The 18 Best Autumn-Scented Candles to Buy This Fall

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Sweater weather and candles go together like pumpkin spice and lattes: They’re just better as a pair. When the leaves start turning and temperatures drop, the best fall candles are practically a necessity—how else will you get into the autumn spirit?

Your memories of autumns past are probably deeply linked to certain scents, and there’s actually a biological reason candles can take you back to the feeling of a certain place or time. Known as the “Proust effect,” when a smell evokes strong memories, this phenomenon is more emotional and intense than other instances of remembering—it’s the reason we’re obsessed with recreating fall (and the holiday season) through scent.

Your sense of smell and your emotions are closely linked, meaning that the more a scent is linked to an intense memory, the more it can whisk you away. For some of us, catching a whiff of pumpkin pie takes us back to grandmother’s kitchen; for others, the smell of burning wood brings memories of childhood camping trips flooding back.

With all due respect to other seasons, none of them do candles quite like fall. Running the gamut from warm and inviting (like oatmeal cookies and PSLs) to moody and spicy (like mulled wine and rhubarb smoke), fall-scented candles can transform a room in minutes. Along with seasonal decor, they might just be the most important addition to your space this time of year.

Here, we scoured the internet for the best fall candles to buy in 2022, and we have to be honest: We’re really fighting the urge to light all of them at once. Whether you’re looking for a woody escape, a fresh-baked pie, or pumpkin-scented everything—none of which is too overpowering—you’ve come to the right place. All you have to do is add them to your cart!

Pumpkin Chai Candle

A cut above the typical pumpkin spice candle, this heady option blends wild pumpkin with spicy masala chai, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. The bright orange packaging is just the cherry on top!

Macintosh Candle

Like summer fading into fall, the scent of fresh apples is bright, crisp, and hopeful—perfect for those bright-blue days that populate September and October. This top-rated candle smells just like a day at the apple orchard, and it’s cheap enough to burn continuously.

Spiced Pumpkin Latte Candle

This Voluspa candle is practically an art piece. Featuring an 80-hour burn time and complete with autumnal hints of pumpkin, vanilla marshmallow, whipped coconut, and cinnamon, it smells even better than it looks.

Santal 26 Candle

Beloved perfume brand Le Labo also happens to make an excellent candle; this one bears the scent of Santal 26, with notes of amber, cocoa, vanilla, cedar, spices, musk, and sandalwood. It’s pretty much a perfect housewarming gift.

Bookstore Candle

Bookstores technically exist year-round, but they really shine during the colder months. If you can’t make it to one all that often, this mahogany-, leather-, and coffee-scented candle is the next best thing.

Ginger & Sandalwood Candle

If you’re in the market for a unique fall fragrance, this relaxing candle is for you; offering fall-ready hints of natural ginger, cardamom, and sandalwood, it’s as grounding as it is refreshing.

Warm Buttered Bread Candle

Reviewers swear that this candle smells exactly like the scent of fresh-baked bread—without having to turn your kitchen into a bakery. The only way to make it feel even cozier? Some fuzzy socks and a warm sweater.

Feu de Bois Candle

The familiar scent of a campfire can make even the chilliest nights feel warmer, and Paris-based brand Diptyque has captured its essence perfectly.

Appalachian Trail Candle

Inspired by the majesty of the Appalachian Trail, this woody candle mixes balsam, pine, and cedar, and smells just like a hike in an autumnal forest.

Applewood Candle

WoodWick’s wicks are made from—you guessed it—wood, which means they crackle as they burn, just like a roaring fire would. The brand offers a ton of autumnal fragrances, but we especially like the tart green apple and spicy cinnamon of this unique option.

Rhubarb Smoke Candle

Housed in a gloriously cool purple vessel, this option from new-school candle company Boy Smells features notes of incense, black tea, smoked papyrus, and tanned leather; it’s a fall candle in disguise.

Winter Berry Candle

Berries, pomegranate, cassis, and sweet orange are the building blocks of one of Williams Sonoma’s most beloved seasonal candles. Yes, it’s technically made for winter, but since most of the holiday season actually takes place during fall, we’re claiming it now.

Warm Apple Pie Candle

Although you may not know the first thing about baking, you can rest assured that your home can still smell like you do—as long as you burn this top-rated candle, of course.

Fragrances Trick or Treat Candle

Like with your Halloween candy, you’ll have to resist the urge to use up this handsome candle—which features top notes of pumpkin, middle notes of nutmeg, and base notes of caramelized sugar—all in one night.

Pumpkin Spice Candle

Pumpkin Spice is a permanent fixture within fall room scents, and this 100% soy wax candle from Wax and Wit pairs the signature smell with cinnamon, clove and vanilla.

Warm Apple Cider Donut + Cinnamon Sugar 3 Wick Candle

Warm Apple Cider Donut. Doesn't it sound like a delicious fall treat that would dance on your tastebuds and brighten up your room with enticing smells? This option also has three wicks for efficient lighting and usage.

Sweater Weather Candle

Sweater weather is almost here, and this candle is the perfect scent for the season. It uses smells like woods, warm spice and citrus autumn for a blended fragrance that will make you want to slip on your favorite sweater and relax.

Apples & Maple Bourbon Scented Candle

Made with essential oils, the apples and maple bourbon scented candle packs enough punch to "bring light to a dark world," as the candle states on its packaging. The candle also has hints of cinnamon and vanilla.

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