The 20 best autumn baking recipes – from hog-roast sausage rolls to plum crumble

Burnt honey cake with apple and ginger by Helen Goh. Food and prop styling: Polly Webb-Wilson. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

It’s official. Autumn. Time of darker, cooler days, warmer ovens and baking. Presenting Nigella Lawson’s rich plum and pecan crumble, Benjamina Ebuehi’s pumpkin spice coffee scones, Helen Goh’s luxurious burnt honey cake with apple and ginger. For something savoury we have Gill Meller’s wild mushroom tart or Liberty Mendez’s hog-roast sausage rolls (the secret is in the apple sauce!). For mellow fruitful flavours, there’s Claire Ptak’s perfect pear eve’s pudding, Nigel Slater’s browned butter, blackberry and hazelnut friands. Turn up the oven, treat yourself. Celebrate with OFM’s 20 best autumn baking recipes.

Sour cream, apple and blackberry tart by Mark Diacono

Sour cream, apple and blackberry tart. Photograph: Mark Diacano/PR

A classic combination

Plum and pecan crumble by Nigella Lawson

Plum and pecan crumble. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Just add custard

Coffee, cinnamon and chocolate cake by Katie Cross

Coffee, cinnamon and chocolate cake. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Rich, indulgent and vegan, too

Browned butter, blackberry and hazelnut friand by Nigel Slater

Browned butter, blackberry and hazelnut friand. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer

Halfway between a pudding and a cake, served warm

Flammkuchen by Jürgen Krauss

Flammkuchen. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Choose either sweet or savoury toppings

Pumpkin-spice coffee scones by Benjamina Ebuehi

Pumpkin spice coffee scones. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Simple bakes that bring the flavour of autumn

Honey-nut corn cake by Amy Newsome

Honey-nut corn cake. Photograph: Kim Lightbody/PR

A peanut-filled pudding served straight from the pan

Guinness soda bread by Kitty Tait and Al Tait

Guinness soda bread. Photograph: Mark Lord/PR

Easy to bake, perfect with soup

Burnt honey cake with apple and ginger by Helen Goh

Burnt honey cake with apple and ginger. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Caramelised honey adds a layer of complexity

Hog roast sausage rolls by Liberty Mendez

Hog roast sausage rolls. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

The ultimate snack

Wild mushroom tart by Gill Meller

Wild mushroom tart. Photograph: Andrew Montgomery/PR

Use either foraged or shop-bought mushrooms

Chocolate, pear, hazelnut and brown sugar cake by Letitia Clark

Chocolate, pear, hazelnut and brown sugar cake. Photograph: Charlotte Bland

A flourless cake with an irresistibly moist, fudgy centre

Pear eve’s pudding by Claire Ptak

Pear eve’s pudding. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

This seasonal dessert brings out the fragrance of its fruit filling

Focaccia with black grapes by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers

Focaccia with black grapes. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Perfect for breakfast, lunch and a quick snack

Chicken, leek and prune pie by Nigel Slater

Chicken, leek and prune pie. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer

Rich, savoury flavours combine in this pastry-topped main course

Autumn vegetable galette by Tarunima Sinha

Autumn vegetable galette. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

Made with ginger and panch phoron-spiced seasonal vegetables

Yorkshire parkin by Regula Ysewijn

Yorkshire parkin. Photograph: Regula Ysewijn/PR

A moist, syrupy cake to serve on bonfire night

Concertina baklava by Melek Erdal

Concertina baklava. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Instead of the traditional layers of filo, try this alternative

Castagnotti – chestnut cookies by Giuseppe Dell’Anno

Castagnotti – chestnut cookies. Photograph: Matt Russell/PR

Wash down these Italian biscuits with a glass of red wine

Fig and walnut pudding by Joe Trivelli

Fig and walnut pudding. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

So easy to make it’s almost cheating