Thanksgiving Desserts: 35+ easy, traditional favorite recipes for this holiday besides pies

It’s fall season and that means it’s time for our favorite pumpkin desserts…homemade pumpkin pie! Pumpkin pie is an easy, traditional dessert recipe to make in fall and serve at Thanksgiving. Pumpkins are native to the American continent, but the method of making pumpkin pie traces its origins back to France and England. Today it’s a classic dessert in America which is a symbol of harvest time.

There's nothing like homemade apple pie. If you're looking to make the most of apple season this fall, this apple pie recipe is perfect for you. Made with perfectly sweet-tart Granny Smith apples tossed in sugar and cinnamon and baked in a homemade flaky pastry, this is one of the best apple pie recipes you'll ever try.

Wondering what dessert to bake for Thanksgiving this year? Try sweet potato pie! This traditional pie recipe comes from the American South and is a staple for many families when Thanksgiving rolls around. It's similar to pumpkin pie, super easy to make, and doesn't call for many ingredients. All you need are a few sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.

An old-fashioned pecan pie is always a welcome addition to any holiday gathering whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a festive party with your friends and family. Pecan pie is a classic Southern dessert with a sweet, salty, nutty flavor and chewy texture.

Love the rich, caramelized flavor of creme brulée? You'll adore buttermilk pie! This easy-to-make dessert is a classic recipe from the American South, and it's a much-loved comfort dish. If you're familiar with the old-fashioned chess pie, buttermilk pies are pretty similar, but with a much tangier taste thanks to the buttermilk. It also usually has vanilla and lemon in it, which aren't used in chess pies.

Cranberry is a fall favorite and there's no better way to enjoy this tart berry than to make a classic homemade cranberry pie. Cranberry pie has a wonderful sweet-tart flavor that makes every bite an absolute delight. The filling is juicy and perfectly sweet, while the from-scratch pie crust is beautifully buttery and flaky.

Pumpkin pie and chocolate are an unexpected match made in heaven, so if you're looking to switch things up at Thanksgiving or your next holiday party, this easy-to-make chocolate pumpkin pie is perfect for you. Made with a buttery chocolate cookie crumb crust, traditional spiced pumpkin pie filling, and a thick layer of rich chocolate ganache, chocolate pumpkin pie is sure to be a huge hit with all of your guests.

Treat your loved ones this holiday season by baking a homemade chess pie. A traditional dessert from the American South with English roots, the classic chess pie features layers of tender pie crust, thick, sweet custard, and a crisp browned top. The name is thought to come either from the English town of Chester or "cheese pie" – historic cookbooks tended to lump cheesecakes and custard pies together.

Fall is in the air and with the weather starting to change, it's the perfect time to start baking. Apple pies are a favorite come autumn, but if you want to take your classic apple pie to the next level, why not try this easy caramel apple pie recipe? With a flaky, buttery crust, rich, sweet caramel sauce, and tart crisp apples, this irresistible pie has it all.

Chocolate lovers unite! This stunning silky-smooth chocolate cream pie is the perfect, elegant dessert to serve for any special occasion. Amazing as a holiday dessert, but just as wonderful for birthdays, parties, or anytime you want to impress your loved ones with your baking skills, chocolate cream pie is always a treat.

There's nothing like taking a bite of coconut cream pie. This dreamy, creamy old-fashioned dessert is always a hit with a crowd. Thanks to its tropical flavor, coconut cream pie is a fabulous dessert for hot, sunny days, but its rich, beautiful taste also make it wonderful for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Cherry pie might be one of the all-time best summer desserts out there, especially when made with ripe, in-season cherries. With its tender, flaky, buttery crust and sweet, juicy cherry filling, there's nothing like sinking your fork into a slice of freshly baked cherry pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

If you want to impress your loved ones this Thanksgiving, make chocolate pecan pie. Chocolate pecan pie is the best of both worlds, featuring a rich, pecan-packed, brownie-like filling topped with perfectly toasted pecans, all set in a buttery pie crust. It's a beautiful, decadent dessert that tastes absolutely amazing like the classic pecan pie.

