22 Thanksgiving Desserts Your Guests Will Remember

No matter how full everyone gets, there is always room for dessert. The last course is often the one guests talk about on the drive home.

These thanksgiving desserts include every classic plus a few fresh favorites. You will find pumpkin pie, pecan pie, a showstopping apple fritter cheesecake, cute turkey cupcakes, easy fall cookies, pumpkin bars and a no bake option for a crowded oven.

Every recipe lists real amounts, oven temperatures and baking times, and many can be made a day or two ahead. Choose one pie, one cheesecake or cake and one small treat, and your dessert table will feel generous without taking over your whole week.

1. Classic Pumpkin Pie

Classic pumpkin pie is the dessert everyone expects, so it is worth making well. Whisk one 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree with 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Pour the filling into an unbaked 9 inch pie crust. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F and bake 35 to 40 minutes more, until the center barely jiggles. Cool completely for at least 2 hours so every slice cuts cleanly.

2. Apple Fritter Cheesecake

This apple fritter cheesecake tastes like your favorite bakery treat in creamy cheesecake form.

• Crust: 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs mixed with 6 tablespoons melted butter.
• Filling: 24 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, 3 eggs and ½ cup sour cream.
• Apples: 2 diced apples cooked with 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Topping: caramel sauce and a simple powdered sugar glaze.
• Bake at 325°F in a water bath for 60 minutes.

Swirl half the apples into the filling and spoon the rest on top after baking. Chill the cheesecake overnight for the thickest, creamiest texture. It is one of the best cheesecake recipes for Thanksgiving because it actually tastes even better when made a day ahead.

3. Turkey Cupcakes

Quick Tip: Pipe the candy melt feathers onto parchment an hour ahead and chill them. Cold feathers stand up straight and do not melt into the frosting.

Bake 12 chocolate cupcakes at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes and cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting, press in a fan of orange, yellow and red candy melt feathers, and add candy eyes and a tiny orange beak. These cute holiday treats always make kids smile at the table.

4. Pecan Pie

Before: Store bought pecan pie often tastes overly sweet and the filling feels runny. The pecans on top are dry and the crust turns soggy.

After: A homemade pecan pie has a set, caramel filling and toasted, glossy pecans. The crust stays crisp and golden all the way around.

Whisk 1 cup dark corn syrup, ¾ cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, ¼ cup melted butter and a pinch of salt. Stir in 1½ cups toasted pecans and pour into a 9 inch crust. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, until the center is just set.

5. Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin cheesecake bars are easier than a full cheesecake and perfect for a crowd.

1. Press 2 cups graham cracker crumbs with ½ cup melted butter into a lined 9 by 13 inch pan.
2. Beat 16 ounces cream cheese with ¾ cup sugar and 2 eggs until smooth.
3. Set aside 1 cup of plain batter, then mix 1 cup pumpkin puree and 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice into the rest.
4. Spread the pumpkin batter, dollop the plain batter on top and swirl with a knife.
5. Bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes, then chill for 4 hours.

These bars cut into 24 neat squares, which makes them ideal for dessert tables and fall bake sales. Use a hot knife wiped clean between cuts for sharp edges. They keep in the fridge for four days, so you can bake them early in the week.

6. Maple Pecan Cookies

Soft maple pecan cookies taste like fall in every bite and bake in 12 minutes.

Feature	Maple Glazed Cookies	Plain Maple Cookies
Look	Shiny glaze and pecans on top	Simple golden cookies
Time	30 minutes with glaze	20 minutes
Best for	Dessert trays and gifts	Lunchboxes and snacking

Cream ½ cup butter with ¾ cup brown sugar, add 1 egg and ¼ cup maple syrup, then mix in 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 cup chopped pecans. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle with maple glaze once cool.

7. Apple Cranberry Galette

Do:

• Keep the pie dough cold until the moment you roll it.
• Slice apples thinly so they bake evenly.
• Toss the fruit with 2 tablespoons flour to thicken the juices.
• Brush the crust with egg wash and coarse sugar.

