I’m that person who smells every single candle everywhere she goes (just ask my patient husband). This is especially true when it comes to fall candles. I’m an honorary Gilmore, after all! I want my home to feel like the crispy leaves surrounding the gazebo of Stars Hollow all season long, especially as I’m reading fall books.
So, I can tell you that, while pumpkin is the most popular fall scent, not all pumpkin scents were created equally. Plus, you’ll also want a few other popular scents like apple and cozy spices to last all season. My selections made a very deep cut. Pair them with your Gilmore Girls rewatch for a fully immersive autumn!
Autumn Plum by Nest: my (and my sister’s— another Gilmore Girls superfan) favorite fall scent overall. This may seem like an unfamiliar fall scent, but it’s actually the perfect blend of autumnal scents all wrapped into one: “the sweet, woody aroma of freshly fallen autumn leaves with wild plum and cinnamon wrapped in the warmth of patchouli leaf and cashmere wood.” Two words: yes and please! Since this one has it all, it’s great for those late summer days when you just can’t wait for fall to start.
Times purchased per year: 1
Book pairing: Something About September by Julia McKay
Honeycrisp Apple by Trader Joe’s: the most delectable scent of the crispest, juiciest candle you can imagine. This one is for the elder millennials like me (and Rory Gilmore), who swore by Bath & Body Works’s Country Apple in the 1990s. Once I start with this one, I can’t stop.
Times purchased per year: 2-3
Book pairing: The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman
Yes, Trader Joe’s does have fall candles, and they happen to be some of my personal favorites. They do exactly what they say they’ll do, for just a few bucks. In other words, no one will judge you for stockpiling them like I do.
Pumpkin Chai by Nest: the best pumpkin scent overall. Let me let you in on a secret: I’m not big on pumpkin— the scent or the flavor. So, take my word when I say this is one exception to the rule. It blends “wild pumpkin, spicy masala chai, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon.” The tea connection here is exactly what gets me. It smells like it’s brewing in your home!
Times purchased per year: 1
Book pairing: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore
Vanilla Pumpkin by Trader Joe’s: the most universally likable pumpkin scent. The reason I'm admittedly not a huge “pumpkin” gal is that I find the scent to often be overbearing. Not this one! Blended with vanilla, it’s light, subtly sweet, and “fall-like.” Perfect for rewatching the Halloween episodes of Gilmore Girls.
Times purchased per year: 2
Book pairing: If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
Cardamom Pomander by Illume: also available in a pumpkin-shaped mercury glass holder that can be reused as decor, it evokes the most comforting feelings of fall, blending “smooth sandalwood with a heart of cardamom pomander kissed with bright tangelo.” These delectable scents practically taste like a Thanksgiving episode of Gilmore Girls and bridge the gap from Halloween to Christmas.
Shopping tip: I’ve heard you can find them at the HomeGoods stores, too!
Times purchased per year: 1
Book pairing: The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
Sets: Prefer to shop in bulk? Nest offers fall sets directly, and Trader Joe’s usually sells a unique trio for $9.99 with different scents each year. Yes, I buy that one, too!
While I love to share my favorites, I also don’t believe they’re the only ones that matter, especially since we’re all Gilmores and this is right in our wheelhouse. So, I asked my Substack community to share their faves, and here’s what I heard so far. I’ll keep this section updated.
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