Thanksgiving desserts do not have to start and end with pumpkin pie. These 21 easy Thanksgiving desserts come from the Dessertlush archive, from mini pumpkin pies and a pumpkin roll to vegan pecan pie bars, Dutch apple pie, cranberry bread and sugared cranberries, and every one links to the full recipe with exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.
Times and servings for these Thanksgiving desserts come from each recipe card. Some are ready in 15 to 45 minutes, a few need to chill or set, and the batches range from 4 servings to 24, so you can pick the right Thanksgiving desserts for a small table or a big family gathering.
Which Thanksgiving Dessert Should You Make?
- Fastest: Pecan Pie Bliss Balls take 15 minutes in total, and Cranberry Cookies take 25.
- Biggest batches: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Cranberry Cookies and Pumpkin Pie Fudge all serve 24.
- 45 minutes or less: Pecan Pie Bliss Balls, Cranberry Cookies, Maple Pecan Baked Pears Recipe, Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Mini Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Whoopie Pie and Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars.
- No oven needed: Pecan Pie Bliss Balls, Pumpkin Pie Fudge and Sugared Cranberries (Easy Recipe).
- Vegan: Easy Vegan Dairy Free Pecan Pie, Vegan Pecan Pie Bars, Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, Salted Caramel Vegan Apple Crumble Cheesecake and Vegan Chai Spiced Apple Crisp.
- Small tables (serves 4): Baked Apples and Maple Pecan Baked Pears Recipe.
- Worth the extra time: Pumpkin Pie Fudge, Sugared Cranberries (Easy Recipe) and Salted Caramel Vegan Apple Crumble Cheesecake.
Pumpkin Thanksgiving Desserts
Pumpkin is the classic of Thanksgiving desserts, and these eight go well beyond a single pie, from a rolled pumpkin cake to cupcakes, whoopie pies and no-oven fudge.
1. Mini Pumpkin Pies
Canned pumpkin puree, evaporated milk and warm spices in a pre-made refrigerated pie crust, baked as 12 mini pies. 20 minutes of prep and 25 of baking.
Get the recipe →2. Pumpkin Roll Recipe
A spiced pumpkin cake baked in a jelly roll pan and rolled up in a towel. 20 minutes of prep and 15 of baking, plus cooling, and it serves 10.
Get the recipe →3. Pumpkin Whoopie Pie
Pumpkin whoopie pies made with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and brown sugar. 30 minutes of prep and 15 of baking, and it serves 12.
Get the recipe →4. Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars
Graham cracker crumbs, pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, pecans and coconut in one bar. 45 minutes in total.
Get the recipe →5. Pumpkin Crisp
A pumpkin layer with a buttery oat and pecan topping, baked in a 9×13 dish. 20 minutes of prep and 50 of baking.
Get the recipe →6. Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
A spiced pumpkin cake with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. 30 minutes of prep and 35 of baking, and it serves 12.
Get the recipe →7. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Spiced pumpkin cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting. 20 minutes of prep and 22 of baking, and the batch makes 24.
Get the recipe →8. Pumpkin Pie Fudge
White chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, melted in a saucepan with no oven. It needs at least 2 hours in the fridge to set, and it serves 24.
Get the recipe →Pecan Thanksgiving Desserts
Pecan brings toasty, maple-sweet flavor to Thanksgiving desserts, and three of these five are vegan, so they work for guests who skip dairy.
9. Easy Vegan Dairy Free Pecan Pie
Pecan halves, pure maple syrup, brown sugar and coconut oil in a vegan pie crust, with no dairy. 20 minutes of prep and 50 of baking, and it serves 8.
Get the recipe →10. Vegan Pecan Pie Bars
A flour and vegan butter crust with a chopped pecan, maple syrup and brown sugar topping, all vegan. 20 minutes of prep and 45 of baking, and it serves 16.
Get the recipe →11. Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
A vegan graham cracker crust, a cashew and coconut milk cheesecake layer and chopped pecans. 30 minutes of prep and 45 of baking, and it serves 12.
Get the recipe →12. Pecan Pie Bliss Balls
Raw pecans, Medjool dates, cinnamon and maple syrup blended and rolled into bites, with no baking. They firm up in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Get the recipe →13. Maple Pecan Baked Pears Recipe
Bosc or Anjou pears baked with chopped pecans, pure maple syrup, cinnamon and butter. 10 minutes of prep and 30 of baking, and it serves 4.
