Your Ultimate Fall Tailgate Menu, From Appetizers to Desserts

Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

We're gearing up for a fantastic fall in the South by listing over a hundred ways to enjoy the season, from tailgating every weekend to planting fall containers to traveling the Chesapeake. What we're most excited about, though? The seasonal fare that boasts warm creamy dips and easy sheet-pan snacks made for serving the crowd on game days, as well as delicious desserts packed with fall flavors like chocolate, pumpkin spice, apple, and maple-pecan.

Hosting a tailgate just got a whole lot easier with our ultimate menu, which features both portable dishes that travel well and dishes well-suited for parties in your living room. Food and football go hand in hand, after all. We rounded out the meal with a few seasonal surprises made for sharing, including Cranberry-Apple Tartlets and Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies; but made sure to balance out the sweets with three healthy snack options for back-to-school mayhem. Start your autumn out right with these cozy and comforting recipes.

01 of 14

Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary

Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary
Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary

Sometimes the best appetizers are also the easiest: this spiced popcorn is just that.

02 of 14

Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham

Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham
Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham

Recipe: Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country Ham

No appetizer sideboard is complete without a bowl of Spinach-Onion Dip.

03 of 14

Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans

Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans

Making nachos for a crowd just got a whole lot easier.

04 of 14

Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces

Buttermilk-Parmesan Ranch Sauce
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces

These grilled chicken drummettes are a great grab-and-go tailgate snack.

05 of 14

Smoky Snack Mix

Smoky Snack Mix
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Smoky Snack Mix

Your guests will be munching on this snack mix all game long.

06 of 14

Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus

Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary
Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus

Add color to your gameday spread with this bright orange hummus.

07 of 14

Brisket-and-Black Bean Chili with Cilantro-Lime Crema

Brisket-and-Black Bean Chili with Cilantro-Lime Crema
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Brisket-and-Black Bean Chili with Cilantro-Lime Crema

Serve this hearty chili in mugs for a portable main.

08 of 14

Skillet Enchiladas Suizas

Skillet Enchiladas Suizas
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Skillet Enchiladas Suizas

Skillet enchiladas make a great tailgate entree, and they come together in your cast-iron skillet.

09 of 14

Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies

Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies
Linda Pugliese

Recipe: Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies

These blondies are the ultimate grab-and-go dessert.

10 of 14

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies
Linda Pugliese

Recipe: Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Forget oatmeal chocolate chip: we're sticking to toasted oatmeal cookies this season.

11 of 14

Cranberry-Apple Tartlets

Cranberry-Apple Tartlets
Linda Pugliese

Recipe: Cranberry-Apple Tartlets

These tartlets are formed like little pyramids, making them less messy and easier to transport.

12 of 14

Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch

Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Whiskey-Apple Cider Punch

Whiskey and apple cider? Sign us up.

13 of 14

Big Batch Bloody Marys

Big Batch Bloody Marys
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Big Batch Bloody Marys

No gameday is complete without a drink. In the morning hours, these Bloody Marys are exactly what the doctor ordered.

14 of 14

Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip

Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Warm Cheese-and-Spicy Pecan Dip

In the South, there are two things we hold dear: cheese and pecans.

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