The Ultimate List of Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
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Choose from over 25 Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas when planning your holiday menu, including cakes, pies, cheesecakes, bars, cookies, and more! These easy Thanksgiving desserts are so good, they’ll make the turkey blush!
Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
We have over 450 dessert recipes on this site, but every year, we get emails asking for our best Thanksgiving desserts for kids and adults.
Whether you want to make traditional favorites like pie or something unique like cheesecake, you will find it all in this collection!
Plus, most of these Thanksgiving desserts are easy to make so you won’t need to learn any new tricks. My daughter can even make a few herself!
To make things easier to find, our Thanksgiving dessert recipes are broken down into the following categories:
When you find something you want to make, just click on the link below the picture and you’ll be taken directly to the recipe post.
Once you’re there, you can print the recipe, bookmark it, or Pin it to one of your Pinterest boards.
Plus, many of our recipe posts include a VIDEO so you can see exactly how to make them!
Best Thanksgiving Pies
Nothing says fall holidays like freshly baked pies, and we’ve got all the flavors you’re craving… plus some you may not have thought of!
Pumpkin Slab Pie is the perfect fall dessert for a crowd — creamy pumpkin pie filling on top of a buttery homemade crust. Top each slice with whipped cream or serve a la mode! And for a special touch, use extra pie crust to make leaf or pumpkin cutouts as decorations.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie transforms a simple silk pie into an over-the-top indulgent dessert! If you’ve got guests who aren’t a fan of the usual fall flavors, this one is sure to impress.
Caramel Pecan Buttermilk Pie combines two classic Southern flavors into one incredible dessert. The sweet and creamy pie pilling is topped with plenty of nutty crunch from the streusel topping.
Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Ganache elevates the same ol’ Thanksgiving dessert recipes with one simple step! Make the whole dessert from scratch or use a few shortcuts for a quicker, easier option.
This No Bake Chocolate Icebox Pie is a chocolate lover’s dream come true! A delicious cookie crust, silky filling, and a rich ganache on top — it’s layer upon layer of chocolatey goodness.
Cake and Cheesecake Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
Not everyone is a fan of pies, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on fall flavor or fancy desserts!
Some of the best Thanksgiving desserts come in the form of cakes and cheesecakes, and these are our top picks.
Caramel Glazed Apple Bundt Cake is full of fall flavor and incredibly easy to make. You can even make the cake ahead of time and freeze it, then add the frosting before serving.
Pumpkin New York Cheesecake puts all other pumpkin desserts to shame. It’s tangy, sweet, and SO creamy — everyone will be asking for the recipe!
Chocolate Fudge Cake is gooey and decadent with a fudgy homemade icing to top it all off. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s the perfect finish to any meal… just try not to keep it all to yourself!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake is just the ticket when you’re looking for Thanksgiving dessert ideas to impress your guests. With a mountain of tender apples, crumbly topping, and plenty of sweet caramel, it’s sure to be the star of your dessert table!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake is one of those easy Thanksgiving desserts you’ll want to make year-round! Rich chocolate cake is soaked with peanut butter drizzle, then topped with decadent peanut butter whipped cream and loaded with chocolate and Reese’s Peanut Butter cups.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake is another favorite combining classic pie flavors with creamy cheesecake. Make it with a standard pie crust so you have extra for decorations or whip up a quick graham cracker crust to save some time.
Caramel Apple Poke Cake is perfect for those who aren’t pumpkin fans. This easy box mix recipe includes chunky apple pieces, caramel pudding, and fluffy whipped brown sugar cream cheese. It’s festively topped off with apples, toffee bits, and as much caramel as you can handle!
While my Best Ever Carrot Cake may have you thinking of Easter, the spices always remind me of fall. Moist and tender with an amazing cream cheese frosting, plus loads of toasted pecans for plenty of crunch!
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake is just what you need when you’ve already got a full menu to prepare. Prep it in 20 minutes or less, then let it chill overnight. No one will know you didn’t spend hours making it!
Extra Easy Thanksgiving Desserts
Whether you’re new to baking or just need a time-saver, these Thanksgiving dessert ideas can be made with a handful of ingredients and some in 30 minutes or less!
