85 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes That Will Sweeten Your Holiday Table

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

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.)

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 18

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: one 9-inch cake

We put a spin on the traditional British holiday pudding and turned it into a glorious cake. Honeycomb and butter melt together in the oven to create a caramel-like topping.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: one 9-inch pie

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.)

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: one 12-inch tart

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.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

We know you still have a lingering bottle of summer rosé. Put it to good use with this effortless, chic pear dessert that's just right for intimate dinners.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 9

Don’t feel obligated to save these for breakfast. They taste like pumpkin bread and pecan pie combined.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

Pumpkin pie might not be your thing, but have you tried pumpkin cookies? These are stuffed with a cheesecake filling, because why not?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

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: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, dairy free, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

You don’t eat pumpkin pie, dairy or gluten, so what’s for dessert? Aran Goyoaga’s delightfully easy and delicious tart, is what.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, gluten free
• Serves: 6

Does it count as dessert if it takes only 35 minutes to make? Absolutely. Bring on the maple-almond crumble.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

Don’t be offended if your guests think you picked these up at the fancy bakery down the street. It’s a compliment.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 10

A layer of pastry cream hides beneath those pretty apple roses, which are easier to pull off than they seem.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
• Serves: 30

We couldn’t possibly pick between pie and cookies, so we’re making these hybrids instead.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

Need proof that scones aren’t just a breakfast treat? The dough is basically pie crust, people.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24

Best served with a side of eggnog for dunking, of course. (Bonus points for spiking it with whiskey or rum.)

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

Our motto at Thanksgiving? Go big or go home, hence this jaw-dropping confection.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24

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).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 5

If simplicity is more your style, you can’t go wrong with a skillet dessert. Make sure to save room after all that turkey.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

You get a pie! You get a pie! Everybody gets a pie! Might we suggest washing it down with mulled wine?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

Not to brag or anything, but that sweet-and-savory glaze really speaks for itself.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 15

We’ll take these over mini-mallow-topped casserole any day. Sweet potatoes make the cookies impossibly soft and moist.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10

Extra brown sugar = crackly, chewy, caramelized bliss. You'll need a tall glass of milk for this one, trust.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

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.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 6

This creamy number stars homemade meringue cookies, but it'll be our little secret if you go with store-bought instead.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 6

Warning: These fall doughnuts will disappear in five seconds flat (especially if they're left unattended at the kids' table).

• Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24

Making puff pastry from scratch takes a little patience, but the payoff? Totally worth it.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: one 9-inch pie

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).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

Just the pairing for post-feast coffee. (Perhaps Crockpot spiked cinnamon lattes are just what the doctor ordered?)

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

Not only is it gluten-free, but you and your guests can also dig in together with spoons—no plates required. Bye, dirty dishes.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 10

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.)

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24

In case the from-scratch caramel glaze isn't indulgent enough for you, you can always dip the bottoms in melted chocolate.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 1 loaf, 16 servings

Cinnamon streusel falls somewhere between ankle booties and crunchy leaves on our list of favorite fall things.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, one pan, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

Can you believe this chic French beauty takes less than an hour to make? Très easy.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 10

It blows the ones your kids collected while trick-or-treating wayyyyy out of the water.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

You so don't need to wait for Christmas to put gingersnaps on the table. The warm spices fit right in at Thanksgiving.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10

Because fussy, fancy icing isn't required to make a bakery-quality dessert. Slivered almonds and sugar have it covered.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: one 9-inch cinnamon roll

You call it Thanksgiving dessert, we call it Black Friday brunch. Pass the mimosa pitcher, please.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 6

This dessert was all the rage in the '90s. Fragrant, whole cardamom pods give it the modern update it deserves.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10

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.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: no bake, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

We love cheesecake. The baking? Not so much. Enter this no-bake, cinnamon-laced number, complete with red currant jelly and gingersnap crumbles.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10

'Tis the season for all things apple, pumpkin and cranberry—but there's always room on our table for chocolate.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 24

Ready for a hosting hack? Make the dough a few days ahead, so you can just slice and bake on Thanksgiving.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

This sweet spud can do way more than side dishes, and this gourmet-looking treat is delicious proof.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 24

A little dusting of powdered sugar and store-bought caramels go a long way in the presentation department.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 10

Trade regular pie dough for impressively swirly cinnamon roll pie crust, then let the crowd go wild.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Want to know the secret behind these itty-bitty sweets? They're baked in mason jar lids.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: one 9-inch cake

Inspired by the Swedish dessert semlor, this cake is light as clouds and super elegant.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 18

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.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 18 to 24

Cinnamon bars + cranberry filling + orange icing > whatever you were planning on buying at the grocery store.

• Time Commitment: 5 hours
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 24

Maple buttercream and candied bacon are just the match for buttermilk-bacon fat cupcakes.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
• Serves: 3

Instead of oozing molten chocolate, this stunner's full of smooth, luxurious caramel. (Although there is melted white chocolate in the batter.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 16

Wash these down with boozy hot cocoa after dinner or you're doing it wrong.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 25

Two holiday classics united in buttery, flaky harmony. Substitute the dark rum with coffee liqueur or bourbon, if you'd prefer.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

This chess pie-inspired dish, thickened with cornmeal, will make you forget all about pumpkin. (Well, at least for the night.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 10

Dappled to perfection with dried cranberries, pepitas and almonds. It's a great gift for the hostess, if we do say so ourselves.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12

Baking it in an autumnal bundt pan is the ultimate pièce de rèsistance. (A dusting of confectioners' sugar doesn't hurt, either.)

• Time Commitment: 7 hours
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: one 9-inch pie

In case you're wondering why some Americans swear by combining cheese and apple pie. One bite will make you a believer.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 16

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.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
• Serves: 64

Just the topper for a batch of warm, homemade apple cider. (They're easier to make than you think, promise.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, gluten free, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

And the award for best-dressed fall dessert goes to...

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6

Skip the pie crust and homemade whip. All you really need are soft, sugary roasted apples and your favorite store-bought vanilla ice cream.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 22

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.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: dairy free, vegan, gluten free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Caramelized apples and cinnamon-sugared nuts meet vanilla-coconut ice cream to create a warm-and-cozy dessert your guests will love.

• Time Commitment: 9 hours
• Why We Love It: one bowl, vegan, gluten free, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 10

Aquafaba, banana and pumpkin purée make this classic beyond moist.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

You'll want to put the pecan-oat topping on every fall dish you ever make, and you have our full support.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
• Serves: 8

Pumpkin, shmumpkin. This holiday, we're putting the bounty of citrus season front and center.

• Time Commitment: 12 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 15

Why serve classic apple pie when you can impress your family with these inventive (and beautiful) tarts?

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 24

These delicious gingerbread cookies look just like little pie tops. (And you won't even need cookie cutters to pull 'em off.)

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8 to 10

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.)

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 10 to 12

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

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.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 12

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.)

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 15 to 20

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.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

Serve with, well, a glass of bourbon.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 24

Seriously, who doesn't love cupcakes?

• Time Commitment: 5 hours and 15 minutes (includes rising time)
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 12

10 out of 10 the most interesting Thanksgiving desserts we'll ever make.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Sweet, sweet chocolate.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, no bake, crowd-pleaser, ready in <15 minutes
• Serves: 6 to 8

You could even serve it with apple pie...