25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (2024)

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Even after an epic Thanksgiving dinner, there is always room for dessert. From classic pies, to cakes, to cookies and more, I have got you covered. Today I am sharing my 25 most popular and favourite Thanksgiving dessert recipes that go beyond pumpkin pie (but of course, pumpkin pie included too).

25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (1)

Pies and Crisps

Classic Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving just isn’t the same without a slice of classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. There is nothing better than a bite into that flaky crust and smooth pumpkin filling, full of those classic pumpkin spice flavours.

Pecan Pie

Old-fashioned pecan pie is a classic fall dessert with a homemade pie crust and sweet custard filling loaded with crunchy pecans — perfect for Thanksgiving. For such a fancy pie, it is actually embarrassingly easy to make.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

Pumpkin mascarpone pie is a warm and cozy holiday dessert that is incredibly easy to make with just minutes of prep work before popping into the oven.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Small batch mini pumpkin pies with a flaky crust, delicious pumpkin pie filling, and cinnamon whipped cream, are perfect for a small Thanksgiving crowd.

Braided Lattice Apple Pie

This braided lattice apple pie is packed with cinnamon apples tossed in a caramel sauce and sealed in a buttery, flaky pie crust with a braided lattice top. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Banana Cream Pie

Homemade Banana Cream Pie is endlessly creamy with a buttery, flaky pie crust, a dreamy homemade vanilla custard, fresh banana slices, and whipped cream.

Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan pie bars are the best and easiest way to enjoy the flavors of pecan pie but with half the effort and in a handheld bite-sized form.

Baked Apples

Baked Apples are soft, warm, and tender, with a crunchy sweet cinnamon oat filling. This cozy and comforting fall dessert is quick easy to make too.

Apple Turnovers

With a buttery, flaky crust and spiced sweet apple filling, these homemadeApple Turnoversare hands down one of the best ways to enjoy this seasonal fruit.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

This decadent Chocolate Pecan Pie is a twist on the classic holiday pie with a rich, dark chocolate flavor that pairs wonderfully with toasted pecans.

Individual Apple Crisp

Individual apple crisp is a sweet tart fall dessert served in single-sized portions with all the crunchy corners of crumble. And so quick and easy to prep.

25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (12)

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie is warm and cozy, spiced with classic fall flavors, and delicious. Easy to make with cooked sweet potatoes or canned sweet potato puree.

Chopped Pecan Pie

Give traditional pecan pie a twist this holiday season by using finely chopped pecans to create a smooth topping on this chopped pecan pie with a smooth custard filling. This pie is alsoridiculously easy to make.

Pecan Pie Brownies

Why make pie or brownies when you can have them both at once? These Pecan Pie Brownies are the perfect fall treat for any occasion — rich, sweet, indulgent.

Easy Homemade Apple Hand Pies

Easy homemade apple hand pies/turnovers are the perfect fall treat -- stuffed with tender apples and cinnamon and wrapped in crispy, flakey, buttery crust.

Cranberry-Apple Cobbler with Biscuits

Sweet and tart cranberry-apple cobbler with biscuits is packed with fresh fruit and a buttery biscuit topping. This holiday favourite is easy to make.

Apple Pie Bars

Homemade Apple Pie Bars are sweet, tart, and crumbly. With 3 delicious layers including a flaky pastry crust, cinnamon apple filling, and crumbly topping.

Key Lime Pie

Perfectly creamy and tart with a buttery graham cracker crust, this easy Key Lime Pie is a classic for a reason. You won't need another pie recipe again!

Caramel Apples

Nothing says fall better than Homemade Caramel Apples that are sweet, delicious, and fun to make. Chewy caramel made from scratch covers crisp juicy apples, topped with optional toppings.

Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars

Got some leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday dinner? Revive them into delicious leftover cranberry sauce oat bars, perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Cake

Pumpkin Dump Cake

This easy Pumpkin Dump Cake recipe is loaded with fall flavors from the homemade pumpkin pie filling topped with spice cake mix and pecans.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Pecan Pie Cheesecake takes a classic flavor to a new level with a pecan graham cracker crust, brown sugar cheesecake filling, and caramel pecan pie topping.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese icing is a perfect fall dessert to serve this year — super moist inside, with a perfect golden brown crumby crust.

25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (24)

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread is fluffy, moist, and delicious. This classic fall loaf cake is loaded with real pumpkin and seasonal spices like cinnamon and ginger.

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

No bake pumpkin cheesecake is the easiest cheesecake to make this fall. It's light, smooth, creamy, and loaded with fall flavors like pumpkin and cinnamon.

