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The best Thanksgiving desserts, from classic pumpkin pie to easy pumpkin cheesecake, cakes, and cookie bars. Find 40+ crowd-pleasing recipes perfect for your holiday dessert table.
What is the most popular Thanksgiving dessert?
Pumpkin pie is hands down the most popular Thanksgiving dessert, followed closely by pecan pie and apple pie. Most Thanksgiving dessert tables include at least one classic pie alongside other options like cranberry cheesecake or pumpkin cookies for variety. I have a full list of ALL the best pie recipes you need.
How many desserts should I serve for Thanksgiving?
A good rule of thumb is to offer 2-3 dessert options for a group of 8-10 people, with at least one classic pie and one or two other options (a cheesecake, cake, or cookies) to give guests variety and account for different preferences. My family loves to go overboard with the pies and we will have a group of 30-40 people and make 20+ pies!
Tips for prepping Thanksgiving dessert ahead:
- Bake pies and cakes 1-2 days in advance. Most Thanksgiving desserts like pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cream pies and cakes actually taste just as good (sometimes better) a day or two after baking, giving the flavors time to settle. You can refrigerate most pies for 24-48 hours before the big day. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil to keep fresh. Make sure to wait to add fresh whipped cream until serving.
- Make pie dough up to 3 days ahead. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate, or freeze it for up to 3 months if you want to prep even earlier. Best butter pie crust that you can prep in advance!
- Whip cream just before serving. Fresh whipped cream is best made the day of!
- Save the garnishes for last. Add whipped cream, caramel drizzle, or fresh fruit right before serving so everything looks and tastes fresh.
Thanksgiving Pies (5-Star Rated Pies)
No Thanksgiving dessert table is complete without a classic pie! This award winning pumpkin pie won the best pumpkin pie on the internet! You will convert even people who don’t like pumpkin pie with this recipe!
The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
The best pumpkin pie recipe made with cream cheese and butter which makes it extra rich and creamy. Award-winning creamy pumpkin pie recipe has a secret ingredient to make it extra special! This is the best pumpkin pie recipe and won the best pumpkin pie on the internet!
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Best Apple Pie
The Best Homemade Apple Pie Recipe! This Fresh Apple Pie with a Buttery, Flaky Crust is made with fresh apples tossed in sugar and cinnamon and baked in a homemade pie crust.
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Chocolate Cream Pie
This is the best Chocolate Cream Pie recipe made with decadent chocolate custard in a flaky, buttery crust and topped with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings. You will love this chocolate pie recipe!
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Banana Cream Pie
Homemade banana cream pie made with a creamy sweet vanilla filling with fresh bananas, handcrafted whipped cream, all in a buttery pie crust.
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Dutch Apple Pie
Dutch Apple Pie How to make a traditional Dutch Apple Pie with a buttery, flaky pie crust, topped with cinnamon-sugar apples, with a brown sugar streusel topping.
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Mini Pumpkin Pie Bites
Small, bite-size pumpkin pie tarts with a buttery, flaky pie crust and topped with homemade whipped cream.
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Milk Bar Hilly’s Pumpkin Caramel Pie Recipe
How to make the famous, viral NYC's Milk Bar Pumpkin Caramel Pie. This pie starts with a homemade pie crust, filled with a spiced pumpkin white chocolate ganache, salted caramel, fresh sweetened whipped cream, and a homemade streusel topping.
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Salted Maple Pie
This salted maple pie has a silky maple syrup chess filling with brown sugar and a hint of cornmeal, baked in a flaky homemade crust and finished with flaky sea salt. A sweet-and-salty Thanksgiving pie recipe.
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Banoffee Pie
This classic banoffee pie is a no-bake dessert made with a buttery graham cracker or Biscoff cookie crust, rich toffee caramel, fresh bananas, and fluffy whipped cream.
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Lemon Cream Pie
Lemon Cream Pie. A simple creamy lemon cream pie with fresh lemon zest in a buttery graham cracker crust with sweetened whipped cream. The BEST Lemon Pie Recipe.
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Raspberry Cream Pie
This Raspberry Cream Pie has a no-bake cheesecake filling topped with fresh raspberry sauce all in a buttery, flaky pie crust.