Don’t:

• Overfill the center, or juice will leak.
• Roll the dough too thin at the edges.
• Cut it before it cools for 20 minutes.

An apple cranberry galette looks rustic and impressive but needs no pie dish. Fold one crust around 3 sliced apples, 1 cup cranberries, ⅓ cup sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 400°F for 40 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling in the center.

8. Mini Pumpkin Pie Bites

Cost: About $10 | Time: 45 minutes | Skill Level: Beginner

Mini pumpkin pie bites are cute, easy to serve and perfect for buffets. Cut rounds from store bought pie crust, press them into a mini muffin tin and fill with your pumpkin pie filling. Bake at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes. Top with whipped cream just before serving.

9. Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Salted caramel apple pie takes a classic and makes it unforgettable. Slice 7 Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples and toss them with ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. Pile them high in a 9 inch crust.

Drizzle ½ cup salted caramel sauce over the apples, then add a lattice top and brush with egg wash. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then at 375°F for 40 minutes more. Sprinkle flaky salt on top and let it cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.

10. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin snickerdoodles are soft, pillowy and dusted in warm cinnamon sugar.

• ½ cup butter creamed with 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup pumpkin puree and 1 egg yolk
• 2¼ cups flour, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar and ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
• ¼ cup sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon for rolling

Chill the dough for 1 hour, roll into balls, coat in cinnamon sugar and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. These easy fall treat recipes are perfect for holiday cookie trays, school bake sales and snacking while the turkey rests on the counter.

11. Acorn Cookie Treats

Quick Tip: Melt a few chocolate chips as glue. Dip the flat side of each chocolate kiss, press it onto a mini wafer and add a small pretzel stem on top.

Acorn cookie treats are the easiest cute holiday treats you can make with kids at home. They need no oven and take 20 minutes for 30 pieces. Serve them on a board with real oak leaves, or pack them in small bags as Thanksgiving table favors.

12. Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

Before: A plain cheesecake looks a little pale on a holiday dessert table. It tastes lovely but gets lost next to the pies.

After: A bright cranberry swirl and sugared cranberries make it festive and bold. The thick, creamy slice becomes the star of the table.

Use 32 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs and 1 cup sour cream for a thick cheesecake. Swirl in ½ cup cooled cranberry sauce and bake at 325°F in a water bath for 70 minutes. Chill it overnight for the cleanest, creamiest slices you have ever cut.

13. Pumpkin Roll

A pumpkin roll looks impressive, yet it only takes about an hour of hands on time.

1. Beat 3 eggs with 1 cup sugar, then add ⅔ cup pumpkin puree, ¾ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice.
2. Spread in a lined 10 by 15 inch pan and bake at 375°F for 13 to 15 minutes.
3. Roll the warm cake in a towel dusted with powdered sugar and let it cool.
4. Beat 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and 6 tablespoons butter.
5. Unroll, spread the filling, roll again and chill for 2 hours.

Rolling the cake while warm is the secret that keeps it from cracking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and it keeps for three days in the fridge or a month in the freezer. Slice it with a sharp serrated knife for clean, pretty spirals.

14. Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie is silkier and a little lighter in spice than pumpkin pie.

Feature	Sweet Potato Pie	Pumpkin Pie
Texture	Silky, slightly denser	Smooth and custard like
Flavor	Buttery and naturally sweet	Warm spice forward
Best with	Whipped cream and nutmeg	Whipped cream and cinnamon

Mash 2 cups roasted sweet potatoes with ½ cup melted butter, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup evaporated milk, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Pour into a 9 inch crust and bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes until the center is set.

15. Pie Crust Leaf Cookies

Do:

• Use leftover pie dough or one store bought crust.
• Chill the cutouts for 10 minutes before baking.
• Press leaf veins with the back of a knife.
• Brush with egg wash and cinnamon sugar.

Don’t:

• Roll the dough thinner than ⅛ inch.
• Crowd the tray, since the edges brown fast.
• Skip the cinnamon sugar, which gives the crunch.

