71 Thanksgiving Desserts for a Sugar Rush to Chase Your Tryptophan Daze
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Some folks may think of Thanksgiving as turkey day; we call it the official launch of dessert season. And when presented with the best Thanksgiving desserts, it can be hard to choose what to make. Luckily, the time of year narrows things down slightly—save everyday chocolate chip cookies and even extraordinary brownies for another day because Thanksgiving is for holiday classics like pecan and apple pie. It’s probably the only time in the year you think about making pumpkin pie…and sweet potato pie! And sweet potato sonker!
Below, you’ll find our all-time favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipes, including elegant tarts, impressive multilayered cakes, easy cookies and cupcakes, and, of course, the best pie recipes we know—including both old-fashioned favorites and new-school riffs that may well become your new family standards. So save room for something sweet after Thanksgiving dinner: It’s time for the dessert table to shine.
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- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou1/71
Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars
This mash-up of two perfect desserts is just right for Thanksgiving dessert. It’s assembled in a 13-by-9-inch pan, so there is plenty to go around.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi2/71
Our Favorite Apple Pie
Yes, we do have a favorite apple pie, and it’s the perfect combination of flaky all-butter pastry and tender—not mushy—apples. We like Honeycrisps, Braeburns, or a combination for an ideal balance of sweet-tart flavor.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich3/71
Chocolate Pots de Crème
An ideal make-ahead dessert for a sit-down Thanksgiving dinner, these individually portioned puddings can be made at least two days in advance.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi4/71
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie
A shot of bourbon and a judicious hand with the spices lends warmth to this tweak on classic pumpkin pie. A bit of sour cream in the filling makes it wonderfully light.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne5/71
Apple Sticky Toffee Pudding
An apple- and date-studded cake, a cooked apple topping, and a rich toffee sauce: With this cake recipe, you’ll get three components that taste as good separately as they do piled all together.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce6/71
Easy Egg Custard
A little nutmeg grated on top of these baked egg custards gives then an eggnog vibe that’s perfect for ending any holiday dinner.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi7/71
Classic Pecan Pie
This old-fashioned pie calls for corn syrup, an ingredient that has perhaps been unfairly maligned. But, if you’d like to use a corn syrup substitute, brown rice syrup is toasty and delicious, and pretty easy to spot on grocery store shelves.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne8/71
Simple Bread Pudding With Melted Ice Cream Sauce
You could make your own crème anglaise for saucing this easy bread pudding. Or you could just melt a pint of vanilla ice cream (or cinnamon ice cream or caramel ice cream or whatever ice cream sounds good to you) instead.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne9/71
Fluffy Coffee and Walnut Cake With Mocha Buttercream
Both the walnut cake layers and the cocoa buttercream in this recipe get a little espresso powder, which makes it wonderfully reviving after a big meal.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Kim10/71
Pear Tart With Dulce de Leche Drizzle
A tart this stunning couldn’t be such a cinch to make. Or could it? For this easy Thanksgiving dessert, you’ll simply toss together sugar, flour, lemon zest, and cinnamon; then sprinkle the mix over the tart base before arranging the sliced pears and baking.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton11/71
Lemon Bars
A shortbread crust and a bright lemon filling make these snackable bars a crowd favorite. To tame some of their tartness, opt for Meyer lemons.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell12/71
Olive Oil Apple Cake With Spiced Sugar
This recipe hits all the right autumnal notes: it’s earthy thanks to the olive oil and warm thanks to the spices. And it’s even better for a post-holiday breakfast.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton13/71
Sweet-Potato Cobbler
This homey dessert is one of our favorite Gourmet Thanksgiving classics. It’s substantial and rich with butter and cane syrup and is encased not with pie crust, but with biscuit dough.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne14/71
Buttermilk Pie
This Southern classic can be made with just a few simple ingredients and has a lightness that most Thanksgiving desserts lack. It gets fresh, fragrant flavor from a little lemon zest.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton15/71
Basque-Style Sweet Potato Cheesecake
This is no basic cheesecake recipe. It’s subtly spiced, sports robust flavor from roasted sweet potato purée, and, borrowing from the Basque tradition, it’s baked until the exterior is a deep copper and the interior is luxuriously silky.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton16/71