Rich, creamy, and silky smooth, French silk chocolate pie is the ultimate decadent dessert to serve up for any special occasion. With an incomparable chocolatey flavor and lighter-than-air texture, it's a stunning dessert that's sure to impress.

Everyone loves a slice of pecan pie around the holidays, and this pecan pie without corn syrup is a perfect Southern dessert to whip up on special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas when you don't have corn syrup as you don't actually need it.

Anyone who enjoys the sweet tropical flavor of banana will adore this easy banana cream pie. It's an old-fashioned dessert made with a silky, creamy banana filling set in a flaky pie crust and topped with lighter-than-air homemade whipped cream.

Warming, comforting, and packed with apple flavor—this Apple Crisp is just what you need this fall season. Because the recipe is heavy on apples, it’s a perfect dessert to make when apples are in abundance. This old-fashioned fall recipe is usually served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.

With its rich, creamy pumpkin filling, buttery spiced crust, and lighter than air whipped cream topping, nothing says “autumn is here” like this easy pumpkin cheesecake. This delicious dessert is an easy recipe you can make this fall. Pumpkin cheesecake is perfect for big family gatherings like Thanksgiving, or any other occasion where you're entertaining a group.

This Apple Cake is an easy, light dessert recipe perfect for fall. It’s a great dessert to make if you’re craving something between an apple cake or apple pie. It’s easy to make (whip the batter up in one bowl) and even easier to eat!

If you're looking for a delicious, dense, rich cake to serve with afternoon tea or tuck into with a cup of coffee in the morning, get ready to fall in love with St. Louis gooey butter cake.

This decadent apple butter cheesecake is a phenomenal no-bake recipe that's as beautiful as it is delicious. Perfectly creamy and laden with generous swirls of rich apple butter, it's a great easy dessert you can make in virtually no time, and all without ever having to use your oven. For the best flavor, make the apple butter yourself. If you're short on time, store-bought apple butter will do the trick, too. For a simple yet elegant dessert that's sure to impress, try this no-bake apple butter cheesecake recipe.

This simple French-style apple tarte tatin consists of one layer of flaky pastry crust and a thick layer of caramelized apples. It’s made by placing caramelized apples with butter and sugar in the bottom of a pie dish and then topping with a buttery dough. After baking it like this, it is flipped upside down and served with the crust on the bottom and apples on the top. Hearty tarte apples like granny smith are the best to use in apple tarts like this because it will stand up well to the caramelization and baking.

Who doesn't love the heavenly scent of warming baking spices and sweet treats floating through their homes during autumn? If you're in the mood to make an easy dessert you can whip up in no time, try this wonderful pumpkin cake recipe.

Fall is the time of apple desserts. If you haven’t tried apple cheesecake yet, you’ll fall in love with this Caramel Apple Cheesecake. It combines the sweet flavors of a caramel apple pie with the creaminess of a cheesecake—delicious! It’s not difficult to make either. Mascarpone and yogurt create a delicate cheesecake filling, while fresh apples are cooked and used as a topping.

Pumpkin bars are a classic sweet treat perfect to enjoy as dessert during fall season. Super easy to make, they're moist, spiced on the inside and topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect crowd-pleaser recipe you need to try.

There's nothing like freshly baked apple pie when the weather starts to dip. The only thing that might be better than apple pie? Apple pie cupcakes! These incredibly soft, fluffy cupcakes are packed with the same irresistible apple pie flavor as the iconic fall dessert, and topped with decadent creamy frosting. It's a great way to use in-season apples this fall and offers a fun twist on a much-loved classic dessert. Serve them at holiday parties, Thanksgiving potlucks, or as a toothsome treat in a packed lunch.

Autumn is the perfect time to get cozy in the kitchen and make all sorts of heavenly baked treats. Fall is pumpkin season, so it's a wonderful excuse to make these incredible iced pumpkin cookies.

