46 Delicious Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas to Sweeten Your Holiday
From classic pies to creative twists, these easy Thanksgiving dessert ideas will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Thanksgiving isn’t just about the turkey. It’s also a time to indulge in all kinds of delicious desserts! From traditional pies to creative new takes on classic flavors, Thanksgiving desserts are the perfect sweet note to end a holiday feast.
Whether you’re hosting a crowd or celebrating more intimately, the dessert table is always a highlight, filled with treats that bring comfort and warmth to every bite. This roundup has something for every sweet tooth at your gathering!
For pie lovers, we’ve got twists on favorites like pumpkin and pecan, as well as some unexpected flavors to surprise your guests. And if pie isn’t your thing, there are plenty of options like cheesecakes, trifles, and tarts that’ll bring festive flair to your dessert spread. Each recipe is a chance to showcase the flavors of the season—cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, and maple syrup—while adding a bit of creative flair to the table.
So if you’re looking to wow your guests or simply treat yourself to something special, this collection of Thanksgiving dessert ideas has you covered. From decadent show-stoppers to quick, crowd-pleasing treats, there’s a dessert here that will make everyone want seconds!
Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
1 — Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys
Quick to make and almost too cute to eat, these chocolate covered strawberry turkeys are a fun and festive Thanksgiving treat! With fudge cookie feathers, a candy corn beak and a chocolate coating, they’re perfect for kids and adults alike.
2 — Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs
Pumpkin pie cream puffs bring an elegant twist to Thanksgiving dessert! Filled with silky pumpkin pie custard and finished with a dusting of edible gold luster, these cream puffs are both decadent and dazzling.
3 — Rice Krispie Treats Turkey
Add a festive addition to your Thanksgiving table with a rice krispie treats turkey. With no baking required, rice krispie makes up the turkey while chocolate candy serves as the “stuffing”.
4 — Pumpkin Pie Tacos
Pumpkin pie tacos are a fun twist on a Thanksgiving classic, combining all the cozy flavors of pumpkin pie in a crispy, handheld treat. Filled with creamy pumpkin spice filling and topped with whipped cream, these mini tacos are a deliciously unique dessert.
5 — Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls bring together soft, fluffy dough and warm pumpkin pie spice for a cozy holiday treat. Swirled with cinnamon, pumpkin filling, and topped with a creamy cream cheese glaze, these rolls are perfect for a sweet breakfast or dessert.
6 — Turkey Donut Race Car
A turkey donut race car is a playful Thanksgiving treat that transforms a donut into a festive race car, complete with candy wheels and a cute turkey topper. Fun to make and delicious to eat, these edible “race cars” are perfect for keeping kids entertained.
7 — Oreo Turkeys
Adorable edible craft that’s easy to make, these Oreo turkeys are made by decorating Oreos with candy corn feathers and candy faces. Perfect for kids and adults alike, these no-bake treats add festive flair to any dessert table.
8 — Croissant Bread Pudding
A classic Thanksgiving dessert, this bread pudding is made with flaky croissants soaked in a rich custard and baked to golden perfection. With layers of buttery, melt-in-your-mouth goodness, it’s the perfect comfort food for chilly days. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream for an indulgent holiday treat!
9 — Caramel Apples
Another traditional Thanksgiving desserts ideas are caramel apples. Perfect for even Halloween or any autumn celebration, they’re easy to customize with toppings like chopped nuts, chocolate drizzle, or sprinkles.
10 — No Bake Caramel Apple Triffles
Caramel apple trifles are a layered dessert delight, combining spiced apples, caramel sauce, and creamy layers for a deliciously cozy treat. Perfectly portioned in individual cups or jars, they’re ideal for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering. With every spoonful, you get all the comforting flavors of a caramel apple pie in an easy-to-serve trifle!
11 — Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
Pumpkin pie pop tarts are the perfect blend of nostalgia and holiday flavor! With a flaky crust (which you don’t have to make thanks to puff pastry sheets) and cozy pumpkin filling, these handheld treats bring all the comfort of pumpkin pie in a fun, portable form. Perfect for a sweet breakfast or dessert!
