Apple pie is one of the quintessential signifiers that fall has arrived. You start craving soups, hot tea, and a warmly-spiced slice of apple pie. But before you set your sights unwaveringly on your favorite recipe, there are other early fall pies that deserve a little attention, too.

Depending on where you live, you can still find plenty of plums and raspberries in markets right now, and I personally think a gingery pear pie rivals apple any day. Experimenting with creamy ricotta fillings or fall-inspired cheesecakes? Yes, please. So before we all jump head-first into pumpkin desserts, I propose we take a moment to use up all of that of-the-moment fruit and look beyond apple, if just for a moment.

Try a Recipe:
• Whole-Wheat Plum Crumble Pie (pictured) - Leela Cyd Ross for the Kitchn
• Quince Biscuit Pie - Martha Stewart
• Pear Ginger Maple Pie - Simply Recipes
• Salted Caramel Cheesecake Pie - Joy the Baker
• Pear Custard Pie - Shutterbean
• Ricotta and Raspberry Pie - A Beautiful Mess
• Savory Butternut Squash Pie with Hazelnuts - Whole Foods

Related: Beyond Apple and Vanilla: 5 Fresh Pie and Ice Cream Pairings

(Image: Leela Cyd Ross)