20 Vintage Fall Recipes to Make All Season Long

Fall in love with these retro recipes, from dinner to dessert.

close up view of slow cooker chicken and dumplings in bowls, with a spoon
Photo:

DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall," F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote—and we couldn't agree more. This collection of our most autumnal vintage recipes, from cozy casseroles and soups to spiced apple and pumpkin desserts, is proof that the best (and most delicious) things have always happened in fall.

01 of 21

Aunt Jewel's Chicken Dressing Casserole

A serving of Aunt Jewel's chicken dressing casserole served with green beans

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"This Southern chicken and dressing casserole recipe was handed down by my great-great-aunt. It's easy and delicious!" —CRETER

02 of 21

My Grandma's Shoofly Pie

looking at a slice of shoofly pie on a plate with remaining in pie dish behind
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"This shoofly pie is a classic Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. Grandma's loving attention not included!" —D Stultz

03 of 21

Grandma's Hamburger Casserole

top-down view of a white 9x13 casserole dish of Grandma’s ground beef casserole with a scoop out and plated nearby.
Meredith Food Studios

"My grandmother's hamburger casserole is classic comfort food! Featuring ground beef, noodles, and a creamy cheese sauce, this simple recipe dates back to the 1940s." –LaDonna Langwell

04 of 21

Delicious Baked Apples

looking down at a casserole dish of sliced cinnamon baked apples

"These baked apples are tender and taste great on a cold evening or any other evening! Plus the house smells just divine while cooking them. Adjust the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg to suit your taste." —imagination_co

05 of 21

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Meredith Food Studios

"An easy crockpot chicken and dumplings recipe for a filling, comforting meal on a cold, snowy day. I have four children who are picky eaters, and they love this!" —Janiece Mason

06 of 21

Kim's Buttermilk Spice Cake

Kim's Buttermilk Spice Cake

"This spice cake was inspired by a recipe from one of my mom's old cookbooks. It was my great-grandpa's favorite cake, and I used to make it for him all the time." —Kim

07 of 21

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Slice of Broccoli cheese casserole on blue spatula

MyHotSouthernMess

"This recipe was the 'birthday dinner' recipe that my husband requested from his mom when he was young. After she passed away, he thought the recipe was lost forever... Until I found it tucked away in one of her old cookbooks and made it for a surprise birthday present last year!" —Nicole

08 of 21

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

"Excellent Soup! Really good on a cold night." —Thomas

09 of 21

Old Mama's Fashioned Chili

Old Mama's Fashioned Chili
Rock_lobster

"This spooky chili is great for Halloween dinner! Keep warm on the stove and the little ones can eat anytime during trick-or-treat activities." —Elizabeth

10 of 21

Gramma's Old Fashioned Chili Mac

close up view of Chili Mac with peppers and tomatoes in a pan
Teri Musto Tedesco

"This is an old family recipe that my mom has cooked for 50 years. It's a wonderful, 'stick-to-the-ribs' meal that goes wonderful with warm cornbread or rolls. I find that kids love this when they don't like regular 'spicy' chili. Enjoy!" —Sue

11 of 21

John Wayne Casserole

John Wayne Casserole
fabeveryday

"I made this John Wayne casserole on a lark and it ended up being one of the best one-pan meals I've discovered!" —EAForsythe

12 of 21

Grandma Carol's Pumpkin Roll

A closeup of a slice of pumpkin cake rolled around a cream cheese filling
KGora

"My mom always makes this pumpkin roll around Thanksgiving and takes it to work. Everyone asks her if she can make them one, and they all want the recipe. It is, without a doubt, the best pumpkin roll I've ever had!" —SusieQ

13 of 21

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

"Simple, old-fashioned apple crisp." —longjason

14 of 21

Vintage Onion Soup

onion soup bowl with recipe printed on

Terri Peters

"It’s a fun way to feel connected to the past, and making the recipe and eating it out of the vintage bowl made me feel like I was cooking with someone’s grandmother, learning how to make one of her treasured recipes." —Terri Peters

15 of 21

Split Pea Soup

split pea soup

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"This split pea soup recipe makes a nourishing, hearty meal on a blustery fall or winter day." —Sandra

16 of 21

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

close up view of Old-Fashioned Beef Stew garnished with fresh herbs in a bowl with a spoon
mommyluvs2cook

"I took my Grandmother's recipe, trimmed the fat and enhanced the flavor." —CORWYNN DARKHOLME

17 of 21

Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings

A plated old fashioned apple dumpling with a baking dish of apple dumplings in the background

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"These are the apple dumplings my grandmother used to make: warm, flaky, apple-y sweet, and drizzled with a sauce baked right with them. They aren't difficult to make, just a little time-consuming." —MICKI WOOD

18 of 21

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Butter

closeup of an open canning jar of pumpkin butter, with three decorative mini pumpkin in the background

Chef John

"Imagine the best pumpkin pie filling you've ever had, and then imagine it being 10 times better with a deeper, more intense pumpkin flavor, just the right amount of sweetness, and just the right amount of spices to make things interesting. Spread on buttered toast." —Chef John

19 of 21

Debbie's Amazing Apple Bread

sliced homemade apple cake on a plate
Sharon Beaumont

"This apple bread recipe was given to me years ago by my friend Debbie. I've had it written down on a torn piece of paper for years and decided that this recipe needs to be shared. By far my favorite bread recipe!" —Melissa Jennings Lake

20 of 21

Easy Chicken and Stuffing Bake

Plated chicken with stuffing topping and green salad with red napkin

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"This easy chicken and stuffing bake is comfort in a casserole. The chicken is tender and juicy, the stuffing topping contrasts with the creamy sauce, and the added onion soup mix brings so much flavor. A little bit of parsley on top is a nice bright note." —Nicole McLaughlin

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