Along with cool weather, fall brings with it the temptation of sugary confections. They can be hard to resist – but why try when you could make delicious seasonal treats that are healthy, too? These recipes take advantage of apples, pears, caramel, pumpkin and other autumn flavors in pies, cookies, bars, pudding and more.
Salted Caramel Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are usually a savory snack, but add some caramel and pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and they double as a sweet treat.
Easy Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Streusel
Quicker and easier than apple pie, a simple crisp tops baked apples with rolled oats. To make this recipe healthier (and vegan!), substitute coconut oil for the butter.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pockets
Take pumpkin pie on the road, or just enjoy a smaller portion, with these sweet vegan cinnamon pumpkin hand pies from Babble.
Fig, Balsamic & Rosemary Hand Pies
Figs and rosemary come together with tangy balsamic vinegar for an unexpected flavor combination with lots of depth.
Baked Apples Stuffed with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Nuts
Just a little bit of butter is used in this baked apple recipe, which stuffs the fruit with dried cranberries, raisins, nuts and spices.
Grain-Free Pumpkin Bars
Avoiding grains? Try this delicious pumpkin bar recipe from Detoxinista, which combines pumpkin puree, almond butter, honey, eggs and spices for a soft and satisfying result.
Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding
It may look sinful, but this sweet apple bread pudding is actually really good for you.
Gorgonzola, Pear and Balsamic Honey Galette
A bit of gorgonzola and thyme add salty, savory notes to this pear galette.
Cranberry-Honey Spice Pinwheel Cookies
Got a craving for seasonal cookies? Try these cranberry-honey spice pinwheels from Eating Well, which smell amazing while cooking and taste even better.
Grilled Figs with Creme Fraiche and Chestnut Honey
This dish is so simple and so delicious. Figs take just a couple minutes to grill, and topping them with honey and creme fraiche brings out their natural flavor.
Graham Cracker Butternut Squash
The natural sweetness of butternut squash is enhanced with maple syrup and butter, the resulting roasted puree perfect with graham crackers.
Cardamom Honey Caramel Pears
A mixture of heavy cream, honey, salt, cardamom and ground hazelnuts coats juicy, seasonally appropriate pears in this tasty dish from Not Without Salt that’ll satisfy a sweet tooth.

