120 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes To Finish Off Your Feast

Pumpkin Slab Pie With Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream

With 18 servings, his pumpkin pie is for those hosting the extended family and even a few friends.

Pumpkin Poke Cake

This cake packs an unbelievable amount of fall flavor using only six ingredients. Spiced condensed milk gives it a rich, creamy flavor.

Ultimate Apple Pie

Step aside, pumpkin pie. This picture-perfect Apple Pie is ideal for an All-American Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Whether you have an extra can of pumpkin in the pantry or you're looking for a festive holiday finisher, this classic Pumpkin Bundt Cake topped with a sweet maple icing is sure to check all the boxes.

Pumpkin Bars

Candied pumpkin seeds make these pumpkin bars superior to all others.

Praline Cake

Simple doesn't outpace delicious in this vanilla sponge cake, which is topped with a decadent sweet-and-salty praline glaze.

Pumpkin Pound Cake

This moist Pumpkin Pound Cake can hold its own on the Thanksgiving dessert table as-is, but the maple-butter glaze on top lands it in the No. 1 spot. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Don't overbeat the eggs, as that can cause a soufflé effect in your cake.

Caramel Apple Cake

This cake will undoubtedly be the star of your Thanksgiving dessert spread.

Our Easiest Pumpkin Pie Ever

Looking for a quick-fix Thanksgiving dessert that's sure to please? We've got the perfect solution.

Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake

Don't be the guest who brings another store-bought pumpkin pie to the table. This Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake is one of a kind.

Kentucky Bourbon Pie

If it's good enough for the Derby, it's certainly good enough for our Thanksgiving table. This pie takes everything we love about pecan pie and ramps up the flavor with chocolate and bourbon.

Spiced Pecan Pie Bars

These Spiced Pecan Pie Bars are perfectly portioned for no-hassle serving. For a larger group, you can cut them into bite-sized squares so everyone's sure to get a taste.

Caramel-Apple Cookies

These pretty cookies will travel well to your Thanksgiving supper, but be sure to make them the day of, as the apples will brown.

Sea Salt-Caramel Cake

Salted caramel is one of our favorite holiday flavors, and you'll get a double-dose of that warm richness in this Sea Salt-Caramel Cake.

Caramel Pecan Tart

Pecan pies are all the rage at Thanksgiving dessert tables, but this tart is just as impressive and even easier.

Easy Skillet Apple Pie

The only pan you need to complete this rustic Apple Pie is a cast iron skillet. Does it get any easier than that?

Apple Rose Tart

If you're asked to bring dessert to this year's Thanksgiving celebration, and you're really looking to impress the whole crew, look no further than this gorgeous dessert.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

After a big Thanksgiving meal, enjoy a slice of this specialty coffee cake with a hot cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk.

Mini Apple Pies

These pies are just cute as a button! Bake a variety of mini pies for your Thanksgiving spread, from pecan to apple, so your guests can get a small taste of all those beloved holiday flavors.

Arkansas Black Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce

Your classic apple pie just got an upgrade. A drizzle of caramel sauce complements the caramelized cinnamon-sweetness of the apples inside the pie.

Chocolate Tort

You'll only need one slice of this decadent Chocolate Torte. It's naturally gluten-free, so it's a great option for those with dietary restrictions.

Pecan Pie Bars

These bars are mess-free and portable, making them a perfect host gift. Plus, the crowd will devour these nostalgic bars.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

Our Test Kitchen described this new dessert as "everything you love about about chocolate torte and pumpkin pie all in one delicious package," so yes, your family is going to gobble it up this Thanksgiving.

Pear Pie

Sweet roasted pears get an upgrade in this decadent Pear Pie. Prepare for this recipe to become a new holiday staple.

Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

Switch out the pumpkin pie for this stunning Pumpkin Layer Cake, chock full of seasonal spices.

Chess Pie

An oh-so-simple recipe for Chess Pie has always been a Southern favorite. Be sure to add this pie to the dessert spread.

Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

This crème brûlée-cheesecake fusion is a dessert made in heaven. Homemade cheesecake is impressive all on its own, but it will really wow with this caramelized sugar crust.

Pam Lolley's Pecan Pie

Southern Living readers know to trust a dessert recipe from Test Kitchen pro Pam Lolley. Since this pie came from her own mother's kitchen, it's doubly trustworthy.

Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

Once you've made a pecan pie in a cast-iron skillet, you may never go back to a pie plate. Serving it in the skillet is also easy and makes the dish even more Southern.

