recipes

These 36 Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts Will Give You Sweet Relief

The hardest part will be waiting to eat them.
Caramelglazed apples baked on a rectangle of puff pastry.
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski

Everyone knows the turkey is top priority on Thanksgiving day. These make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert recipes get the sugar course out of the way so that your sweet tooth won't have to suffer for the bird's diva status. You can make most of the pies, tarts, cookies, and cakes below at least a full day in advance. Warning: Willpower required. And if you're looking for more inspiration, head over to our main roundup of Thanksgiving desserts to find the recipes we turn to year after year.

  • Image may contain Food Dessert Cake Confectionery Sweets Dish and Meal
    Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    1/36

    Cranberry Linzer Tart

    Inside two layers of buttery, crumbly walnut crust hides a tart cranberry filling.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    2/36

    Butternut Squash Tarte Tatin

    Hold the apples, sub in squash, and mind the jaws dropping to the table for this show-stopping fall dessert.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    3/36

    Toasted Pecan Torte with Butterscotch Topping

    Why choose between pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding, and a butterscotch sundae if you can have something that tastes like all three?

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    4/36

    Glazed and Flaky Apple Tart

    If you're the type who prefers fruit desserts that go heavy on the fruit, this flaky, crunchy, juicy apple tart's for you.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    9/36

    BA’s Best Pecan Pie

    No booze, no chocolate, no hard-to-find ingredients in this rendition of the classic pecan pie. 

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriot
    10/36

    BA’s Best Apple Pie

    Reducing the liquid in this mile-high apple pie recipe to a syrupy consistency concentrates the flavor and yields the ideal juicy sauciness.

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  • Christopher Griffith
    27/36

    Milk Bar Pie

    Anyone who has taken a bite of Milk Bar's best selling pie immediately knows the reason why it's so popular.

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  • Linda Xiao
    28/36

    Gluten-Free Chocolate Tea Cake

    Olive oil and almonds keep this gluten free cake moist. Eggs keep it together. Chocolate and sugar keep it delicious. Who’s missing gluten now?

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    33/36

    Vanilla Bean Tarte Tatin

    This buttery, saucy delight of caramelized apples, flaky puff pastry, acidic apple cider vinegar, and floral vanilla beans is a true revelation.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Claire Saffitz
    34/36

    Blackout Chocolate Banana Bread

    This recipe as a cross between your very favorite banana bread and a chocolaty blackout cake.

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  • Photo by BOBBI LIN
    35/36

    Cranberry-Lime Pie

    The spirit of a Key lime pie in the guise of a luscious cranberry curd. The contrast between the snappy press-in crust and the tart filling in this recipe is pure genius.

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  • Deb Perelman
    36/36

    Pretzel Linzers With Salted Caramel

    Deb Perelman's recipe for salty-sweet cookies that have a caramel filling you can totally pull off at home.

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