Festive Fall Flavors to Take 10 Desserts to the Next Level

A baked treat is a tasty way to finish off a great meal, especially when the temperatures outside have started to drop. Hello, autumn! From pumpkin, apple and pear to caramel, maple, cinnamon and ginger, these fall flavors warm your spirits (and your stomach) when you incorporate them into sweet and delicious baked confections. But, we’re talking about more than just the classic dishes with these flavors. We’re going a little outside of the box and taking desserts to the next level with a taste of fall. 

So, when you're ready to fire up the oven and create new flavor sensations for your family, consider adding some fall flavors to your dessert recipes. Now, let’s dive into our list of 10 sweet dishes that will help you and your family get into the spirit of autumn!

1. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Our first recipe idea highlights one of our favorite fall flavors - pumpkin! For this cookie recipe, you’ll make a classic Snickerdoodle, which by itself, includes cinnamon - another fall flavor, but with a few additions to really make these cookies taste like the season. 

Ingredients like ground nutmeg, ginger and pumpkin purée really take this dessert to the next level just in time for the start of autumn. Wondering what else you’ll need? Check out our recipe portal where we have the full list of ingredients and step-by-step directions.

2. Pumpkin Waffles with Ice Cream

Mix up a batch of traditional buttermilk waffles and add ½-cup of pumpkin purée and a tablespoon of pumpkin spice to transform this classic breakfast staple to a dish made with one of our favorite gourds. But, wait… Isn’t this blog about desserts? 

To make waffles more indulgent and after-dinner-friendly, top them with a scoop of ice cream, plus toasted pecans and gooey caramel sauce. Yum! And if you want to incorporate even more fall flavor, choose pumpkin-flavored ice cream. Visit your local Food Lion’s frozen department to pick up a carton this fall season!

3. Pumpkin Nut Butter Cups

We have one last pumpkin dessert recipe to try and it’s a twist on a peanut butter cup. So, if your family loves when you mix up a batch of these homemade chocolatey, nutty treats, make sure to save this recipe to whip up later. It’ll be the perfect way for your family to embrace the tasty fall flavor of pumpkin. 

For this treat, you’ll need dark chocolate morsels, crunchy almond butter, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, almonds, salt and powdered sugar. And as you can see there are a few different ingredients in these Fall Butter Cups that will remind you of the season with every bite. Your family is sure to love them!

4. Caramel Apple Cider Muffins

Now, let’s move onto a different delicious fall flavor - apple! These muffins are more indulgent than the traditional breakfast pastry. To make them, replace the water or milk in your favorite bran muffin batter with apple cider. Then, drizzle caramel sauce on top of the baked muffins for a beautiful and luscious treat. You can also sprinkle some confectioner’s sugar over top. 

And to incorporate even more apple flavor, swap the bran muffins for Food Lion Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix. That change will really make this dessert idea taste like a caramel apple! 

5. Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

You’ve probably enjoyed a slice of decadent and tangy pineapple upside-down cake, right? Well with a few adjustments, this dessert recipe takes the summery ingredient of pineapple and features the fall flavors of apple and caramel instead. Enjoy your Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake as-is or with a scoop of Food Lion vanilla ice cream and a little caramel drizzled on top. Either way, you and your family are sure to love this apple dessert! So, get your cake pan ready and stop by your neighborhood Food Lion to pick up what you need. 

And for some extra festive fun, serve your slices on our Fall Design Paper Plates with a cold cup of apple cider or seltzer!

6. Ginger Baked Pears 

Use your favorite baked apple recipe, but swap out the apples and use your favorite variety of pears instead. Then, sprinkle a mixture of ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and ½ cup of sugar before baking in the oven. It’s as simple as that to take this baked fruit dish and turn it into a recipe that’s perfect for autumn. 

If you want to make it a little sweeter, drizzle some maple syrup over your pears after baking. Or try adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream and crunching some gingersnap cookies on top. 

7. Pear Cobbler 

A fresh berry cobbler is absolutely delicious in the spring and summer months, but as we get later in the year, it’s time to try a cobbler with fall flavors. So, replace the berries in your favorite cobbler recipe with diced pears. We also recommend sprinkling the cobbler with cinnamon sugar before baking. You can also mix in some cranberries with your pears to add a bit of tartness (like you enjoy with your classic berry cobbler). 

Then, serve with whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar! 

8. Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip

Rethink cheesecake with this deliciously dippable recipe featuring gingerbread. This rendition of the sweet and tangy dessert adds a new layer of flavor with ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg; spices that warm our hearts and get us ready for the cooler months of fall and winter. 

Besides these tasty ingredients, you’ll also need cream cheese, molasses and whipped cream. Then, for dipping, graham crackers or gingersnap cookies are a perfect choice! Sound like a dip your family will love? You can find the full dessert recipe here! 

9. Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Cookie bars meet gingerbread in this dessert recipe idea. These soft and chewy treats are topped with caramel frosting and packed with lots of fall flavors, including cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and of course, ginger. 

Want to save a little prep time? Use a gingerbread cake & cookie mix to make the bar. You can also use premade buttercream frosting from the baking section at your local Food Lion and mix in a little caramel sauce. 

10. Maple Nut Blondies

Get ready to make your favorite blondie dessert bar recipe, but with a few tweaks that’ll make each bite remind you of the season. With the addition of maple syrup, maple flavoring and chopped walnuts, a little bit of ground cinnamon can take the fall flavors in this recipe idea to the next level. 

For an even more decadent treat, mix together a maple butter glaze using brown sugar, maple syrup and butter. Spread that over the top and these blondies will get a bigger kick of maple flavor. 

Now that you’ve read all about our 10 ideas for incorporating fall flavors into some of your favorite desserts, you’re ready to take a trip to your neighborhood Food Lion to pick up the ingredients you need. While you’re visiting us, keep a lookout for our limited-time fall items. We mentioned some above, but you can also look forward to seeing things like festive trail mixes, ice cream sandwiches and other snacks, as well as candles, scented hand soap and more. Happy Fall to you and your family!