Our best Thanksgiving desserts! Ranging from classic pies to non-pie ideas like cakes and bars, these delicious recipes will wow your holiday guests.
Have you chosen your Thanksgiving desserts yet? I’m still deciding. I might go the classic pie route, or I might go pie-free, creating a Thanksgiving dessert table with fall crisps, festive cakes, or even a show-stopping pumpkin tiramisu.
In case you’re on the fence too, I’ve rounded up our best Thanksgiving dessert ideas below. You’ll find recipes for traditional holiday pies like pumpkin and apple, plus plenty of non-pie Thanksgiving desserts. Pick one direction, or make a mix of both. No matter which you choose, these Thanksgiving desserts will be a hit!
Classic Thanksgiving Desserts
Best Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie has always been one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts. I especially love this version, with its richly spiced filling and nutty pecan crust.
Homemade Cherry Pie
This classic cherry pie will add a pop of color to your holiday dessert spread! The filling is ruby red perfection—tart, velvety, and scented with almond extract.
Apple Pie
Good luck resisting a second slice of this homemade apple pie! It stars an all-butter pie crust and a mouthwatering filling made with cinnamon, brown sugar, and loads of tender apples.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
If you don’t tell guests this pie recipe is vegan, they’ll never know. Made with a custardy coconut and pumpkin filling, it’s just as delicious as the classic kind.
Thanksgiving Desserts That Aren’t Pie
Pumpkin Tiramisu
Move over, pie! This no-bake tiramisu is even more impressive. Layers of chai-soaked ladyfingers alternate with a luxe pumpkin cream.
Easy Pumpkin Cake
When it comes to easy Thanksgiving desserts, you can’t beat this pumpkin cake. It’s ultra-moist, warmly spiced, and topped off with tangy cream cheese frosting. No one will miss the pie one bit!
Apple Crisp
Shhh, don’t tell, but I’d take apple crisp over pie any day. It’s easier to make, it captures the same caramel apple flavors, and the brown sugar and oat topping is better than pie crust.
Cranberry Orange Bread
Moist, bright with orange, and packed with fresh, juicy cranberries, this simple loaf cake is a perfect holiday dessert. Leftovers (if you have any) are great for breakfast!
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Love & Lemons reader Catie described these cookies as “so good I have no words to explain.” They’re like miniature pumpkin cakes. Guests will love them!
Apple Cake
This one-bowl dessert recipe is almost more apples than cake. Don’t expect leftovers—moist, tender, and deliciously spiced, it disappears quick!
Candied Pecans
These bite-size treats are glazed with cinnamon and brown sugar. I love setting them out alongside other Thanksgiving desserts for guests to munch on.
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Level up your Thanksgiving dessert table by serving homemade ice cream instead of store-bought! Pair it with pie, or skip the crust and make sundaes with apple pie filling.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Roll these crowd-pleasing cookies in pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon for an extra boost of fall flavor.
Pumpkin Bread
This classic quick bread is one of our most popular Thanksgiving desserts—and fall desserts in general. It couldn’t be easier to make!
Applesauce Cake
Applesauce makes this simple spice cake wonderfully moist. We love it with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting on top.
Baked Apples
Topped with a nutty brown sugar crumble, these baked apples are like single-serve apple crisps. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Blondies
Brown butter adds butterscotch-y flavor to these chewy dessert bars. Replace the walnuts with pecans to make them even more festive for Thanksgiving. You could add dried cranberries too!
Pumpkin Pudding
These little parfaits are the cutest way to add some pumpkin spice to your Thanksgiving dessert table! Vegan and gluten-free, they’re great for guests with dietary restrictions.
Cranberry Cookies
A festive spin on regular chocolate chip cookies, these guys are soft, chewy, and loaded with cranberries and chocolate.
Apple Crumble
This recipe is one of my favorite make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts. You can cook the cinnamon apples and prep the topping in advance. Just assemble and bake before serving!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Need help planning the rest of your holiday feast? We have plenty of savory Thanksgiving recipes too! Check out these posts to get started:
Best Thanksgiving Desserts: Apple Pie
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon Apple Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 pounds good baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe Easy Pie Crust, chilled at least 2 hours
- 1 large egg
- Coarse sugar, optional
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, whisk together the brown sugar, cane sugar, apple pie spice, and salt. Add the apple slices and lemon juice and toss to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes to draw some of the juices out of the apples.
- In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the water and the cornstarch until smooth.
- Set the pot with the apples over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until the apples soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and pour the cornstarch mixture over the apples. Cook, stirring, until the apple juices bubble and thicken, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and vanilla. Allow the filling to cool completely.
- When you're ready to assemble and bake the pie, arrange an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 425°F with the baking sheet inside it.
- Make the bottom crust. Place 1 disk of chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Dust the top with flour and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large 11- to 12-inch circle. Transfer it to your pie plate and press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides, allowing any excess dough to hang over the edges. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, make the top crust. Roll out the remaining pie dough into an 11- to 12-inch circle.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the remaining 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
- Remove the bottom crust from the refrigerator and pour in the cooled filling, mounding it slightly in the center of the pie. Gently roll the top crust over your rolling pin, then unroll it over the filled pie. Crimp the edges of the pie crust to seal, trimming away any excess dough if necessary.
- Brush the top crust (but not the crimped edges) with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Use a sharp knife to cut several steam vents in the crust.
- Place the pie on the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and any visible juices are bubbling. If you have a glass pie pan, check the color of the sides of the pie. They should also be golden brown. If the crust is getting too brown before 45 minutes, tent it with foil and continue to bake.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving, at least 3 hours.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