Sliced Sweet Potato Pie

We love the layered look of this ever-so-sweet streusel-topped treat. Though it takes slightly more time than a traditional sweet potato pie, this antique version is perfect for special occasions.

Butterscotch-Spice Trifle

With homemade spice cake and butterscotch custard, this layered trifle recipe is a showstopper.

Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans

If you've been assigned to bring dessert to Thanksgiving, you can never go wrong with a rich pound cake recipe. Between the pumpkin spice, pecans, and brown sugar, there's no doubt this recipe sets the tone for fall.

Mississippi Sweet Potato Pie

Like many Southern desserts, this smooth pie gets a flavor boost from a splash of bourbon. A sprinkle of orange zest balances out this recipe's sweetness.

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

You've got to read the sweet story behind this apple pie recipe. The resulting double-crusted pie is a tradition you might just want to start.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These festive cookies are easy for the kids to grab and go. If you want to up the presentation, a thin layer of cream cheese icing would be divine on these.

Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake

When it comes to serving a crowd, there's nothing better than a sheet cake straight from your favorite 13x9.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

It's all in the name—with this easy recipe, all you have to do is dump the ingredients in, mix, and bake.

Mini Pecan Pies

These Mini Pecan Pies pack all that warm, nutty pecan flavor in a bite-sized package.

Pecan Pie Cobbler

This decadent cobbler comes together with just a few minutes of hands on time and your cast-iron skillet.

Salted Caramel-Apple Hand Pies

These cute bites are a fun Thanksgiving dessert for the kids to help you bake.

Pecan Tassies

A cross between a shortbread cookie and a sweet bite of pecan pie, these mini delights are an adorable addition to the dessert table at Thanksgiving.

Apple Stack Cake

This vintage cake is a labor of love, but the final product is so worth it. Cooked apples and spices celebrate the flavors of fall.

Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies

A tip from the Test Kitchen: Choose high-quality 100% pure maple syrup for these bar cookies; the fake stuff doesn't have the same richness and aroma. The darker the syrup, the stronger the flavor.

Cranberry-Orange Cake with Orange Buttercream

No dessert feels more dressed up for the holidays than a beautiful layer cake. Tart cranberries and fresh citrus contrast with sweet layers of cake.

Granny Smith Apple Pie

Roasting the apples beforehand makes a world of difference in the flavor of this pie.

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

Why choose between a slice of pumpkin pie and a slice of cheesecake when you can have the best of both worlds?

Southern Sweet Potato Cake

This fall cake will make your house smell absolutely amazing.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

We turned old-fashioned whoopie pies into a Thanksgiving treat by adding all your favorite autumn spices and flavors.

Sweet Potato Brownies

The kids won't believe there's actually a vegetable in these fudgy brownies, and you don't have to tell them.

Auntie's Apple Cake

We don't know what we love most about this cake—the fresh apples, pecan-studded, spiced batter, or the praline-like frosting.

Transparent Pie with Whipped Crème Fraîche and Sugared Cranberries

Sugared cranberries and whipped crème fraîche make the most elegant topper for this old-school pie recipe.

Butterscotch Pie with Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Nobody can resist a slice of sweet and salty butterscotch pie. This is a great lighter, yet still decadent option to add to your Thanksgiving dessert spread.

Persimmon Pudding

This richly spiced dessert is a beautiful way to showcase the season's fresh persimmons.

Texas Pecan Pie

To do the Lonestar state proud, be sure to find the best quality, freshest nuts available.

Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

Free up prime oven real estate on Thanksgiving and make your dessert in the Instant Pot.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic chocolate chip cookies get a makeover that's made for Thanksgiving with canned pumpkin and cinnamon.

Dairy-Free Coconut-Pumpkin Pie

Family members with dairy allergies don't have to miss out on the dessert course with this pumpkin pie recipe.

Pecan Pie Brownies

Pecan pie + brownies = your family's new favorite treat.

Spiced Pear Hand Pies

These hand pies are a deliciously portable dessert for on-the-go kids at Thanksgiving.

Apple-Bourbon Pie

There's a reason we're still making this pie recipe decades after it ran in the magazine in 1995—it's just that good.

Pumpkin Cake

This classic pumpkin cake is layered with light and airy spiced whipped cream for an easy but pretty presentation.

Persimmon Pie with Pecan Streusel

The simple pecan streusel adds just the right amount of texture to this creamy pie.

Brown Sugar-Rum Cake

This super-tender sheet cake is perfect for an adults-only Thanksgiving celebration.

Apple Pie Cookies

These soft cookies are like mini apple pies, and the kids are going to love them.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Pie filling and cake batter meet and meld into a decadent new dessert in this recipe.

