There’s something undeniably special about those first few crisp breezes that beckon us back into our homes to settle in and cozy up. Blankets, movies and mugs of warm drinks are basically required for these snug autumn evenings—that goes without saying—but there’s one more thing you need to really create a cozy atmosphere: a candle. With classic fall notes like apple, wood and bergamot, you can quickly create seasonal ambiance with one of the best fall candles on the market and a simple flick of a match or lighter.
This amber-hued candle from P.F. Candle Co. is one of our favorites, but there are nearly a dozen ... [+] other excellent, comforting options to choose from.
Ahead, find 11 of our top picks for fall candles that provide just the right vibes in 2022. These votives are stately, reasonably priced, long-lasting and cozier than a memory foam mattress—and they’re the perfect way to ring in the season.
With heavy scents of pine, orange, and cinnamon, this candle promises to take you all through fall and well into winter. It’s soy, which is perfect for the vegans out there and those who simply wish to burn a cleaner candle, and it carries a 40-hour burn time (that’s relatively long, considering its 9-ounce size). Plus, it comes in an amber vessel that gives off a comforting orange hue.
There are few experiences more distinctly autumnal than grabbing a hot latte from your favorite coffee shop—and you can capture the feeling of precisely that outing with the help of this candle. Housed in a paint-cracked votive that looks like something you’d find at a Parisian flea market, the candle offers a decadent aroma of ginger and pumpkin. It doesn’t hurt that it’s made from food-grade ingredients, too.
P.F. Candle Co. is a Los Angeles-based brand that has become widely adored in recent years. Known for their unique signature scents and simple-yet-cool labels, it’s no surprise that the brand’s fall-ready offerings are true winners. Drenched in notes of leather, teak, and orange, this particular option offers a moody, natural scent for those who aren’t into candles that smell like baked goods. It’s hand-poured at 7.2 ounces, but there’s a larger 12.5-ounce option as well.
Those who are into pumpkin everything for fall, prepare for your day to be made: This candle from Homesick is a pumpkin-scented wonder, topped with notes of pumpkin and nutmeg along with dashes of cinnamon, vanilla and sugar. If visions of pumpkin patches and hay rides come to mind when you envision fall—and if those things make your heart sing—then this is the candle for you.
Cedar leaf. Smoke. Incense. Leather. Those words perfectly capture the ambiance of fall, and now, you can bring their aura right into your home. But take note, purists: This is not your grandmother’s fall candle. Instead, this candle takes a decidedly smoky route for the season. It’s vegan and cruelty-free to boot, and its minimalist appearance also means that it can fit right in with any décor style.
Maybe you’re wishing you could hole up in some amazing A-frame cabin in the mountains for a couple of months this fall. Well, whether or not that’s your reality, you can feel like you’ve escaped to a cabin with this candle, which offers a similar “off the grid” effect right in your home. With over 50 hours of burn time, the on-trend, copper-hued candle will delight for a very long time. And you can try it before buying it, too.
On a rainy fall day, odds are you’d like to curl up in a library. Well, here’s your chance to play pretend at doing exactly that: This Joanna Gaines-purveyed “Library” candle carries tinges of bergamot, clove and firewood—the sort of scents you might find in an old-fashioned library. It’ll also burn incredibly cleanly, since it has a lead-free cotton wick, a phthalate-free fragrance and uses food-grade waxes.
How could our list be complete without a Yankee Candle addition? This beloved brand has been around for quite some time now, and Autumn Nature Walk, one of their newest scents, is a must-try. It features bay leaf, lavender, sandalwood and vetiver notes derived from essential oils, and the result is reminiscent of a tree-lined trail bursting with fall color.
Voluspa makes a Spiced Pumpkin Latte candle that’s just as high-quality as their other widely-known scents. Brimming with touches of pumpkin, vanilla marshmallow and cinnamon spiced brûlée (yum), the candle is perfect for Starbucks devotees who want to upgrade their typical PSL candle experiences. It burns cleanly, and the eye-catching vessel is a big plus.
Sure, you could simmer cider-infused potpourri on the stove—but you could also just burn this extraordinary candle. Thymes always has a knack for crafting scents that smell like the real deal, and this simmered cider votive is no exception. With aromas of apple, cardamom and bourbon, it’s practically fall in a candle—and we love the rose gold vessel, too. Just imagine how great it’d look on a coffee table.