The turkey recipe might be the main event, but Thanksgiving desserts close out the show. The command “Save room for dessert” was probably coined to make sure that classic staples like pumpkin pie, apple cobbler, and sweet potato pie don’t go to waste after the big meal. So it doesn’t matter how good the mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or any of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes taste—you always leave room for some sweets. We don’t make the rules.
And it seems TikTok agrees because there are hundreds of Thanksgiving dessert ideas perfect for any fall dinner party. Looking to make traditional favorites like pecan pie or caramel apple treats? Yeah, the social media app has recipes for that. Tired of pumpkin pie and looking for more unexpected desserts? You can find that too.
They all look so good, you might be tempted to try them all. Pace yourself. “I’m all about trying a new recipe or two or three each year,” says Emma Laperruque, senior cooking editor at Bon Appétit. “But even as a recipe developer, I would never try all new dishes.” Her suggestion: Stick with some time-tested classics for your main meal to cut back on stress. That way you can have more fun experimenting with dessert.
Also, keep in mind that “not everything needs to be homemade,” says Laperruque. “If you’re intimidated by making pie dough, buy it! When you’re prepping so many dishes, store-bought shortcuts are crucial.”
So, if you’re up for the challenge, check out these unique Thanksgiving desserts that’ll leave your family and friends speechless. Which is fine—just turn on one of these Thanksgiving movies until everybody’s recovered.
Monkey Bread
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First up, monkey bread, which tastes a whole lot better than it sounds. This ASMR video shows all the steps and ingredients to make the decadent Thanksgiving food. All you need is dough, chocolate, cream cheese, cinnamon, and sugar for this yummy recipe.
Acorn Strawberries
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Who doesn’t like a chocolate-covered strawberry? Or chocolate Thanksgiving desserts, for that matter? No need to stop by Edible Arrangements on your way to grandma’s house. You can make your own pumpkin-spice-flavored chocolate-covered strawberries that look just like acorns. Kids and adults alike will love them!
S’mores Cookie Cups
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Now you can have s’mores without stepping foot outside or even a fireplace. Just bake chocolate and marshmallows in cookie dough with crumbled graham crackers inside and thank us later.
Apple Crumble
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Turns out going apple picking is for more than just getting a cute Insta pic. Yes, you can nosh on an apple as a healthy snack or you can make it into a gooey dessert. The crumble needs different apples and a slew of other ingredients, so you might want to actually eat an apple while making this in case you get hungry. The recipe calls for fresh lemon juice, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, and cornstarch. The crumble is full of oats, almond meal, sugar, salt, butter, and even more cinnamon.
Flan
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Cream cheese makes this flan recipe unique. You also need sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, cream cheese, and eggs. The result: This could become one of your family’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes to make year after year.
Cheesecake
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If you’re not into the idea of spending a ton of time preparing Thanksgiving pies this year, consider this: Cheesecake doesn’t have to be complicated. Buy premade graham cracker crust, then blend the ingredients in the blender collecting dust in your cabinet. Yep, you know the ones. Cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and a single egg is all you need.
Apple Pie
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Nothing’s as American as apple pie, right? Peel and slice six Granny Smith apples for this recipe. You’ll also need lemon juice, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, butter, flour, an egg, and pie crusts. Watch the video closely to re-create what the user did with the crust because it came out beautiful.
Pumpkin Pie Cake
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It’s the best of both worlds! You get all the flavor of pumpkin pie with the consistency of cake. Plus, it’s easy to make. Blend canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and spices, and pour a yellow box of cake mix on top. Top it off with melted butter—and whipped cream, if you’re feeling extra decadent—and voilà!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
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I’ve heard of cookie cake, but never cookie pie? Imagine eating a pie full of chocolate chip cookies. Well, you don’t need to imagine because you can actually make it this year.
Cake Pops
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Making a dessert bite-size instantly makes it cuter. There’s a reason Starbucks sells birthday cake pops instead of birthday cake. A chocolate cake pop with orange drizzle won’t just look adorable on the dinner table; it will also taste delicious.
Pumpkin Pie
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Fall wouldn’t be fall without pumpkin. Between pumpkin candles, pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin decorations—it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the fruit (yep, it’s technically a fruit). But, it’s not Thanksgiving without a classic pumpkin pie recipe.
Fall Pies
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If baking were a sport, then making eight fall pies in one pan would be the Olympics. Rachel Davis, a.k.a. Taste Lab on TikTok, took on the challenge of making cherry, pumpkin, apple, pecan, cranberry, sweet potato, lemon meringue, and chocolate cream in a single pan. The endeavor took 10 hours. Proceed with caution.
Pumpkin Blondies
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It’s fall, so brownies are out and pumpkin blondies are in, apparently. The pumpkin puree and white chocolate chips make this recipe a perfect seasonal option. Deliver on the holiday’s traditional flavors in a new and unexpected way.
Apple Pie Doughnuts
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Any dessert that combines two different desserts is our kind of dessert. Did we mention that we really like dessert? The easy apple-pie-stuffed doughnut recipe calls for apples, honey, cinnamon, and coconut oil. The dough portion uses pancake mix to surround the pie mixture.
Pumpkin Pie Crisp
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Pumpkin pie filling? Check. Cinnamon streusel? Check. Vanilla ice cream? Double check. This viral recipe has basically all the same ingredients as a pumpkin pie except it also uses heavy cream.
Chocolate Pumpkin Ganache Cake
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Okay, when we say this recipe is easy, we mean it. Mix devil’s food cake with water and pumpkin puree. Then melt chocolate chips and mix with heavy whipping cream to make the ganache. Top your creation with chocolate chips and you officially have a fancy-looking—and -sounding!—dessert.
Cakesicles
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Being able to give a child a dessert that they can hold in their hand is a definite perk. These cakesicles taste like cake yet are eaten like Popsicles (hence the name). Their aesthetic makes them almost too pretty to eat. However, we doubt that will stop anyone.
Fruit Salad
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Yes, underneath all of that Cool Whip is fruit. It’s difficult to believe, but cherries and peaches are used in this fruit “salad.” The marshmallows and coconut flakes change the flavor to make this an even sweeter treat.
Cinnamon Roll Casserole
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Slow cookers are for more than chili and stews. You can even make Thanksgiving dessert in them. This is further proof that anything can be a casserole if you put your mind to it.
Oreo Cheesecake
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No oven? No problem. This Oreo cheesecake doesn’t require heat as long as you chill it in the freezer. We’re still trying to figure out what’s more fun: mashing the Oreos by hand or eating the chilly snack.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
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See, not all desserts require ovens! Cheesecake-based desserts can often be refrigerated or frozen to achieve the desired consistency. You’ll need a blender or food processor to make sure the pumpkin, nuts, and dates are mixed together properly.
Strawberry 7Up Pound Cake
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The “secret ingredient” in this pound cake isn’t secret at all. In fact, you can get it at just about any store that sells drinks. The soda creates a unique texture for the cake, and, hey, you can drink whatever you don’t use in the recipe.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
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After a heavy meal, it’s nice to unwind with a cup of coffee. So it makes sense that having a pumpkin coffee cake on the menu will be a sure hit with guests.
Oreo Cake
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Crushed Oreos, butter, ice cream sandwiches, cool whip, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce sounds like something Buddy the Elf would eat for breakfast. Save me a slice, please.
Cranberry Lemon Bars
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Cranberry lemon bars will bring a welcome burst of freshness to your dinner guests’ palates. After eating savory food, it’s nice to taste lemons and cranberries to awaken your senses all over again.
