What Fall Flavors Do You Anticipate Each Year?
Ah, fall. The time of year when the weather starts to get crisp and the leaves change colors, painting our world amber and gold. Additionally, our flavor palettes also change, exchanging summer barbecues and refreshing salads for heartier, spicier dishes incorporating autumn produce like squash, apples, and pecans. Here are 20 foods that capture everything we love about fall.
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1. Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is one of our favorite desserts, period. That being said, not one of us is eating it at any other time of year other than the fleeting season of fall, making it all the more special.
2. Pumpkin Spice Lattes
The moment all the cafes in town write the words "pumpkin spice latte" on their chalkboards, adorned with cute drawings of leaves, is when you know it's officially fall. The tantalizing aroma of pumpkin spice mingling with coffee makes the fall season that much more enjoyable.
3. Butternut Squash Soup
One of our favorite fall vegetables is the sweet and vibrant butternut squash. It's typically only in season until late October, so now is the time to start making as much butternut squash soup as you possibly can.
4. Caramel Apples
Caramel apples are a treat synonymous with spooky season, and for a good reason. They were invented in the 1950s by an employee at Kraft, who melted leftover Halloween caramels and dipped apples into them.
5. Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin season is as fleeting as fall itself, so now is the time to make as many pumpkin treats with it as possible. Moist and sweet pumpkin bread is one of our favorites. It's not as decadent as pumpkin pie, but it can more easily pass for breakfast.
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6. Pecan Pie
Pecan pie is essentially sugar in a pie crust with some nuts. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it's one of the most decadent fall desserts you can have and certainly something we look forward to each year.
7. Mulled Cider
In addition to pumpkin and squash, fall is also apple season! The fruit is in such abundance this time of year, we're even drinking it in the form of sweet, spicy, warm, and comforting cider.
8. Apple Crisp
You can have apple pie any time of year, but somehow, apple crisp is reserved for fall. Maybe it's the pecans in the crispy topping or the added butter and sugar, but this dessert is extra special when the leaves have changed.
9. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are one of the most polarizing vegetables out there, but we would argue that's because most people haven't had them properly cooked. Roasting them to where they get beautifully caramelized is where it's at.
10. Chili
Chili is a food that makes as much sense in the winter or cold days of spring as it does in the fall, but somehow we still associate it with the leaves changing more than any time of year. The hearty ingredients and spices are perfectly suited to our shifting fall appetites.
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11. Butternut Squash Risotto
Risotto is a dish that requires a lot of time standing by the stove, making it a perfect cold-weather food. It's hearty and creamy, and the addition of butternut squash makes it right on point with the season.
12. Apple Cider Donuts
We would never say no to a donut, but apple cider donuts are purely a fall treat. The spices and apple flavor taste like autumn itself, and we will always associate them with fall fairs and markets.
13. Shepherd's Pie
As the weather turns cooler, we start to crave heavier, richer dishes. Shepherd's pie, with its rich meat layered under creamy mashed potatoes, fits the bill like nothing else.
14. Roasted Chestnuts
Chestnuts are another food that's harvested in the fall, making them sweetest and freshest this time of year. They give our autumn time fireplaces and markets a uniquely seasonal, nutty aroma that we look forward to each year.
15. Pumpkin Curry
Hearty, spicy, and warming curries are the perfect fall dish for crisp nights. The addition of pumpkin makes it even more seasonal as it's when the vegetable is at its sweetest and best.
16. Chicken Noodle Soup
Fall isn't only reserved for pumpkin, apple, and spices. Chicken noodle soup is just as tightly associated with fall as it is a comforting, warming dish that keeps illness at bay during cold and flu season.
17. Stuffed Squash
Autumn is peak squash season, whether it's butternut, acorn, or delicata. A crowd-pleasing, show-stopping dish you can make with it is stuffed squash, which allows you to incorporate other fall flavors like nuts, cranberries, and herbs.
18. Creamy Mushroom Soup
Although they may not scream fall in the same way pumpkin or chestnuts do, mushrooms are also at their peak in autumn. They offer deep, earthy flavors that lend themselves well to a rich and comforting creamy soup that strikes a perfect balance between elegant and hearty.
19. Kale Salad
Although salads are more closely associated with summer, kale is undeniably part of the fall harvest. Pair it with other seasonal ingredients like pear and pumpkin seeds, and you have a beautiful salad that screams autumn.
20. Cranberry Sauce
Tart cranberries are another fall staple fruit. Cranberry sauce is a quintessential addition to autumn dinner tables, adding a perfect balance and freshness to heavier seasonal dishes.
