30 Crazy Delicious Thanksgiving Desserts
These Thanksgiving desserts are delicious recipes perfect for the holiday, from pumpkin pie and pecan bars to my favorite no-bake tiramisu!
Every year, I am so excited for Thanskgiving: this holiday is the best time for pulling out all the fall flavors to impress your guests. As a cookbook author who’s hosted dozens of gatherings over the years, I’ve put together my top Thanksgiving desserts that will wow everyone!
Most of these are my own tested recipes that my family has loved throughout the years (especially the pumpkin tiramisu and cranberry apple crisp!). For the pies and cheesecakes I don’t have on this site, I turned to two baking experts I trust: Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby Cakes and Tessa Arias of Handle the Heat.
30 Best Thanksgiving Desserts
This luscious pumpkin tiramisu stars layers of spiced whipped mascarpone and coffee-soaked lady fingers! This Thanksgiving dessert is easy to make in advance and doesn't even require an oven, which is ideal for this holiday.
Imagine, bread cubes baked in a pumpkin-spiced custard until puffed and golden. Drizzle it with a golden bourbon butter sauce and it's a little bit of heaven. A great Thanksgiving alternative to pumpkin pie!
Here’s a Thanksgiving dessert that I Iike even better than pie (I think!). It’s thick and moist, scented with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. The best part is a layer of tangy, fluffy cream cheese frosting.
These mini pies are more than just the novelty factor, though of course everything is more fun mini-sized! These pies are half the serving of a normal piece of pumpkin pie, and they’re so tasty. Each bite has the perfect ratio of silky smooth filling to flaky pie crust.
Here's a fun Thanksgiving dessert: scoop up lusciously soft pumpkin ice cream! It's creamy, scented with just the right hit of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Take it to the next level and add candied pecans for a sweet, salty crunch.
This really is Grandma’s recipe: I worked with my mother-in-law to adapt her famous fall favorite for your home kitchen. Tender, cozy-spiced apples are baked up in a pasty crust with a spiced brown sugar syrup. There’s a reason Grandma is famous for these!
This apple cranberry crisp ismy such a delicious Thanksgiving dessert! The tartness of fresh cranberries melds with sweet, comforting apples in a cinnamon-spiced fruit layer. The berries add a zingy flavor and a bright red hue, and it's topped with golden buttery crisp crumbles.
Another favorite Thanksgiving dessert, these bars are perfectly moist and cakey, with just the right warm-spiced interior from cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. They’re topped off with a lusciously creamy layer of cream cheese frosting that gives a tangy lift to each bite.
For a lighter Thanksgiving dessert, try Baked Apples! It’s like a short-cut apple crumble, but lighter, easier and tastier. Stuff the sweet tart fruit with oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and allspice, then bake until sweet and tender.
It's simple to whip up this handheld treat: the same dough makes a sturdy bottom crust and buttery crumbles of streusel topping! It’s topped with a sweet maple icing drizzle that tastes a bit like melty vanilla ice cream.
This sweet custard is made like a traditional homemade pudding with added pumpkin puree and cozy spices. I like to add crushed gingersnaps or graham crackers and top with whipped cream! It’s like pumpkin pie filling in a glass, but a mini version with all the fun and none of the fuss.
This apple cobbler topping is a meld of a biscuit and a sugar cookie, chewy, sweet and baked into golden-brown dollops. It covers a sweetly-spiced apple layer that’s flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and lemon zest for a little pop.
One of my with ultimate Thanksgiving desserts is these pumpkin cookies! They're lusciously pillowy and chewy, scented with a burst of fall spices and a hint of molasses. The exterior has a subtle sugar crunch and a drizzle of simple sweet icing.
Who says Thanksgiving desserts are only pie? Here the crumble topping is the ideal texture: crispy but not crunchy, and buttery but not soft. The fruit layer is spiced with cinnamon, a hint of ginger and allspice with just a hint of orange and lemon zest.
A slice of this one tastes just like your favorite pumpkin pie, but it's 100% plant based! This vegan pie is so full of pumpkin-spiced sweetness and the flavors are so delightfully elevated, no one will guess it’s got no butter or evaporated milk.
They’re fudgy, chewy, chocolaty: try these sweet potato brownies! Sweet potato puree makes the best chewy texture and loads them with nutrients.
A good pumpkin bread recipe works as dessert, especially if it's topped with this maple glaze! It’s tender and moist, but not too fluffy or too dense. It’s simple to whip up: one bowl, no special equipment; just dump and stir!
This really is the best apple pie. Every single thing about it has been tweaked to perfection: the flaky crust, the rustic lattice, and the tender, spiced filling. I may have eaten one too many apple pies testing this recipe for you (oops!). But the end result is absolutely worth it.