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Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie Rich chocolate pecan pie made with a brown sugar filling, crunchy pecans, rich chocolate, all in a homemade buttery, flaky pie crust.
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French Apple Tart
This homemade French Apple Tart recipe features a buttery crust, thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, and a golden apricot glaze for a bakery-style dessert.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with a graham cracker crust, creamy peanut butter filling with peanut butter cups, chocolate ganache, and topped with fresh whipped cream and peanut butter cups. The best chocolate peanut butter pie recipe!
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Easy Coconut Cream Pie
Easy Homemade Coconut Cream Pie made with pudding mix, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, whipped cream, and sweetened shredded coconut all in a buttery pie crust and topped with sweet whipped cream.
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Best Cannoli Pie
The popular Italian dessert — the famous Cannoli — but made into a pie. A creamy sweet ricotta and cream cheese filling with mini chocolate chips, topped with chocolate ganache, and freshly whipped cream.
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Caramel Apple Galette
This easy caramel apple galette has a flaky all-butter crust, sweet-tart cinnamon apples, and gooey salted caramel baked in and drizzled on top. A rustic apple crostata that's simpler than pie, served warm with vanilla ice cream.
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Perfect Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
This easy pumpkin pie with sweetened condensed milk is creamy, silky smooth, and perfectly spiced. A one-bowl, foolproof Thanksgiving pie topped with homemade whipped cream.
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For the best results, use my 5-Star All Butter Flaky Pie Crust recipe, which works perfectly for every pie in this list can be made and frozen ahead of time to save even more prep on Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving Cheesecakes
If you want something a little different from pie this year, these creamy, rich cheesecakes are the answer. Easy to make ahead and always a hit.
No-Bake Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
This is a beautiful Christmas Cranberry Cheesecake perfect for the holidays. This no-bake white chocolate cheesecake has a graham cracker crust, white chocolate cream cheese filling, topped with homemade cranberry jam, sugared cranberries, and whipped cream.
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Southern Pecan Praline Cheesecake
This Pecan Cheesecake is a rich, creamy homemade cheesecake topped with decadent brown sugar pecan praline sauce. This Pecan Praline Cheesecake combines pecan pie and cheesecake into one perfect pecan dessert!
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No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
Creamy, smooth pumpkin cheesecake filling in a buttery graham cracker crust topped with whipped cream. This easy, no-bake dessert is perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving gatherings.
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Vanilla Cheesecake
The Best Cheesecake Recipe. How to make the creamiest, dreamiest, richest vanilla cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust. All of the tips and tricks for making the perfect cheesecake!
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse
No-Sugar-Added Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse is a gluten-free alternative to pumpkin pie.
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Thanksgiving Cakes and Cobblers
These cakes are a delicious way to round out your Thanksgiving dessert table for the people who don’t love pie.
Apple Fritter Cake
Moist homemade apple fritter cake made with fresh apples with a brown sugar glaze. This is the best apple cake recipe and a perfect Fall dessert.
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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Moist Pumpkin Spiced Cake with a Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting. The best Fall pumpkin layered cake recipe!
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Apple Cake with Salted Caramel
This Apple Cake with Salted Caramel is a combination of tender spiced apples, moist crumb, and gooey caramel makes this the ultimate fall dessert.
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Cranberry Orange Cake
Cranberry Orange Cake. A moist orange zest cake with fresh cranberries with a sweet cream cheese orange frosting. A sweet yet tart holiday cake.
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Pumpkin Praline Butter Dump Cake
The popular easy Fall dessert made with a pumpkin filling and topped with a buttery, crunchy topping.
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Apple Cobbler
This Apple Cobbler recipe is made with fresh apples sauteed with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and apple cider and then baked with the most perfect topping that is sweet, crisp, and pairs perfectly with the fresh apples. This is the best apple cobbler recipe!
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Pumpkin Cobbler
This Pumpkin Cobbler recipe is made with a creamy, rich spiced pumpkin filling and topped with a sweet, buttery crumble. This Pumpkin Crisp is an easy Fall and Thanksgiving dessert.
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Southern Caramel Cake
Moist yellow fluffy cake with salted caramel frosting. A Southern favorite!
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Apple Crisp
Homemade Apple Crisp made with fresh crisp apples with a brown sugar pecan crumble.
