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70 Recipes For Every Dessert You Need To Make This Thanksgiving

Make these recipes for Thanksgiving, and all season long.

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layered icebox cake with apples, gingersnaps, and caramel
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

Thanksgiving is technically only one day—sad but true! That said, most of us are celebrating it in one way or another all month long. From work potlucks to Friendsgivings, school celebrations to Turkey Trots, there are lots of occasions to bring various dishes to share in the month of November. We're always big fans of dessert, and though pie is quintessential for the holiday, there's so many more options. Instead of baking the same standbys over and over, try one of our best 70 Thanksgiving desserts. These pies, bars, cakes, cookies, and more will be welcome on your Thanksgiving table, and all season long.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the prototypical Thanksgiving classics, like pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, apple pie, and pecan pie. If you’re as enamored with these as we are, don’t limit their flavors to just pie this Thanksgiving season. Try our sweet potato crème brûlée bars, our pumpkin pie sugar cookies, our cranberry bliss cupcakes, or our pecan pie brownies, or try adding these flavors to any of your favorite go-to recipes.

Love the holiday but not so big on the desserts associated with it? We get it. Don’t get left out and instead make something like our almost flourless chocolate-orange cake, our carmelitas, our no-bake buckeye cheesecake bars, or our amaretti cookies. Other non-pumpkin or apple fans will be so grateful to find these on the dessert table. You could also make desserts that just look like turkeys, like our turkey leg Rice Krispies, our turkey Oreo balls, our turkey cake, or our Krispie turkey. They’re sure to put a smile on everyone’s face this Thanksgiving.

Want more Thanksgiving inspiration? Check out our favorite turkey recipes, Thanksgiving appetizers, and side dishes too. And don’t forget the drinks!

1

Pecan Pie

pecan pie with crunchy pecans and a flaky crust
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Nothing screams Thanksgiving more than a classic pecan pie. The craggy, crunchy top gives way to that delicious, rich interior FULL to the brim of nuts. We provide instructions for a flaky, buttery pie crust, but this pie tastes nearly just as good with frozen pie crust.

Get the Pecan Pie recipe.

2

Pumpkin Cake

pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

We are pro-cream cheese frosting and pumpkin here at Delish. If you prefer a more classic frosting, use our best-ever buttercream. It will still be just as good; feel free to add some cinnamon or pumpkin spice to jazz it up a little.

Get the Pumpkin Cake recipe.

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3

Gingersnap Apple Icebox Cake

layered icebox cake with apples, gingersnaps, and caramel
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

For this fall version of a classic icebox cake, we use crunchy gingersnap cookies to hold layers of caramel whipped cream and cinnamon apples together. The tartness of the apples really shines, but isn't overwhelming, thanks to the spicy-sweet nature of the cookies.

Get the Gingersnap Apple Icebox Cake recipe.

4

Turkey Oreo Balls

oreo balls decorated with candy to look like mini turkeys
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Behind the cute, edible faces is a decadent mix of crushed Oreos and cream cheese dipped in a semisweet chocolate shell. The filling has a gentle hint of cinnamon, which you can leave out, but the subtle warmth helps break through the hefty chocolate-on-chocolate flavor. Matching the straightforward ingredients of the Oreo balls is the ease of transforming them into turkeys. The decorating doesn’t require piping or tweezer use, just a few supermarket-friendly items that bond with the setting chocolate coating.

Get the Turkey Oreo Balls recipe.

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5

Cranberry Bliss Cupcakes

cupcakes topped with icing and sugared cranberries
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Inspired by Starbucks' popular cranberry bliss bars, these cupcakes feature a tender vanilla cake with orange zest, tart cranberries, and a rich white chocolate cream cheese frosting. Want to add a little holiday cheer? Garnish with a few homemade sugared cranberries (they’re easy to make, we promise!).

Get the Cranberry Bliss Cupcakes recipe.

6

Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée Bars

sweet potato bars with a torched sugar topping
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Get the best out of two great desserts with these gorgeous cheesecake bars. Fans of classic cheesecake get that rich and creamy filling with a mix of sweet potato and some warm spices. For fans of decadent crème brûlée, a crackly sugar top is sure to seal the deal.

Get the Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée Bars recipe.

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7

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies

triangular spiced shortbread cookies coated in orange icing, beige frosting, and a vanilla meringue cookie
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This festively decorated dessert resembles a pumpkin pie, but is actually made from shortbread cookies, which have a buttery and slightly crumbly texture. It more closely mimics a real pie crust while still retaining enough structure to be picked up and eaten with your hands (and bonus, it’s a lot easier to make than pie dough!).

Get the Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies recipe.