These soft and chewy cookies have a sugar-crisp exterior infused with cozy, bold spices. Each one is fractured into picture-perfect crinkles. You can also try these as an ice cream sandwich using my pumpkin ice cream!
My friend Jocelyn's Southern Pecan Pie is the best classic pie: nutty, sweet and buttery. It's made to be on your holiday table, especially when served with vanilla ice cream!
When you want pie and cheesecake for dessert, try this Butter Pecan Cheesecake! A crisp graham cracker crust, salted brown sugar cheesecake filling and buttery pecan pie topping come together to create a unique, flavorful holiday dessert.
Another fantastic Thanksgiving pie is Sweet Potato Pie! It's filled with tender baked sweet potato, indulgent fall flavors and baking spices in a flaky buttery crust. If you vote sweet potato pie vs pumpkin, this is the Thanksgiving dessert you need.
Here's a Thanksgiving dessert that will have everyone talking: try this mashup of s'mores and pumpkin pie! Layers of buttery graham cracker crust encase a spiced pumpkin pie filling, toasted marshmallows, and decadent chocolate ganache.
Want pecan pie but in bars form? Try these indulgent and gooey pecan pie bars! They've got a buttery shortbread base, toasted pecans, sticky caramel, loads of chocolate and a salt sprinkle.
Here's a fun Thanksgiving dessert featuring the flavors of the season: Brown Butter Maple Blondies! These blondies are easy to make: buttery, chewy, and packed with maple flavor but made with pantry-staple ingredients.
Try this mashup of the traditional pecan pie with an ice cream pie! It’s sweet, creamy, studded with crunchy pecans and swirled with sweet syrup.
Creamy, smooth, rich, and indulgent Pumpkin Cheesecake made with a Biscoff cookie crust and topped with homemade whipped cream. This sumptuous dessert by baking expert Tessa Arias is fall perfection and perfect for any Thanksgiving dessert table.
Caramel pecan blondies for Thanksgiving dessert? Yes please! They feature an ultra chewy brown sugar blondie with a hidden layer of rich, gooey, and crunchy caramel pecan filling.
Here's a fun Thanksgiving dessert that will have everyone coming back for more: Sweet Potato Pie Bars! They've got a thick graham cracker crust, fresh sweet potato filling, and tall toasted homemade marshmallow topping.
Last up: pumpkin and chocolate make magic in these Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars! They're luscious, thick, and smooth with a crunchy, buttery crust and swirls of chocolate.
To browse by ingredient instead? Try these top Pumpkin Desserts or Apple Desserts.
Special Diets for Thanksgiving Desserts
As someone who’s had special dietary needs over the years, making sure everyone at the table has options they can enjoy is important to me! The vegan pumpkin pie and many of the fruit-based desserts like apple cranberry crisp work well for plant-based guests.
For gluten-free options, look for naturally gluten-free desserts like puddings and ice cream. Many crumbles can be made gluten-free by using almond flour or a gluten-free all-purpose blend in the topping.
If you’re serving guests with nut allergies, stick with pies, cakes, and cookies that don’t require nuts as a main ingredient.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Many desserts taste better when made ahead. Cheesecakes, tiramisu, and puddings need time to set and develop their flavors. I make these the day before Thanksgiving and keep them covered in the refrigerator.
Cookies freeze well for up to a month. Bake them early in November, freeze in airtight containers, and thaw at room temperature the day before Thanksgiving.
Pies can be tricky: fruit pies are best baked the day before and kept at room temperature, but custard pies like pumpkin should be made the day of or the night before and refrigerated. I let refrigerated pies sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin pie is the number one Thanksgiving dessert in America, followed by pecan pie and apple pie. Sweet potato pie is also a favorite on many tables.
Bake fruit pies like apple the day before and keep them at room temperature. Bake custard pies like pumpkin and sweet potato the night before or the morning of, then refrigerate. Pie crust dough can be made several days ahead.
I like having a variety of desserts, but you really only need one dessert per 8 people! I like having something pumpkin and something fruity.
Yes! Cookies are perfect for Thanksgiving because they can be baked and frozen weeks ahead. Ginger molasses and pumpkin cookies fit the flavors of the season, and kids love them.
Pumpkin cake, pumpkin tiramisu, bread pudding, apple crisp, cheesecake, and cookies or bars are all great Thanksgiving desserts — I personally like them even more than pie!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- 45 Best Thanksgiving Recipes
- 30 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- 10 Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
- 15 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers
- Top 15 Thanksgiving Cocktails or Thanksgiving Punch
- 25 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes or Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes
- 10 Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes
from A Couple Cooks
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Sonja Overhiser
November 1, 2026 at 03:00PM
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