11 Festive Fall Flavors That Rival Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin spice reigns supreme among the flavors of autumn. When the clock strikes midnight on September 1, all things pumpkin spice appear as if out of thin, crisp air. As the craze reaches unfathomable levels of passion—pumpkin spice lip gloss, pumpkin spice wine, pumpkin spice potato chips, and so on—by mid-September, many of us suffer from pumpkin spice fatigue.

Truth be told, pumpkin spice has no actual pumpkin flavor. Instead, the flavor we associate with pumpkin is actually a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice as used in a pumpkin pie recipe. Each spice is quite special on its own, but together they epitomize the taste of autumn, evoking cravings for chilly nights by a campfire and cozy flannel shirts.

We invite you to explore autumn flavors that don't involve that overexposed squash-related seasoning. Let our fall-infused tastes—just as good as (or dare we say it, better than) pumpkin spice—inspire you to explore a whole new genre of seasonal flavors.

Brown Sugar Spice

Sweet-and-spicy flavor fans can find a lot to love in the combo of molasses-y brown sugar with pungent black pepper or kicked-up cayenne. Use it as a ham glaze for a savory application or, if you like things on the sweet side, try our spiced cookie recipe that uses a hefty bit of black pepper—along with biting spices like cloves and ginger—for a rich treat that's quintessential fall material.

Apple Cinnamon

Never was there a more iconic duo (except perhaps Sonny and Cher) than apple and cinnamon. In the fall—synonymous with peak apple-picking time—you can find a variety of apple-forward recipes, most of which include cinnamon.

While you'd expect to find apple pie and other desserts among those recipes, you might be surprised to find apple-cinnamon-flavored cocktails on it, too. To us, nothing sums up the taste of the season like our fall-flavored donuts.

Chai

If you make your own chai blend, you'll note it has many of those beloved pumpkin spice flavors in it. When deployed in tea with a bit of creamy milk, chai's combination of clove, cinnamon, and cardamom creates a soothing, comforting beverage that hits the coffee-craving spot. You can also mix the spice into a hot toddy cocktail, for a warming seasonal drink to sip on.

But don't think you have to limit chai's warming spices to just beverages. Keep a jar of chai mix on hand to stir into oatmeal, popcorn, yogurt, and more.

Ginger

You may associate gingerbread with winter holidays, but ginger is a wonderful fall spice. Fresh ginger delivers more bite than dried, ground ginger, but both forms infuse dishes with flavorful vigor and zip.

You're no doubt familiar with ginger's role in tea and cookies, like gingersnaps, but it can liven up soup, salads, sides, and savory main dishes, too. Case in point: Grate some fresh ginger to add to the filling of our easy pork dumplings.

Maple

Before there was pumpkin spice (about a hundred years ago, it seems), maple was the epitome of fall food and the backbone of many comforting autumnal favorites. But maple's making a comeback, and you may even find a coffee shop placing maple lattes on the menu alongside their PSLs.

While you'll readily find this sweet tree sap in breakfast dishes, snacks, and desserts, don't discount using maple in cocktails and savory foods, too. Caution: if you use our recipe that drizzles pure maple syrup on roasted vegetables, don't fall off your seat when your kids say, "More vegetables, please."

Pear

Come autumn, eager shutterbugs and cooks flock to apple orchards, but pears typically precede apples in the fall fruit season, with harvests from late August through October. Succulent and sweet, this underrated, versatile fruit is a good source of fiber and vitamin C.

Pear recipes run the gamut from breakfast and brunch dishes to dinner and dessert, and sometimes all of the above, like our gingerbread pancakes served with brown sugar-coated pears.

Browned Butter

Neither a spice nor a fruit, this fall flavor adds deep richness to a host of sweet and savory dishes. When cooked down to burn off excess water, butter's milk solids and butterfat separate, and what remains begins to darken and develop the rich, nutty flavor we know as browned butter.

When it comes to browned butter, a little goes a long way, but don't be shy about using it anywhere you think it might work. You're probably right. One of our favorite uses is in mashed potatoes, but you'll also find it in everything from waffles to grits.

Cranberry

While we often equate cranberry with Thanksgiving and Christmas, cranberry's harvest season—ranging from mid-September through early November—qualifies it as a quintessential fall flavor. Thanks to our freezer, we can buy them fresh in the fall for use year-round.

As far as using cranberry in our fall meal rotation, let's think beyond the sauce! For example, our recipe for no-bake graham cracker squares uses dried cranberries to add zing to a healthful after-school snack.

Caramel

Granted, it's a favorite flavor any time of year, but there's something about fall that makes caramel especially crave-worthy. Perhaps it's because its rich brown color reminds us of fallen leaves, it's a given in every kid's Halloween candy haul, or it pairs so well with other fall fruits like apples, pears, and pumpkins.

Regardless of why we consider caramel a hero among fall flavors, its melding of sugar with cream or butter (or both), a bit of vanilla, and a pinch of salt makes us swoon for caramel-flavored desserts and treats when the air turns crisp. Try our pumpkin caramel pie bars recipe, where caramel joins pumpkin and toasted coconut to create sixteen sweet treats.

Pumpkin

Actual pumpkin—not the spice associated with the gourd—is one of our favorite fall flavors for many reasons, but number one is because of how versatile it is. From our comforting turkey-pumpkin chili to sugary pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin can go from dinner to dessert in a flash. To celebrate the season, whip up some lusciously creamy pumpkin martinis. Keep a can of pumpkin puree on hand to make quick work of the flavor all season long.

Sage

In the fall, sage brings an earthy and slightly minty flavor to many savory dishes, like soups, casseroles, and poultry. You may feel reminiscent of sage's flavor during autumn, thanks to its appearance at Thanksgiving mixed into stuffing.

Keep the herb around all season and add it to everything from appetizers to cocktails for a warming touch. For a hearty addition to your table, try our sausage stuffing with sage, or start any meal off right with our bacon-wrapped apricots, where sage balances out each bite.