Cushaw Pie with Vanilla Bean Custard Sauce

Ever heard of a cushaw? This winter squash originates from Mesoamerica, and now you'll find it around the Louisiana area.

Hot Cranberry Bake

Published in our November 1992 issue, this simple, crisp-like dessert couldn't be easier or more delicious.

Fresh Apple Cake

This vintage apple cake has everything you could ever want in a fall dessert.

Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake

Caramel cake and pound cake are two of our all-time favorite desserts, so it's no wonder we love this mash-up recipe so much.

Purple Sweet Potato Pie

You don't even need food coloring for this naturally purple pie that adds a fun element to the Thanksgiving spread.

Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies

These cookies have a high yield, so there are plenty to bake for Thanksgiving and for family to take home.

Persimmon Cake

Walnuts add a hint of crunch to this super-moist cake that will introduce your family to delicious persimmons.

Apple and Pear Crisp

This fall dessert comes together with the ease of your slow cooker, so you have plenty of oven and stovetop space for the rest of your Thanksgiving feast.

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies

These super-seasonal brownies combine chocolate and pumpkin to create a beautiful marbled effect.

Coconut-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Make and refrigerate without the topping a day ahead. Whip and add the topping just before serving.

Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings

This recipe is a great way to use the delicious, seasonal flavor of pumpkin. If you're short on time (or dishes) you can make this in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Cranberry-Apple-Pumpkin Bundt

The topping on this bundt—a maple glaze with sugared pecans and pumpkin seeds—will make your guests ooh and ahh.

Butter Pecan Layer Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

While we'll never tire of a classic Pecan Pie, this cake may just be our new holiday showstopper. It's got all that warm butter pecan flavor packed into rich layers of sponge.

Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie

With a moist, crumbly crust and a decadent, creamy filling, it's hard to say no to seconds of this pie.

Tennessee Jam Bundt

The best way to enjoy this blackberry and caramel confection is with friends—it makes 12 satisfying servings.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss Meringue

Begin with a toasted pecan crust, layer with cream cheese and a classic pumpkin filling, and then gild the lily with a creamy meringue.

Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake

You might think carrot cake is an Easter dessert, but apple pie spice, fresh apples, and a homemade apple cider caramel sauce bring this recipe into fall.

Pumpkin Crisp

This simple dessert recipe starts with a box of cake mix and a can of pumpkin.

Pumpkin Spice Battenberg

Cut into this cake to a fun surprise for family. Though challenging, this cake is well worth the effort.

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

The cream cheese filling in this apple Bundt cake and makes it so decadent. Plus, you can never go wrong with the homemade praline frosting.

Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

Recipe: Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

All the flavors of pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and cheesecake meet in this gorgeous dessert recipe.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Everything you love about pumpkin pie, but in miniature form. Be sure to finish them off with a dollop of whipped cream!

Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes

If you weren't assigned to bring dessert to Thanksgiving, pack one of these as a host gift for Mama—she'll be thrilled.

Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel

We bet you haven't thought to use your cornbread quite like this before.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

We're always on the hunt for inventive ways to use fall's favorite ingredient, and this pound cake is our next project.

Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread Pudding with Apple Brandy-Caramel Sauce

Instead of a stale loaf from the pantry, this pudding recipe starts with our homemade Pumpkin-Honey-Beer Bread.

Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

Each guest can grab as few or as many of these sweet bites as he or she pleases.

Apple Bread Pudding

Cinnamon-raisin bread is the base for this autumn bread pudding recipe.

Erika Kwee's Spiced Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans and Caramel Sauce

There's a reason Erika Kwee was named one of our 2021 Cooks of the Year, and one bite of her towering carrot cake creation will give you a full understanding. "There are no words to describe how good this cake is," wrote one five-star reviewer.

Gingered Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan-Crumb Crust and Ginger-Honey Whip

North Carolina-based writer and baker Keia Mastrianni knows what she's talking about when it comes to seasonal pies. Swap your usual pumpkin pie for this ginger-studded sweet potato one this year—you won't regret it.

Mini Pumpkin Pies with Maple Whipped Cream

Leave the dough kneading to someone else this Thanksgiving. These adorable mini pies start with frozen phyllo pastry sheets for a picture-perfect (and oh-so-easy) result.

Apple Butter Pound Cake with Caramel Frosting

Bundt cakes are always a beautiful way to finish a meal, but the real beauty is on the inside of this one, where each slice will reveal a luscious ribbon of homemade apple butter.