8

Cranberry Pie

cranberry pie
Andrew Bui

The filling of this pie tastes like a combination of coconut panna cotta, cranberry curd, and, mysteriously, raspberry sorbet. (Try it and let us know if we're crazy for that last one.) The crust, made of crushed Biscoff, is the perfect foil for the sweet-tart filling. Plus, it tastes like cookie butter.

Get the Cranberry Pie recipe.

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9

Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Cake

slice of salted caramel apple crumble cake on a plate
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Featuring three layers of tender, lightly spiced apple cidercake sandwiched with apple pie filling, buttery crumble, and salted caramel, this apple crumble cake recipe will delight and impress anyone who’s lucky enough to snag a piece.

Get the Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Cake recipe.

10

Sweet Potato Pie

sweet potato pie slice with whipped cream dolloped on
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This recipe is an amazing way top off a Thanksgiving dinner or a nice treat after a long week in October. We included a recipe for the pie crust, but to make it even easier, feel free to use store-bought!

Get the Sweet Potato Pie recipe.

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11

Krispie Turkey

rice krispie treats shaped into a turkey filled with candy
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

This Thanksgiving, step out of your culinary comfort zone and embrace the future of festive feasting. Make a turkey sculpture out of Rice Krispies treats and watch as your holiday transforms from traditional to extraordinary. Your guests will thank you, your Instagram followers will envy you, and you’ll have a Thanksgiving memory that’s as sweet as it is unforgettable.

Get the Krispie Turkey recipe.

12

Cranberry Crumble Cheesecake Bars

cheesecake bars topped with a layer of cranberries and a pecan crumble topping
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

These irresistible cheesecake bars are like traditional cheesecake’s cool kid sister, and she’s invited to your holiday party this year. These bars perfectly balance creamy, rich cheesecake with the tartness of fresh cranberries and the nuttiness and warmth of a pecan streusel topping with none of the labor-intensity of traditional cheesecake.

Get the Cranberry Crumble Cheesecake Bars recipe.

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13

Apple Pie

apple pie with a flaky homemade pie crust
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Every fall, we turn to this recipe because we think it's, well, pretty perfect. We like to fill our homemade flaky, buttery, lattice crust with a combination of apples for an irresistibly sweet-tart filling. We're being 100% serious when we say this is the BEST apple pie recipe out there.

Get the Apple Pie recipe.

14

Turkey Leg Rice Krispies

rise krispies shaped like turkey legs covered in chocolate with a white chocolate bone
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

What’s better than scoring a turkey leg at the holiday dinner table? Answer: snagging one of these gooey marshmallow and chocolate Rice Krispies treats formed and shaped to just look like one. 😉

Get the Turkey Leg Rice Krispies recipe.

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15

Pecan Pie Thumbprints

thumbprint cookies filled with pecan pie filling
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

The shortbread cookie base here is crispy and buttery to mimic classic pie crust, and the filling is essentially the same as what you would find in a pecan pie, but with a lot less effort. For last-minute celebrations, these are a must.

Get the Pecan Pie Thumbprints recipe.

16

Pumpkin Pie

pumpkin pie with homemade flaky crust
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Every Thanksgiving dessert table needs pumpkin pie. It's basically the law. We've got tons of tips and tricks for how to bake your best one ever. First up, make your own pumpkin spice blend.

Get the Pumpkin Pie recipe.

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17

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving-Inspired Chocolate Bark

chocolate bark with candy, popcorn, and pretzels
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Make this chocolate bark to take part in the Peanuts gang's Turkey Day celebration.

Get the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving-Inspired Chocolate Bark recipe.

18

Sweet Potato Pie Bars

sweet potato bars topped with torched marshmallow
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

These sweet potato bars are a handheld twist on the classic sweet potato pie, offering a perfect blend of rich, buttery crust and creamy, spiced filling. If you're looking to switch up your Thanksgiving pie offerings (or just don't want to deal with pie crust!), these are an easy yet equally delicious option.

Get the Sweet Potato Pie Bars recipe.

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19

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

cheesecake bars topped with a pecan pie topping
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

These cheesecake bars have everything you want in a holiday dessert: a gooey, nutty topping, a creamy cheesecake layer, and a salty-sweet graham cracker crust. They’re the perfect alternative to a traditional pecan pie for Thanksgiving—or any day.

Get the Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars recipe.

20

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Pecan Pie - Delish.com
Parker Feierbach

This pie is the ultimate Thanksgiving pie that will never make you choose between pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Everything bakes together for a simple pie that helps free up oven space! So now you might as well go ahead and make that caramel apple pie too, right?

Get the Pumpkin Pecan Pie recipe.

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