Fall Harvest Desserts

Maple syrup sweetens the no-bake filling of this easy cheesecake. Brush thin slices of pear with more maple syrup and broil until caramelized to make the decorative topping.

Maple syrup and lemon zest give a nuanced sweetness to the filling of this tart. Fold fresh breadcrumbs into the pumpkin custard before baking for a unique texture.

Fresh quince turns aromatic and rosy-pink as it simmers with vanilla bean and maple syrup. Top the filling with cornmeal biscuits and sliced almonds to make this cobblerlike fall dessert.

The light, crisp crust for this unique pie is made with kataifi (shredded phyllo dough). Layers of caramel-coated apple slices surround the semolina custard filling.

Butterscotch sauce soaks into brown sugar cake layers before they are spread with caramel-cream cheese frosting. Adorn the cake with toasted pecans.

This rustic free-form take on apple pie gets a savory tang from the addition of sharp cheddar cheese to the crust. After the crostata comes out of the oven, brush melted apricot jam over the filling to make it glisten.

With a pate brisee crust on the bottom and crumbly oat streusel on top, this pie offers a delicious array of textures and flavor. The filling is a combination of pear wedges and homemade cranberry sauce.

Prepare the filling for this pie by poaching quince in sweet dessert wine with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla. Use store-bought puff pastry to form the quick and easy crust.

Mashed sweet potato makes this Bundt cake tender and moist, while bourbon adds a pleasing bite. You can substitute apple juice for the bourbon for equally delicious results.

Cinnamon-spiced almond custard filling, also known as frangipane, is sandwiched between layers of cranberry jam and fresh cranberry compote. This cranberry-topped tart makes a stunning finish to a holiday meal.

The popular combination of cheddar cheese with apple pie is taken to a new level. Here, the cheese is part of the flaky crust, which surrounds cinnamon-spiced Granny Smith apple wedges.

Pears and dried figs replace the usual apples in this fresh new take on the rustic dessert. Ground hazelnuts enrich the crust.

Salt roasting is an ancient technique that holds in heat and concentrates the food's flavor. These salt-roasted pears emerge tender, sweet, and juicy, and are perfectly complemented by a simple caramel sauce.

Sweetly aromatic Concord grapes make a brilliant-purple filling for this pie. The grape-leaf cut-outs on the top crust make a festive presentation.

Serve these cute cupcakes at the kids' table to win cheers from your littlest guests. The pumpkins on top are made from dyed, molded almond paste

This homemade sorbet gets its gorgeous pink-purple hue from Concord grapes. Give the sorbet plenty of processing time in the ice cream maker to create a light and fluffy finished product.

Cakelike chocolate cookies sandwich a cream cheese-and-pumpkin filling. The cookies and filling can be made a day ahead and assembled just before serving.

Whole cored apples are stuffed with sugar, butter, and toasted pecans: Serve this easy dessert with vanilla ice cream and gingersnaps.

In this super-easy two-ingredient dessert, sugar transforms Bartlett pears into rich, caramel-coated treats. Serve the pears warm with cinnamon or ginger ice cream.

Saffron brings its golden color and earthy perfume to this pear-topped buttermilk cake. This upside-down cake makes a unique and memorable finish to the meal.

Simmer sliced quince in white-wine syrup with fresh ginger to make this easy fall compote. Serve it with Pumpkin Layer Cake or simply spoon it over vanilla or pumpkin ice cream.

A brown betty is a spiced fruit dessert with buttery crumb topping that becomes golden-brown and crisp when baked. These individual bettys have two layers of Bartlett pears alternating with a blend of sourdough bread, butter, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of apple cider.

Pears blush deep pink when poached with fresh cranberries. Serve these pears warm or cool with ice cream or creme fraiche.

Creamy molasses-enriched pumpkin pudding is whimsically presented in miniature pumpkins. A decorative garnish of puff-pastry leaves is the finishing touch.

This new take on the classic French apple tart features seductively fragrant quince. Add rustic elegance to the Thanksgiving menu with this dessert.

Here it is, the ultimate recipe for the one pie that defines Thanksgiving. Solid-pack pumpkin puree is seasoned with pumpkin pie spice and whipped with eggs, brown sugar, and half-and-half to make the rich, smooth custard filling of the perfect pumpkin pie.

Cranberry-orange custard is spiced with cinnamon and topped with fluffy meringue in these bite-size desserts. These hand-held mini tarts are perfect for serving at cocktail parties or buffets.

A single-layer cake flavored with orange and lemon zest holds the sweet surprise of tiny fresh grapes. This cake gets a subtle perfume and moist texture from olive oil.

Poached pears get rich flavor from apple cider, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, and lemon zest. Tangy lemon sorbet makes the perfect companion to these spicy-sweet pears.

This elaborate dessert soup features light-textured sweet potato dumplings and vanilla-poached quince. The base of the soup is apple cider intensified by simmering apples with fresh ginger, peppercorns, mace, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise.