Chilly mornings call for something warmer than a bowl of cereal. Fall baking season brings out cinnamon, apple, pumpkin and cranberry flavors that turn breakfast into something worth waking up for.
Whether the plan is a weekend brunch spread or a make-ahead option for busy weekdays, this lineup covers muffins, breads, pastries and bakes built for the season. Work through the list and find a new favorite for the next chilly morning.
17. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
A tangy cream cheese ripple runs straight through the center of this spiced quick bread. Canned pumpkin, warm cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves give it all the cozy flavor of the season. Toasted pumpkin seeds on top add a salty crunch that balances the sweetness. Slice it thick and serve it warm with a hot cup of coffee for an easy weekend breakfast.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin puree.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
- Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Pour half of the batter into a prepared loaf pan (coated with nonstick cooking spray or lined with parchment paper).
- Microwave the cream cheese in 20 second intervals until smooth and looser in consistency. Dot spoonfuls of cream cheese over the batter. Use a knife to swirl the cream cheese through the batter. Top with the remaining batter and swirl again.
- Sprinkle the top of the bread evenly with pepitas. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool completely before turning out of the pan.
16. Apple Butter Cranberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
These muffins get their moisture and warm flavor from a full cup of real apple butter. Sour cream keeps the crumb soft, while a scoop of tart cranberries adds pops of color in every bite. A buttery cinnamon streusel on top gives each muffin a little crunch. A gluten free flour swap works well here if that’s a need in the house.
Apple Butter Cranberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, milk and apple butter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the cranberries. Fill the muffin tin 2/3 of the way with batter.
- Make the streusel: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir with a fork. Sprinkle streusel on top of the muffins before baking. Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool to room temperature before removing from muffin tin.
15. Baked Apple Butter Doughnuts
Baked instead of fried, these doughnuts still deliver plenty of cinnamon sugar flavor. Apple butter takes the place of oil and butter, so there’s real apple flavor packed into every bite without a ton of added fat. A quick dip in cinnamon sugar after baking finishes them off perfectly. No doughnut pan on hand? A muffin tin works just as well.
Baked Apple Butter Doughnuts
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a doughnut or muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk eggs together with apple butter, 1/2 cup sugar, buttermilk and brown sugar in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Batter will be sticky. Fill a doughnut or muffin pan 2/3 of the way with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the cinnamon and 1 cup sugar together. Allow the doughnuts to cool, then dip into the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
14. Apple Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake
A ribbon of cinnamon-spiced apples runs through this moist sour cream cake. The apples are cooked down until soft and syrupy before getting swirled into the batter, so every slice gets that cozy apple pie flavor. A thick, buttery brown sugar crumb sits on top without sinking in. This one bakes in a 9×13 pan, so there’s plenty to go around for a crowd.
Apple Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Bring the apples, 3/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened and apples are very soft, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mixture will thicken as it cools.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Blend in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, blend the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until combined. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the apple mixture onto the cake batter. Using a knife, swirl the apple mixture evenly into the cake batter.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix all of the topping ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the cake layer. Bake 40 minutes.
13. Bakery Style Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
These jumbo muffins taste just like the ones from a coffee shop counter. Pumpkin puree keeps them moist, and big chocolate chunks melt into gooey puddles right on top. A one-to-one gluten free flour blend works beautifully if needed. A quick chocolate drizzle on top makes them look bakery-perfect with barely any extra effort.
Bakery Style Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Gluten Free option)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a jumbo size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or line with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin puree.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chunks.
- Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way with batter. Sprinkle evenly with coarse sugar. Bake 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- To make the chocolate drizzle, combine 1/2 cup of chocolate chunks and the coconut oil in a small bowl. Microwave in 20 second intervals until melted and smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins.
12. Puff Pastry Danish
Store-bought puff pastry makes this danish come together in a fraction of the time of a from-scratch version. A simple cream cheese filling and a swipe of raspberry jam get braided right into the pastry before baking. Once it’s golden brown, a light glaze finishes it off. It’s proof that a bakery-style pastry doesn’t have to mean hours of work.
Puff Pastry Danish
Ingredients
Method
- Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and thaw according to package directions.
- Prepare the cheese filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl with the powdered sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice until creamy. Set aside. (Alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer.)
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to a 10×15 inch rectangle. Gently transfer it to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the top two corners off and discard the dough. Now, cut diagonal slits down both sides of the pastry, leaving the center uncut.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture down the center of the puff pastry. Spread the jam on top of the cheese filling.
- Fold the top of the pastry slightly over the top of the cheese and jam. Now, criss cross the slices of pastry over the filling. Using a pastry brush, coat the pastry dough with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
- To make the glaze, whisk the confectioner's sugar and milk together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled danish.