These decadent pumpkin cupcakes are the perfect way to usher in fall, especially if you're a fan of pumpkin. They're lightly spiced with pumpkin pie mix, cinnamon, and ginger. These sweet, fluffy cupcakes are moist but not greasy on the inside, then topped with tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting.

These Apple Cookies are easy to make and is the perfect dessert recipe for fall. Both children and adults will love them. The texture of the cookie is soft, chewy on the inside, almost cake-like. The edges are slightly crispy and the chocolate chips inside add just enough sweetness.

Love pecan pie? Then you'll adore these phenomenal pecan pie bars. These bite-sized pecan pie bars are fantastic when you're hosting a large group and make a great treat to serve over the holidays. With a rich, buttery, nutty flavor and satisfying crunch, they're hard to resist.

With the heavenly flavor of warming baking spices mixed with sweet pumpkin, this fantastic recipe for homemade pumpkin muffins might be the best out there. Pumpkin muffins are incredibly soft, fluffy, and tender, and they're a perfect baking project to try this fall and winter.

With the arrival of autumn, it's officially the season for delicious pumpkin desserts. If you're saving your pumpkin pie to show off at Thanksgiving dinner, but still want to make the most out of this tasty seasonal squash, why not try making a classic pumpkin roll? This easy fall dessert is light, fluffy, and full of that wonderful pumpkin and baking spice flavor so many of us associate with autumn.

Cranberry hand pies are a delicious sweet treat synonymous with fall. With its sweet-tart flavor, it's a perfect dessert to serve at holiday dinner such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. This cranberry hand pies have a crisp, flaky crust and a ruby red, creamy filling that everyone's sure to enjoy. The luxurious crème brulée filling goes beautifully with the tangy taste of the cranberries.

With its fragrant spices and rich, pumpkin flavor, pumpkin bread is a phenomenal recipe to whip up this fall. This moist, tender loaf is packed with the delicious taste of baking spices like cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, and sweet pumpkin.

Autumn is apple season, and whether you go apple picking or grab some apples from the store, it's the perfect opportunity to make this easy baked apple recipe. Made by stuffing apples with a sweet, fragrant mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins, then topping the mixture with butter and popping them into the oven, baked apples are a cozy dessert that has all the best fall flavors.

While everyone loves pumpkin pies and apple crumbles, why not shake things up this fall by making these irresistible caramel apple cookies? This fabulous dessert recipe is perfect for autumn and is a fun, festive alternative to making caramel apples. With their decadent frosting and tantalizing chopped pecan garnish, caramel apple cookies are delicious and eye-catching.

If you're a fan of classic cinnamon rolls, get ready to fall in love with the best pumpkin cinnamon rolls you'll ever try. This simple recipe is perfect for fall – it's cozy, delicious, and packed with a rich pumpkin flavor and warm cinnamon spice.

Made with gorgeous sweet apple pie filling wrapped inside a flaky fragrant crust, apple hand pies are a killer way to enjoy a single serving of apple pie. They're similar to apple turnovers, but turnovers are usually made using puff pastry rather than pie crust. Apple hand pies cook much faster than a classic apple pie and are perfect for those moments when you want to treat yourself to a little something sweet. They're an easy-to-make dessert and it's a wonderful autumn recipe to whip up with your family.

With its incredible pumpkin and warm baking spice flavor and rich, creamy texture pumpkin flan is a phenomenal dessert to make this fall. This decadent recipe is known as flan de calabaza, and it's popular in many Latin American countries.

The dumplings with apple and pine nuts are simple and really delicious desserts. They can be prepared really in no time; all you need is a roll of ready-made puff pastry and you're done. Golden and fragrant, they hide inside a filling made with apples and pine nuts, and they are also enriched with a cinnamon scent, which recalls the classic South Tyrolean dessert, the apple strudel. These small dumplings are perfect to be enjoyed at breakfast or as a snack along with a cup of tea, or to be served at the end of a meal or an informal dinner with friends, or to accompany a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. So let’s find out how to prepare the dumplings with apple and pine nuts by following our recipe step by step.