13 Fall Recipes to Beat the Halloween Blues

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Halloween is obviously my favorite holiday. You knew that, right? (If not, take a look around at where you are on the Internet right now...)

But after Halloween, Thanksgiving is WAY up there on my list. I love any reason to sit around a table with my family and enjoy a ton of delicious comfort foods.

Thanksgiving is also a great excuse to enjoy some of those fall flavors I never quite get to before October 31st rolls around…mostly because I consider them best enjoyed in colder weather, and it’s rarely cold (sometimes barely even cool!) before Halloween in Houston.

I think cooking (or baking or mixing!) up a little something delicious is also a great way to beat the Halloween blues that roll around in November. We all need a little comfort food now and again.

Here are 13 fall recipes you can whip up this week to do just that…or serve on Thanksgiving!

 

13 Fall Recipes to Beat the Halloween Blues

 

1. Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

We’ll start with this recipe I’ve been absolutely drooling over since I found it! To this day, one of my favorite things my mom makes for family dinners are her stuffed shells. I love this fall take on one of my favorite foods and can’t wait to try it!

 

2. Savory Pumpkin and Bacon Dip

And as long as we’re being basic with our pumpkin, I’m totally intrigued by this pumpkin and bacon dip I ran across recently. This would be perfect for a Thanksgiving Day appetizer, football games or just rebinging “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” for the 10th time.

 

3. Roasted Balsamic Cranberry Brie Crostini

Cranberry is hands-down my favorite fall flavor. (Like, if cranberry spice lattes were a thing…I’d be ALL over it. But that sounds gross, so let’s never make that actually happen, okay?) And my favorite cheese? Brie. This recipe was MADE for me!

 

4. Ultimate Sweet Potato Casserole

Every year I ask for a sweet potato casserole…even though I’m the only one in the family who eats it. The recipe we use is similar to this one – I love the crunch of the pecan and brown sugar layer with the gooeyness of the roasted marshmallows. It’s esp. great with a bite of stuffing. Mmm…

 

5. Pan Seared Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans

I made this side a few years ago for Thanksgiving, and it was a sleeper hit with my family! Not everyone is as adventurous of an eater (yes, Brussel sprouts are adventurous in our fam…) as me, so I was pleasantly surprised when nearly everyone commented on how much they enjoyed this side. Bonus points: it was ridiculously easy to make.

 

6. Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

The only way you can make pumpkin baked goods better in my world is if you top them with cream cheese frosting, like these bars!

 

8. Caramel Apple Sangria

Not all your fall treats have to be meals or baked goods! I’m growing to love apple cider drinks of all kinds and giving it a try as sangria is no exception.

 

9. Apple Cider Fireball Sangria

And as long as we’re talking drinks…I can personally attest that this sangria is worth making this fall. We whipped up a batch last Thanksgiving, and it was gone in two days.

 

10. Pumpkin Pie Punch

Okay, one more drink recipe. This pumpkin pie punch just takes a few simple ingredients and can easily be made kid-friendly…or super boozy, depending on what kind of fall day you’re having.

 

11. Pumpkin Pizza

Oh yes, we’re going there. Earlier this fall, I saw a restaurant offering pumpkin on a pizza and was intrigued. Since then, I’ve discovered a dark corner of the PSL-loving web full of recipes like this one. Would you give it a try?

 

12. Pumpkin Donuts

This Halloween season I discovered the joy of pumpkin donuts, and I know it’s a recipe I’ll want to try on my own. These baked pumpkin donuts sound pretty easy – and look delicious!

 

13. Cranberry Brownies

This is one of those combos that sounds just strange enough to work. I love the tart fruits paired with chocolate, so these brownies are going on my “to bake” list.

 

 

What is your favorite fall recipe?

I’d love even more – drop a link to your favorites in the comments, and let me know which of the recipes on my list you’d give a try.

 

Happy haunting,

Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween

Miranda is the Houston-based writer, blogger, and Halloween lover behind Spooky Little Halloween, the blog celebrating October 31st all year long. Her favorite Halloween things include pumpkin guts, chocolate bars in her trick-or-treat pail, real haunted houses (including the one she lives in!), and historic cemeteries.

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