21 Iconic Fall Flavors to Spice Up Our Favorite Season

As the weather gets colder, kitchens around the world heat up, bringing back seasonal favorites perfect for crisp autumn days.

The Tastiest Fall Flavors to Enjoy

The changing season brings colder weather, making us crave heartier meals and richer flavors.

Embrace everything autumn offers, including the 21 best fall flavors to include in your favorite seasonal dishes. 

Pumpkin

‘Tis the season of pumpkins. The quintessential fall crop brings a mild, earthy flavor to soups, stews, and pies. It’s also heartier than most vegetables yet creamy enough to add a savory sensation to autumn dishes. 

Pumpkin Spice

Although it has “pumpkin” in its name, our favorite autumn coffee flavor is really a special blend of spices used in many pumpkin recipes.

Nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, clove, and ginger work together to create a magical seasonal treat.

Sage

Sage’s deep, woodsy flavor profile reminds us of cozy nights in a log cabin, listening to the wind howl as the season’s first snow lightly descends from the clouds.

You will find sage in the season’s best dishes, like stuffing and roasts.

Thyme

Thyme and sage go together like peanut butter and jelly, creating one of fall’s most iconic yet subtle flavor combinations.

Thyme has a slightly lemony note that balances sage’s robust, peppery tones to create a delightful harmony.

Turkey

The smell of the roasting turkey fills the air on Thanksgiving Day, lingering on our taste buds and making our mouths water in anticipation.

Although we typically only associate turkey with Thanksgiving, the holiday is such a vital part of fall that we must include it as an essential seasonal flavor.

Apple

The sweet fruit has a mild earthy undertone, making it the perfect choice for pies and ciders in the colder seasons. 

The fruit itself is crisp and sweet yet robust enough to offer much-needed calories in the fall and winter.

Caramel

Caramel’s richness balances its sweetness for a delectable fall flavor used in sweets. It pairs well with apples to make candied apples, a seasonal favorite, or salt to give your tastebuds a 180 between salty and sweet with salted caramel.

Pear

Pear is one of the most underrated fall flavors, so we should all celebrate it more during the fall season.

Though not as popular as their famous cousin, the apple, pears abound in autumn treats. Pears work well in deserts like pear crisp, and their delicate sweetness also perfectly complements savory dishes like roasted chicken.

Chai

Trade in your iced teas for a spicy chai when cooler weather arrives. The robust spiciness of the chai, paired with the richness of a traditional black tea, will help warm your heart on cold autumn days.

Butterscotch

The slightly toasted richness and smooth buttery texture make butterscotch a delightful option for fall candy jars. Butterscotch is too rich for spring and summer, which require lighter flavors, but it really shines when the days grow short and cold.

Maple

Rich and earthy, maple provides the perfect balance of sweetness to dishes like glazed ham. The slight woodsy taste reminds us of maple forests getting ready to shed their brightly colored leaves for their long winter’s nap.

Brown Butter

Butter is perfect all year, but fall is ideal for enhancing its nuttiness by browning it in a saucepan. Browning butter enriches its flavor profile, letting it shine in fall desserts.

Browned butter enriches everything from cookies to sauces to oatmeal. 

Cinnamon

Fall needs a bit of spice! Though cinnamon isn’t a renowned fall flavor, it’s the subtle backdrop in many of our favorite fall treats.

Cinnamon appears in pumpkin spice, apple pies, chai tea, and more, adding a hint of spicy sweetness to fall favorites.

Vanilla

Smooth and comforting for cooler nights, yet delicate and balanced enough to enjoy in the early days as summer eases into fall.

The slightly floral, slightly woodsy taste makes it the ideal flavor for the seasonal transition.

Cranberry

Cranberries’ tartness balances out their sweetness, making them an excellent fruit for colder weather. Although fresh cranberries might be better for spring, cooking the fruit enriches the sweetness, creating a delicate balance of tangy and sweet for fall favorites. 

Cranberry also shines in the fall because it makes delicious sauces and jams, which are easy to store during the harsh winter months. 

Brown Sugar

In the fall, we crave deeper flavor profiles. Plain white sugar is too light and fluffy, so we need a more robust sweet to satisfy our desires.

Enter brown sugar, the delectable mix of sugar with molasses, to give it a richer, deeper taste that pairs well with the season.

Squash

Winter squashes like butternut, spaghetti, and acorn provide an earthy, nutty tone to your favorite fall soups and stews. This hearty vegetable family tastes like stepping into your heated home on a brisk autumn day.

Pecan

Nutty and sweet, woodsy yet light, pecans are the perfect nut for the season. As we harvest them from the trees in late September, they appear in our favorite pies just in time for Thanksgiving.

Pecans are rich yet smooth, allowing them to enhance anything from salads to roasts.

Rosemary

Rosemary is piney, woodsy, earthy, and minty, making it perfect for the transition from fall to winter. Sprinkle it on roasts or bake it with potatoes to add a little winter zest to your favorite fall dishes.

Bourbon

Bourbon’s complex flavor profile offers a delightful taste sensation for the autumn months. This fall flavor is sweet yet smokey, with a slight fruity note that keeps your tongue guessing.

The warm spice notes of nutmeg and clove, mixed with the subtle oak flavor of the barrels, create a perfect glaze for meats and vegetables.

Savory

If we had to sum up fall in one flavor, we’d have to call it savory. It’s time to dust off the crock pot and create hearty stews, seasonal soups, and decadent desserts.

Our bodies crave robust, savory flavors, which keep us warm on colder days and make us nostalgic for the hearth of old. 

Relish a Mouthwatering Fall

Lean into fall’s best flavors to create wonderful memories while embracing the traditions of our ancestors. Recreate your favorite childhood dishes for your own kids. Make your home smell like autumn.

Adopting the quintessential fall flavors will help your family enjoy the tastiest seasonal offerings while injecting a hint of nostalgia into your celebrations.

Enjoy everything about autumn, from its tastes to its scents to the beauty inherent at the end of life’s cycle, and prepare for a cozy winter ahead.