19 Incredible Chocolate Desserts To Make During The Fall

Dig into a few of these decadent sweet treats.

By

Mary Shannon Wells

Updated on September 4, 2024

Chocolate-Pecan Chess Pie — Photo: Photographer: James Ransom; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

With kids heading back to school, football season starting, Halloween parties, fall potlucks, and even the Thanksgiving feast–fall is one of the busiest times of the year. It's also a great time for bringing new sweet recipes to the table. These fall desserts starring chocolate are so easy to make, that you'll have plenty of time for every event, game, and gathering. Even though we love a classic pumpkin pie, these new and unexpected recipes will bring new flavorful additions to the table. This roundup of fall chocolate desserts is festive and fun for any party or dinner you might be hosting.

01 of 19

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie — Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

You don't have to choose between chocolate pie and pumpkin pie with this rich dessert that combines both into one slice.

02 of 19

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Southern Living Chocolate Pudding Cake scooped out on plates to serve with ice cream — Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

On a chilly fall night, bake up this deliciously warm and gooey chocolate pudding cake for instant satisfaction. The decadent chocolate sauce puddles at the bottom of the cake, making every spoonful heavenly. Topped with caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is a dessert that won't disappoint.

03 of 19

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies — Greg DuPree

With these swirled brownies, you'll satisfy both pumpkin and chocolate lovers at fall gatherings. In our opinion, they're the perfect duo.

04 of 19

Wilma Tidwell's Chocolate Chip Pie

Southern Living Wilma Tidwell's Chocolate Chip Pie sliced in the pie plate — Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Simply stir together the ingredients then pop this pie into the oven for an even more comforting version of chocolate chip cookies. You can use whatever variety of mixed nuts you prefer.

05 of 19

Pecan Pie Brownies

Pecan Pie Bars — Molly Bolton/Southern Living

Pecan pie filling makes the perfect topping for a base of brownies so you get the flavors of two classic desserts in one dish.

06 of 19

Brownie Pudding

Southern Living Brownie Pudding in bowls to serve with ice cream — Molly Bolton

Gooey brownie pudding has a crisp crust, just like any good pan of homemade brownies, but you'll need a spoon to scoop up this decadent dessert.

07 of 19

Over-The-Moon Chocolate Pie

Over the Moon Chocolate Pie — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Think of this chocolate dessert as a pie version of the classic MoonPie. It starts with a graham cracker crust that's filled with a chocolate filling and then topped off with a layer of marshmallow meringue.

08 of 19

Reese's Cake

Reese's Cake on a silver pedestal — Alison Miksch; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Loren Wood

Put that leftover Halloween candy to use by using it as the topping for this decadent chocolate and peanut butter Bundt cake.

09 of 19

Fudge Pie

Fudge Pie — Iain Bagwell

This heavenly fudge pie will satisfy the chocolate-lovers at your Thanksgiving dinner. Warning: It may take attention away from the pumpkin pie.

10 of 19

Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls Recipe — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

You're just four ingredients away from serving up this snack dessert that's made with 60% cacao dark chocolate. They're also easy to transport and don't require you to use the oven.

11 of 19

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie — Hector Sanchez

How can you make a pecan pie more Southern and delicious? Add bourbon, of course.

12 of 19

Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies — Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee

Chopped pecans and gooey chocolate give these flourless cookies so much flavor that you won't even miss the gluten.

13 of 19

Classic Chocolate Pound Cake

Chocolate Pound Cake — Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar

If your family is full of chocolate lovers, instead of baking up a regular pound cake, opt to whip up this chocolate version during the fall baking season.

14 of 19

Chocolate Babka

Southern Living Chocolate Babka sliced on a plate to serve with coffee — Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Orange zest balances out the richness of the chocolate swirl in this chocolate babka recipe. A sweet syrup is drizzled all over the loaf before serving.

15 of 19

Deep-Dish Skillet Brownies

Deep-Dish Skillet Brownies in a cast iron skillet — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Food Stylist:Ruth Blackburn

This will be a dessert you'll come back to time and time again for its rich, chocolatey flavor and crowd-pleasing abilities. When paired with ice cream, this already-indulgent dessert goes to the next level. With a chewy, gooey interior and crispy crust, these easy skillet brownies are bound to delight.

16 of 19

Caramel Brownies

Caramel Brownies — Stacy Allen, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke, Food Stylist: Jen Riley

Caramel is one of our favorite things about autumn and who could say no to it drizzled on top of homemade brownies? Instead of making caramel from scratch, we take a shortcut by melting down caramel candies.

17 of 19

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies — Molly Bolton

Browned butter adds a warm, caramelized flavor to your traditional chocolate chip cookies. We also add chopped pecans to the mix for added nutty flavor and a little extra crunch.

18 of 19

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Chocolate Lava Cake — Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

In just 35 minutes, you could be devouring one of these chocolate lava cakes. Whether you top it with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, we're sure you'll love how each bite tastes like chocolate heaven.

19 of 19

Chocolate-Pecan Chess Pie

Chocolate-Pecan Chess Pie — James Ransom; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Both chocolate chips and cocoa powder give this custard pie plenty of chocolaty flavor. To help the pie come together even easier, you can use a store-bought crust if desired.

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