We love roast turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, but our favorite part of Thanksgiving is most definitely dessert. Whether it's classic pumpkin pie or something more unexpected (like these mini banoffee cobblers), there's no sweeter way to end the fall holiday than with a homemade treat. Read on for 80 Thanksgiving dessert recipes that will satisfy every single one of your guests—even those at the picky kids' table.
80 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes That Will Sweeten Your Holiday Table
1. Easy Cranberry-Pecan Sandwich Cookies
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The homemade cranberry filling might sound like a lot of work, but it’s actually quite simple. (Oh, and it'll make your home smell like a holiday wonderland.)
2. Cinnamon Sheet Cake with Cider Frosting
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
Due to the cake's tender, moist crumb and swoops of apple cider frosting, we’d like to start a petition to get this confection on everyone's Thanksgiving table, every year.
4. Ginger Cherry Pie
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Erin McDowell is the queen of all things pie, so you know her ginger-cherry number is going to be worth the effort. (C'mon, it even has gingerbread pieces worked into the crust.)
5. Apple Tart with Soft-Pretzel Crust
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Sure, you could put together a traditional apple pie that would likely taste delicious. Or could go the extra mile and make this pretzel-crusted version, then let the oohs and ahhs roll in.
8. Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Pumpkin pie might not be your thing, but have you tried pumpkin cookies? These are stuffed with a cheesecake filling, because why not?
9. Miniature Banoffee Cobblers
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
You can thank the Brits for this delectable treat, which is like banana pudding on steroids. Gooey caramel, soft whipped cream and crisp graham cracker crumbs—sign us up.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, gluten free
Does it count as dessert if it takes only 35 minutes to make? Absolutely. Bring on the maple-almond crumble.
12. Brown Sugar Pear Puff Pastries
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Don’t be offended if your guests think you picked these up at the fancy bakery down the street. It’s a compliment.
13. Gluten-Free Apple Rose Tart
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
A layer of pastry cream hides beneath those pretty apple roses, which are easier to pull off than they seem.
14. Pecan Brittle Bark Cookies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
We couldn’t possibly pick between pie and cookies, so we’re making these hybrids instead.
15. Pecan Pie Scones
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Need proof that scones aren’t just a breakfast treat? The dough is basically pie crust, people.
17. Mini Carmel Pecan Pies with Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
You start with a store-bought, refrigerated pie crust and doctor it up with lots of cinnamon. Trust us: No one will suspect a shortcut.
18. Chai Pumpkin Cake with Maple Browned Butter Frosting
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Our motto at Thanksgiving? Go big or go home, hence this jaw-dropping confection.
19. Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Stefani Pollack’s easy bundt cake has a few key ingredients that set it apart, including rum and maple syrup. She recommends topping it with apple butter-caramel icing, but cream cheese frosting works too (hint, hint).
20. Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
If you’re looking for a dessert that doubles as a stunning centerpiece, Gaby Dalkin has you covered. The cheesecake has the same flavors as pumpkin pie, minus the inevitably soggy crust.
21. Skillet Caramel Apple Crisp
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
If simplicity is more your style, you can’t go wrong with a skillet dessert. Make sure to save room after all that turkey.
22. Caramelized Butternut Squash Upside-Down Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
The caramel coats this butternut delight almost like a glaze, so it doesn’t need any accompaniment…but if you want to gild the lily, a drizzle of cold heavy cream just before serving would do.
24. Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Not to brag or anything, but that sweet-and-savory glaze really speaks for itself.
25. Sweet Potato Sugar Cookies with Marshmallow Topping
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We’ll take these over mini-mallow-topped casserole any day. Sweet potatoes make the cookies impossibly soft and moist.
26. Giant Brown Sugar Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Extra brown sugar = crackly, chewy, caramelized bliss. You'll need a tall glass of milk for this one, trust.
27. Mini Mason Jar Apple Pies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
The whole mason jar deal is so much cuter than the a regular old pie dish. (Plus, just *look* at those teeny-tiny crimped crusts.)
