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I have to admit, it feels a little weird writing a post about fall entertaining when Ontario feels downright wintry today! I honestly can’t remember the last time we’ve had snow this early. From shivering through our coldest May in over 50 years to sweating through that early October heat wave, Mother Nature is really keeping us on our toes this year!

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you probably know that one of my favourite things to do is entertain. Whether it’s a casual weeknight dinner with friends or a party for 100, Tania and I both love opening up our home to family and friends and enjoying a great meal, good wine, and even better conversation. I especially love any gathering centered around a particular season, holiday or theme – I’ll take any excuse to break out the seasonal decor, set a themed table, or bake a pretty holiday dessert. Growing up, when other kids were reading comic books, I was flipping through my mom’s Martha Stewart Living magazines – and years later, not much has changed!

I love to go all out when hosting – I’m definitely a “more is more” kind of person – but sometimes, life gets busy or you’re hosting a big group, and you just don’t have the time to fuss with complicated menus or extravagant decor. But at the same time, you still want to create a memorable experience for your guests. A couple of weeks ago, our friends got married (congratulations Jophet and Criselle!) at the beautiful Cathedral Basilica in Hamilton, followed by a reception at Rockway Vineyards in St. Catharines. Tania has a group of friends that she’s been close with ever since high school, and over the years, it’s expanded into one big group that includes everyone’s significant others (and more recently, some adorable littles!)

There were a few hours between the ceremony and reception, and because our home in Burlington is closest to both venues, we invited everyone over in between for a casual lunch. We wanted to do something fun and fall-themed, but since there was a lot going on that day, we needed easy-prep, make-ahead, grab-and-go food. So we set up our dining table as a buffet, with a simple but delicious selection of sweet and savoury snacks.

In This Post

• Fall Buffet Menu
• Fall Table Decor
• Charcuterie Board Tips & Tricks
• Pumpkin Whipped Feta Dip
• My “Fancy” Butter Hack
• Pumpkin Pie Tarts
• Apple Cider Donut Cake
• Other Favourite Fall Dessert Recipes (Chocolate Pecan Pie, Fudge Pie, Cinnamon Sugar Apple Butter Pie & Caramel Pecan Cheesecake)
• Make-Ahead Tips

On the menu:

• Charcuterie with various cheeses, cured meats, crackers, grapes, nuts, honey, jam and apple butter
• Veggie tray with pumpkin whipped feta dip (and pita slices for dipping)
• Ciabatta buns and butter
• Apple cider donut cake
• Mini pumpkin pie tarts

Fall table decor is simple: all you really need is gourds or mini pumpkins! I got some from our local greenhouse, Terra, for $1 each. You can stick to a specific colour scheme – I think white pumpkins are so elegant – but I also love choosing a mix of different colours and patterns.

And unlike flowers, gourds have impressive longevity – mine are still going strong weeks later! Here, I’ve styled them with some tree bark votive holders from Sandhill Nursery.

A cute sign or art print is an easy way to add some personality to your table – all you need is a printer and a frame from the dollar store. You can find tons of free designs on Canva.

A bar cart, if you have one, is a fun piece to dress up with seasonal decor. And if you don’t have one, but have the room for it, I highly recommend investing in one! Thrift stores, antique markets and even Facebook Marketplace usually have secondhand bar carts for affordable prices. Ours is a hand-me-down from Tania’s brother and sister-in-law, and it’s one of my favourite things to decorate for different seasons and holidays.

Dried flowers are one of my favourite seasonal decorations because they can be reused year after year. I also love this little letterboard – we always have fun changing up the messages.

Here are some of our other fall decorations:

When it comes to foods for easy but elegant entertaining, charcuterie boards are at the top of my list. I’m the first to admit, I’m a pretty decent baker… but I’m not the best cook. But even the world’s worst cook can make a gorgeous and tasty charcuterie board! They’re so easy and fun to put together. My essentials for a great charcuterie board include:

• Cheese: I like to include a mix of different flavours and textures. Usually I’ll do a couple of soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Boursin), hard cheeses cut into cubes (cheddar and Gouda are always crowd pleasers) and thinly sliced cheeses like Swiss, Havarti, or Monterey Jack. I love blue cheese but not everyone does, so I don’t always include it.
• Cured meats and cold cuts, like prosciutto and salami. Making salami roses is an easy way to add a little flair to your charcuterie board. Simply layer salami slices around the rim of a wine glass, overlapping them as you go, until the glass is full – then flip over and reveal your rose!
• Crackers, breadsticks, pretzels, crostini or sliced baguette. I like the PC Brand party pack of assorted crackers, which has a little bit of everything. Also, their garlic and rosemary crackers are some of my favourites!
• Fresh fruit: grapes, berries, figs, sliced apple or pear…
• Spreads: honey, red pepper jelly, olive tapenade, fruit preserves, apple butter (perfect for fall!)
• “Extras”: olives, nuts, cornichons, dried fruit, chocolate squares…
• Literally anything else you want! I’ve even done candy charcuterie for Valentine’s Day. There are no rules!