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The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe. A moist, tender carrot cake with sweet cream cheese frosting. The perfect carrot cake recipe!
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Apple Crumble Recipe
Homemade Apple Crumble Recipe made with fresh apples tossed in cinnamon sugar and topped with a brown sugar crumble made with butter, pecans, brown sugar, and flour. This apple crumble is baked until bubbly and topped with vanilla ice cream. An easy apple dessert!
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Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
This yellow sheet cake with chocolate frosting is soft, buttery, and perfectly moist with a rich, classic flavor. The fluffy yellow sheet cake pairs beautifully with a smooth, creamy chocolate frosting that melts in every bite. The best yellow cake with chocolate frosting!
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Thanksgiving Cookies and Bars
Perfect for feeding a crowd (or sneaking a treat between dinner and dessert), these cookies and bars are easy to make ahead!
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Bars are made with a buttery shortbread crust and topped with a creamy pumpkin cream cheese filling and baked and topped with fresh whipped cream.
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Chewy Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies
This Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookie Recipe combines warm spices, pumpkin, and rich brown butter flavor to create the perfect Fall cookie. This is the best soft and chewy pumpkin cookie!
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Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting are moist, pumpkin spiced bars topped with homemade sweet cream cheese frosting. The best pumpkin bar recipe!
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Millionaire Bars
These classic, rich millionaire bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a thick layer of smooth caramel, and a rich chocolate ganache. An easy dessert bar recipe that everyone loves!
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Cornflake Crack Cookies
Buttery, soft, and chewy cookies with crunchy, toffee cornflake crack.
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars are moist, chewy pumpkin spiced bars with chocolate chips. These pumpkin chocolate chip blondies are soft and chewy and perfect for Fall.
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7-Layer Magic Bars
7-Layer Magic Bars. The famous dessert bars made with a graham cracker crust, sweetened flaked coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, all drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. The perfect dessert bar recipe!
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
These Pumpkin Cheese Cookies are the perfect pumpkin cookie filled with a sweet cream cheese center and rolled into cinnamon sugar.
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Snickerdoodle Bars
These snickerdoodle bars have all the soft, chewy, cinnamon-sugar flavor of classic snickerdoodle cookies, baked in one pan for an easier, faster version.
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Chocolate Chip Blondies
The Best Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe Ever! How to make chewy, soft blondies from scratch. This is the most delicious and easiest chocolate chip blondie recipe.
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No Bake Thanksgiving Desserts
If you’re short on oven space this holiday season, these are the perfect no-bake desserts to make for Thanksgiving.
No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie
This No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie is made with a buttery Oreo crust holding a luscious chocolate ganache filling topped with sweetened whipped cream. An easy Chocolate Cream Pie recipe!
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No Bake Pecan Pie Dip
This Pecan Pie Dip is made with creamy, fluffy, sweet cream cheese and whipped cream topped with a homemade pecan caramel sauce. This has all of the flavors of pecan pie without all of the work. A sweet and delicious holiday appetizer.
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No Bake Cheesecake (with sweetened condensed milk)
This easy No-Bake Cheesecake is made with a luscious filling made with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, in a homemade graham cracker crust.
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Cranberry Fluff Salad
This easy cranberry salad is made with fresh cranberries, fresh pineapple, mini marshmallows, cream cheese, sugar, and fresh whipped cream. Perfectly sweet, tart, and creamy. This classic side dish recipe has been modernized and is better than ever!
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Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta. A silky smooth, creamy vanilla bean dessert made with cream, sugar, gelatin, and vanilla beans. An Italian favorite dessert!
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Caramel Apple Bark
This Caramel Apple Bark is an easy no-bake Fall treat and made with fresh apples, buttery caramel, crunchy pretzels, and rich chocolate.
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Caramel Toffee Dip
A 5-ingredient Caramel Apple Dip made with cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel sauce, and Heath Bar toffee pieces. This is the perfect dip for fresh apples! This Caramel Toffee Dip is the easiest dessert to serve at parties.
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Looking for more holiday inspiration? Check out all of my Thanksgiving recipes, Thanksgiving side dishes, Thanksgiving appetizers, and my full pie recipe round-up for even more ideas to round out your holiday table.
If you want to make homemade pie crust, check out my easy pie crust recipe or butter pie crust.