11. Panera-Style Cranberry Orange Muffins
These jumbo muffins bring the classic bakery combo of cranberry and orange home. Fresh orange juice and zest add bright citrus flavor, while juicy cranberries add tartness in every bite. A sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top bakes up into a sweet, crunchy crust. They freeze well, so a batch can easily stretch across a few busy mornings.
Best Panera-Style Cranberry Orange Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jumbo muffin tin with paper liners or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Zest both oranges. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from an orange. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, orange zest and vanilla.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Fill the muffin tin 3/4 of the way full with batter. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the tops of the muffins.
- Bake 25 minutes until tops are golden brown, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool to room temperature in the muffin tin.
10. Cinnamon Scones with Maple Glaze
A double dose of cinnamon, from cinnamon chips and ground cinnamon, makes these scones stand out. The dough comes together quickly in a food processor, and a stint in the freezer before baking helps the scones hold their shape and stay flaky.
A maple glaze on top ties everything together. This recipe happens to be naturally eggless, which is a nice bonus for anyone working around an egg allergy.
The BEST Cinnamon Scones Recipe with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Method
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, white sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon chips and ground cinnamon together until just combined. Cut the butter into cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Pulse until the pieces of butter are the size of peas. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- Take 2 tbsp. of heavy cream out of the 1 cup and set aside. Pour the remaining cream into the bowl and mix together until a very shaggy dough starts to form. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it comes together. It will be quite dry.
- Form the dough into a large disc that is 1 inch thick. Slice the disc into 8 wedges. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze on the baking sheet for 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the scones from the freezer and brush the scones with the reserved 2 Tbsp. of heavy cream. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake 25-27 minutes, until scones are golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet before glazing.
- To make the glaze, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle onto the scones.
9. Banana Bread French Toast
Slices of banana bread stand in for regular bread in this rich twist on French toast. Each slice gets soaked in a simple egg custard, then cooked low and slow in butter until golden brown on both sides.
Sliced bananas and a drizzle of maple syrup finish it off. Day-old banana bread actually works best here, since slightly dried out slices soak up more custard without falling apart.
Banana Bread French Toast
Ingredients
Method
- Slice the loaf of banana bread into 10-12 slices.
- Beat eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a shallow bowl.
- Soak bread slices in the egg mixture, pressing so that it absorbs as much as possible.
- Melt 1-2 Tbsp. of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Cook the bread in the melted butter until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes per side. Add butter to the pan as necessary.
- Serve French toast warm with maple syrup.
8. Baked Egg White Bites with Spinach and Bacon
These protein-packed bites make meal prep mornings so much easier. Cottage cheese blends right into the egg whites for a creamy texture, while spinach and bacon add flavor and substance. They bake up in a muffin tin, so portioning is effortless. A batch made ahead means breakfast is ready to grab straight from the fridge all week.
Baked Egg White Bites Recipe with Spinach and Bacon
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a food processor or blender, combine egg whites, cottage cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder until well blended.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped spinach, diced red peppers and diced bacon. Pour in the egg mixture and stir together.
- Pour the egg mixture into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake 25 minutes. Allow to cool 15-20 minutes before removing from muffin pan.
7. Cowboy Coffee Cake with Buttermilk
This buttermilk coffee cake is a simple way to start a lazy fall morning. Made almost entirely with brown sugar and tangy buttermilk, it bakes up incredibly moist under a buttery crumb topping. A simple vanilla glaze finishes it off. A 9×13 pan means this one is built to feed a crowd at breakfast or dessert.
Best Ever Cowboy Coffee Cake Recipe with Buttermilk
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at at time, until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
- Make the crumb topping: combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the cake batter. Bake 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
- Make the glaze: whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cooled cake before serving.
6. Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pull-apart biscuit dough gets coated in a homemade pumpkin spice blend before baking in a bundt pan. A brown sugar and butter mixture poured over the top caramelizes as it bakes, and a cream cheese frosting drizzled on afterward makes it feel extra special. Kids can help roll the dough balls and coat them in spice, too. It’s a fun, hands-on breakfast for a lazy fall weekend.
Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a bundt pan thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl. (Alternatively, place the mixture into a large plastic bag and shake vigorously.)
- Cut each biscuit into quarters and roll each piece into a ball. Coat the dough balls in the pumpkin spice and arrange in the prepared bundt pan. (Alternatively, place the biscuit pieces into the plastic food bag, seal and shake gently to coat.)
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Pour melted butter evenly over the biscuit dough.
- Place the bundt pan on the middle rack of the oven with a baking sheet under it on the lower rack to catch any spills. Do not skip this step!
- Bake for 1 hour, until top is golden brown. For best results, cool completely before inverting onto a serving plate.