And while there are no rules… here are my best tips for making a beautiful and delicious charcuterie board:

• Don’t be afraid to fill the board! I try to leave as little blank space as possible. Charcuterie boards look best when they’re absolutely overflowing.
• Include lots of different colours. We eat with our eyes, and a multi-coloured charcuterie board is far more appealing than one composed of yellow cheese and beige crackers. Whether it’s green olives, purple grapes or a dish of ruby-red raspberry jam, incorporate as many different colours as you can.
• If any of your guests are vegetarian or have nut allergies, keep those foods separate so they don’t ‘contaminate’ other items on the board. Thanks to our wedding, I now have a comprehensive list of all our friends’ and relatives’ allergies and dietary restrictions – but when in doubt, separate.
• Add seasonal flair. Gourds aren’t just table centerpieces – I plunked some of those mini pumpkins directly on the charcuterie boards. I also used cookie cutters to cut Havarti cheese into cute little leaf shapes.
• Use what you have. Thanks to our housewarming and engagement parties, Tania and I own approximately 87 charcuterie boards, but there’s no need to go out and buy a board specifically for this purpose. You can use a large plate or serving platter, or even cluster various small bowls and dishes together. You could put olives in a teacup, or breadsticks in a flower vase. I use crystal candle votives (washed thoroughly, of course!) to hold jam, honey and other spreads.

In my opinion, every gathering needs a veggie tray. I love rich cheeses and cured meats as much as the next person, but it’s nice to have some fresher and healthier options to lighten things up! My friend Bethany got me this Godinger Crystal Lazy Susan for Christmas a few years ago, and it’s one of my favourite serving pieces. I usually do a classic ranch or hummus for dipping, but when I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Whipped Feta Dip on Pinterest, I knew it was the perfect fit for this fall-themed table.

I’ll admit I was a bit nervous when I read the reviews, as it seems to be a real love-it-or-hate-it kind of recipe. Personally I loved it, and I’m happy to report our guests did too! It tastes like a slightly sweet, rich and creamy, pumpkin-flavoured goat cheese. This recipe makes enough to serve 15+ people, and you can make it in a small food processor (we have the KitchenAid 5-Cup Food Chopper.) I actually recommend using a smaller processor for this recipe – I tried it in our big Ninja, and the feta wasn’t whipping as well. How much honey you add will depend on your personal tastes – the author recommends 1-2 tablespoons, but I did 3 and found it was the perfect amount (though I didn’t drizzle any extra on top as she suggests; that would have made it too sweet.) In addition to the veggies, we served it with pita triangles and crostini on the side. The thyme and walnuts make a beautiful topping, but of course you can eliminate the walnuts, or put them on the side in case of any allergies.

Apologies to the keto folks, but we love bread at our house! A bread basket is a great addition to any buffet table, especially when there’s charcuterie involved, as people can make little sandwiches. If I have enough time, I’ll make my own biscuits (see two of my favourite biscuit recipes here and here) but there’s also nothing wrong with buying a bag of rolls from a local bakery, or even (shh!) Costco. We like their Italian ciabatta buns – they’re well-priced, freezer-friendly, and great for feeding a crowd. Dress up store-bought rolls by placing them in a pretty wicker basket and serving them with what I call “fancy butter.”

I discovered this butter hack recently and am obsessed with it: it’s an easy little DIY that takes almost no time, but it always makes people smile. All you need is a silicone chocolate mold from Amazon – I used these for the fall theme, but also have this floral set that works really well. Let your butter come to room temperature, spread it into the molds, pop in the freezer until frozen solid, and voila! Pop them out and put them back into the fridge until ready to serve. Not only is this a super cute way to serve butter, but I also love how tidy and sanitary it is. Guests can take their own individual pats of butter instead of everyone slicing into the same brick, which inevitably gets covered in crumbs (crumbs in the butter is one of my biggest icks!)

I can’t forget about the most important part: dessert. In my opinion, no fall gathering is complete without pumpkin pie, and it also happens to be one of the easiest pies to make. Just throw 7 simple ingredients in a bowl, whisk together (no mixer required), pour into a pie crust and bake. This is my favourite pumpkin pie recipe: simple, delicious and a crowd-pleaser. (One modification: I reduce the ginger to 1/4 teaspoon; I find it too ginger-y otherwise.) You can always make a classic pie, but for a buffet-style gathering, I prefer making pumpkin tarts instead. They’re like cute little single-serve pumpkin pies! I buy the frozen tart shells from No Frills (be sure to get the unsweetened kind) and find this recipe makes about 28-30 tarts. Just start watching your oven 15-20 minutes earlier than the recipe calls for, as tarts usually need far less baking time.