Pecan Pie Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

Our readers went bonkers for this layer cake-version of Thanksgiving's most popular dessert, pecan pie. It's a labor of love (and worth it).

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake and caramel-apple pie meet in these portable bars—need we say more?

Pear Upside-Down Cake

Our Test Kitchen recommends Bosc pears for this recipe, as they're tender but don't fall apart during baking. A mandolin slicer makes quick work of getting perfectly thin and even slices for this upside-down delight.

Apple Butter Cobbler with Drop Biscuits

This warm and cozy apple cobbler might be the best thing you make in your cast-iron skillet this fall. It starts with our homemade Slow-Cooker Apple Butter, which can be made up to one month in advance and stored in the fridge.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Prepare these cute mini cheesecakes up to two days in advance and top them with fresh whipped cream before serving. Fair warning: You might want to make a double batch.

Pumpkin Soufflé

Airy, creamy, and wonderfully spiced for the fall season, these Pumpkin Soufflés will dazzle your Thanksgiving crowd. Pair them with a hot cup of coffee after the big meal.

Mini Cranberry-Cheesecake Pies

These lovely tiny pies add a nice bit of color to a Thanksgiving dessert lineup that can often look a bit bland when it comes to the color wheel.

Triple-Layer Chocolate-Caramel Cake

This cake is meant for a very special celebration, and we can't think of a better one than reuniting the whole family over Thanksgiving dinner.

Amanda Mack's Apple-Almond Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

You might not think to serve a loaf cake for dessert on Thanksgiving, but this recipe from Maryland bakery owner and one of our Southern Living 2021 Cooks of the Year Amanda Mack will convince you otherwise. Brown butter frosting, apple chips, and toasted almonds make for holiday-worthy presentation.

Caramel Apple-Pear Pie

Apples shouldn't get all the attention at Thanksgiving. This pie recipe will prove they were meant to be paired with pears (no pun intended).

Mini Chocolate-Pecan Pies

"Everyone really liked these and this will go in my 'keeper' file," wrote one reviewer of these mini pies. They make the sweetest gifts, so bake a double batch and give a few to neighbors or teachers.

Apple Spice Cake

If you're over everything pumpkin spice, try this Apple Spice Cake out this Thanksgiving. The ingredient list isn't too extensive for a holiday dessert, but the flavor is impressive.

Brown Sugar Baked Pears

These baked pears are the perfect blend of elegant and easy for a dressy Thanksgiving dinner. Try a scoop of our editors' favorite vanilla ice cream on top.

Dark Chocolate-Pear Cake

This cast-iron skillet dessert is a rich addition to the usual pies of Thanksgiving. Because of its crisp edges and gooey center, our Test Kitchen called this a "brownie cake."

Mini Pear-Cranberry Pies

We used leaf cookie cutters to make for an unforgettable presentation with these seasonal mini pies, but you could top them with a lattice crust or simply a dollop of whipped cream instead.

Pear-Plum Tartlets

Not only do these pretty little tartlets make a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving dessert spread, they'd fit in just as well with brunch and coffee the next morning.

Blackberry-Apple Butter Pie Bars

These fruity pie bars are basically like a slab pie, which is one of the best ways to feed dessert to a crowd. The ingredient list and instructions are simple, but the recipe is beautiful and tastes more complex than you might think.

Apple Pie Cake

With this easy 13x9 dessert recipe, even Mama won't realize you used a boxed cake mix. It will become a family favorite at Thanksgiving.

Maple-Pecan-Pear Cheesecake

This light and smooth cheesecake features fresh fall pears in the filling and the topping. The best news for busy Thanksgiving hosts is that this makes a great make-ahead dessert.

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

We have a knack for making mash-ups of some of our favorite recipes (looking at you, Margarita Cake!), and this Pecan Pie Bread Pudding is a stroke of Test Kitchen genius. Don't ignore the standing time—it allows the bread to soak up the custard mixture for perfect, non-soupy texture.

Charlotte Russe Cake

After a filling Thanksgiving meal, you'll be wanting something light for dessert. This silky-smooth, no-bake cake will hit the spot.

Simplest Pear Tart

Though the preparation for this Pear Tart is simple, the presentation wows. Frozen puff pastry makes for quick work of this dessert that needs just a few more ingredients.

Black Walnut-Buttermilk Pie with Hibiscus-Cranberry Relish

"Hibiscus flowers, grown by my farmer husband, make a mouth-puckering stand-in for cranberries, which don't grow in our region. I like to mix the two in this holiday relish, but you can use all cranberries just the same," says North Carolina writer and baker Keia Mastrianni.