Everyday Cooking Seasonal Fall Desserts 16 Old-Fashioned Fall Desserts Like Grandma Used to Make Bring on the nostalgia. By Hayley Sugg Published on September 30, 2024 Close Photo: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios There's nothing quite like walking into your grandma's house during the fall, with the smell of sugar and spice wafting from the kitchen, a cool breeze blowing through the leaves outside the window where she rests her pies. Whether she'd normally be baking an apple pie, rolling out a batch of snickerdoodles, or slicing up a freshly-made carrot cake, you can't beat grandma-approved desserts this time of year. Try one of these grandma dessert recipes today to really celebrate the autumn season. 01 of 17 My Grandma’s 4-Ingredient Apple Crisp Dotdash Meredith Food Studios "It’s an easy, delicious fix for your fall apple haul that can be customized to your liking." —Keaton Larson View Recipe 02 of 17 Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie Kim's Cooking Now A cast iron skillet is the perfect tool for creating a mouth-watering apple pie. The crust gets ultra flaky and golden brown, perfect for encasing the layers of spiced Granny Smith apples. View Recipe 03 of 17 Grandma Bonnie's Cinnamon Rolls Priscilla Somewhere between cinnamon rolls and pecan swirls, these tasty treats are irresistibly buttery. "These are my grandma's cinnamon rolls. A favorite at Christmas or just a Saturday morning," shares Priscilla. View Recipe 04 of 17 Grandma's Caramel Popcorn Balls Derbakermom You can't go wrong with the combo of popcorn and caramel. "My mom made these delicious popcorn balls when I was growing up," says Kim1520. "I made the family recipe for the first time this year. My daughters, grown with their own families, asked why I hadn't made these sooner." View Recipe 05 of 17 Nana's Apple Crisp GLORIA LEE Spend an autumnal afternoon picking apples, then come home to whip up this easy apple crisp. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, just like grandma would. View Recipe 06 of 17 Granny's Sweet Potato Bread Rae Falling between a dessert and a snack, this sweet potato bread can do it all. "One of my favorite recipes made by my grandmother and handed down to me," shares Jessica Shelton. "My Granny made this bread as a sweet treat, but it was great for breakfast." 12 Favorite Fall Breads Made Without a Pumpkin in Sight View Recipe 07 of 17 Grandma Ruth's Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies tjump2014 A little soft, a little chewy, these snickerdoodles make for an irresistible dessert. David.Beveridge says, "This is my great-grandma's recipe that everyone loves!" 10 Snickerdoodle-Inspired Recipes to Copy Your Favorite Cookie View Recipe 08 of 17 Grandma's Apple Dumplings CHER Wrapped in tender pastry dough, these apple dumplings are delicious on their own, but things reach a new level when drizzled with the recipe's orange-vanilla sauce. Reviewer Jill raves, "This was a very easy and tasty recipe. It turned out perfect." 10 Apple Dumpling Recipes Just Like Grandma Made View Recipe 09 of 17 Grandma's Orange Rolls with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Allrecipes These sweet rolls have a triple dose of citrus: Orange juice goes into the dough, orange zest is part of the filling, and the rich frosting gets a helping of both. View Recipe 10 of 17 Grandma's Carrot Cake Autumneyes "This recipe has been a favorite in our family for three generations," shares heybejay. Both crushed pineapple and flaked coconut keep the carrot cake moist, perfect for absorbing the rich buttermilk glaze. View Recipe 11 of 17 Apple Pie by Grandma Ople Dotdash Meredith Food Studios This recipe shows that keeping things simple can still result in an utterly delicious dessert. "This was my grandmother's apple pie recipe," shares MOSHASMAMA. "It will always be my favorite and has won me several first place prizes in local competitions." View Recipe 12 of 17 Grandma's Sweet Hubbard Squash Custard Pie john sims Tasting like a mix between sweet potatoes and pumpkin, Hubbard squash is the ideal veggie for transforming into a pie. With its brown sugar, rich spices, heavy cream, and a hefty pat of butter, it may become a new holiday favorite. View Recipe 13 of 17 Melissa's Grandma's Ginger Lace Cookies Vista Verde Ranch Ground ginger, cinnamon, and molasses are the key ingredients to these tender lace cookies. Don't forget the sprinkling of sugar on top to create a beautiful presentation. 30 Most Popular Types of Cookies View Recipe 14 of 17 Grandmother Stougaard's Caramel Pecan Sweet Rolls inthefrey "This is an Stougaard old family favorite," says Snuffles. "Not the easiest to make, but well worth the trouble. Gooey and sweet. Best eaten fresh from the oven." View Recipe 15 of 17 Gramma's Date Squares Danielle Gwilliam Chewy and sweet, these date bars are ideal for using up the in-season fruit. "This is my grandmother's recipe which my whole family loves. You can use almond extract instead of lemon, if you wish," says Mai Forrester. View Recipe 16 of 17 Grandma's Cranberry Orange Cake lutzflcat Just the right balance between tangy and sweet, you won't be able to resist a second slice of this fall cake. The secret? A dash of cranberry-flavored liquor, which bakes out of the dish but leaves behind the distinct flavor. 25 Recipes That Perfect the Cranberry-Orange Combination View Recipe 17 of 17 More Grandma-Approved Desserts Deb C 15 Classic Grandma Desserts You'll Love to Make and Share Grandma's Best Old-Fashioned Cobblers 15 Peanut Butter Desserts Like Grandma Used to Make Browse more Fall Dessert Recipes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit