Healthy Fall Baking & Dessert Recipes

Find healthy, delicious baking and dessert recipes for the Fall, including cookies, apple cakes, pumpkin and apple pies. Healthier recipes from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Most Popular

Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Rating: 4.5 stars 10
This recipe takes oatmeal cookies up a notch with its cinnamony, buttery, delicious take on a much-loved classic dessert.
By Carolyn Casner

Diabetic Carrot Cake

Rating: 4 stars 6
With this luscious take on an all-time favorite, you can fit this low-sugar cake into a diabetic meal plan with style.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

Rating: 4 stars 13
The deep flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg make these wholesome pumpkin cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour. They are also the perfect texture for a sandwich cookie--fill them with a slightly sweetened cream cheese frosting.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

No-Sugar-Added Oatmeal Cookies

Rating: 3 stars 6
Classic oatmeal cookies without all the sugar, these better-for-you gluten-free treats get their sweetness from ripe bananas and chopped dates.
By Carolyn Casner

No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Rating: 4.5 stars 6
Soft, chewy and no added sugar! Sweeten these classic oatmeal cookies with ripe bananas and raisins or dates. Plus, a touch of nut butter adds lots of flavor and holds the cookies together while keeping them vegan and gluten-free.
By Carolyn Casner

Apple Crumble with Oats

Rating: 5 stars 1
Leaving the skins on the apples provides fiber and vitamins, so this diabetic-friendly dessert is not only good tasting but also good for you.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Gingerbread Tea Cake

Rating: 5 stars 4
This low-calorie cake gets its festive flavor from molasses, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves. Serve it for dessert at the holidays.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Rating: 5 stars 10
While pumpkin pie deserves respect as a Thanksgiving icon, it's fun to shake up tradition. Surprise your family and friends with a frozen pie this year--it just might become one of their holiday favorites. No need to let them know how easy it is.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies

Rating: 5 stars 4
Indulge your PSL obsession with these pumpkin spice cookies. Instant espresso powder gives these soft, cakey cookies a subtle yet recognizable coffee flavor. Spread with cream cheese frosting (with more pumpkin pie spice flavors) and sprinkle with cinnamon to finish. And, go ahead, drink a pumpkin spice latte while you eat them for the full PSL experience. After all, it's only fall for so long (though we'd eat these cookies year-round). To make these cookies kid-friendly, simply omit the espresso powder.
By Adam Dolge

Soft Sugar Cookies

Rating: 5 stars 1
These easy and classic cookies incorporate mild-tasting white whole-wheat flour for extra fiber and nutrients.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Rating: 4.5 stars 10
We gave no-bake cookies a healthy makeover, bumping up the peanut butter and cutting back on added sugar and butter. The result is a chewy, peanut buttery, oat-packed delicious cookie. It's easy to whip up a batch of these—only a few simple ingredients are needed to make these chewy peanut butter cookies and there's no baking required.
By Carolyn Casner

Custard Pecan Pie

While every bit as delish as the classic pie, this one has less sugar. Cane syrup, a toasty alternative to corn syrup or molasses, sweetens the pie along with brown sugar. Because the filling for the pie is wet, we brush the crust with egg white and par-bake it to create a barrier to prevent sogginess.
By Virginia Willis
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Inspiration and Ideas

Our 20 Most Popular Recipes Right Now
These highly-rated dishes are receiving praise for a reason. Healthy and tasty, our current top recipes range from hearty casseroles to sweet breakfast oatmeal cakes, so you're sure to find a dish that will satisfy.
Our 21 Best New Recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner
From warm and delicious desserts to sides that will pair perfectly with the turkey, these dishes are begging for a spot on your Thanksgiving table.
Sweet Potato Pie with Cream Cheese Swirl
Rating: 4.5 stars 4

This creamy sweet potato pie recipe is seasoned like a pumpkin pie with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg and gets nice ginger flavor from the gingersnap crust. For the best results, roast sweet potatoes in the oven; in a pinch, microwave them instead.