An efficient protocol for iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of coumarins with aromatic aldehydes has been developed. The various 3-aroyl coumarins were selectively afforded in moderate yields. Some notable features of this protocol are high efficiency, wide functional group tolerance, and commercially available and cheap aromatic aldehydes and coumarins as starting materials. Furthermore, these reaction conditions were also applicable to N-methyl quinolinones, affording the corresponding 3-aroyl quinolinone derivatives in good yields.