew
We riffed off Julia Child's legendary boeuf bourguignon, stealing her trick of flavoring a wine-rich beef stew with bacon drippings, but adding generous chunks of carrot, potato and butternut squash.
Wine-Marinated Pot Roast
This tender beef creation includes a gorgeous, glossy red wine sauce that amps up sweet root vegetables, mushrooms and onion.
Slow-Cooker Brat and Sauerkraut Soup
Potatoes, onion, sauerkraut and brats pack in the German flavor in this homey slow-cooker soup. Try with Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls; the soft pretzels' chewy, brown exterior comes from being boiled in an alkaline solution—the 1/4 cup baking soda in the water isn't a typo!
Quick Black Forest Cherry Cake
This quick twist on the classic German chocolate-cherry cake uses boxed cake mix and cherry preserves. Don't skip the kirsch or brandy; it adds that signature Black Forest flavor.
Roasted Pork with Apple-Walnut Salsa
Who knew a pork shoulder seasoned with just salt and pepper could be so scrumptious? The recipe comes chef Marshall Paulsen of Minneapolis' Birchwood Cafe. The salsa recipe makes a very generous amount of the apple salsa, about 4 cups. It will keep fine for a day or so in the refrigerator to eat with leftovers, or just halve the recipe if you don’t think you’ll use it all. Any leftover pork makes a mean sandwich.
Cheesy Brat Casserole
This six-ingredient hotdish recipe from an Appleton, Wisconsin, reader features an all-star lineup of Wisconsin foods, including bratwurst, cheddar cheese and potatoes. "It's a quick, easy recipe," our reader says. "There's not much you can mess up."
Southwest Corn Pudding
Buttery onions, cheddar and green chilies lace our stuffinglike pudding. Inspired by traditional skillet corn bread, this recipe works as a side or as a meatless main served with a salad or garlicky sauteed kale.
Streusel Apple Bread
A touch of lemon, chopped cranberries and walnuts make this quick bread taste like coffee cake.
Harvest Chipotle Chili
Sweet potatoes and apples hold their own with spicy chipotle chilies in this perfect sweet-heat balance. Does it take a lot of peeling and chopping? Yes. Is it worth it? Oh, yeah.
Roast Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Fall Fruit
Apples, pears and cranberries mix with caramelized onions in a luscious tumble over chicken breasts. Why leave the skin on and bones in? Trust us; you'll notice the extra flavor in this fabulous fall recipe.
Spiced Pear-Cranberry Cobbler
You can almost remember a misty-morning trip to the orchards and bogs when you taste this riff on a Midwest favorite. A pumpkin-cornmeal biscuit crowns the sweet-tangy fruit duo.
Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter
They're light, buttery and fall artwork on your plate. We almost hate to cover up the baked-on apple slice with the whipped maple butter. Almost.
Brussels Sprouts with Ham and Leeks
In the final minutes of cooking, a splash of fresh orange juice and cider vinegar adds the perfect sweet acidity to a company-worthy (but family-night-easy) side dish.
Roasted Chicken with Sage Pan Sauce
This sage-infused, company-worthy fall recipe takes full advantage of cast iron's versatility. The pan goes from stove top to oven and back to stove top.
Triple-Spiced Pear Bread
Oats, walnuts and nuggets of chopped pear give this loaf a toothsome heartiness, while buttermilk keeps it moist and tender.
Sausage and Spinach Skillet Pizza
A hot cast-iron skillet mimics a pizza stone to create a crisp, evenly browned crust. We loaded our pizza with oozy red sauce and stretchy cheese. Fork and knife highly recommended.
Crumb-Topped Apple Trio Pie
Crisp on top, sweetly tender inside, this quintessential fall dessert blends tart and sweet apples -- Granny Smith, Jonagold and Braeburn -- with sugar and cinnamon under a brown-sugar and walnut crumb topping.
My My’s Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Patty’s grandmother sifted together the flour and baking powder three times before adding them to the batter. We had good results just whisking them together. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets (crownpublishing.com).
Butternut Squash, Lentil and Wild Rice Stew
Here's a main-dish soup loaded with veggies. Need to reduce the sodium? Use only one can of French onion soup and replace the other with 1-1/2 cups water.
Apple-Pear Praline Pie
This picture-perfect fall pie takes more than a flaky crust. "The key to this pie is the apples you use," says Mary Schrier of Cumberland, Iowa, who got this recipe from an old, handwritten family recipe book. She suggests not using Red Delicious apples. Instead, make this with Granny Smith, Jonathan or any sweet-tart heirloom apples.
So-Easy Apple Butter
Your home will fill with the fall aroma of this five-ingredient apple butter while it simmers in your slow cooker. Serve with cheese and crackers - and keep some extra jars to give as hostess gifts.
Apple, Cranberry and Pecan Galette
A free-form tart is the anxious pie-maker's best friend. No fussy crimping, and any torn edges or lumpy folds just add to the charm (especially when sprinkled with sparkly raw sugar).
Sweet Potato-Cranberry Cake
Chocolate and sweet potato batters are swirled together to make this moist, tender spice cake from Patricia Polley of Columbus, Ohio. Wrap and store the cooled cake overnight for easier slicing. (It’s a great alternative to coffee cake for brunches.)
Danish Pastry Apple Bars
One of her students shared this fall recipe long ago with Gail Michael of West Lafayette, Indiana. "These were in the lunch box of one of my first-grade students in the fall of 1974," Gail recalls. She's baked many batches of these apple bars since then. It's like apple pie in a baking pan.
One-Pan Harvest Pasta
This hearty weeknight dinner recipe is perfect for fall and winter, when you crave cozier foods.
