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Jun 07, 2023

10 Best Fall Fruits That Are in Season Starting September

It's more than just apples! The orchards are alive with the taste of sweetness!

It's more than just apples!

The orchards are alive with the taste of sweetness! Yes, we're talking about apple season. When the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to change, our minds instantly go to what apple recipes we can add to our baking list. But apples aren't the only fall fruits this time of year. No, there are tons of other seasonal delights worth picking, too. In fact, you can find many of these tasty fruits at farmers' markets and grocery stores as early as September, and they'll stick around until you're ready to make your Thanksgiving dinner menu in November. After that, you might want to check out our list of winter fruits for the chillier season.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a look at the best fall fruits. While some of these fruits make tasty snacks on their own (who can argue with a bowl of fresh grapes?), others would make for delicious baked fall desserts (like Ree Drummond's apple-cranberry galette). And there are some fall fruits on this list that might just surprise you—do you know what a persimmon is?! Read on for our list of the best fall fruits, including suggestions for using them. Now who's up for a pitcher of fall sangria?

Starting as early as late summer, you can head to your local apple-picking farm to get the freshest fruit straight from the trees! Of course, farmers' markets and grocery stores will also be stocked with piles of various types of apples. Some are great for snacking on and others are better for using in apple pie. Depending on where you live, there might be regional varieties as well. Once you get a bushel, use the apples for fresh harvest salads, homemade applesauce, caramel apple cookies, and other tasty apple desserts.

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The jewel of the fall season—pomegranates are filled with sweet, juicy red seeds that are perfect for making pomegranate margaritas! They also add a nice crunch to Ree Drummond's beautiful Brussels sprouts recipe. The best part is—pomegranates are so healthy for you! They’re loaded with antioxidants.

Pears are another fruit that grows on trees. But unlike apples, they'll actually ripen after they're harvested. So if you see pears at the farm stand that are too hard, just take them home and let them sit on the counter for a few days until they soften up. They'll be juicy, sweet, and perfect for trying your favorite pear recipes. Think: pear and blue cheese crostini or pear upside down cake.

Cranberries are at their peak in fall, and they can often be hard to find fresh during other times of the year, so take advantage while you can! Though they are related to blueberries, cranberries are actually harvested in bogs and they tend to have a sweet-tart flavor. You can cook them down into cranberry sauce, of course, but they’re also delicious in holiday stuffing and cranberry-brie bites.

Figs actually have two seasons: The first is in early summer and the second is in early fall. Between August and October, you can find different types of figs for both sweet and savory preparations. Despite having two seasons, they're both pretty short so look for plump, juicy figs when you can! Then, add to fall salads or a big charcuterie board.

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Nope, those aren't tomatoes! Although they do look very similar, persimmons are a lesser-known fruit that are harvested in October and November. They're more orange in color and have a delicate, mildly sweet flavor that's completely unique. You can slice them up to add to a salad or bake them into pies.

There's a reason why the wine harvest happens in fall—it's also when grapes are in season! Later summer to early October, you can find grapes in different varieties. Enjoy them on their own or try roasting grapes for a unique topping to goat cheese crostini. Grapes are also delicious when cut up in Ree's favorite chicken salad.

Another relative to apples and pears, quince is a bright, golden-yellow fruit that's often hard and not eaten raw. They're best in late fall when they can be cooked into homemade jams.

Nothing says fall quite like pumpkin! The winter squash is actually a type of fruit that's grown on vines and filled with seeds. Though some pumpkin are better for carving and using as decoration, there are plenty of varieties that you can eat! Throughout the fall season, you can use pumpkin in traditional recipes like pumpkin pie and there are also savory pumpkin recipes like pumpkin risotto that are fun to try, too.

Nothing beats the taste of a juicy plum! You'll start to see plums pop up in late summer but their season lasts through October. Try plums in fruity cobbler recipes or elegant tarts.

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