Transitioning from summer pies with strawberries and blackberries to pies with pumpkin, apples and cinnamon is as essential to fall as the changing of the leaves. Whether it’s curling up on the couch on a cool, autumn evening with a slice chocolate chess pie topped with ice cream, or sharing pumpkin pie with your family at Thanksgiving, pies are a fall dessert staple. Whether you’re looking for strictly the best pumpkin dessert recipes, or you’re more of an apple dessert type of person, our best fall pie recipes have you covered.
My mom, Ellendean, would occasionally surprise me with this creamy chocolate pie when I came home from school, then watch as I devoured a quarter of it while watching “M*A*S*H” reruns. —Keith PandolfiGet the recipe for Chocolate Pudding Pie »
Rosemary adds a subtle, herbal undertone to a gooey caramel sauce that gets stirred into tart apples in this sophisticated yet all-American dessert. Get the recipe for Rosemary-Caramel Apple Pie »
Browned butter accentuates the flavor of earthy walnuts and a sour cream topping offsets the richness of the filling for a balanced, delectable dessert.
Maple syrup is folded into the filling of this take on a classic. Just before serving, the chilled pie is brûléed, yielding a caramelized top with a dramatic crunch. Get the recipe for Maple Pumpkin Brûlée Pie »
Candied pecans are folded into vanilla ice cream, which is spread into a pecan-enriched pie crust in this creamy riff on pecan pie. Get the recipe for Pecan Pie Ice Cream Pie »
The silky, custardlike base of this autumnal pie is made from sweetened navy bean purée spiced with nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon. Get the recipe for Navy Bean Pie »
Classic apple pie gets an upgrade at Las Vegas’ Bouchon Bakery, where pastry chef Scott Wheatfill tops a flaky sweet crust with housemade apple butter and almond cream. The result is a delicate, refined tart with a creamy interior and a concentrated spicy flavor. Get the recipe for Bouchon’s Apple Pie »
A pie filled with fresh pears, drizzled with cream, and sprinkled with sugar and flour makes an incredibly simple, elegant dessert. Get the recipe for Nelson Pear Pie »
The toffee-like interior and beautiful bronze top layer of halved pecans won Rubyane Surritte first place in the pie contest at Oklahoma’s Drummond Ranch. Get the recipe for Blue Ribbon Pecan Pie »
This autumnal dessert is a lighter and more refined version of plain old pumpkin pie, thanks to egg whites folded into the filling. Get the recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie »
The original recipe for this pie, adapted from Princess Pamela’s Soul Food Cookbook, was a mere few lines—devoid of even a dough recipe and intended for laid-back, confident bakers. Using fresh grated coconut is essential: It creates the ideal texture and keeps the sugary filling from skewing too sweet. Use the fine side of a box grater, or place small pieces of fresh coconut in a food processor. Get the recipe for Brown Coconut Pie »
Shoofly pie—a molasses-filled, crumb-topped concoction from Pennsylvania Dutch country—was supposedly given its name because its shiny, sweet, and aromatic filling attracted flies that needed to be politely asked to leave. The pie, which is sprinkled with buttery crumbs that sink into the molasses and give it a cakelike consistency when baked, is classically served one of two ways: “wet bottom” (cakelike up top and still fudgy below) or “dry bottom” (cakelike throughout). To us, it was a no-brainer to stop baking when the bottommost layer remained gooey and custard-like. Get the recipe for Molasses Pie »
Kabocha, Japanese pumpkin, makes a lighter pie with a vivid orange color. This pie trades in usual expected flavors for a slightly spicy dose of ginger and black pepper. Get the recipe for Sweet and Spicy Kabocha Pie »