Pumpkin-Banana Bread
Lisa Johnson of Gardner, Kansas, added banana to pumpkin bread for a new twist on this quintessential fall treat. "This pumpkin bread is a favorite with our family," she says. "It's easy to make, and my two girls enjoy helping me."
Chipotle Black Bean Chili
Inspired by traditional Mexican mole, this hearty vegetarian chili includes a touch of chocolate to add depth. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce give a rich smokiness to this fall recipe. If you like, you can save half the chili to make Stacked Black Bean Enchilada Pie.
Cranberry Layer Cake
This moist white cake combines toasted pecans and refreshing orange peel with cranberries. Orange peel flavors the thick cream cheese frosting, too.
Multigrain Apple Streusel Muffins
Rise and shine! These tender gems taste so good, you’d never guess we bumped up the fiber in this fall recipe with two kinds of whole grains and traded most of the butter for applesauce and buttermilk.
Cranberry Orange Upside-Down Cake
Invert this moist cake while it's still warm to reveal a fall kaleidoscope of glistening, tart berries and sweet mandarin oranges.
Warm-Me-Up Chicken Chili
Combine chicken, chopped vegetables and canned beans for a warm and comforting chili. This fall recipe gives variations for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili as well as a spicier Chipotle Chicken Chili.
Almond-Cranberry Bread with White Chocolate Glaze
Sweet bread balances tangy cranberries in this winning fall recipe. Like many quick breads, this loaf will improve in flavor and texture if you let it sit overnight before slicing it.
Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Caramel Swirl
This fall dessert comes from Mooselips Java Joint in Seeley, Wisconsin. It's creamy, cool and not overpowered by the pumpkin or the spice.
Maple Sweet-Potato Sticky Buns
Traditional sticky buns not quite sweet enough for you? Add sweet potato, maple syrup and syrupy pecans. How about now?
Hearty Minestrone Soup
Susan Corley of New Albany, Ohio, shared her version of the classic Italian soup in New Albany Cooking with Friends, a cooking club project that took regional honors in the 2007 Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards. Susan often slow-cooks a pot of the soup for family meals during the holidays.
Pumpkin-Praline Layer Cake
This nutty layer cake is a favorite dessert with Midwest Living® readers. Whipped cream topping complements a moist filling of pumpkin, brown sugar, pecans, butter and more whipping cream.
Chicken and White Bean Stew
Great Northern or cannellini beans blend with chicken and purchased Alfredo sauce in this easy-to-assemble slow-cooker meal. Serve with crusty bread and tossed salad.
Pumpkin Ravioli
Wonton wrappers make a low-calorie substitute for the pasta dough usually used in ravioli. Fresh Italian parsley and rosemary brighten up fall flavors.
Apple-Cranberry Walnut Pie
Sweet apples balance the tang of cranberries in this fall favorite.
Steel-Cut Oatmeal Heaven
Why steel-cut oats? This chunky oatmeal has a nuttier flavor and chewier texture than if it used rolled oats. Other heavenly ingredients in this fall recipe include dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, crumbled bacon and a drizzle of honey.
Ratatouille
When cooler nights trigger cravings for warming autumn suppers but the garden still bears a summer’s bounty of tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and eggplant, we call on the French for help. The classic vegetable stew is traditionally served unadorned, but we love it spooned over homemade garlic bread as a luxe fork-and-knife sandwich.
Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
Mix a can of cream of chicken soup, mushrooms, veggies and rice mix for the soup base. Any boneless cooked chicken works in this slow-cooker recipe, but chicken thighs, with more moisture from fat, cook the best.
Michigan Tart Cherry Pie
If you're a fan of classic, not-too-sweet cherry pie, look no further. This is our best one.
Apple and Couscous-Bulgur Salad
Apple cider and lemon juice add a touch of pucker that keeps this hearty grain salad from tasting too sweet. For a nutritional boost, use whole wheat couscous.
Cheesy Potato Soup
Potato, bacon and cheese - all the flavors you love in a bowl of soup! The American cheese keeps the soup from curdling while it slow cooks. Mashing cooked potatoes a bit gives it some body, while the bacon adds a smoky-salty taste to this fall soup.
Single-Serving Caramel Apples
Flaky pastry and baked apples become absolutely irresistible when combined with caramel and a hint of brown sugar in this fall recipe. Make these up to six hours ahead of your meal and cover with plastic wrap so the pastry doesn't dry out. Bake while the coffee brews!
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Cranberry sauce combined with tapioca and onion soup simmers to perfection in this five-ingredient main dish recipe, a slow-cooker version of an oven classic. Serve over white rice to complete the fall meal.
Hot Dog-Hamburger Secret Sauce and Cranberry-Orange Relish
Joan Wagner of Overland Park, Kansas, contributed the Hot Dog-Hamburger Secret Sauce recipe. "My two sons, Chris and Ken, gave this recipe the name 'secret sauce' because no one guessed what was in it," Joan says. It's a nice balance of sweet and tangy.
Colorful Cranberry-Orange Relish comes from chef Richard Fisher of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The versatile spiced topper goes well with meats, including deli turkey, bratwurst and grilled pork chops.
Redemption Hazelnut Pie
This über-sweet pie is essentially a traditional pecan pie made with hazelnuts. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies (tauntonstore.com).
Bacon-Cheddar Cheese Balls
Freshly shredded cheese works better than packaged shredded cheese in a cheese ball. Prepare the cheese mixture the night before so flavors have a chance to blend. Shape and roll in the crumbled bacon or pistachio nuts a few hours before serving.
Free printable apple desserts cookbook
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Continue for more great Midwest Living fall recipes
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