12 — Turkey Pretzel Rods
Easy to make and perfect for kids, these adorable turkey pretzel rods add a playful touch to your holiday snack spread. They’re sweet, salty, and irresistibly cute!
13 — Vegan Caramel Apple Donuts
Vegan caramel apple donuts bring all the flavors of fall in a soft, spiced donut drizzled with rich, dairy-free caramel. Using puff pastry saves a lot of kitchen time so these apple goodness can be whipped up in just 30 minutes!
14 — Pumpkin Rolls
Pumpkin rolls are a classic fall dessert, featuring soft, spiced pumpkin cake rolled up with a creamy, sweet filling. Each slice reveals a beautiful swirl and offers the perfect balance of pumpkin flavor and creamy goodness.
Brownies
1 — Turkey Brownies
Made with a classic brownie base, these festive treats are transformed into adorable turkeys using Nutter Butter cookies for the body, M&Ms for the beak and wattle, candy eyes for a quirky touch, and candy corns for colorful feathers.
2 — Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Pumpkin cheesecake brownies offer a decadent twist on classic brownies. This rich dessert combines a fudgy brownie base with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake layer. Drizzle them with chocolate sauce, candied nuts, ice cream or dulce de leche.
3 — Pumpkin Patch Brownies
Level up your dessert game with some pumpkin patch brownies. The beautiful picturesque garnishes include simple ingredients of halved candied pumpkins, toasted sweetened coconut and green frosting.
Cakes
1 — Pumpkin Crumb Cake
This pumpkin crumb cake recipe uses boxed cake mix to create a delicious, time-saving dessert with minimal effort. With spiced pumpkin flavor and a buttery crumb topping, it’s the perfect balance of homemade taste and convenience.
2 — Thanksgiving Oreo Cake
Rich chocolate cake layers combine with cream cheese frosting and a luscious chocolate buttercream coating for a fun Thanksgiving Oreo cake.
3 — Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes
Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes are a delightful fall treat, featuring moist, spiced pumpkin cake in charming individual servings. Perfectly sized for sharing, these mini pumpkin bundt cakes are topped with a drizzle of glaze and pretzel rods to serve as the “stems”.
4 — Cranberry Orange Almond Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream
Make this cranberry orange almond cake your main dessert table centerpiece. It features a light almond cake layered with a vibrant cranberry-orange filling and topped with velvety almond mascarpone buttercream.
5 — Salted Caramel Apple Cake
Topped with juicy apples and crunchy pecans, this salted caramel apple cake is a perfect blend of sweet and savory with three layers of spiced cake, fluffy buttercream, and a decadent salted caramel drizzle.
Cheesecakes
1 — Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake
For anyone following a keto or low-carb lifestyle, indulge in a guilt-free keto pumpkin cheesecake is a must-have for your holiday dessert table!
2 — Pecan Cheesecake in a Jar
Served in individual jars, this portable dessert is perfect for parties or gatherings, offering a delightful balance of rich, tangy cheesecake and sweet, nutty topping.
3 — Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
Impress your guests with this gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake, boasting a gingersnap cookie crust and topped with caramel sauce, whipped cream, and more gingersnap cookies.
4 — Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
Cinnamon lovers, you’ll love this cinnamon roll cheesecake! It is a decadent dessert that combines the rich, creamy texture of cheesecake with a swirl of cinnamon filling throughout.
Cookies
1 — Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft and chewy pumpkin chocolate cookies combine the classic flavors of pumpkin spice and chocolate chips.
2 — Apple Pie Cookies
Apple pie cookies are bite-sized, sticky, and chewy treats that pack the delicious fruity-caramel flavor of traditional apple pie into a convenient, no-fork-needed cookie.
3 — Crumbl Copycat Caramel Apple Cookies
A bakery favorite copycat recipe, these caramel apple cookies are soft, chewy cookies filled with sweet caramel and tart apple chunks, bringing the perfect fall flavor in every bite.
