48 Thanksgiving dessert recipes for a sweet holiday
From cookies to cake — and of course, plenty of pie.
In this article:
- Thanksgiving pies
- Thanksgiving cookies
- Thanksgiving cakes
- Thanksgiving cheesecakes
- Chocolate Thanksgiving desserts
- Vegan Thanksgiving desserts
- Gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts
Planning your Thanksgiving dessert menu? Start here. We have every recipe you might need — and plenty more — to finish your feast, snack on during sports time, and enjoy alongside your Black Friday leftovers. From classic pies to creative cakes to autumnal cookies, these Thanksgiving dessert recipes are designed to celebrate the season. And if you’re baking vegan or gluten-free, we have lots of options for you, too.
Thanksgiving pies
1) Pumpkin Pie
Of course, we had to start with pumpkin pie. This is a rich, well-spiced pie, thanks to a powerful punch of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and black pepper. Two hints for a better result: Mix the filling a day in advance to give the spices a chance to bloom, and be sure to remove the pie from the oven while the center is still wobbly, as overcooking it will cause the filling to crack.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Pie
Shop the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice
2) Smooth and Spicy Pumpkin Pie
Want even more spice in your pumpkin pie? This spice-forward recipe is for you. Using powerful Vietnamese cinnamon — with its more robust flavor profile — gives the pie an even spicier kick. Meanwhile, the filling is super silky-smooth thanks to a few tablespoons of corn syrup mixed in.
Get the recipe: Smooth and Spicy Pumpkin Pie
Shop the recipe: Vietnamese Cinnamon
3) Cranberry Chiffon Pie
With its retro vibe, this play on classic chiffon pie is noteworthy for its tender rye crust and its bright, light chiffon filling. The zesty cranberry curd and smooth, sweet Swiss meringue play beautifully together. And the gelatin helps the filling set just right so that once refrigerated, the pie can be sliced neatly. Tart and airy, this pie is an excellent counterpoint to a heavy feast.
Get the recipe: Cranberry Chiffon Pie
Shop the recipe: Organic Medium Rye Flour
Intimidated by pie? Don't be! Our guide on How to Bake Pie has everything you need for a successful, stress-free bake.
4) Apple Pie
This double-crusted beauty is generously filled with sweet-tart apples and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. But the real secret to its flavorful filling is boiled cider, one of our favorite fall ingredients. The sticky tart-sweet syrup adds an extra depth of apple flavor to make this classic pie stand out from the crowd.
Get the recipe: Apple Pie
Shop the recipe: Vermont Boiled Cider and Instant ClearJel
5) Paper Bag Apple Pie
This unusual method for baking apple pie caught our eye years ago, when a reader sent it via e-mail. But it’s not just a stunt: Baking a pie in a paper grocery bag gives you a beautifully golden brown, perfectly cooked pie, with toothsome yet tender apples (which soften better thanks to the steam trapped by the bag) beneath a streusel topping.
Get the recipe: Paper Bag Apple Pie
Shop the recipe: Vermont Boiled Cider
6) Classic Sweet Potato Pie
This beloved pie is made much like pumpkin pie, but with mashed sweet potatoes for nuanced flavor and heavy cream for an especially rich custard. Top it with toasted molasses meringue (if you want the pie to be reminiscent of the classic yams and marshmallow dish served at Thanksgiving), or for a simpler option, with freshly whipped cream. (And for a more unconventional version, try this striking Purple Sweet Potato Pie.)
Get the recipe: Classic Sweet Potato Pie
Shop the recipe: Pie Pan
7) Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie
This traditional pie doesn’t use corn syrup — instead, it’s sweetened entirely with brown sugar. The filling is silky smooth, and the pecans on top toast nicely as the pie bakes. Be sure to use high-quality vanilla extract for well-rounded flavor; an optional handful of chopped bittersweet chocolate is a nice addition, too.
Get the recipe: Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie
Shop the recipe: Pure Vanilla Extract
8) Pecan Pie Bars
If you’re intimidated by pie (or just don’t have time to chill and roll out pie dough) this easier version of pecan pie is for you. A buttery, brown-sugar shortbread crust cradles a gooey honey-sweetened pecan filling. These bars keep well for days, so they’re perfect for baking ahead of Thanksgiving.