28. Creamy Pumpkin Eton Mess
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
This creamy number stars homemade meringue cookies, but it'll be our little secret if you go with store-bought instead.
29. Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Warning: These fall doughnuts will disappear in five seconds flat (especially if they're left unattended at the kids' table).
30. Spiced Palmiers
- Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
Making puff pastry from scratch takes a little patience, but the payoff? Totally worth it.
31. Cinnamon Meringue Pie
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Fun fact: The custard is thickened with flour instead of eggs, so it's basically impossible for the surface to crack (but you'll be covering it in homemade meringue anyway).
32. Candy Corn Surprise Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Psst: We have plans for all that leftover Halloween candy corn in your pantry. The little ones will be thrilled when you slice the cake open.
33. Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Just the pairing for post-feast coffee. (Perhaps Crockpot spiked cinnamon lattes are just what the doctor ordered?)
34. Roasted Apple Pavlova with Honey Whipped Cream
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Not only is it gluten-free, but you and your guests can also dig in together with spoons—no plates required. Bye, dirty dishes.
35. Apple Upside-Down Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon cake batter—what's the worst that can happen? (Besides you eating the whole darn thing before your guests arrive, that is.)
36. Caramel Coconut Macaroons
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
In case the from-scratch caramel glaze isn't indulgent enough for you, you can always dip the bottoms in melted chocolate.
37. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Cinnamon streusel falls somewhere between ankle booties and crunchy leaves on our list of favorite fall things.
38. Fig Tarte Tatin
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, one pan, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Can you believe this chic French beauty takes less than an hour to make? Très easy.
39. The World’s Biggest Peanut Butter Cup
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
It blows the ones your kids collected while trick-or-treating wayyyyy out of the water.
40. Mini No-Bake Gingersnap Icebox Cakes
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
You so don't need to wait for Christmas to put gingersnaps on the table. The warm spices fit right in at Thanksgiving.
41. Caramel Almond Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
Because fussy, fancy icing isn't required to make a bakery-quality dessert. Slivered almonds and sugar have it covered.
43. Cardamom Crème Brûlée
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
This dessert was all the rage in the '90s. Fragrant, whole cardamom pods give it the modern update it deserves.
44. Apple Cider Pear Spelt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
For that one aunt of yours who's always on a new diet. P.S.: Spelt is a nutrient-rich variety of wheat that offers nutty, wholesome flavor to the cake.
45. No-Bake Mini Mason Jar Spiced Cheesecakes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: no bake, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We love cheesecake. The baking? Not so much. Enter this no-bake, cinnamon-laced number, complete with red currant jelly and gingersnap crumbles.
46. Snickerdoodle Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
'Tis the season for all things apple, pumpkin and cranberry—but there's always room on our table for chocolate.
47. Maple-Pecan Icebox Cookies
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Ready for a hosting hack? Make the dough a few days ahead, so you can just slice and bake on Thanksgiving.
48. Sweet Potato Pots de Crème with Toasted Marshmallow
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
This sweet spud can do way more than side dishes, and this gourmet-looking treat is delicious proof.
49. Caramel-Stuffed Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Time Commitment: 3 hours
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
A little dusting of powdered sugar and store-bought caramels go a long way in the presentation department.
50. Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Roll Crust
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
Trade regular pie dough for impressively swirly cinnamon roll pie crust, then let the crowd go wild.
51. Mini Apple Tarts
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Want to know the secret behind these itty-bitty sweets? They're baked in mason jar lids.
52. Cardamom Cream-Filled Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Inspired by the Swedish dessert semlor, this cake is light as clouds and super elegant.
53. Apple Cinnamon Spice Whoopie Pies
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
There's apple cider in both the cake and spiced buttercream, but since there's no such thing as too much, we'll take a mug of the stuff on the side as well.
56. Caramel Pumpkin Lava Cake
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Instead of oozing molten chocolate, this stunner's full of smooth, luxurious caramel. (Although there is melted white chocolate in the batter.)
57. Spiced Cranberry Pear Hand Pies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Wash these down with boozy hot cocoa after dinner or you're doing it wrong.
