18 Underrated Fall Flavors We Might Like Better Than 'Pumpkin Spice'

Hot take: When pumpkin spice season rolls around, we say ... enough already! (Just kidding, pumpkin spice, we could never quit you!) Well, maybe, at least, it's gotten a tad out of hand. There was a time when we thought of other things when the air turned crisp. Back-to-school shopping, sweaters and a return to socks, the first crackling fires and cool-weather walks that bring the pink to your cheeks. And with those things comes a whole wealth of flavors that taste just right, that have been waiting in the wings for everyone to get a little sick of pumpkin spice. Brown butter and its cousin, butterscotch? Cinnamony horchata? Pear, apple, molasses and maple? Maybe we'll get lucky and our favorite season will last a long, temperate time, just enough time for us to obsess over a new flavor love, or several, because they're all so good.

Maybe start with a breakfast treat — besides pancakes — that puts maple in the spotlight. These scones use a nip of maple extract, and the glaze is also rich and mapley, just sweet enough. Some chopped pecans give an added dimension and crunch.

What could be better than rice pudding? A rice pudding inspired by horchata! Horchata is the name given to a cinnamony rice milk in Mexico (or similar one made from nuts in Spain). So it's only fitting to fashion a rice pudding that plays up those mellow but cinnamon-forward notes. We'll never turn down sipping a real horchata, but this warm, spoonable version refits its appeal for fall.

Is it cheating to go for sweet potato baked goods? We say no. They may use spices in common with pumpkin, but for some reason they're a much less frequent flier in desserts, and that's a shame. These rooty cupcakes get fluffy caps of cinnamon frosting and it's a match made in heaven.

These blondies are fall on a plate. They bear chunks of apple, soft and yielding, along with warming spices and toasted pecans. They'll have you asking, brownie who?

And brown sugar should be the official sugar of the fall season! You'll often find a bit of brown sugar in oatmeal cookies, but these go all-brown for unsurpassed softness and the subtle butterscotchiness that occurs when butter meets brown sugar. And since these cookies bear no uncontroversial raisins, they will find a wide audience.

Butterscotch pie is a classic that receded in popularity due to the rise of other flavors, but has been staging a much-deserved comeback. It has the creaminess of a pumpkin or chess pie, and a real butter-brown sugar flavor. An unsweetened whipped cream topping finishes it, but topping it with toasted meringue is a gorgeous and unexpected alternative.

If there's an also-ran that should truly be salty (har) about all of pumpkin spice's attention, it might be maple. Sure, technically maple is a product of spring, but there's something about that woodsy, brown amber that truly would be crowned fall prom queen if not for the popularity of pumpkin spice. We love it glazing walnuts, another product of the trees that does get harvested right around now.

How do you make an apple pie more fall-ish? Pair it with brown butter! Butter, cooked until the milk solids brown and gain a hazelnut aroma, makes a good partner to so many things. This tart brings the two flavors together in a lovely, rustic way. It begs to be displayed on the counter underneath a glass bell on the counter until it's gone, which will be soon.

Molasses plus ginger are a power couple, and this cookie is a classic that sometimes gets short shrift. But those spices and the slight heat that comes from the ginger go so well with a cup of hot cocoa on the side. Or a snifter of brandy.

We could hardly imagine a more fitting tribute to the fall season, as the madeleine, that is-it-a-cookie, is-it-a-cake of literary fame. That's due to its incredible texture, so crisp on the outside and tender inside, that fades within hours (some would say minutes) after baking. But this is not a drawback; it's the very beauty of the thing, and the best excuse we ever had for joining with a loved one and polishing off most of the batch in one sitting. These have an unusal butter-forward profile, since they're made with nutty brown butter.

Maybe we're cheating to lean on another coffee-shop favorite rather than the latte version of pumpkin spice. But it turns out, the spices that infuse into chai tea are absolutely perfect in a crumb-topped coffee cake. And a slice goes very well with coffee, tea, or whatever you're into.

Rosemary gets a real uptick in useage at this time of year, but rarely gets to show its sweet side. But it lends an herbal astringency to buttery shortbread in a way that really works. And it goes with chocolate chips, giving another unexpected twist to these irresistible cookies.

Maple, bourbon, sweet potato — a trifecta of rich autumn flavors. This pie uses a pastry pie crust, but ground graham crackers or gingersnaps would also be lovely here. The bourbon is a subtle inclusion that functions like an extract, but leaves behind notes of butterscotch.

Haven't heard of ube yet? That means that either you're not Filipino, don't spend much time on social media, or both. This flavor is native to the Philippines, a yam with a vanilla-y, nutty flavor and purple hue that infuses any dessert with unicorn aura (a fact that has been taking the apps by storm of late). They are a natural in crinkle cookies, which play up their varied shades and taste very delicious.

Ree Drummond takes breakfast and leans into it as dessert. Pancakes were truly born to be cakes, so this one takes pancake batter and bakes it like a cake. A mapley glaze and whipped cream bring it squarely into dessert territory; but a drizzle of butter reminds you of its pancake roots.

Molasses cake is traditional around the winter holidays, but Ina brings some unexpected elements. A fluffy whipped cream topping brings in a little tang with creme fraiche. Fresh lemon peel and crystallized ginger on top bring bitterness, heat and chew.

One bite of these bars and you'll wonder why butterscotch and peanut butter don't combine in more things. These have a gorgeous texture, a little chew from some oatmeal, and some gooey bits from butterscotch chips. They're topped off with a peanut butter glaze. Go ahead and let that sink in — or do so while preheating the oven.