Get the recipe: Pecan Pie Bars
Shop the recipe: Cake and Brownie Pan
9) Chocolate Pecan Pie
This recipe takes classic pecan pie a step further by adding chocolate chips to the filling. The chocolate beautifully complements the pecans' nuttiness; if you choose bittersweet chocolate, it cuts the pie's overall sweetness, allowing all of the flavors to shine more brightly.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Pecan Pie
Shop the recipe: Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
Baker's tip: Make and freeze your pie crust early to get ahead on pie prep.
10) Maple Cream Pie
This creamy, decadent pie is positively bursting with maple flavor — be sure to use the best maple syrup you can find and a dash of natural maple flavor to enhance it. One bite of the brûléed maple sugar top and the silky-smooth filling will have you reconsidering your regular rotation of cream pies this Thanksgiving.
Get the recipe: Maple Cream Pie
Shop the recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup and Natural Maple Flavor
11) Fried Apple Pies
These handheld treats harness all the nostalgia of a steaming hot McDonald’s fried apple pie but are infinitely better, thanks to homemade flaky pie crust, a fresh apple filling amplified by boiled cider, and a generous coating of cinnamon sugar. If you’re only in charge of dessert this year and want to flex a little, this recipe is an impressive (and tasty!) way to do so.
Get the recipe: Fried Apple Pies
Shop the recipe: Boiled Cider and Apple Pie Spice
Thanksgiving cookies
12) Fudgy-Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Cakey pumpkin cookies are fine and good, but this recipe yields buttery, almost fudgy pumpkin cookies (think rich peanut butter cookies, only pumpkin-flavored). The trick is to cook the pumpkin purée down on the stovetop. This cooks off extra moisture, which in turn gives you a chewier cookie.
Get the recipe: Fudgy-Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
Shop the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice
13) Ginger Molasses Amber Ale Cookies
Pair your post-dinner football with beer … but make it a cookie! Amber ale is cooked down into a concentrated liquid, then mixed into the spiced dough, where it contributes sweet, caramelized toffee notes to every bite of these crisp yet chewy cookies.
Get the recipe: Ginger Molasses Amber Ale Cookies
Shop the recipe: Mini Diced Ginger
14) Pumpkin Biscotti
With their warm golden hue, these crunchy biscotti are an autumnal comfort. Bake a big batch at the beginning of the week so you’ll have cookies on hand for snacking throughout the holiday prep and celebrations.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Biscotti
Shop the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice
15) Salty-Sweet Butter Pecan Cookies
These butterscotch cookies are heavily laced with toasted pecans and butterscotch chips. But the real secret to their irresistible appeal? They're rolled in a mixture of sugar and salt before baking.
Get the recipe: Salty-Sweet Butter Pecan Cookies
Shop the recipe: Espresso Powder
Psst ... make your best cookies this season with these 10 tips.
16) Chai-Glazed Almond Cookies
A sweet, spicy glaze adorns these tender, buttery cookies, providing visual flair and complex flavor. Using almond flour in the dough ensures the cookies turn out soft and moist.
Get the recipe: Chai-Glazed Almond Cookies
Shop the recipe: Almond Flour
17) Peanut Butter Blossoms
These sweetly shaped cookies are favorites of both kids and adults. With a rich peanut butter cookie cradling a soft chocolate kiss, they offer a candy-inspired bite on the Thanksgiving dessert plate.
Get the recipe: Peanut Butter Blossoms
Shop the recipe: King Arthur Cookie Sheet
18) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you prefer your pumpkin cookies delightfully soft and cakey, then this recipe is for you. The cookies have melty pockets of chocolate throughout, while cinnamon and ginger add a dash of holiday spice to amp up the pumpkin.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Shop the recipe: Cinnamon and Ginger
19) Oatmeal-Date Smash Cookies
These cookies are so good. And here’s why: They’re dense and fudgy on the inside, with a crispy exterior that crackles with oats. The secret is a cookie technique inspired by Zoë Francois: The cookies are par-baked, then smashed flat with a spatula before being returned to the turned-off oven to set. They’re smashed a second time when they’re fresh out of the oven. All that smashing gives the finished cookies a unique and irresistible texture that will be the talk of your Thanksgiving table.