Get the recipe →Apple Thanksgiving Desserts
Apple Thanksgiving desserts range from a Dutch apple pie to a coffee cake made with fresh apple cider, plus a vegan crisp and a vegan cheesecake.
14. Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (Apple Crumb Pie)
Sliced Granny Smith apples with cinnamon and lemon juice in an unbaked pie crust, under a brown sugar crumb topping. 30 minutes of prep and 50 of baking.
Get the recipe →15. Apple Cider Coffee Cake
A tender coffee cake made with fresh apple cider and sour cream. 30 minutes of prep and 45 of baking, and it serves 12.
Get the recipe →16. Salted Caramel Vegan Apple Crumble Cheesecake
A vegan cashew cheesecake topped with sautéed apples and an oat crumble. 45 minutes of prep and 60 of baking, and it serves 12.
Get the recipe →17. Vegan Chai Spiced Apple Crisp
Granny Smith apples spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves under a crisp topping, all vegan. 20 minutes of prep and 45 of baking.
Get the recipe →18. Baked Apples
Tart apples filled with brown sugar, rolled oats, cinnamon and chopped walnuts. 15 minutes of prep and 45 of baking, and it serves 4.
Get the recipe →Cranberry Thanksgiving Desserts
Cranberries add tart color to Thanksgiving desserts, in a quick bread, a batch of cookies and a sparkly sugared topping for the rest of the table.
19. Cranberry Bread with Orange Glaze
A quick bread with orange zest and orange juice, finished with an orange glaze. 15 minutes of prep and 60 of baking, and it serves 12.
Get the recipe →20. Cranberry Cookies
Butter cookies with brown sugar and orange zest, studded with cranberries. 15 minutes of prep and 10 of baking, and the batch makes 24.
Get the recipe →21. Sugared Cranberries (Easy Recipe)
Fresh cranberries coated in a simple syrup and rolled in sugar, a sparkly topping for any dessert on the table. The berries dry for about 1 hour.
Get the recipe →Tips for Planning Thanksgiving Desserts
Pick one showpiece and a few easy extras. Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (Apple Crumb Pie) or Pumpkin Roll Recipe can be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving desserts, while no-oven options like Pecan Pie Bliss Balls and Pumpkin Pie Fudge keep the oven free for the rest of the meal.
Check each recipe card for chilling or setting times. Pumpkin Pie Fudge needs at least 2 hours in the fridge, and Pecan Pie Bliss Balls firm up in the fridge for 30 minutes, so both can be made ahead of the big day.
If you want more ideas, see our 21 easy no-bake desserts, the 25 easy cake recipes and the 21 easy dessert bar recipes.
Thanksgiving Desserts FAQs
What is the fastest Thanksgiving dessert on this list?
Pecan Pie Bliss Balls are the fastest of these Thanksgiving desserts at 15 minutes in total, followed by Cranberry Cookies at 25 minutes.
Which Thanksgiving desserts need no oven?
Pecan Pie Bliss Balls, Pumpkin Pie Fudge and Sugared Cranberries (Easy Recipe) are made without the oven.
Which Thanksgiving desserts serve the most people?
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Cranberry Cookies and Pumpkin Pie Fudge serve 24 each, and Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars and Vegan Pecan Pie Bars serve 16 each.
Are there vegan Thanksgiving desserts here?
Yes: Easy Vegan Dairy Free Pecan Pie, Vegan Pecan Pie Bars, Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, Salted Caramel Vegan Apple Crumble Cheesecake and Vegan Chai Spiced Apple Crisp.
Which Thanksgiving desserts take the longest?
Pumpkin Pie Fudge takes 2 hr 20 min in total and Sugared Cranberries (Easy Recipe) takes 2 hr 15 min, mostly for setting and drying. Salted Caramel Vegan Apple Crumble Cheesecake takes 1 hr 45 min.
Are there Thanksgiving desserts that are not pie?
Yes. Most of these Thanksgiving desserts are cakes, bars, crisps, cookies, fudge or fruit desserts, like Pumpkin Roll Recipe, Apple Cider Coffee Cake, Cranberry Bread with Orange Glaze and Maple Pecan Baked Pears Recipe.
More Thanksgiving Desserts
Want to keep baking? Browse every cheesecake recipe, all the holiday dessert recipes or the full recipe archive for more Thanksgiving desserts.
