We certainly love Pumpkin Spice Lattes as much as the next person, but there's so much more to the season than hot beverages from Starbucks.
Instead, fill your home with a well-rounded scent of autumn — from pumpkin, yes, to sweet potato pies and moist carrot cakes to crumbly apple crisps. To celebrate the many flavors that coincide with sweater weather, we've rounded up some of TODAY's best desserts for fall.
"When fall strikes, I long for cozy, gooey treats, but I am not always down to make a full pie. These little squares deliver big on dessert magic," says Milk Bar's Christina Tosi.
"I love making anything with apples and this recipe is more fun than a standard apple pie. They’re almost like individual apple pies with a little surprise in the middle!" says Dylan Dreyer about this classic recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.
Apples may be available year-round but fall is when you're likely to find the crunchiest, most flavorful beauties at your local farmers market. For this pie, the apples are sliced with a spiralizer, which creates a cool-looking ribbony filling in minutes.
This easy pear dessert takes just 10 minutes of active prep time — pop it in the oven before dinner and the dessert will be ready by the time you're done eating the main course.
Swirl all that PSL goodness into a moist bundt cake. Top it with sweet icing and wash it down with a coffee.
Remember when a viral video caused Patti LaBelle's packaged sweet potato pie to sell out at Walmarts around the country? It's just that good, which means shortages could happen again anytime. But thanks to this handy recipe, you can make the pie in your own kitchen whenever you're craving it.
Did you know that fall is actually peak carrot season? Put those babies to good use in this recipe for carrot cake cupcakes from Elizabeth Chambers of Bird Bakery in San Antonio, Texas.
Apples team up with another fall favorite — cranberries — in this impressive dessert from chef Alex Guarnaschelli.
Dr. Oz knows all about health but when it comes time to splurge on a decadent pumpkin pie, he and his family know just how to do it. This creamy, spiced filling is cradled by a cookie dough crust and topped with crunchy, roasted pumpkin seeds.
Here's a dessert that's both healthy and delicious. It's made with dark chocolate and pomegranates, both of which are great sources of good-for-you antioxidants. And did we mention that it has just four ingredients?
No time or patience to bake a pie? Make a fruit crisp instead. This recipe from TODAY's Dylan Dreyer calls for just a handful of ingredients and is super-simple to put together.
Walnuts, which are harvested in the fall, are a lovely match for apples in this elegant cake from Giada De Laurentiis.
Avoiding gluten and dairy these days? You can still enjoy carrot cake, as this simple yet delicious recipe from Sweet Laurel Bakery proves.
This creamy pudding is one of Valerie Bertinelli's favorite desserts to make in the fall. The warm spices complement the sweet pumpkin perfectly.
Get your apple pie fix outside of the pie shell with these fun little pockets of fruity goodness.
Baked and mashed sweet potatoes add richness and moisture to these healthy gluten-free brownies.
Just can't do without pumpkin pie? Layer it with other seasonal faves, including cherry and apple pies for one crazy over-the-top fall dessert.
You can give delicious fall flavor a little love throughout the year with this gorgeous, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake. The spices are warm, but the oven doesn't have to be.
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