13 Recipes That Prove Dessert Is The Real Star Of Any Thanksgiving Table
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Let’s be honest, no one’s really waiting for the turkey when the dessert table exists. Thanksgiving might be about the feast, but it’s the pies, cakes, and sweet treats that everyone actually remembers. These desserts are easy to make, taste incredible, and guarantee you’ll be the hero who brought the dish everyone talks about long after the leftovers are gone.
Simple Pecan Pie Recipe
Simple pecan pie is the definition of a Thanksgiving classic done right. With a buttery crust, caramel-like filling, and toasted pecans that crack beautifully under your fork, it’s the dessert everyone looks forward to year after year. It’s timeless, comforting, and one slice is never enough.
Get the Recipe: Simple Pecan Pie Recipe
Pumpkin Brownies
Pumpkin brownies are the dessert that bridges the gap between chocolate lovers and pumpkin pie fans. Each bite has that fudgy, rich chocolate texture swirled with smooth pumpkin spice flavor, making it the ultimate fall indulgence. Warm, cozy, and impossible to stop eating, they’ll easily outshine any traditional dessert on the table.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Brownies
Applesauce Cake
Applesauce cake is the dessert that quietly steals the Thanksgiving spotlight with its warm, nostalgic flavor and simple charm. The tender crumb and blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make every bite taste like fall in dessert form. It’s effortless to make, impossibly comforting, and one of those timeless treats that reminds everyone why homemade desserts will always outshine anything store-bought.
Get the Recipe: Applesauce Cake
Red Wine Poached Pears
Red wine poached pears fill the kitchen with the coziest scent of citrus, honey, and spices. Their deep ruby color and delicate flavor make them feel fancy enough for guests but easy enough for any home cook. When served warm with whipped cream or ice cream, they practically redefine what a Thanksgiving dessert can be.
Get the Recipe: Red Wine Poached Pears
3-Ingredient Fudge
3-ingredient fudge is the no-fail treat that deserves a permanent spot on every Thanksgiving dessert table. Each square is rich, creamy, and melt-in-your-mouth smooth, giving off pure chocolate bliss with zero fuss. Made in minutes, it’s a dessert that looks impressive, tastes nostalgic, and guarantees there won’t be a single piece left by the end of the night.
Get the Recipe: 3-Ingredient Fudge
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Pumpkin dump cake is what happens when pumpkin pie meets buttery crumble in the easiest way possible. The creamy pumpkin filling, spiced just right, pairs perfectly with the crisp, golden topping for a dessert that tastes like autumn in a pan. Simple, homey, and full of flavor, it’s a holiday favorite that always gets repeat requests.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Dump Cake
Stuffed Dates
Stuffed dates are the elegant yet effortless dessert that makes Thanksgiving feel extra special. The sweetness of the dates, paired with creamy goat cheese and a sprinkle of crunchy walnuts, creates that perfect bite-sized balance of flavor and texture. They’re the no-bake treat that looks fancy, tastes divine, and disappears long before the turkey leftovers even make it to the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Dates
Peanut Butter Fudge
Peanut butter fudge brings that nostalgic, candy-shop flavor to life with just a few pantry staples. It’s creamy, rich, and has that perfect balance of sweet and salty that keeps everyone coming back for “just one more piece.” Forget fancy desserts, this one’s a total crowd-pleaser that wins every Thanksgiving spread.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Fudge
Gooey Butter Cake
Gooey butter cake is the show-stopping dessert that reminds everyone why homemade sweets always outshine the bakery counter. Its rich, buttery crust and luscious, creamy top layer melt together into pure indulgence that fits perfectly on a festive holiday table. Every slice feels like a love letter to comfort food, simple, decadent, and completely unforgettable.
Get the Recipe: Gooey Butter Cake
Air Fryer Apple Pie Bites
Air fryer apple pie bites are the easiest way to get all that warm, cinnamon-apple flavor without the wait. Wrapped in golden, flaky biscuit dough and perfectly crisped in minutes, they’re tiny bundles of dessert happiness. Pop them out of the air fryer and watch them vanish before dinner’s even done.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Apple Pie Bites
Apple Galette
Apple galette brings rustic charm and old-school elegance to any Thanksgiving spread. The golden, flaky crust wraps around spiced, caramelized apples for a dessert that’s as stunning as it is easy to make. It’s the kind of simple, cozy treat that makes you skip the pie lineup and go straight for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Apple Galette
Puff Pastry Apple Pie Pockets
Puff pastry apple pie pockets are the shortcut dessert that feels fancy without the work. The golden, flaky pastry wraps around tender, cinnamon-spiced apples that taste just like grandma’s pie, only easier. They’re handheld, mess-free, and the cozy, sweet treat that always steals the spotlight after a big Thanksgiving meal.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Apple Pie Pockets
Grape Pie
Grape pie is the vintage dessert that quietly commands attention with its glossy, jam-like filling and buttery crust. The sweet-tart flavor of Concord grapes adds a touch of nostalgia to the table, reminding everyone of the desserts Grandma used to bake. It’s timeless, homey, and so unexpectedly good that it instantly becomes a new holiday favorite.
Get the Recipe: Grape Pie