Get the recipe: Oatmeal-Date Smash Cookies
Shop the recipe: King Arthur Rolled Oats
Thanksgiving cakes
20) Nantucket Cranberry Cake
This tart-sweet cake is easy to throw together — made with melted butter, the one-bowl batter is mixed by hand then poured directly over sugared cranberries. If you have cranberries leftover from making sauce or just want to highlight these seasonal berries in other ways, make this cake.
Get the recipe: Nantucket Cranberry Cake
Shop the recipe: Pure Almond Extract and Sparkling Sugar
21) Pumpkin Swirl Cake
This stunning pumpkin swirl cake is more than just good looks: It also has a soft, plush texture, thanks to cake flour and sour cream, and a deep pumpkin flavor paired with fragrant vanilla. It starts with one base batter that gets flavored two ways, creating two distinct colors for a striking visual contrast when sliced.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Swirl Cake
Shop the recipe: Unbleached Cake Flour
22) Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
For a more traditional dessert, try this pumpkin-y layer cake. It’s moist and slightly dense from the pumpkin purée, with a tangy cream cheese frosting and sticky caramel glaze.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Shop the recipe: Caramel Baking Block
23) Mostly Apples Apple Cake
In this unabashedly apple-forward apple cake, there are so many apple slices and so little batter, you’ll wonder how (and if) it will hold together. But never fear: As the batter rises in the oven, it knits those slices together to create a tender cake that’s almost creamy and custardy due to the abundance of fruit.
Get the recipe: Mostly Apples Apple Cake
Shop the recipe: Almond Flour and Pure Almond Extract
24) Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake
The pumpkin and pumpkin-friendly spices (cloves, cinnamon, allspice) in this cake meld surprisingly well with the chocolate chips studded throughout. This dark, moist Bundt cake is rich enough to serve unfrosted, and it's just the ticket when you want to serve a dessert that's substantial, yet not too sweet, to finish your Thanksgiving meal. And it keeps well for days, so you can bake it early in the week to help prep ahead.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake
Shop the recipe: Soft Swirl Bundt Pan
25) Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Pound Cake
This golden cake is rich, moist, and subtly spiced to complement, rather than overshadow, the natural flavor of sweet potatoes. It also includes a crunchy pecan crust on both the top and bottom, along with a touch of maple syrup in the cake for sweetness. If you’re not a fan of pie, this sweet potato cake just may be the perfect Thanksgiving dessert.
Get the recipe: Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Shop the recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup and Tube Pan
26) Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake
With a hidden swirl of coffee-flavored filling, this stunning cake adds an extra dimension to your holiday table. It’s like a pumpkin spice latte in dessert form — and also secretly whole wheat!
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake
Shop the recipe: Golden Wheat Flour
Wondering how far ahead you can make your cake? Here's how long cake lasts in the fridge and at room temp.
27) Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
This cake is an old favorite of our readers, with over 300 five-star reviews. It's a recipe where the whole is definitely more than the sum of the parts: The moist, semi-chunky cake is packed with four cups of apples, then spread with the frosting equivalent of brown sugar fudge. The whole thing comes together by hand in one bowl, so it also fits easily into your Thanksgiving prep.
Get the recipe: Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
Shop the recipe: Apple Pie Spice and Vermont Boiled Cider
Thanksgiving cheesecakes
28) Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Why decide between cheesecake and pie when you can have both? This eye-catching two-toned recipe pairs custardy pumpkin pie with creamy cheesecake for a dessert that will satisfy everyone.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Shop the recipe: Cinnamon and Nutmeg
29) Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
For an all-pumpkin Thanksgiving cheesecake, there’s this classic version, which transforms pumpkin pie into a silky, velvety filling. Because it needs to chill before serving, this cheesecake is an excellent candidate for baking a day ahead of Thanksgiving.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
Shop the recipe: Vietnamese Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg
30) Easy Cheesecake
It’s right there in the name: This is an easy, failproof cheesecake that comes together quickly and bakes up beautifully. You don’t even need a water bath! Top with maple- or bourbon-spiked whipped cream to dress it up for the holiday; details are in the recipe tips at the bottom of our Homemade Whipped Cream recipe.
