25 Ways to Use Your Fall Farmers Market Haul (2024)

Home Seasons Fall

Updated: Feb. 19, 2024

Take advantage of fresh, fall farmers market produce. Get inspired by our recipes that feature apples, pears, pumpkin and more.

1/24

Cinnamon Swirl Apple Pie

Apples and cinnamon go together like peanut butter and jelly. It’s no wonder my kids love this scrumptious cinnamon roll apple pie recipe that uses a shortcut ingredient to make a deliciously fun crust. —Barbara Curran, Lebanon, New Jersey

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2/24

Acorn Squash Slices

Roasted acorn squash slices are a favorite with my family. This recipe has a sweet maple flavor from syrup and an appealing nuttiness from pecans. It's easy, too, because you don't have to peel the squash. —Richard Lamb, Williamsburg, Indiana

3/24

Butterscotch Pears

This grand finale simmers during dinner and impresses as soon as you bring it to the table. Serve as is, or with vanilla ice cream and a slice of pound cake. Leftover pear nectar is heavenly when added to sparkling wine or simply poured over ice. —Theresa Kreyche, Tustin, California

4/24

Turkey-Sweet Potato Soup

A batch of this soup brings the nostalgic flavors and heartwarming feel of the holidays at any time of year. When I have time to slow-cook it, my whole house smells cozy. —Radine Kellogg, Fairview, Illinois

5/24

Pear Harvest Salad

We came up with this delicious salad trying to use up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. We think you'll love it, too! —Nancy Prewitt, Beaverton, Oregon

6/24

Cheese/Grape Appetizers

These small bites are well worth the time they take. Serve them as part of an antipasto platter or as a cheese course alongside your favorite wine. —Eleanor Grofvert, Kalamazoo, Michigan

7/24

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

In my opinion, there’s no contest as to which homemade pumpkin pie is best. No matter how good your canned filling is, it will never match pumpkin pie from scratch. —Christy Harp, Massillon, Ohio

8/24

Parsnip, Pear and Pecan Salad

I didn't try parsnips until I was well into my 40s, but now I can't get enough of them. This salad is so delicious, I defy your kids to turn their noses up at it. —Jodi Taffel, Altadena, California

9/24

Winning Apple Crisp

I live in apple country, and making a delicious apple crisp is one way to use the fruit. This treat doesn’t take a lot of time to assemble. —Gertrude Bartnick, Portage, Wisconsin

10/24

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

I created this dish after my father had triple bypass surgery. He loves comfort food, and I wanted him to be able to enjoy a rich and tasty dish like mac & cheese without all the fat and butter. It's also a smart way to sneak in some veggies for children. —Megan Schwartz, New York, New York

11/24

Apple Pie

I remember coming home sullen one day because we'd lost a softball game. Grandma, in her wisdom, suggested that maybe a slice of hot apple pie would make me feel better. She was right. —Maggie Greene, Granite Falls, Washington

12/24

Sausage-Stuffed Pumpkins

Baking a meal in a pumpkin is such a fun fall idea! To serve the dish, cut the pumpkin into wedges, giving each person both pumpkin and stuffing. —Rebecca Baird, Salt Lake City, Utah

13/24

Apple Butter

I make several batches of this simple and delicious homemade apple butter recipe to freeze in jars. Depending on the sweetness of the apples used, you can adjust the sugar to taste. —Betty Ruenholl, Syracuse, Nebraska

14/24

15/24

Mushroom and Sweet Potato Potpie

The last time I was in the U.S., I had an amazing mushroom and beer potpie at a small brewpub. It was so rich and comforting. I tried numerous versions when I got home and I think I've come pretty close! —Iben Ravn, Copenhagen, Denmark

16/24

Apple Pie Filling

My family is always delighted to see an oven-fresh pie cooling on the counter. What a convenience it is to have jars of homemade freezer apple pie filling on hand so I can treat them to pies year-round. —Laurie Mace, Los Osos, California

17/24

18/24

Ginger Pear Muffins

This wonderful recipe has been in my files for years. The chunks of fresh pear make each bite moist and delicious. —Lorraine Caland, Thunder Bay, Ontario

19/24

Scented Rice in Baked Pumpkin

This easy, delicious and healthy side is a showpiece that always delights. You can use grain, squash, fruits and nuts to suit your taste—it's impossible to go wrong! —Lynn Heisel, Jackson, Missouri

20/24

Apple Pear Cake

When my sister Catherine made her apple cake for me, I knew I needed the recipe. For my version, I added some pears from the trees on our acreage. The resulting apple-pear cake is so moist and tastes so good. Now every time I make it, people want my recipe. —Mary Ann Lees, Centreville, Alabama

21/24

Sweet Potato Cranberry Bake

In October, my husband helps harvest cranberries at a friend's bogs, so I have access to the very freshest ingredients. Their bold autumn flavor pairs up perfectly with sweet potatoes to make a seasonal side dish my family looks forward to. —Jill Doyle, Kingston, Massachusetts

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23/24

Baked Acorn Squash with Blueberry-Walnut Filling

I absolutely love squash—and I've filled it with so many variations of savory stuffing over the years. But my favorite way to stuff it is with an unexpected fruit filling, like this sweet apple-blueberry one. —Bruce Newcomer, Fredericksburg, Virginia

24/24

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

My family and friends love the warm and inviting flavors of the luscious citrus butter, smooth cream cheese, sweet dates, fresh sage and toasted pecans that surround and capture the deliciousness of sweet potato in every bite of this side. —Brenda Watts, Gaffney, South Carolina

Originally Published: August 13, 2019