Hands up if you like cookies! Once the weather starts getting cooler, we immediately crave these chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies. They taste like--get this--oatmeal cream pies! The soft cookie is full of pumpkin spices, then drizzled with a powdered sugar icing. These will kick off the fall nostalgia in no time. Said one of our readers, "Made these today!! Delicious!!!" We hear you. (Now we need to make a batch.)

Pantry plus: Add our Pumpkin Pie Spice to your cupboard -- or give it as gifts!

It's not fall until you've made butternut squash risotto! The smell alone of this butternut squash risotto bubbling away is reason to make it. The tender, caramelized roasted squash makes sweet pockets in the creamy Parmesan rice dotted with sage. And that smell of shallots sauteing in butter, with a splash of white wine? DIVINE. It’s a stunner.

These healthy pumpkin muffins are pretty much the best fall use of a muffin wrapper that there is. There’s the tender interior, perfectly moist with pumpkin puree and infused with pumpkin pie spice. Then there’s the streusel topping: oats and glittery turbinado sugar. It makes a satisfying crunch, and every bite is just the right sweet and spice. Even better? Each one is less than 200 calories. 

Next up in our must-try fall recipes: stuffed acorn squash! Because when other than fall do you crave its fleshy, sweet goodness? The creamy squash is roasted until tender, then it’s draped in a toasted pecan rice stuffing that makes your kitchen smell like a fall paradise! You know that scent of onions, celery and leeks cooking in butter? Well, this recipe delivers it in spades. Everyone we’ve served it to becomes a believer…and then immediately asks for the recipe.

Want a different filling? Try Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash or Roasted Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

What's more fall than chili? This classic vegetarian chili recipe is a fan favorite, balancing three beans, green chilis, and a healthy dose of chili powder. It's filled with bulgur wheat to mimic the texture of meat (sub cooked quinoa for gluten free). Top with sour cream or nacho cheese (yep!) and it's true perfection.

Serve with: Easy Vegan Cornbread

Want another chili? Try our Quinoa Vegan Chili or Mango Black Bean Chili.

Get ready to be amazed by the best fall drink recipe! This Fall Sangria recipe pairs sparkling apple cider with red wine, orange and cinnamon. In a word: wow. It's just sweet enough, more like a traditional Spanish sangria. If you'd like, pour it in layers to make the the beautiful two-tones. And don't forget the garnish: a rosemary sprig, orange slice, and cinnamon stick!

Speaking of best of the best fall recipes...this Vegan Pot Pie is next level. The earthy potatoes and onions are slathered in a savory, creamy sauce, along with fried shallots and white beans. And on top, a flaky sage vegan pie crust that you’d never believe has no butter (the secret: coconut oil). Said one reader: "WOW. This is seriously amazing pot pie. I’ve had a couple of vegan pot pies before, but this is my favorite!"

Love butter? Try our Cozy Vegetarian Pot Pie.

Fuzzy blankets, wool sweaters and hot cider can’t hold a candle to this one. Yes, this vegan pumpkin bread is spelled C-O-Z-Y. It’s perfectly moist and pumpkin spiced. Even better, it’s light and fluffy: so you get your pumpkin spice fix without it being overly heavy or rich. It’s a seriously good pumpkin bread that happens to be plant-based, too.

Why not eat everyone's favorite squash as...mac and cheese? Here it’s served in the shell for a beautiful presentation. The spaghetti squash strands are drenched in a creamy Béchamel sauce with Gruyere cheese. What are you waiting for?

Another fan favorite? Try our Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti or Easy Pesto Spaghetti Squash.

This one's a fall recipe people can't stop talking about: these pumpkin baked steel cut oats. These nutrient-dense oats are mixed with pumpkin puree, pecans and spices and baked up in the oven. The result? A healthy version of pumpkin pie. Said reader Jessica, "SOOOO GOOD!!! Oh my wow. This is probably the best oatmeal I’ve ever made. I felt like I was eating pie for breakfast!"

Got an Instant Pot? Try Apple Cinnamon Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats

Please tell us you will not let fall go by without making this easy fall recipe? Yes Pumpkin HUMMUS is where it's at! Combining this ubiquitous fall vegetable with chickpeas into a savory hummus might seem a little odd at first. But it’s surprisingly good! It's creamy and savory, with an undertone of autumnal goodness. 

Serve with: Homemade Pita Chips

After all these cozy, gooey, comfort food-y recipes, here's a fall recipe that's crisp and fresh! This shaved Brussels sprout salad features sprouts in their raw form: which taste a bit like a sweet blend of cabbage and lettuce! Top that with a tangy sweet vinaigrette, tart apples and pomegranate seeds. It's a symphony of good for you flavors that are all fall.

More with Brussels Sprouts? Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans.

Once the temperatures start to cool down, we immediately dust off this one: pumpkin pasta sauce! Pumpkin puree actually makes for a creamy, irresistible pumpkin pasta sauce. Its texture melds seamlessly with Parmesan cheese, and its subtle flavor works just as well with garlic and chili powder as with pumpkin spices. Even better, this fall pasta recipe is quick to whip up: even with the penne, it takes under 30 minutes to make.

Another variation: Baked Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sauce

Is it even fall if you don't make pumpkin pancakes? This healthy spin on a fall breakfast recipe features rolled oats (oat flour) instead of all-purpose flour. This makes these pancakes heartier and more filling than a normal all-purpose flour and sugar pancake. And of course, they're infused with lots of pumpkin pie spice! Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy.

And to round out our fall recipes...soup. Butternut squash soup isn't really about the food: it's about a fall tradition! Every year we make this soup with butternut squash from the market. And why make butternut squash soup when you can make curried butternut squash soup? Yes, the Thai flavors of coconut, ginger and curry are the perfect match to this lightly sweet orange squash. Yep, you've got to try it to believe it with this one!

More flavors: Butternut Squash Lentil Soup or Easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

SCROLL DOWN to the recipe below!