Must-Have Ingredients for Fall Cooking

Cinnamon

• Why you need it: This delicious fall spice seems to be ubiquitous in recipes this time of year; and for good reason. It’s warming, delicious, and even known to help regulate blood sugar.
• Where we use it: You’ll find cinnamon all over our delicious baked goods, but one of our favorite places it comes to life is in our Spiced Linzer Cookies with Plum and Fig Preserves, perfect whether you’re enjoying them as an afternoon snack or bringing them as a memorable post-Thanksgiving dinner treat.

Canned Pumpkin

• Why you need it: Yes, you could take an entire pumpkin, roast and puree it yourself (and we often do!), but if you’re short on time, canned, 100% pumpkin puree will do wonders–it’s smooth, delicious, and nutrient-dense.
• Where we use it: Our Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cheesecake, of course! It leverages not only a can of pumpkin puree, but also all of fall’s finest spices, from the aforementioned cinnamon to ginger, nutmeg and cardamom–for a warming and flavorful seasonal fix.

Nutmeg

• Why you need it: If you’ve ever walked into a room and remarked that it “smells like Christmas,” then you’ve probably encountered nutmeg. It’s warm and sweet, with a bit of a festive kick–and it’s the secret spice ingredient that takes countless recipes from good to spectacular.
• Where we use it: Our Autumn Spiced Blondies are so good, we promise you won’t be able to have just one (we’ve heard people say they’ve had five in a single sitting–yes, actually). Nutmeg is the star of the show in these decadent, white chocolate packed blondies. Once you taste them, you’ll never go without it in your pantry again.

Hazelnuts

• Why you need it: We love the creamy, full flavor of hazelnuts, and they’re perfect for packing into cookies at this time of year. Pro tip: save the extra for a delicious, nutritious snack on-the-go.
• Where we use it: Our Hazelnut and Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies blend up what we’d consider to be the absolute best of the season’s fruits and nuts. Clementines, in cookies? Yes, you read that right–and yes, it’s delicious.

Pecan

• Why you need it: Pecans aren’t just for Thanksgiving pies (but we do love those)! They’re a great source of healthy fats and skin-supporting vitamins and minerals.
• Where we use it: Paired with pepitas (a type of pumpkin seed) and coconuts in our delicious Pecan, Pepita, and Coconut Clusters, they’re the ideal midday treat, healthy indulgence, or dessert to bring to a cozy fall dinner party and pair with red wine.

Apple Cider

• Why you need it: Can you believe we’ve gotten this far in our fall ingredients list without referencing apple cider? Don’t worry, we’d never go a fall season without it–and you shouldn’t either.
• Where we use it: Our Spiced, Mulled Cider is the ultimate autumnal treat. Simmer it on the stove before you have guests over, so they walk into a delicious-smelling home.

Apple

• Why you need it: If there’s an emblem associated with back-to-school season, it’s a crisp apple. You’re probably already stocked up–but even if that’s the case, consider this your sign to get more, because we’ve got tons of recipes that make the most of the fall fruit (and more coming your way soon).
• Where we use it: There are plenty of apple recipes on our site to choose from, and we could never pick a favorite, but our Apple Pie Crumb Bars are worth highlighting as the perfect fall treat.

Pear

• Why you need it: While you can enjoy pears year round, they’re at their finest from August to October–so act now if you want to make the most of our pear-centric treats. They’re high-fiber, heart-healthy, and completely delicious.
• Where we use it: Our Winter Squash and Pear Salad is the perfect addition to your fall or winter meal rotation, offering a blend of hearty, fresh flavors to elevate any occasion. With roasted sweet dumpling or acorn squash, the salad balances warmth and earthiness with the crisp sweetness of ripe Bartlett pears. Topped with toasted walnuts for crunch and Pecorino Bianco for a sharp, savory touch, it’s as delightful for a holiday spread as it is for a weeknight dinner.

Endive

• Why you need it: The bracing but pleasant bitterness of endive peaks during late fall–and we’re all for making the most of that. Endives are antioxidant-rich, with tons of purported health benefits. We can’t get enough of their beautiful, bitter crunch.
• Where we use it: As the cooler weather rolls in, endives take center stage on our Grand Aioli platter, adding a refreshing crunch to balance the heartier seasonal veggies like fennel and sugar snap peas. Their versatility makes them an ideal choice for any autumn gathering, offering a fresh contrast to the comforting, rich flavors of fall.

Fennel

• Why you need it: If there’s one thing we find ourselves making consistently at this time of year: it’s soups and stews. The perfect counterpoint to the freshly-arrived cold front, we love throwing all of the healthy vegetables we can into a stock pot and letting them simmer into something delicious. And if there’s one thing that takes a soup above 10/10: it’s fennel. Great for digestion, with a unique flavor–we always make sure to have some on hand.
• Where we use it: Our Lemony Fennel, Leek, and Cannellini Bean Stew is brimming with health-supporting ingredients, easy to veganize, and ideal to batch and freeze for cold winter days.

Turkey

• Why you need it: We’ll declare it: turkey is the protein of choice come fall. And yes, there are countless ways to prepare it, but there’s one that most of you will probably need above all else.
• Where we use it: You guessed it: Dry-Brined Turkey. Don’t like Thanksgiving turkey? Try this: we promise you’ll change your mind.