Make 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread with pumpkin purée and your favorite spice cake mix. It’s moist, delicious, and packed with flavor — you’ll want to make some for breakfast too!
Another 2 ingredient dessert, these Coconut Macaroons are soft, chewy, and sweet. It’s the perfect cookie to pair with a cup of coffee after your big turkey dinner.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars combine a crunchy peanut butter base with a silky chocolate ganache and can be made in just 10 minutes (plus 2 hours to set). This recipe makes up to 2 dozen treats, so it’s perfect for large families or potlucks!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are even better than the original! Soft, chewy, and sweet they’re also egg- and dairy-free, making them a great choice for guests with allergies.
No Bake Avalanche Cookies are crispy, crunchy, and plenty fudgy, combining all your favorite sweet flavors into one delicious bite. Even better, you can easily double or triple the recipe so there’s plenty to go around!
Bombs, Brownies, and Bars
These Thanksgiving desserts are easy to eat, especially while mingling and visiting with loved ones!
While you will need napkins for a few of them, you definitely won’t have a pile of forks to wash after the dishes are already done.
Pumpkin Pie Bombs are warm and gooey with a buttery brown sugar topping and a sticky, sweet glaze that ties them all together. Say goodbye to classic pie slices and hello to these addiction stuffed rolls!
My Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars have a gooey, caramelized topping over a shortbread crust, creating a mouthwatering dessert that’ll disappear in a flash. You’ll get at least 2 dozen servings per batch, and it’s ready in under an hour!
Peanut Butter Fudge Frosted Brownies are loaded with Reese’s cups and fluffy peanut butter fudge frosting. Make this fudgy brownie recipe for a peanut butter explosion in your Thanksgiving dessert lineup!
Caramel Apple Pie Bombs combine the best pie flavors and pull-apart bread into one sticky sweet bite. It’s one of the best Thanksgiving dessert ideas for kids and adults alike!
These Cranberry Bliss Bars taste just like the ones from Starbucks, but you can make a whole pan whenever you want! The tart and sweet flavors and tender blondie base make the perfect pairing with your post-dinner coffee.
Make Pecan Pie Bombs in 3 easy steps! Gooey, nutty filling is stuffed into tender bread dough and smothered in a caramel drizzle. I dare you to eat just one!
No-Bake Rocky Road Avalanche Bars are my latest obsession. I have made them at least 12 times and everyone raves about them. A simple chocolate and peanut butter candy crunch recipe that comes together in a snap? Sign me up, twice!
Best Thanksgiving Desserts for Kids
Most kids want simple treats with familiar flavors. Instead of trying to lure them back to the dinner table, have a few grab-and-go options for them to snack on!
Pretzel Turkeys are simple to make and adorable too! Make these as an edible decoration for your holiday table or scatter them around the desserts for the kids to find. Gobble gobble!
Apple Cookies with Streusel Topping are packed with caramel bits and drizzled in a sweet glaze. It’s like all the best apple pie flavors but in a simple cookie form. Easy to eat, and kids can grab a few at a time!
These Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are dotted with white chocolate chips for plenty of sweetness and texture throughout. Perfect for kids who aren’t too adventurous in their eating, but special enough for a holiday.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Originally published November 2013, updated and republished November 2024
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
All look fabulous and I want to dig in right now! I just linked these on my blog post today as well….as I'm talking leftover turkey!
Have just got to make the Pecan Pie bars. Looks so delicious. Thank you.
All your recipes are fabulous.
I made the pecan bars and brownies last Christmas. Wow! They are absolutely fabulous. My grandkids couldn't wait for the brownies to cool and we wound up with everyone sitting at the table scooping out brownie bits right from the pan. I never got to cut them into squares.
I've made the Pecan pie bars 3x's already. They are to die for. My kids,asked for theses for Thanksgiving instead of Pecan pie. I've also made the Peanut butter fudge brownie twice another winner. Requested for a co workers birthday. Both of these absolutely fantastic. Thank you for all of your recipes, they are wonderful.
I had pecan bars in Vail that were the best I had ever eaten. I have been looking for recipe for years, this recipee is it. They are fabulous.