Get the recipe: Easy Cheesecake
Shop the recipe: Pie Pan
31) Maple-Pecan Cheesecake
For a fall-forward cheesecake, turn to this seasonal recipe. The texture of the filling is ultra-smooth and creamy, and the maple flavor is apparent, yet subtle — the secret is natural maple flavor paired with maple syrup. The pecan crust, meanwhile, is a nutty, salty counterbalance to the filling.
Get the recipe: Maple-Pecan Cheesecake
Shop the recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup and Natural Maple Flavor
32) Irish Whiskey Cheesecake
If you’re looking for a celebratory yet unexpected dessert for your table, we recommend this recipe. A heavy pour of Irish whiskey cream liqueur (save some for your after-dinner coffee!) flavors the smooth, light filling, while silky chocolate ganache adorns the top. Oven space at a premium while you prep Thanksgiving dinner? This dessert is no-bake, so you can save some room in the cooking schedule.
Get the recipe: Irish Whiskey Cheesecake
Shop the recipe: Springform Pan
Chocolate Thanksgiving desserts
33) Flourless Chocolate Cake
This flourless cake is incredibly rich — like sliceable fudge sauce. A thick icing of chocolate ganache glaze takes it over the top, but if you want something a touch lighter after a heavy Thanksgiving feast, top it instead with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and a spoonful of barely sweetened whipped cream.
Baker's tip: Make your whipped cream in a Mason jar, especially helpful if you're bringing dessert to someone else's home.
Get the recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake
Shop the recipe: Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Chips
34) Cranberry-Fudge Pie
This chocolate pie, with its flaky pastry crust and glistening, ruby-colored cranberry topping, is a non-traditional twist on Thanksgiving flavors. With a semisweet chocolate ganache, nutty whole-grain flour in the crust, and tangy fruit, it delivers a novel and enticing new holiday pie.
Get the recipe: Cranberry-Fudge Pie
Shop the recipe: Golden Wheat Flour
35) Candy Bar Pecan Tart
This pecan tart recipe is the more lavish, decadent cousin of a classic pecan pie. The pecans are enveloped in a rich, chewy caramel filling, and a blanket of velvety smooth chocolate ganache covers the top of the tart, lending it major candy bar vibes with a touch of sophistication.
Get the recipe: Candy Bar Pecan Tart
Shop the recipe: Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Wafers
36) Chocolate Cream Pie
This nostalgic pie is the perfect combination of crispy crust, dense chocolatey filling, and ethereal whipped cream. The crust is prebaked, then filled with a generous amount of cooked, cooled chocolate filling. You can customize the chocolate flavor to your taste by using bittersweet, semisweet, milk chocolate, or any combination of these that you like.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Cream Pie
Shop the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend
37) Chocolate Midnight Pie
Based on chess pie, an old Southern favorite, this pie’s texture hits the sweet spot between cheesecake and custard. As it bakes, it also makes its own crackly chocolate-sugar topping, which yields to the dense, fudgy filling beneath.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Midnight Pie
Shop the recipe: Double Dark Cocoa
Watch as Kye shares 4 tips for failproof pie dough.
Vegan Thanksgiving desserts
38) Vegan Pumpkin Pie
For years, bakers asked us for a vegan pumpkin pie recipe: This one’s for you! For this dairy-free pie, sweetened condensed coconut milk takes the place of cream, and a cornstarch slurry acts as an egg-like binder. But worry not: Despite being vegan, it has the fragrant spiced flavor of classic pumpkin pie.