When I saw this recipe for apple cider donut Bundt cake from Cake by Courtney, I knew it deserved a spot on the table. I love Bundt cakes because they’re some of the easiest cakes to make! No need to fuss with frosting or decorating: a pretty Bundt pan does all the ‘decoration’ for you, and all you need is a simple glaze or, in this case, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. This cake turned out delicious! It tastes like a cross between apple pie, spice cake and a cinnamon roll.

My tips for making the best apple cider donut cake ever:

• Make sure you use real apple cider, not apple juice. It’s best if you can get it from a local farm stand or farmer’s market, but you can usually also find it in the produce or specialty aisles of higher-end grocery stores like Fortino’s. Bonus: the recipe only requires a cup of cider, so you can serve the rest to your guests! Take it up a notch by turning it into mulled cider.
• This recipe makes a lot of batter, and it might be more than your pan can handle! I poured the entire bowl into my standard 12-cup Bundt pan, and it overflowed while baking and spilled all over the oven, which was not so fun to clean up. Next time, I’d fill the pan to a little less than the 3/4 mark, and pour the rest of the batter into muffin cups.
• The recipe instructs you to brush the baked cake with melted butter before sprinkling with cinnamon sugar, but I advise against it. Melted butter can make a otherwise-good cake soggy, greasy and significantly reduce its shelf life (I learned this the hard way making donuts!) Instead, I lightly brushed the cake with apple cider. You can also use a simple syrup of sugar and water.
• Bundt cakes are notorious for being hard to get out of the pan, but my secret weapon is PAM Baking Spray, used liberally (and I mean liberally – get every single crevice and corner!) Also, let your cake cool in the pan for at least an hour or two before attempting to dislodge it. Knock on wood, I’ve never lost a cake yet.

If you’d like some more ideas, here are some other favourite fall dessert recipes I’ve made over the years:

Pecan Pie – Always a winner! I like the classic pecan pie recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction and the chocolate version from BellyFull (pictured below is the chocolate pecan pie.) I also get my pie crust recipe from Sally’s.

Fudge Pie – I’m convinced that chocolate makes any dessert better, but if you have guests with nut allergies, a chocolate pecan pie won’t cut it! This fudge pie recipe from Southern Living is just as decadent (just eliminate the cup of chopped pecans.)

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Butter Pie – This rich and velvety dessert from the Butternut Bakery blog combines apple pie flavour with custard pie texture, and the results are ridiculously delicious. For the best tasting pie, get your apple butter from a local farm stand or farmer’s market, or make it yourself (I’m lucky enough to have a mom who makes delicious homemade apple butter every fall!)

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake – This decadent dessert from Southern Bite combines two of my favourites: cheesecake and pecan pie. It gets bonus points for not requiring a water bath – I love a non-finicky cheesecake recipe! And if it cracks while baking? Mine always does… that’s what the pecans are for!

A major plus: most of the aforementioned dishes can be prepped ahead of time, so you don’t need to stress trying to make everything the day of. Here are my make-ahead tips:

• The actual charcuterie board should be assembled the day of, but you can prep many items the night before – cubing or slicing cheese, making salami roses, rolling cold cuts – just store everything in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. I don’t recommend washing fruit or slicing up veggies until the day of.
• The pumpkin feta dip can be made the day before and chilled overnight (it actually requires some chill time… I mean, don’t we all?)
• The pumpkin tarts can be made the day before, just be sure to store them in the fridge. You can also make them up to a month ahead of time and freeze them in an airtight bag or container.
• If you plan to serve whipped cream alongside the pumpkin pie or tarts, I suggest making stabilized whipped cream. It’ll stay fresh and hold its shape for hours. I used this recipe to top an icebox pie I brought to a barbecue this summer, and by the end of the night, the whipped topping looked just as fresh as when I made it.
• Most cakes can be made the day before, or frozen for up to a month before. If freezing, be sure to flash-freeze the cake first: place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and stick it (uncovered) into the freezer for an hour or two. This gets it frozen solid to the point where it won’t tear or break when transferring it to a freezer bag. Wrap the cake tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and place in an airtight freezer bag (I use Extra-Large Ziplocs for cake and other large items.) Whether you’re freezing your cake or just baking it the day before, I always recommend waiting until the day of to do any frosting, glazing or topping.

And that’s all, folks: my favourite recipes, tips and tricks for hosting a fun fall gathering without the mess and stress. I’m hoping to do another one of these posts soon, so stay tuned and be sure to subscribe for updates. Although at this point, it’s looking like it’s going to be a winter wonderland theme…

Thanks for reading, have a great week ahead, and stay warm!