Fire pits to holiday feasts: 10 Easy Fall recipes from our kitchen to yours

Aug 4, 2026

When cool autumn air calls for eazy cocktails and cozy meals, nothing beats gathering loved ones around the backyard fire pit or a full holiday table. From irresistable drinks to quick, warming weeknight dinners and showstopping Thanksgiving dishes, these 10 easy fall recipes are made with — and paired alongside — Duplin sweet wines to bring instant comfort to your table.

Blush Crush Aug-tober Cocktail

Category: Sweet on-the-rocks cocktail.
Flavor: Sweet with a tart edge.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 5 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin 2017 Reserve blush wine, tequila (or vodka), fresh lime juice, cranberry juice, coarse salt or pink sugar rim.
Pairs Well With: Fire pit snacks, tailgates, taco nights, and holiday parties.

There's always that time when summer spills into fall. Warm, sunny days linger and nights still don't require a jacket. This easy, refreshing "wine-rita" fits that slot. The spun-sugar sweetness of Duplin 2017 Reserve blush wine, with hint of tart lime juice and a splash of cranberry to land a gorgeous, vibrant pink color, harks back to summer sunsets while ushering in fall nights.

Spiced Pum'kin Wine Blondies

Category: Autumn dessert.
Flavor: Brown sugar sweetness with fall spices.
Role: Made and paired with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: Prep Time: 20 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Pum'kin red wine, cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, butter.
Pairs Well With: Duplin Pum'kin red wine, Duplin Apple white wine, tailgates, Friendsgiving, and pot lucks.

First created by Raleigh baker Mindy Davisson after a day at Duplin-Rose Hill's annual Grape Stomp harvest festival, these ultra-moist dessert bars are packed with brown sugar, warm autumn spices, and sweet Duplin Pum’kin red wine in both the batter and the silky cream cheese frosting.

Apple Wine Mimosa

Category: Fall brunch drink.
Flavor: Elegant apple fizz.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 5 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Chilled Duplin Apple and Sweet Lily finely carbonated white wines, cinnamon sugar rim.
Pairs Well With: Fancy fall brunch or with casual breakfast casseroles.

Kick off a tailgate, day of leaf peeping, or Thanksgiving morning nibbles with a festive twist on a classic mimosa. Rim champagne flutes with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, then blend Duplin Apple and Duplin Sweet Lily finely carbonated white wines.

Pum'kin Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing

Category: Thanksgiving side dish or easy weeknight meal.
Flavor: Mild cornbread and apple sweetness with a spicy sausage and toasty pecan punch.
Role: Made and paired with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 25 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Pum'kin red wine, cornbread, pork sausage, apples, pecans, celery, onion.
Pairs Well With: Duplin Pum’kin or Duplin True Harvest red wines.

This homemade stuffing trades boring boxed mixes for rich cornbread, savory pork sausage, sweet apples, and crunchy pecans. A generous splash of delicately spiced Duplin Pum’kin red wine ties all the autumn flavors together. Pair it with soft-dry Duplin True Harvest red wine.

Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing — Homemade stuffing recipes are so much better than the stuff that comes in a box.

Pum'kin Spice Spritz Cocktail

Category: Autumn refreshing cocktail.
Flavor: A hint of cozy fall spices in a refreshing drink.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 5 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Pum'kin red wine, club soda or prosecco, pumpkin pie spice, fresh orange wheel garnish.
Pairs Well With: Early autumn fire pit nights and savory appetizers.

Light, bubbly, and full of fall flavor, this spritz combines sweet, spiced Duplin Pum'kin red wine with a splash of effervescence for an effortless, crowd-pleasing cocktail from Aug-tober right through Thanksgiving.

Port Ginger Fizz Thanksgiving Cocktail

Category: Fire pit fan favorite cocktail.
Flavor: Bright and ginger spicy with a hint of bubbles.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 5 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin American Port wine or Duplin Liquid Sin wine, dark spiced rum, spicy ginger beer, fresh lime.
Pairs Well With: Fire pit s'mores and savory party nibbles.

Keep the kitchen crew happy while preparing the big holiday feast with this refreshing seasonal cocktail. Duplin American Port or Duplin Liquid Sin wine pairs with dark spiced rum and extra-spicy ginger beer for a lively, effervescent sip that is also fantastic for lingering around the fire pit late into the evening.

Glazed Bacon Crackers with Pepper Jelly

Category: Savory party appetizer for tailgates, fall picnics, and holiday parties.
Flavor: Salty sweetness with a hint of smoke.
Role: Paired with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 15 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Gourmet Homemade Crackers, thick-cut bacon, Duplin Gourmet Muscadine Pepper Jelly.
Pairs Well With: Any Duplin wine.

Take simple appetizers to the next level with hearty Duplin Gourmet Homemade Crackers wrapped in smoky bacon and brushed with a zesty glaze made from Duplin Gourmet Muscadine Pepper Jelly. They are sweet, salty, and completely addictive.

Bacon Crackers Duplinized — We just took the average bacon cracker recipe and blasted it into the stratosphere of deliciousness.

Apple Cider Sangria

Category: Big-batch fall pitcher drink.
Flavor: Cozy fall flavors in an ice-cold party drink.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 10 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Apple finely carbonated white wine, Duplin Pum'kin red wine, Duplin American Port, sliced red apples, orange wheels, cinnamon sticks.
Pairs Well With: Tailgate spreads, watching the game at home, outdoor gatherings, and holiday feasts.

Loaded with fresh fall flavors and warm cinnamon sticks, this big-batch sangria blends sweet muscadine wines for the ultimate pitcher drink to share with family and friends.

Cozy Slow-Cooker Mulled Spiced Wine

Category: Warm holiday beverage.
Flavor: Cozy fall flavors with a toasty brandy kick.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 10 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Liquid Sin white or red wine, Duplin Pum'kin red wine (or your favorite Duplin red wine), Duplin Jingle Spice or Mulling Spices mixes, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, fresh orange slices.
Pairs Well With: Halloween, Thanksgiving, gingerbread cookies, and crisp evening air.

Nothing warms up a crisp autumn evening quite like a steaming mug of hot mulled wine. Simmer easy Duplin Jingle Spice or Mulling Spices mix with the extra kick of Duplin Liquid Sin red wine, which is fortified with fine brandy, right in the slow cooker where you can keep it warm all day long for easy hosting.

Sports Lovers Party Nachos

Category: Tailgate and fireside munchie.
Flavor: Spicy-sweet salsa on mountain of crunchy ground beef nachos.
Role: Made with Duplin sweet wine.
Prep Time: 15 minutes.
Key Ingredients: Duplin Hatteras Red wine, ground beef, taco seasoning, tortilla chips, melted cheese, fresh toppings.
Pairs Well With: Duplin Hatteras Red wine.

Tailgates, TV sports, and casual fall fire pit nights call for serious comfort food. Sautéing ground beef with taco seasonings and a splash of sweet, smooth Duplin Hatteras Red wine creates an amazingly rich flavor base that pairs effortlessly with a cold glass of swee muscadine wine.

Posted in Dine & Wine