- Before serving, make the cream cheese frosting: Combine the softened cream cheese and butter together in a small bowl. Whisk in the sugar, milk and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled monkey bread.
5. Monkey Bread Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar
These are individual, muffin-tin sized portions of classic monkey bread. Biscuit dough gets cut into small pieces, rolled into balls and coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture before baking until golden brown. A quick vanilla glaze goes on once they’ve cooled. The single-serving size makes them an easy grab-and-go option for busy mornings.
Easy Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe with Cinnamon Sugar
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a standard size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.
- Cut each biscuit into 6 smaller pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and coat in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place 7-8 biscuit pieces in each muffin cup.
- Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Pour the melted butter mixture over the tops of the muffins evenly, coating each piece of dough as much as possible.
- Bake 25-28 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely before gently removing from the muffin tin.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled monkey bread muffins.
4. Sticky Bun Monkey Bread
Made with canned biscuit dough, this pull-apart bread comes together with barely any effort. Raisins and pecans are layered throughout, and a brown sugar butter mixture gets poured over everything before it bakes in a bundt pan.
Letting it cool before flipping it out of the pan keeps it in one piece. This one is a favorite for cozy weekend mornings when the whole family can pick it apart together.
Sticky Bun Monkey Bread Recipe using Grands Biscuits
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with half of the pecans and half of the raisins.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll biscuit pieces into balls and dip in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place half of the biscuit balls into the bundt pan evenly. Repeat with another layer of raisins, pecans and dough.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and whisk to combine. Pour evenly over the dough. Place a baking sheet on the rack underneath the bundt pan to catch any drips. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool before turning out of the pan.
3. Cranberry Orange Bisconies
Somewhere between a scone and a biscuit, this pastry is a homemade take on a discontinued Costco favorite. Fresh cranberries, halved for bursts of tartness in every bite, and orange zest give it bright, seasonal flavor.
Cold butter is the key to keeping the texture soft and flaky rather than dense. A brush of butter and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar before baking gives these a beautiful golden crust.
Cranberry Orange Bisconie Recipe (Best Mini Scones)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice the fresh cranberries in half. Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Cut 9 Tbsp. of the cold butter into cubes. Work the butter into the dry mixture using a pastry blender, food processor or your hands.
- Pour in the buttermilk, halved cranberries and orange zest. Mix to combine.
- On a floured surface, work the bisconie dough together with your hands until a soft dough forms. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1 inch. Cut 3-inch circles in the dough, using a biscuit cutter or a glass. Reroll the scraps and repeat as necessary.
- Transfer the bisconies to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter in a small bowl that is microwave safe. Brush the bisconies with the melted butter. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
2. Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Frosting
These bakery-style rolls are worth the little bit of extra time they take. A soft, yeasted dough gets rolled up with plenty of cinnamon sugar, then topped with a rich vanilla frosting while still warm.
The dough can even be prepped the night before and refrigerated, so all that’s left the next morning is baking. Cutting them into even pieces helps them all bake at the same rate for a uniformly gooey result.
Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the yeast, 1/2 tsp. of sugar and warm water in a small bowl. Stir and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, 1/3 cup sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs. Stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, and beat until a sticky dough forms.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5-7 minutes, until smooth. Place in a buttered bowl and cover loosely with a damp towel. Turn the oven off. Place the bowl in the warm oven for 45 minutes, until the dough is doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Combine the cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar and melt 1/2 stick of butter.
- Punch the dough down and roll out on a floured surface. Form a rectangle measuring 13×19 inches. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Start rolling from the long end, jellyroll style. Cut into 15 pieces.
- Melt the other 1/2 stick of butter pour into a 9×13 baking dish. Coat well. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place the rolls in the pan, making sure there is a little space between them. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes.
- While the rolls are baking, combine all frosting ingredients except for the water in a small bowl. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Spread frosting over warm rolls.
1. Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Bake
This bake is a simple, make-ahead way to start a weekend morning. Cinnamon raisin bread gets layered with softened cream cheese, then soaked overnight in an eggy custard before baking until set.
A generous drizzle of maple syrup and an extra dusting of cinnamon finish it off. With just seven ingredients and most of the work done the night before, it’s an easy way to start a fall morning.
Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Bake
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon and maple syrup together. Butter the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Spread cream cheese onto each slice of bread. Arrange the slices in a single layer into the baking dish, tearing up the slices to make them fit. Repeat this process to form 2 layers. Pour egg mixture evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and weigh it down with another baking dish or heavy pan. Chill in the refrigerator 1 hour or up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove baking dish from refrigerator and bake for 55-60 minutes, until custard is set. Drizzle with additional maple syrup and sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.
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