Get the recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Shop the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice
39) Vegan Pecan Pie
Instead of eggs, this pie relies on cornstarch to bind the gooey filling; coconut cream, meanwhile, stands in for butter. With tons of toasty pecans bound together in a rich, sweet syrup and cradled in a flaky crust, it’s hard to believe this pie is vegan.
Get the recipe: Vegan Pecan Pie
Shop the recipe: Pumpkin Pie Spice and Guittard Bittersweet Onyx Chocolate Wafers
40) No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie
How do you make a cream pie without dairy or eggs? The secret is coconut: The pudding-like filling is made with both coconut cream and evaporated coconut milk for a rich texture that’s the perfect balance of set but still soft. The sheer amount of chocolate means that it, and not coconut, is still the predominant flavor in this vegan chocolate pie.
Get the recipe: No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie
Shop the recipe: Guittard Bittersweet Onyx Chocolate Wafers
41) King Arthur’s Original Cake Pan Cake
A cake so easy that you can mix it in its pan, this reliable recipe is also free of dairy or eggs. And you won’t miss them: This simple chocolate cake is dark and moist, with a slightly coarse crumb. If you’re worried about getting overwhelmed with all the cooking and baking Thanksgiving morning, we recommend this stress-free recipe.
Get the recipe: King Arthur’s Original Cake Pan Cake
Shop the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend and Espresso Powder
42) Pumpkin Spice Cake
A simple dump-and-stir batter bakes up into this sweet and spicy vegan cake, which has a moist, tender crumb from the inclusion of pumpkin purée and vegetable oil. Add raisins, walnuts, or dried cranberries to the batter for additional texture and flavor.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Spice Cake
Shop the recipe: Golden Wheat Flour
Our secret to capturing fall in a dessert? Fragrant, uber-flavorful pumpkin pie spice.
Gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts
43) Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
A flaky pie crust can be difficult to achieve with gluten-free flour, but our Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour — along with xanthan gum and Instant ClearJel to help with binding and structure — is up to the task. The pumpkin filling, meanwhile, is classic: smooth, mildly sweet, and just spicy enough.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Shop the recipe: Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, Xanthan Gum, and Instant ClearJel
44) Chocolate Almond Flour Torte
Rich, dark, and dense, this chocolate cake is the perfect finish to a celebratory meal. The almond flour ensures moist, tender texture, while our Triple Cocoa Blend, espresso powder, and bittersweet chocolate all contribute to an extra-indulgent chocolate experience — without any gluten.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Almond Flour Torte
Shop the recipe: Almond Flour and Belcolade Bittersweet Chocolate Wafers
45) Gluten-Free Chai-Spiced Pound Cake
This perfectly tender cake — made with our Measure for Measure Flour for a seamless gluten-free baking experience — incorporates cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and black pepper to mimic the flavors in a steaming cup of chai. Lightly sweetened with both brown sugar and honey, it's an ideal autumnal dessert.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Chai-Spiced Pound Cake
Shop the recipe: Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
46) Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Apple Cake
This one-bowl cake belies its simplicity with moist texture and out-of-this-world flavor. The combination of mildly spiced cake, chopped fresh apples, and fudge-like brown sugar frosting is guaranteed to be a hit at the end of your Thanksgiving feast.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Apple Cake
Shop the recipe: Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
New to gluten-free baking? Read our beginner's guide for everything you need to know.
47) Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake Bars
Looking to skip the pie but still want pumpkin? These soft bars are your solution — they’re also great for feeding a crowd, as they’re baked in an 18” x 13” half-sheet pan. Crowned with tangy cream-cheese frosting and packed with walnuts and raisins, these gluten-free bars are like a bar version of carrot cake.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake Bars
Shop the recipe: Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour and Xanthan Gum
48) Gluten-Free Chocolate Cream Pie
A rich, luscious chocolate filling and tender, flaky pie crust are the hallmarks of this gluten-free version of one of our most popular pies. Use high-quality chocolate for the best filling flavor — in such a chocolate-forward recipe, it really does make a difference.
Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Cream Pie
Shop the recipe: Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Wafers
Are you baking Thanksgiving dinner rolls, too? We've got you covered there: See our 16 best Thanksgiving dinner roll recipes.
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
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