Pie crust leaf cookies turn scraps into a sweet little treat. Bake them at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Use them to decorate pies, serve them with coffee, or pile them in a bowl so guests can snack while the pies are sliced and served.

16. Pumpkin Bread

Cost: About $6 | Time: 70 minutes | Skill Level: Beginner

Pumpkin bread is one of the best easy pumpkin recipes for Thanksgiving week. Mix 1½ cups pumpkin puree, ½ cup oil, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes.

17. No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

A no bake pumpkin cheesecake is the answer when your oven is full of turkey and sides. Press 2 cups crushed gingersnaps with 5 tablespoons melted butter into a 9 inch pie dish and chill it while you make the filling.

Beat 16 ounces cream cheese with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup pumpkin puree and 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice. Whip 1 cup heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold it in gently. Spread into the crust and chill for at least 6 hours. The result is a light, creamy chilled cheesecake that slices beautifully.

18. Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake

Cranberry orange bundt cake is bright, tender and a lovely break from all the pumpkin.

• 1 cup butter creamed with 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, 1 cup sour cream and the zest of 2 oranges
• 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups fresh cranberries tossed in 1 tablespoon flour
• Glaze: 1½ cups powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons orange juice

Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan at 350°F for 60 to 65 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before turning out. Pour the glaze over once the cake is completely cool, and finish with fresh orange zest for color. It stays moist for three days under a cake dome.

19. Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Quick Tip: Pipe the frosting with a large open star tip and chill the cupcakes for 15 minutes. The swirls hold their shape and look bakery perfect.

Bake pumpkin spice cupcakes at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes and cool completely. Top them with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and tiny fondant pumpkins. These make lovely fall birthday dessert ideas too, since they suit almost any celebration from early September through late November.

20. Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Before: You need a dessert in a hurry, but pies and cheesecakes all need hours. The oven is busy, and time is running out.

After: A caramel apple dump cake goes into the oven in 10 minutes. It comes out golden, bubbly and ready for a scoop of ice cream.

Spread 2 cans apple pie filling in a 9 by 13 inch dish and drizzle with ½ cup caramel sauce. Sprinkle 1 box yellow cake mix evenly on top and cover with 1 cup melted butter. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until golden and bubbly at the edges.

21. Pilgrim Hat Cookies

Pilgrim hat cookies are a classic no bake treat that kids love to make.

1. Lay fudge striped cookies stripe side down on a tray.
2. Pipe a small dot of orange icing in the center of each.
3. Press an unwrapped mini peanut butter cup upside down on top.
4. Pipe a thin orange band and a tiny square buckle around the base.
5. Let them set for 15 minutes before serving.

This fun Thanksgiving dessert takes about 20 minutes for 24 cookies. It is perfect for classroom parties, kids tables and fall bake sales. Swap the peanut butter cups for chocolate candies if anyone has a nut allergy, and keep the finished cookies in a cool place.

22. Chocolate Pecan Tart

A chocolate pecan tart is a rich, elegant twist on classic pecan pie.

Feature	Chocolate Pecan Tart	Classic Pecan Pie
Look	Sleek fluted edge, dark filling	Deep dish, caramel filling
Flavor	Rich chocolate and toasted nuts	Sweet caramel and pecans
Serves	10 thin slices	8 generous slices

Melt 6 ounces dark chocolate with ¼ cup butter, then whisk in ¾ cup corn syrup, ½ cup brown sugar and 3 eggs. Pour into a 10 inch tart shell, top with 1½ cups pecans and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until just set.

Final Thoughts

A great dessert table does not need ten pies. It needs a few favorites made with care and served with a smile.

Choose three of these thanksgiving desserts that balance each other, like classic pumpkin pie, an apple fritter cheesecake and a plate of cute acorn cookie treats. Bake pies and cheesecakes a day ahead so the oven stays free for dinner. My favorite trick is keeping a tub of whipped cream ready in the fridge.

Save this post to Pinterest so your dessert plan is ready. Try one recipe this week and share it with a friend who loves to bake.