It is the perfect time for baking some fall-inspired sweet treats. These three dessert recipes are sure to help you embrace the fall weather and get ready for the holiday season.

Apple Blondies with Caramel

Start to Finish: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Cinnamon Apple ingredients

2 medium apples

1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Blondie ingredients 

⅞ cup vegan butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Chop the apples and peel if desired. Add the apples, ground cinnamon and sugar to a bowl. Shake until the apples are evenly coated.

Preheat the oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit, grease an 11×7-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Cover the edges of the pan with the parchment paper to make for easier removal after baking.

Melt the butter over medium heat on a skillet and then set aside. 

In a large-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional) and sugar. Add in the melted butter, applesauce, vanilla extract and mix until combined before adding in the apples. 

Spread the mixture in an even layer in the pan and bake for 35 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow for the blondies to cool before cutting or consuming.

Optional toppings include walnuts and caramel sauce (I use the plant-based Organic Caramel Flavored Syrup from Pyure)

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Start to Finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 14

Cupcake ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup vegan cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup canned coconut milk shaken

½ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting ingredients

6 tablespoons vegan butter

8 ounces vegan cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 to 4 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Either line or grease muffin tins with spots for 14 to 16 cupcakes. 

In a large-sized bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. 

In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Fill each liner around ⅔ full with the cupcake batter. Bake the cupcakes for 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow these to cool and get started on the frosting.

For the vegan cream cheese frosting, combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract. The recipe says to use a mixer, but if you do not have one, mixing with a whisk works just as well. Once those ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add in the confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time. When the frosting ingredients are all combined, frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy.

Vegan Blueberry Banana Coffee Cake Bars

Start to Finish: 55 minutes

Servings: 12

Coffee Cake Batter ingredients

2 medium-sized bananas

1 ¼ cups almond milk

⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 scoops of plant-based vanilla protein powder

⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup fresh blueberries

Crumble Topping ingredients

6 tablespoons melted vegan butter

¾ cup coconut sugar

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

In a large-sized bowl, mash both of the bananas and then add in the almond milk, oil and vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add in the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, vanilla protein powder and salt until combined. 

Add the blueberries into the mix, grease a 13×9-inch pan and add the batter.

For the crumble topping, combine the melted vegan butter, coconut sugar, all-purpose flour and ground cinnamon. Add the crumble on top of the batter in an even layer.

Bake for 45 minutes and let cool before enjoying.