Apple Cake

Easy Apple Cake has a dense and moist crumb and is loaded with fresh apples, cinnamon sugar, and nuts. It’s quick, easy, and ready to eat in under an hour.

Pumpkin Roll

Celebrate the flavors of fall with a show-stopping Pumpkin Roll featuring a tender pumpkin spice cake swirled around a rich cream cheese filling.

Caramel Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

Decadent caramel pecan pie cheesecake bars with a graham cracker crust, cheesecake filling, and caramel pecan topping is perfect for Thanksgiving this fall.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

This showstopping festive gingerbread bundt cake with maple cinnamon glaze and pecans is moist, soft, and fluffy, and packed with warm holiday spices.

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Pumpkin Pie Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

This think and dense, yet surprisingly light, pumpkin pie bundt cake with cream cheese glaze is the perfect after dinner treat. It is warm from the mixture of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice blend, with a hearty drizzle of cream cheese glaze. The perfect pair.

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Twist Bread

Soft and fluffy sourdough cinnamon roll twist bread is buttery and layered with cinnamon sugar. Prep it the night before and freshly bake it right before serving for breakfast or dessert.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Soft and moist, small batch chocolate chip pumpkin bread is the easiest fall treat, packed with fall flavours of warm pumpkin spice, pumpkin, and chocolate.

Healthier Caramel Apple Fall Cheesecake

Decadent and light, homemade healthier caramel apple fall cheesecake is made with a graham cracker crust, topped with caramel apples and caramel sauce. It's fall heaven.

Pumpkin Mousse

This rich, creamy pumpkin mousse is a fall dessert favorite. It’s beginner-friendly, no bake, and easy to whip up in 15 minutes before ready to chill.

Apple Cardamom Cake with Caramel Pecan Butter Frosting

Apple cardamom cake with caramel pecan butter frosting is the perfect fall cake and is made by combining all your favourite fall flavours together.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and fluffy, pumpkin cinnamon rolls are packed with pumpkin, layered with pumpkin spice, and topped with cream cheese icing. Best fall treat ever.

Cranberry Sauce Swirl Cheesecake

Cranberry sauce swirl cheesecake is creamy, smooth, and indulgent. With a gorgeous red swirl on top, it's the perfect holiday dessert for your next party.

Applesauce Bread

Homemade applesauce bread is fluffy, moist, and delicious. Loaded with fall flavors that transforms your favorite snack into a loaf cake.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Molten chocolate lava cakes are rich and fudgy with a classic gooey chocolate center that flows out like lava. So simple and easy to make.

Festive Yogurt Fruitcake

Perfect for the holidays, this super moist and tender, festive yogurt fruitcake is loaded with dried fruits and nuts for a burst of flavour in every bite.

Glazed Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

No one will be able to resist this perfectly sweet and moist, glazed brown sugar bundt cake. Made with Greek yogurt for major decadence and richness.

Butternut Squash Bread

Move over pumpkin, there is a new loaf in town! Butternut Squash Bread is moist, fluffy, flavorful, and brings the pumpkin spice season to your home.

Easy No Crust Burnt Basque Cheesecake

Easy no crust burnt Basque cheesecake is the easiest one bowl recipe. It is perfectly caramelized on the top and edges and creamy yet firm on the inside.

Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy brownies are rich, sweet, moist, and decadent. Plus, they're easy to make in one bowl (meaning less cleanup!) and ready in about 30 minutes.

Cookies

Butter Pecan Cookies

Butter Pecan Cookies are soft and chewy, have perfect golden crisp edges and loaded with crunchy toasted pecans. Quick and easy to make in under 20 minutes.

Chai Cookies

Soft and chewy Chai Cookies are loaded with warm chai spices and topped with drizzle of a sweet chai glaze. Quick and easy to make with no chill time!

Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Warm, fresh-from-the-oven, soft and chewy white chocolate cranberry walnut cookies make the perfect holiday treat. They are beyond simple to prepare, and even easier to watch disappear.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thick, fluffy, chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is when pumpkin bread meets chocolate chip cookies. These no chill cookies are ready in under 20 minutes.

Brownie Cookies

Brownie Cookies are the perfect combination of rich, chocolatey brownies and chewy, gooey cookies. Quick and easy to make with no chilling required.

Jam-Filled Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Glaze

Soft, buttery, melt-in-your mouth jam-filled thumbprint cookies with almond glaze are the cutest, festive treat to make. Plus,it comes together with just a handful of ingredients and less than 20 minutes of prep time.

