With the cooling temperatures and sweater weather upon us, we’re all about snuggling in at home right now with good people and tasty treats. If you ask us, fall is the best dessert season thanks to its warming spices and the abundance of seasonal flavours—like pumpkin and apples. Whether you’ve hit up your local farmer’s market for some fall harvest inspiration or are looking for something memorable to celebrate the season with, we’ve got 10 fall deserts for your coziest season yet.
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Gooey Brown Butter Maple Pecan Squares
If you’re craving butter tarts or pecan pie but don’t want to fuss around with pastry, these squares are the perfect solution. The buttery shortbread base houses layers of brown butter maple filling, roasted pecans and a special bonus ingredient: chocolate chips. Whip some up in about an hour to fulfill a craving or make them ahead of time for a special get together.
Miso Apple Crumble
Apple crumble is a classic, fan favourite fall dessert since it showcases all the best that fall in Canada has to offer. We can’t stop dreaming about this riff, however, with its subtle and salty miso twist. It adds instant umami to the dish and takes it to that next level, transforming a staple into a standout.
Chocolate Hazelnut Pizza with Strawberries and Bananas
Transform regular old pizza dough into the fall dessert of your dreams with this simple but luscious dessert pizza. It’s full of fruity flavours and rich chocolate, not to mention warming cinnamon. We love it because it’s easy to customize with your own toppings or whipped cream—in fact, it serves as a great base for Gay Lea’s entire flavoured whipped cream line, including everyone’s fall favourite, pumpkin spice.
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Sticky Toffee Pudding
There’s always something special about a dessert created just for you, and these ramekin-sized puddings are the perfect example. They’re an impressive way to end a fall feast or just to cozy up with in front of the TV thanks to the spongy cake and rich toffee topping. Plus they only take 30 minutes to prep, which means you can have warm and gooey fall cake in about an hour with this recipe.
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Make-Ahead Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles
Pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie may be the stars of fall, but we like to think of these mini, pumpkin-filled trifles as the deserving underdogs of the season. They’re cute and super easy to prepare ahead of time, and feature all of those warming pumpkin pie flavours you crave at this time of year. You can also make them up to 12 hours in advance so they’re ready to pull out and serve after dinner.
Extra Gooey Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crispy Rice Treats
Sometimes the simplest things bring us the most joy, and that’s definitely true of this riff on your traditional crispy rice treats. The addition of Cinnamon Toast Crunch adds that warm, fall cinnamon you’re craving, but without compromising the simplicity of the recipe. It’s a tasty and comforting fall treat for kids and grownups alike, making this recipe an instant crowd-pleaser.
Cappuccino Dessert Cups
If you’re looking for a satisfying but unfussy end to a delicious meal, these chilled cups of creamy coffee-flavoured pudding are the perfect dessert. They’re airy and light enough for those who aren’t particularly hungry after a full meal, plus you can prep them up to two days ahead when you’re hosting. Customize your cups with the Gay Lea whipped cream of your choice, from coconut to pumpkin spice.
A Luscious Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
If you’re craving something chocolatey and sweet, look no further than this simple but rich cake. You can dress it up with ganache or keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar, depending on your mood or the occasion. Either way the combination of olive oil and chocolate delivers all of that fudgy comfort you crave when the temperature begins to drop.
Caramelized Banana Tiramisu
If you’ve got ripe bananas on your counter and aren’t up to another banana bread, this twist on traditional tiramisu is a showstopper. Espresso-soaked ladyfingers with layers of buttery custard and caramelized bananas are the perfect way to end any meal, whether you’re solo or hosting a crowd. It’s comforting and indulgent, and although it does require a bit of rest time in the fridge before serving, the end result it totally worth it.
Pumpkin Spice Affogato
Not all fall desserts need to be served warm. Not when you can create this affogato with espresso and pumpkin, that is. This Italian, coffee-based dessert is a comforting but sweet way to end a meal, and it’s also the perfect excuse to whip up your own pumpkin spice syrup. Speaking of, once you’ve got a batch you can use the leftovers to recreate your own PSL from your very own kitchen.
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