This Thanksgiving desserts From traditional cakes to a few unexpected surprises like ice cream and poached fruit, you’ll make sure the end of your holiday meal is just as delicious as the start. Tryptophan the hell!
While I’m the family fan of wonderfully high-carb Thanksgiving side dishes, The One is the absolute best when it comes to the dessert table.
Literally.
His favorite dessert is my pumpkin pie with maple cream cheese frosting. I’ve been doing it for 29 years since I created it for the Los Angeles Times. And whenever we host Turkey Day, he tells me to pedal quietly and offer Thanksgiving dessert doggie bags to guests.
He wants everything for himself!
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He loves pumpkin so much that I baked glazed pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie babka, and pumpkin cheesecake bars for him all fall and winter.
The only dessert he can’t bake me? Classic pumpkin pie. None, he says, compare to those sold at (bangs head on keyboard)…Costco.
But The One can’t live off pumpkin alone, so below we’ve listed cranberry crostata, pecan pie, cheesecake, and, yes, a pumpkin ice cream. But that’s a cold nod to our Pumpkin Meringue Pie – pumpkin ice cream, marshmallow swirl, and pie crust chips. (The one made me do it.)
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
This pumpkin pecan pie means you no longer have to deal with the eternal Thanksgiving dilemma of pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Thanks to the pecan topping, it’s two, two, two cakes in one!
Recipe
Maple Cream Pie
Celebrate maple syrup season with this Maple Cream Pie, which is made with sweet, creamy maple custard mix nestled in a flaky buttery crust and topped with whipped cream.
Recipe
Southern pecan pie
This Southern Pecan Pie recipe from James Villas isn’t as sweet as most. What is good. And, of course, it’s got the pecans needed, a rich filling, and a flaky crust. Try it for Thanksgiving.
Recipe
This pecan pie is exceptionally quick and easy to make and has the perfect balance of flavors. It’s not too sweet and the subtle custard goes beautifully with the pecan topping. It is ideal for the holiday season. I’ll add it as a new Thanksgiving favorite.
Naomi
Cranberry apple crostata
Cranberry Apple Crostata is so easy to make and so surprisingly delicious, it may just crowd out the more familiar dessert offerings at your Thanksgiving table.
Recipe
Drunk Pumpkin Bourbon Tart
Drunk Pumpkin Bourbon Tart. Just the kind of Thanksgiving dessert that’ll make the family a whole lot more bearable.
Recipe
Cranberry Orange Cheesecake
This Bon Appetit Cranberry Orange Cheesecake is scented with vanilla and orange and topped with sweetened fresh cranberries. A perfect holiday dessert.
Recipe
I’ve been making this cranberry cheesecake recipe for several years and it’s excellent. Easy as pie and so festive for the holidays. Orange in the filling is just perfect. Cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for a party as they can be made ahead of time and are really, really easy.
linda
Pumpkin Meringue Cake Ice Cream
Pumpkin Meringue Cake Ice Cream is the ultimate mashup of pumpkin ice cream spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and mace, creamy dreamy meringue and crunchy bits of Oreo cookie crust. Think Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Recipe
Rum Pecan Cake
This rum pecan cake is all grown up thanks to a little drizzle of rum in the sweet and crunchy pecan filling. Just like traditional pecan pie. only better.
Recipe
Pears poached in red wine
Pears Poached in Red Wine is a stunning — and amazingly simple — dessert made with alcohol, fruit, and sugar and not much else.
Recipe
Frequently asked questions about Thanksgiving desserts
It depends on the number of people at your table, but we recommend at least two people, even for a small gathering. To be on the safe side, plan two dessert slices per person. A cake usually has eight slices, so plan one dessert for every four people.
Ideally, you want to have a dessert that everyone can enjoy without making anyone feel left out. We love poached pears because they can be served to just about anyone and can even be topped with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
Our delicious Pumpkin Pots de Crème are gluten-free when served without cookie sprinkles. If you have dairy-free or vegan guests, making a pear and cranberry crumble with vegan butter is also a great choice.
If they contain eggs, milk or cream, store them in the fridge before and after serving. Other desserts can usually be stored at room temperature.
Desserts are arguably the most important (or at least the most anticipated) part of the Thanksgiving meal. They can often be made a few days in advance, which also makes them one of the least stressful parts of Thanksgiving dinner. So pick a few of the above Thanksgiving dessert recipes, bake, indulge, and let the praise wash over you. They deserved it.