Apple-Cranberry Crisp With Oatmeal-Cookie Crumble
Inspired by the bright flavors of cranberry sauce, this cran-apple crisp is topped with a crunchy, almond-laced oatmeal cookie crumble. It’s just begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton17/71
Banana Cream Pie With Bourbon Whipped Cream
This all-seasons fruit pie keeps things pretty traditional, but the whipped cream topping gets a shot of bourbon for a warming, toasty complement to the bananas.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou18/71
Golden Beet Cake With Magic Cream Cheese Frosting
Think carrot cake, but with beets. The dreamy frosting that tops this refreshingly spiced, sour cherry–studded cake is a keeper for all your baking needs.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich19/71
Latticed Apple and Cranberry Tart
Our 1970s-inspired vintage Thanksgiving menu starts with a turkey wearing a cranberry necklace and ends with this fruit pie decorated with a corkscrew lattice.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Kim20/71
Sweet Potato Pie
For this classic Southern pie (which you can make with or without an optional crunchy praline topping), you’ll need to make a big batch of baked sweet potatoes. Roast a few extra for an easy pre-Thanksgiving dinner.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce21/71
Grape Cake With Hazelnut Streusel
This fun fall cake is reminiscent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but so much better. Any seedless grape will work, but we prefer Thomcord grapes, which give the intense juicy punch of Concord grapes without the hassle.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne22/71
Lemon Meringue Pie
This classic pie combines a bright lemon curd with a wonderfully flaky crust and a toasted meringue topping. Don’t be afraid to get some dark color on the meringue swoops, it’ll balance the sweetness.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones23/71
Marbled Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars
Cheesecake meets the fall flavors of pumpkin pie spice in these easy bars. The cream-and-ochre swirl will be a striking contrast on your Thanksgiving dessert table.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks24/71
Spiced Pavlova With Pumpkin Mousse
Pumpkin mousse, whipped cream, and a pretty pomegranate syrup give this airy, spiced pavlova a jewel-like presentation that’s both stunning and delicious.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell25/71
Caramelized Honey Pumpkin Pie
Browned butter and nearly-burnt honey bring deep flavor to this riff on classic pumpkin pie. The recipe employs a nifty trick: Cooling it in the oven ensures the top doesn’t crack.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton26/71
Dr. Bird Cake
Also known as hummingbird cake, this Jamaican favorite is made with chopped pineapple, bananas, coconut, and a trio of warming spices.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson27/71
Maple Syrup Pie
A dollop of tart crème fraîche balances the sweetness of this Canadian custard pie. Topping with unsweetened cream whipped with a little yogurt (about 1 Tbsp per cup of cream) will give a similar effect.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark28/71
Berry Cream Cheese Cake
Dark brown sugar gives this one-bowl cake a little molasses edge while nubbins of cream cheese add pops of richness throughout. When Thanksgiving rolls around, we love to make this with cranberries instead of blueberries and raspberries.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini29/71
Brown-Butter Pecan Pie With Rum and Espresso
This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving dessert ideas: Brown butter brings out the nuttiness of the pecans, while the bite of rum and espresso balance the sweetness of the pie.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne30/71
Pastéis de Nata (Custard Tarts)
These Portuguese egg tarts are dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving. They’re best on the day they’re made, but they’ll still be delicious if you have a few leftover.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich31/71
Caramel Nut Tart
This walnut and pecan tart is part of our retro Thanksgiving menu. It was first featured in Gourmet’s November 1998 issue.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne32/71
Kingston Cookies
These oatmeal sandwich cookies are filled with melted milk chocolate, but you could swap it out for dark chocolate or white chocolate, if you prefer.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton33/71
Tre Latte Olive Oil Cake
This wonderfully milky cake is one of the best desserts we made in 2021. The pop of lemon zest and the bite of olive oil keep it all tasting bright and floral.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark34/71
Pear and Hazelnut Frangipane Tart
The base for this easy Thanksgiving dessert is frangipane, a flexible custard that can be made entirely in the food processor using any nut. Here, we combine earthy hazelnuts with sweet, floral pears, two ingredients that bring out the best in each other.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova35/71
3-Ingredient Maple-Pecan Fudge
This pecan-studded chocolate-free fudge centers on pure maple syrup. It’s an ideal choice for autumn noshing—if you’re feeling extra generous, it’s a great take-home favor for your Thanksgiving guests.