4 — Thanksgiving Cornucopia Cookies
You’ll only need 3 ingredients (Golden Oreos, Bugles and M&M’s) and minutes to make these festive cornucopia cookies!
5 — Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
These bakery-style pumpkin coffee cookies offer all the comforting flavors of pumpkin coffee cake in a handheld form. They’re chewy pumpkin-flavored treats topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel and drizzled with vanilla icing.
Cupcakes
1 — Turkey Cupcakes
Transform your cupcakes into turkey cupcakes using colorful frosting, sprinkles, M&M’s, candy eyes, and candy corn. They’re as adorable as they are delicious. You can also apply this idea to your other favorite cupcake recipes.
2 — Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes
Nothing invokes fall flavors like these vanilla chai pumpkin latte cupcakes. We especially love the delicious creamy cinnamon brown sugar frosting and sprinkling of chai brown sugar. Check out our chai crepe cake and chai latte ice cream.
3 — Pecan Pie Cupcakes
These pecan pie cupcakes combine a tender brown sugar cake with a rich pecan pie filling and a sweet buttercream frosting, delivering the beloved flavors of pecan pie in a convenient and portable treat.
Pies & Tarts
1 — Turkey Crust Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving staple. So make sure to spruce up this dessert with this turkey crust pumpkin pie. It’s your classic pie recipe with a festive twist, a flaky, golden turkey topping made from pie crust! It may look complicated to recreate but this show-stopping treat is easy to make!
2 — No Bake Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie
This gingersnap pumpkin pie is an easy, festive dessert that pairs creamy pumpkin filling with a spiced gingersnap crust. With no oven required, it’s a quick and delicious way to enjoy classic fall flavors
3 — Gluten Free Vegan Sheet Pan Pumpkin Pie
Ideal for serving a crowd, this pumpkin pie is a delicious and inclusive dessert option. This easy-to-make pie offers all the cozy pumpkin spice flavor in a large, shareable sheet pan format. It’s a tasty, allergy-friendly treat everyone can enjoy!
5 — Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp
Love alcoholic desserts? Bourbon lovers will appreciate this bourbon pecan peach crisp that combines juicy fresh peaches, a hint of bourbon, and a brown sugar oat topping with crunchy pecans. Baked to bubbly perfection in a skillet, it’s an easy, flavor-packed treat.
8 — S’mores Pumpkin Pie
A s’mores pumpkin pie is the ultimate dessert mashup, featuring layers of buttery graham cracker crust, spiced pumpkin filling, toasted marshmallows, and rich chocolate ganache. Check out more fun recipes with marshmallows here.
7 — Sweet Potato Pie
Rich and velvety, this sweet potato pie combines a filling of smooth spiced sweet potatoes with a buttery, flaky crust.
8 — Mini Pumpkin Pies
Another rendition on pumpkin pie are these mini pumpkin pies. They’re bite-sized treat for fall, offering all the warm, spiced pumpkin flavor in a cute, individual serving.
9 — Mini Pumpkin Hand Pies
Featuring spiced pumpkin filling tucked inside a flaky buttery crust, these mini pumpkin hand pies are a portable and delicious twist on a classic fall dessert.
10 — Cherry Crumb Pie
Cherry crumb pie is a delightful dessert that combines The perfect balance of fruity and sweet, this cherry crumb pie features sweet, tangy cherries with a buttery, crumbly topping.
11 — Puff Pastry Apple Tarts
Perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these tarts are a delightful way to showcase fall apples. Ideal for any occasion, they’re easy to make and guaranteed to impress with their buttery, caramelized flavor!
12 — Pumpkin Pie Turkeys
And lastly, we’re finishing off our roundup of dessert ideas for Thanksgiving with these fun pumpkin pie turkeys. They’re adorable, bite-sized pies that add a playful touch to your Thanksgiving spread, while still delivering the rich, spiced flavor everyone loves.
Thanksgiving Food and Drink Recipes to Try
Hosting a Thanksgiving feast? For more pairing ideas to go with your sweet Thanksgiving dessert recipes, check out of few of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes below —
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