Everybody loves pizza, especially during cooler weather months—when the thought of a hot, gooey pie seems so right. But why just get the same old pizza you’d order from the pizza place or get out of your freezer? Get both creative in the kitchen and celebrate the season by making your own homemade fall pizzas!

Bases
The first (or base) layer atop the crust is multifaceted, as it can add flavor to the dough or lay a flavor foundation for the rest of the pizza. (Think of red sauce on a traditional pizza.) Since you’re creating a unique fall pizza, your base options are many, but be intentional with your choice, making sure that you’ll love how it tastes when it’s mixed with the other ingredients. (For example, a garlic-flavored base wouldn’t work well with a pumpkin topping.)

Fun fall flavors to check out: balsamic vinegar, barbecue sauce, butternut squash puree, honey, olive oil, olive oil and garlic blend, and sweet potato puree.

Cheeses
For many, cheese is the chewy key component of the pizza, since it tastes great and adds the proper texture component. And while some cheeses like mozzarella are standard on pizza, you very well might want to choose your cheese based on whether it will go well with the autumn flavor theme you’re creating. (Goat cheese and pecans taste great together, for example.)

Cheeses to chew over: Brie, Colby-Monterey jack, goat cheese, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta, and white cheddar.

Fruits, Veggies, and Nuts
Here’s where you can really pack on both fall flavors and health benefits. You may have tried veggies like spinach and onions on pizza before, but remember to include only those that fit well with your other fall flavors. Plus, topping your pizza with fruit like apples and nuts like pecans is a natural way to satisfy your sweet tooth with nature’s candy while creating delicious fall flavors in every bite.

Toppings to try: apples, baby spinach, caramelized onions, carrots, cranberries, kale, pears, pecans, pine nuts, pomegranate, pumpkin, red potatoes, sage leaves, and sweet potatoes.

Meats
If you opt for a meat topping, choose one that either evokes fall barbecue memories or serves as a salty companion to a sweet fall harvest flavor like squash or apple. And, of course, no meat says fall like turkey, which is plentiful in November—so adding it as a topping with, say, barbecue sauce and Parmesan cheese would be another way of creatively mixing and matching to make a fantastic fall pizza.

Protein options to consider: bacon, prosciutto, pulled pork, short ribs, and turkey.

Not sure what combinations would work best? Then try your hand at one of these fall harvest pizzas. You’re sure to enjoy the taste as much as the season!