- Photo by Peter Cassidy36/71
Danish Dream Cake (Drømmekage)
You can keep your crumb topping—this cake gets a brown sugar–sweetened crown that tastes like a chewy coconut candy.
- Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell37/71
Three Cities of Spain Cheesecake
We love this cheesecake so much, we wrote it a love letter. Created by Santa Fe’s Three Cities of Spain coffeehouse, and printed in Gourmet’s 1999 Thanksgiving issue, it manages to be perfectly unfussy.
- Joseph De Leo38/71
Steamed Flan With Ginger
This Vietnamese-style flan is steamed on the stovetop instead of being baked like many other versions. Fresh ginger brings brightness to the rich caramel sauce.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne39/71
Ube Pie With Marshmallow Whip
The color of this pie comes from ube halaya, a.k.a. Filipino purple yam jam. Think of it as pumpkin pie’s ultraviolet cousin.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Frances Boswell40/71
Apple and Calvados Tart (Galette de Pommes au Calvados)
Serve this elegant tart with a dollop of whipped cream and a small glass of the Calvados you use to make it on the side for a stellar holiday dessert.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton41/71
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Dark chocolate keeps the sweetness in check in this deliciously nutty, rich pecan pie.
- Photo by Aya Brackett42/71
Esterházy Schnitten (Hazelnut-Vanilla Layer Cake)
Ready to really wow your holiday guests? You’ll do it with this multilayered cake that just happens to be gluten-free. The cake layers are made from dacquoise, a nutty baked meringue, and get sandwiched with a vanilla buttercream.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Simon Andrews43/71
Pecan Bourbon Baklava
Honey-bourbon syrup is the star of this baklava. Can’t wait for dessert? Cut them into tinier pieces and serve them on a cheese board for a Thanksgiving appetizer.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Kim44/71
Cranberry Chess Pie
During cranberry season, think beyond sauce and relish. Try the berries in this lip-puckering cranberry pie to bring your Thanksgiving dinner to a zingy end.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich45/71
Classic Kouign-Amann
Small, hand-held kouign-amann are common in North America, but this recipe shows off the classic Breton pastry in its original form: a single, shockingly crispy and enormously buttery 9-inch cake. (Watch how it’s made here.)
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson46/71
Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon–Sour Cream Topping
Chopped pecans add a nutty dimension to the graham cracker crust in this cheesecake recipe. And the filling is extra creamy thanks to store-bought pumpkin purée.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog47/71
Apple Pie Cookies
Pie, but make it portable! These crisp-edged, Thanksgiving cookies remind us of our favorite apple pie, but these are more party-friendly.
- Gentl & Hyers48/71
Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie
With a flaky crust and a layer of rich chocolate ganache hidden beneath a ginger-scented filling that’s reminiscent of your favorite oatmeal cookies, this Thanksgiving dessert is packed with all the fall flavors you crave.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell49/71
Pecan-Cranberry Galette
This elegant little tart is the ideal Thanksgiving dessert for two to four guests. It’s studded with whiskey-soaked dried cranberries and has a gooey filling reminiscent of classic pecan pie.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton50/71
Chocolate-Pecan Sheet Pie With Molasses
Ditch your pie pan for this updated, shareable version of the classic Thanksgiving dessert. Creamy chocolate ganache and crunchy candied pecans add extra texture and richness.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova51/71
Lane Cake
You might recognize this famous Alabama cake from its star turn in To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s made with a bourbon-laced filling of coconut, golden raisins, and pecans.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson52/71
Apple Crisp for One
Need Thanksgiving dessert ideas for one? Here’s an easy, single-serve crisp filled with apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans. We definitely recommend going à la mode.
- Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell53/71
Deep-Dish Maple-Bourbon Cream Pie
A nutty pecan crust and the warming flavors of bourbon and brown sugar join forces with maple syrup in this custard pie that’s right on target for any holiday fête.
