Fifteen Delicious Thanksgiving Desserts Worth Saving Room For

If you’ve been following along here for awhile, you know that my favorite part of any meal is dessert! Just in time for the big day, I’ve rounded up my fifteen favorite Thanksgiving desserts sure to impress your guests. End your holiday meal on a sweet note with any of these easy show-stopping recipes. Many of these desserts can be made ahead for the perfect treat to serve at your own table or to tote along wherever you are feasting on the big day.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

You have a long list of things to stress about on Thanksgiving day, but turning out a perfectly flakey, all-butter pie crust isn’t one of them. Making a traditional pie crust can be time consuming….all the rolling, chilling and crimping. It’s not for me. Enter these easy pumpkin pie bars. Easy, delicious and made to feed a crowd – they’re Fall dessert perfection!

Dark Chocolate Chess Pie

Thanksgiving is traditionally all about pecans and pumpkins but I’m that girl that’s like, where’s the chocolate?? I’m feeling pretty grateful for this rich and fudgy Dark Chocolate Chess Pie right about now. This delicious twist on the classic southern pie will be the hit of your holiday table! Enjoy chilled with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.

Cranberry Crumble Bars

Imagine if cranberry pie and sugar cookies had a baby. O.M.G. these Cranberry Crumble Bars are out of this world! Filled with heaps of tart and tangy cranberries, plenty of orange zest and a sweet shortbread crust, these bars will be on repeat all the way until Christmas day. Serve room temperature or warm up a slice and top with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. Heaven!

Snickerdoodle Bars

These thick and chewy Snickerdoodle Bars are a fun twist on my favorite cinnamon sugar cookie. They’re everything you love about the classic cookie, but waayyyyy easier to make. No scooping, no rolling, zero chilling. Dusted with a crunchy layer of cinnamon sugar, these bars will be all anyone can talk about on Thanksgiving day.

Pecan Pie Bars

These best ever Pecan Pie Bars have all the deliciousness of a pecan pie with way less fuss! Made with a simple press-in shortbread crust and topped with heaps of chopped pecans and melted chocolate chips, these easy slice-and-serve bars are a real crowd-pleaser.

Butterscotch Bundt Cake

If you are not a fan of pumpkin, this Butterscotch Bundt Cake is a deliciously cozy alternative. A rich and buttery brown sugar cake is topped with a warm butterscotch glaze. As pretty as it is delicious, this easy bundt cake is the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

Chocolate Cream Pie Bars

No Thanksgiving feast is complete without a stellar dessert and this is itttttt! These Chocolate Cream Pie Bars are rich, ultra chocolately, and perfectly sweet. And I give them major bonus points for being an *almost* no-bake dessert which means they won’t compete for oven time on turkey day. Easy AND delicious?? That’s my kind of dessert!

Apple Cider Bundt Cake

I’m all about minimal effort, maximum yum and this easy apple cider cake delivers on all counts! It’s soft and fluffy, super moist and perfectly spiced. And it’s coated with a layer of crunchy cinnamon sugar…what’s not to love. Serve with vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel and watch as the rave reviews roll in!

Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes

Move over pumpkin pie! These Mini Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes are the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert. Full of cozy Fall flavors, these mini cheesecakes have a crunchy gingersnap crust and a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling all drenched in a rich homemade salted caramel. Topped with a swirl of freshly whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg – they’re as pretty as they are delicious!

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookie Sandwiches

As soon as the calendar flips to Fall, these Pumpkin Spice Sugar cookies are on heavy repeat in my kitchen. I loooove these soft and chewy pumpkin sugar cookies with the perfect blend of spices that keep you coming back for just one more bite. Don’t skip the brown butter cream cheese frosting – you won’t be sorry!

Almond Toffee

A rich, buttery toffee topped with dark chocolate and sprinkled with toasted pecans makes the most indulgent sweet-meets-salty dessert. Nothing says the holidays quite like a fresh batch of Almond Toffee to satisfy your sweet tooth. This irresistible treat can be made days ahead of time and makes the perfect holiday dessert or hostess gift.

Apple Spice Cake

Made with the perfect blend of warm spices and a double dose of apple flavor, this is the cake you’ll be snacking on for breakfast, dessert and everything in between. Drizzled with a pretty cinnamon glaze, this cake bakes up delightfully soft and fluffy and stays moist for days!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These bite-size Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are the best thing to happen to Thanksgiving. They’re fun to make, easy to serve and any leftovers can be stashed away in the fridge for another day. Oh, and the maple cream cheese frosting is really something special!

Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Need dessert in a hurry? These easy and delicious Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars have all the texture and flavor you love from a classic Iced Oatmeal Cookie without any of the fuss. Made with a dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of molasses, these bars are filled with heaps of cozy fall flavor that we all crave this time of year.

Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Keep kids of all ages happy with a warm batch of Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. These cookies have all the classic snickerdoodle flavor and texture we know and love, but we’ve made them even better by adding nutty brown butter and pumpkin spice. They taste even better the second day so save a few to nosh on after that leftover turkey sandwich.

Wishing you all kinds of happy this Thanksgiving. Hoping it’s filled with good food, great company and plenty of dessert!

Happy Thanksgiving and happy baking!

**Originally posted November 2019. Post updated November 2024.