Easy Small Batch Almond Biscotti

Small batch almond biscotti are crunchy, crumbly and packed with almonds, perfect for dunking into tea, coffee, or peppermint hot chocolate, and they are super easy to make.

The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Grab a tall glass of milk and start dipping the best homemade, soft-centered, chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies you will ever try.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Carrot Cake Cookies are soft, chewy, cake-like cookies with a delicious homemade cream cheese glaze. They taste just like carrot cake but in cookie form.

How to Make Ahead and Store Thanksgiving Dessert

You can make or prepare all of these Thanksgiving dessert recipes ahead of time. You can store most of them at room temperature for a few days, in the refrigerator for up to one week, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Check each recipe for exact storage details.

If you would like to reheat any of these desserts and serve them warm, just place the in a 300F preheated oven for 5-10 minutes. If heating from frozen, let it thaw first and then reheat. Making dessert a few days before Thanksgiving will make things so much easier on the day of your holiday meal.

25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (55)

More Dessert Recipes

  • Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Caramel Cheesecake Brownies
  • Double Chocolate Loaf Cake
  • Baked Jelly Donuts
  • Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies
  • Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze
  • Carrot Cake Muffins
  • Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
  • Vanilla Cake Pops from Scratch
  • The Best Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Muffins
  • Nutty Banana Bread

Did You Make Any of These Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for more recipe updates.

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25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (56)

25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

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  • Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8-10 servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

Browse the top 25 most popular best Thanksgiving dessert recipes from classic pie to cake to cookies, there is always room for dessert during the holidays.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make ahead and store. You can make or prepare all of these Thanksgiving dessert recipes ahead of time. You can store most of them at room temperature for a few days, in the refrigerator for up to one week, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Check each recipe for exact storage details.
  2. Reheat: If you would like to reheat any of these desserts and serve them warm, just place the in a 300F preheated oven for 5-10 minutes. If heating from frozen, let it thaw first and then reheat. Making dessert a few days before Thanksgiving will make things so much easier on the day of your holiday meal.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 400

25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (57)

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25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most eaten dessert on Thanksgiving? ›

In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust.

What dessert did the Pilgrims have? ›

Pumpkin Pie

Pilgrims liked pumpkins. According to accounts, they used to hollow them out, fill them with milk and honey to make a custard, and then roast the orange orbs in hot ashes.

Which president refused to recognize Thanksgiving? ›

While Thanksgiving technically isn't a religious holiday, the “giving thanks” part of it struck Jefferson as being far too religious for his tastes. As our nation's third president, he stirred controversy by refusing to recognize Thanksgiving.

What is the number one favorite pie in the USA? ›

Apple pie has English origins, according to Smithsonian magazine, but the dessert is an American classic. Even McDonalds makes apple pie.

What is the most popular Thanksgiving side? ›

Mashed potatoes are the front-runner to be on the most plates this Thanksgiving. Turkey no longer reigns supreme. Findings showed that over half of the United States would be content to only have sides on their holiday plates and 67% of Americans prefer side dishes to the main entrée!

What is the national dessert of America? ›

The Delicacy Apple Pie - is the Official “National dessert of the United States of America” respectively. American Apple Pies are also sometimes considered the national dishes of the US.

What was the first dessert of Thanksgiving? ›

According to If You Were at the First Thanksgiving, Anne Kamma's history book for kids: Perhaps you would have eaten cornmeal pudding sweetened with dried strawberries or grapes.

What did slaves eat for dessert? ›

During the week, if there was a dessert, it would be a piece of corn bread with some molasses poured on top or some fruit. In addition, slave cabins rarely had the cooking equipment or appliances necessary to adequately bake a pie.

What was the original Thanksgiving dinner? ›

The first Thanksgiving banquet consisted of foods like venison, bean stew and hard biscuits. And while corn and pumpkin had their place on the table, they hardly resembled the cornbread stuffing and pumpkin pie we feast on today.

What is the most popular dessert turkey? ›

Turkish Baklava

This is the most famous traditional Turkish dessert that people around the world know and enjoy. The introduction of Baklava dates back to the Byzantine Empire. However, its recipe was developed and refined during the time of the Ottoman Empire.

What is America's most favorite dessert? ›

Ice cream is America's favorite dessert and is a key driver of the frozen food category.

What dessert did they eat at the first Thanksgiving? ›

According to If You Were at the First Thanksgiving, Anne Kamma's history book for kids: Perhaps you would have eaten cornmeal pudding sweetened with dried strawberries or grapes.

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