- Photo by Matthew Septimus54/71
Apple Walnut Bundt Cake
This impressive bundt cake is a must-have in your fall repertoire; it stays moist and flavorful for five days; a silky caramel sauce takes it to special occasion-level.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Laura Rege55/71
Sweet Potato Sonker With Milk Dip
Halfway through baking this North Carolinian cobbler-like dessert, you’ll drizzle it with a milky glaze reminiscent of powdered sugar icing. When the sonker emerges from the oven, the glaze hardens into a sugary crust.
- Andrew Purcell, food styling by Carrie Purcell, prop styling by Sarah Cave56/71
Pear and Walnut Upside-Down Cake With Whipped Crème Fraîche
Switch things up from pumpkins and apples this Thanksgiving with a pear and walnut upside-down cake garnished with a rich and tangy crème fraîche topping.
- Photo by Alex Lau57/71
Quince and Almond Tart With Rosé
Want to add a little holiday cheer to your thanksgiving feast? This glossy riff on tarte Tatin calls for treating aromatic quince to a mulled wine–inspired poach in a full bottle of rosé.
- Photo by Charles Masters, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer58/71
Maple-Pear Sheet Tart
This streamlined dessert has just five ingredients and is super simple to make. Use a fine-mesh sieve to lightly dust the top with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich59/71
Cranberry Linzer Tart
A crumbly walnut crust and tart cranberry filling make this the perfect fall dessert. Arrange strips of the delicate pastry into a crosshatch pattern for a pretty finish.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks60/71
Caramel Apple Drip Cake With Candied Walnuts
This caramel-topped apple cake makes for a showstopping holiday dessert. Grating the apples gives it a moist, pleasingly dense texture.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson61/71
Monkey Bread
Thanksgiving is a family affair. With a mix of spices inspired by chai, this ooey-gooey monkey bread is a perfect project for getting little hands to pitch in.
- Photo & Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin62/71
Cranberry-Orange Snacking Cake
This simple cake is a great way to put any extra cans of cranberry sauce to good use—or to use up leftovers in the days following the festivities.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton63/71
Pumpkin and Cookie-Butter Sheet Cake With Toasted Meringue
Speculoos cookies, represented here in their ground, “butter” form, add warmly spiced complexity to this rich, moist pumpkin cake. It’s topped with a light and fluffy meringue for a fun play on textures.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini64/71
Pumpkin Icebox Pie With Snickerdoodle Crust
This pumpkin icebox pie has a crust that’s just as fun and easy as the creamy whipped filling: a cinnamon-sugar coated cookie dough that’s pressed into the pie plate and baked prior to adding the no-bake mousse.
- Photo by Romulo Yanes65/71
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake With Buttermilk Icing
Get a jump on your Turkey Day cooking with this pumpkin dessert. The spicy flavors will continue to develop, making it taste even better a day or two after it’s baked. We won’t tell if you sneak a slice for Thanksgiving day breakfast.
- Photo by Alice Gao, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen66/71
Build-Your-Own Thanksgiving Pie Bar
Here’s an idea for the indecisive: Let your guests in on the fun, and get a little taste of everything, with this fun do-it-yourself Thanksgiving Pie bar.
- Photo by Katherine Kallinis Berman67/71
Big Apple Crumble Cupcakes
These flavorful cupcakes are moist from grated apple and feature both a nubby cinnamon crumble and a lush cinnamon buttercream frosting.
- Photo by John Kernick68/71
Pear Crisps With Vanilla Brown Butter
Vanilla-infused brown butter adds a bewitching silkiness to the fruit that’s tucked beneath the crumb topping of this Thanksgiving dessert. The crisps can be assembled a day ahead—bonus!
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susan Spungen69/71
Cardamom-Pistachio Carrot Cake
This gorgeously fall-hued single-layer cake from Sohla El-Waylly is inspired by gajjar halwa. The fudgy, caramel-like topping is made with carrot juice.
- Lara Ferroni70/71
Apple Crisp
The flavor of this dessert relies on the apples, as they can range from sweet to tart and everything in between. A combination of McIntosh and Golden Delicious apples offers the best of both worlds.
- Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Molly Baz71/71
3-Ingredient Caramel-Pear Galette
You don’t have to make everything from scratch for Thanksgiving desserts to be a hit. This free-form tart calls for store-bought pie crust and caramel sauce—we promise, everyone will want seconds.
Joe Sevier
Tiffany Hopkins
Kendra Vaculin
Joe Sevier