58. Pecan Pie Maple Shortbread Bars
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Two holiday classics united in buttery, flaky harmony. Substitute the dark rum with coffee liqueur or bourbon, if you'd prefer.
59. Buttermilk Sweet Potato Pie
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This chess pie-inspired dish, thickened with cornmeal, will make you forget all about pumpkin. (Well, at least for the night.)
60. Pumpkin Bark
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Dappled to perfection with dried cranberries, pepitas and almonds. It's a great gift for the hostess, if we do say so ourselves.
61. Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Baking it in an autumnal bundt pan is the ultimate pièce de rèsistance. (A dusting of confectioners' sugar doesn't hurt, either.)
62. Apple Cheddar Pie
- Time Commitment: 7 hours
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
In case you're wondering why some Americans swear by combining cheese and apple pie. One bite will make you a believer.
63. Chickpea Blondies
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
These are vegan, gluten-free and ridiculously soft and chewy, thanks to chickpeas. Go-to mix-ins include white chocolate chips, toffee chips and chopped pecans.
64. Caramel Apple Marshmallows
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Just the topper for a batch of warm, homemade apple cider. (They're easier to make than you think, promise.)
65. Pumpkin Chocolate Tarts with Pepita Crust
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, gluten free, kid-friendly
And the award for best-dressed fall dessert goes to...
66. Hasselback Apples
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Skip the pie crust and homemade whip. All you really need are soft, sugary roasted apples and your favorite store-bought vanilla ice cream.
67. Pumpkin Cookie Dough Pops
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
You should probably cut the kids off at one pop each. Good thing you're one of the grown-ups. (Note: Be sure to heat-treat the flour so the dough is safe to consume raw.)
68. Apple Pie Sundaes
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: dairy free, vegan, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Caramelized apples and cinnamon-sugared nuts meet vanilla-coconut ice cream to create a warm-and-cozy dessert your guests will love.
69. One-Bowl Vegan Pumpkin Roll
- Time Commitment: 9 hours
- Why We Love It: one bowl, vegan, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
Aquafaba, banana and pumpkin purée make this classic beyond moist.
70. The Best Vegan Apple Crisp
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, beginner-friendly
You'll want to put the pecan-oat topping on every fall dish you ever make, and you have our full support.
71. Cranberry-Orange Pie
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Pumpkin, shmumpkin. This holiday, we're putting the bounty of citrus season front and center.
72. Orange and Chocolate Brioche Tarts
- Time Commitment: 12 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Why serve classic apple pie when you can impress your family with these inventive (and beautiful) tarts?
73. Gingerbread Lattice Cookies
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
These delicious gingerbread cookies look just like little pie tops. (And you won't even need cookie cutters to pull 'em off.)
74. Aran Goyoaga’s Spiced Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
If sweet potatoes aren't your thing, feel free to use roasted pumpkin or canned pumpkin purée in their place. (Either way, it pairs seamlessly with a pumpkin spice latte.)
75. No-Cook Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Since your oven is already packed with sides and a roast bird, why not make a dessert that doesn't require any baking? Case in point: pumpkin spice tiramisu spiked with bourbon, pumpkin purée and fresh coffee.
76. Brown Sugar Shao Bing
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
This rendition of the Chinese street snack is made from laminated dough layered with buttery brown sugar filling. Wash it down with a boozy cup of java or hot cocoa.
77. Espresso Streusel Coffee Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Bury us in espresso-dusted, brown sugar-cinnamon crumb topping. The cake is guaranteed to turn out impossibly moist, thanks to sour cream in the batter.
78. Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Soft, fluffy cookies meet sweet, tangy frosting and just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice to create the ultimate fall treat. (The kids' table will gobble them up.)
79. Apple Cider Caramel Poke Cake with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
In our book, when it comes to indulging in apple cider, the limit does not exist. So, wash a gooey, decadent slice down with a warm mug for good measure.
80. Chocolate and Salted Peanut Crepe Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
When in doubt, chocolate is always a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. These pillowy crepes taste *exactly* like the leftover cereal milk from a bowl of Cocoa Krispies, so they're bound to delight everyone.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.