Turkey, stuffing, and creamy mashed potatoes may grab most of the attention on Thanksgiving, but we all know the holiday feast isn’t complete without a bite of something sweet. From classics and new takes on tradition to surprising flavor combinations, we have an unbeatable collection of Thanksgiving dessert recipes to cap off the festivities.
Golden pumpkin pies, rich pecan pies, and glistening apple tarts always take center stage at the dessert table, and we also make room for temptations featuring other seasonal bounties, like cranberries and sweet potatoes. And it simply wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without timeless fall flavors like maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg spicing up the mix. Whether you’re craving cheesecake, bread pudding, or a perfect pie, you’ll find plenty of holiday inspiration here.
Pumpkin-Cheesecake Pie With Gingersnap Crust
Gingersnaps replace graham crackers in the crust of this pumpkin-enhanced cheesecake pie, cutting through the sweetness with just the right amount of spice. The crowning glory: Meringue piped into a border of leaves, then brûléed to perfection.
Poached Pear Frangipane Tart
Beautiful to behold, this Thanksgiving dessert recipe features pears poached in mulled wine, nestled on top of a rich frangipane filling. But looks aren’t everything: this tart is so scrumptious your guests will likely come back for seconds.
Coconut-Pecan Tart
Reminiscent of a giant candy bar, this gluten-free confection is rich enough to satisfy with just a sliver. A no-bake crust made with almond flour and shredded coconut is refrigerated and then filled with a blend of butter, sugar, cream, condensed milk, semi-sweet chocolate, and pecan pieces.
Fruit-and-Herb Sorbets
It may seem surprising to recommend a chilled dessert this late in the year, but these sorbets (we have three varieties) are bursting with fall flavors that work a fruit-plus-herb formula (for instance, cranberry and rosemary). Our streamlined recipe features a time-saving shortcut, using fruit juice instead of cooked fruit.
Chocolate-Mousse Parfaits
A luscious chocolate mousse is topped with crumbled spice cookies for a nice seasonal touch, along with whipped cream. You can scale up the batch to feed a crowd, and make ahead.
Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake
Dana Gallagher
A rich delight of pumpkin and chocolate, this dense cheesecake may seem daunting to novice bakers, but the chocolate crust and pumpkin filling come together in just a few simple steps.
Spiced Sweet-Potato Cake With Meringue Frosting
The fan-favorite way of serving sweet potatoes—especially in the South—is as a marshmallow-topped casserole. That all-time classic is the inspiration behind this elevated dessert which whips sweet potatoes into a sheet cake topped with an Italian meringue, giving the illusion of oven-baked marshmallows.
Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie With Phyllo Crust
Christopher Testani
The pumpkin pie filling in this Thanksgiving dessert recipe is made with timeless fall ingredients, but tucked into a phyllo crust, which sets it apart from the other dessert table contenders. And we’ll let you in on a secret: the visually impressive crust is a cinch to assemble, making creative use of store-bought phyllo dough.
Apple-Honey Upside-Down Cake
Johnny Miller
A crowd-pleaser indeed, this upside-down cake is defined by two key ingredients: apples and honey. The fruit is spread over a caramel filling and topped with a batter made with honey, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and milk.
Naked-Fruit Chiffon Cake
Expect oohs and ahhs as you bring this stunner to the table. Layers of chiffon and whipped cream are crowned with a cornucopia of seasonal fruits like pears, figs, and plums, for a treat that tastes as luscious as it looks.
Cranberry-Meringue Tart
Apple pie has some rivals this year, namely this cranberry-meringue tart. The crust is made with a buttery mixture of crushed saltines, a surprising contrast to the tart cranberry filling. The finishing touch: A whipped-to-perfection meringue topping.
Pumpkin-Spice-Latte Cake
Here’s an easy-to-make, easy-to-love one-layer pumpkin cake that gets its flavor punch from both instant espresso powder and pumpkin-pie spice. Once baked, the cake is topped with a dollop of whipped cream and dusted with more espresso powder.
Lemon-Ricotta Tart
This is a lighter take on cheesecake, a sweet, cheesy, citrusy tart that offers a great finish to any big meal. Top with fresh berries or fruit, if desired.
Ruffled Pumpkin Milk Pie
This homage to the classic Greek galatopita, or milk pie—a custard tart pastry—is the perfect indulgence for pumpkin-loving guests. If you’re new to baking with phyllo, we promise this Thanksgiving dessert recipe will make you a convert.
Apple Rose Tart
Food imitates art in this gorgeous apple rose tart. Thinly sliced Granny Smith apples are layered in a deep-dish pâte brisée pie shell while unpeeled Pink Ladies give the outer edges a rosy color. Apricot jam and grated ginger add a spicy-sweet kick.
Brown-Butter Bourbon Pecan Pie
An instant classic, this dreamy pecan pie is one of the sweetest ways to cap off a holiday meal. Brown butter and bourbon lend a delicious twist on tradition, with whipped cream upping the temptation factor.
Persimmon Tart
Persimmon, a beautiful bright orange fruit, stars in this dessert. The fruit is puréed and made into an aromatic filling featuring cream, cinnamon, star anise, clove, and cardamom. Once baked, the tart is sprinkled with sugar and torched until its top turns beautifully golden.
Apple Pie Bread Pudding
A bread pudding for the ages, this hybrid recipe uses day-old brioche to soak up the custard mixture, enhanced with the Thanksgiving trifecta of cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg. Sweet-tart Granny Smith apples balance out the richness.
Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake
Plan to make extra cranberry sauce this year so you can dedicate a portion to this decadent cheesecake. The vanilla-based Thanksgiving dessert recipe features a traditional graham cracker crust, but feel free to swap it out for wafer cookies instead.
Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti
Cookies at Thanksgiving? Why not! These cranberry-pistachio cornmeal biscotti can be set out for dipping in tea or coffee after the big meal.
