Welcome to October, when the leaves are starting to change, the air is turning crisp, and pumpkin-flavored things are everywhere. Well, it's the perfect time to take advantage of the shifting seasons with some festive recipes. Here are 31 delicious things to cook in October — including some spooky-themed Halloween eats.

1. Orange Creamsicle Baked Oatmeal

This baked oatmeal is the type of breakfast you can make at the beginning of the week and enjoy every morning when you're on the go.

Recipe: Orange Creamsicle Baked Oatmeal

2. Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole

Prepare this French toast casserole, and then let the baking dish sit in the fridge overnight. What better thing to wake up to, after all?

Recipe: Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole

3. Fresh Cranberry Muffins

Celebrate cranberry season the best way possible: with this one-bowl recipe, a delicious blend of sweet and tart.

Recipe: Fresh Cranberry Muffins

4. Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls

Mashed sweet potato forms the base of these filling breakfast bowls. Load them up with your favorite toppings like bacon, more veggies, and an egg any way you like it.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls

5. Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Curry

Cool nights call for warm, veggie-packed curry. You can always add your favorite protein to make these bowls even more filling.

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Red Lentil Curry

6. Mushroom Parmesan with Garlicky Breadcrumbs

This vegetarian main dish calls for portobello mushrooms, which are stuffed with marinara, mozzarella cheese, and garlicky breadcrumbs, and baked over cherry tomatoes.

Recipe: Mushroom Parmesan with Garlicky Breadcrumbs

7. Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli

There are few things better than a good sheet pan dinner. This Chinese-inspired recipe is easy and requires minimal clean-up, and it's even quicker than ordering take-out.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli

8. Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey Butter and Pistachios

Savory, sweet, and nutty, this winter squash side dish checks off all the flavor boxes.

Recipe: Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey Butter and Pistachios

9. Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Fish

This fall crispy fish salad calls for one of my favorite time-saving cooking hacks: fish sticks. Of course, you can always swap in breaded chicken cutlets, coconut shrimp, or whatever protein you like best.

Recipe: Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad with Crispy Fish

10. Indian Coconut Butter Cauliflower

Butter chicken gets a vegetarian-friendly twist thanks to cauliflower. Here, the florets are broiled and then simmered in a blend of tomato paste, coconut milk, and spices.

Recipe: Indian Coconut Butter Cauliflower

11. Brussels & Kale Caesar with Cheesy Garlic Croutons

Give your basic Caesar salad a fall facelift thanks to crunchy, shredded Brussels sprouts and kale. Add your favorite protein, some roasted chickpeas, or cashew nuts for some extra oomph.

Recipe: Brussels & Kale Caesar with Cheesy Garlic Croutons

12. Cheesy Cauliflower

This seriously cheesy cauliflower is a side dish the whole family can get behind (and the sneakiest way to make kids beg for their veggies).

Recipe: Cheesy Cauliflower

13. Pumpkin Snack Board

This fun and festive snack board is perfect for your Halloween party. Just load it up with your favorite bites — like pretzels, Cheetos, crackers, and popcorn galore.

Recipe: Pumpkin Snack Board

14. Miso Sesame Glazed Brussels Sprouts

15. Salsa Verde Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers

These poblanos are stuffed with shredded, spiced chicken, tangy salsa verde, and fresh avocado corn salad. It's an easy meal that tastes seriously impressive.

Recipe: Salsa Verde Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers

16. Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Bowls

Between back to school season and the hustle of everyday life, fall can be busy. Make meal time a little bit easier with these make-ahead chicken and sweet potato bowls.

Recipe: Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Bowls

17. Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Oregano

This risotto calls for either arborio or short-grain brown rice. While most risottos require lots of stirring, this no-fuss version starts on the stove and gets finished in the oven.

Recipe: Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Oregano

18. Mummy Hot Dogs

You only need two ingredients for these cute-meets-creepy DIY mummy dogs: hot dogs and a roll of crescent dough.

Recipe: Mummy Hot Dogs

19. Balsamic Fig Chicken Marsala

Between the earthy mushrooms, sweet marsala wine, tangy balsamic vinegar, and fresh figs, this chicken dish is so full of flavor. Serve it over rice, couscous, or your favorite grain to sop up the delicious sauce.

Recipe: Balsamic Fig Chicken Marsala

20. White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese Stuffed Squash

These stuffed acorn squashes are both festive and comforting. Best of all, you don't have to clean any bowls when you're done eating.

Recipe: White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese Stuffed Squash

21. Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Pecans

Fall pasta hits different.

Recipe: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Pecans

22. Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies

These cookies are easy enough to make from scratch, but you can always hack them with your favorite store-bought sugar cookie dough and a jar of Nutella.

Recipe: Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies

23. Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Layers of shortbread crust, spiced apple filling, streusel topping, and salty caramel make this dessert nothing short of irresistible.

Recipe: Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

24. Salted Honey and Pistachio Fig Tarte Tatin

While it may look totally fancy, this impressive dessert is really just an upside-down tart filled with figs, honey, and pistachios. And the icing on the cake (or tart, so to speak) is that it begins with store-bought puff pastry dough.

Recipe: Salted Honey and Pistachio Fig Tarte Tatin

25. Maple Vanilla Baked Pears

Who knew fruit could taste this indulgent?

Recipe: Maple Vanilla Baked Pears

26. Coffee Tahini Date Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Spice up your average chocolate chip cookies with the help of tahini, fresh fall dates, and oatmeal.

Recipe: Coffee Tahini Date Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

27. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ghosts

Well aren't these white chocolate covered strawberry ghosts just spookily adorable?

Recipe: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ghosts

28. Apple Fritter Cake

Is it a donut? Or is it a cake? Turns out, it's one in the same, and it's an ideal use of your fall apple picking haul.

Recipe: Apple Fritter Cake

29. Spiced Chai Old Fashioned

If the idea of chai simple syrup sounds intimidating, keep in mind all you need to make it is water, sugar, and Chai tea bags.

Recipe: Spiced Chai Old Fashioned

30. Apple Cider Prosecco Spritz

Aperol season might have ended with August, but spritz season lives on. Meet this boozy, sparkling apple cider creation.

Recipe: Apple Cider Prosecco Spritz

31. Pumpkin Patch Punch

Need a seasonal punch recipe for your Halloween festivities? Consider this the one.

Recipe: Pumpkin Patch Punch

Margaret Moina

31 October Recipes To Make All Month Long, From French Toast Casserole To Chocolate-Filled Halloween Cookies