These make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts can be prepared a day or two in advance, so you can spend less time in the kitchen on the big day and more time with family and friends.
Thanksgiving is busy enough without having to make dessert at the last minute! Between roasting the turkey, preparing all the sides, and getting the house ready for guests, Thanksgiving Day can get pretty hectic. The last thing you need is to be baking desserts while everyone else is relaxing! These make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts can be prepared a day or two in advance, giving you one less thing to worry about on the big day. From cheesecakes and pies to cakes and other festive treats, you'll find plenty of sweet ideas, including Thanksgiving desserts without pumpkin and Thanksgiving desserts other than pie.
This Pecan Pie is made without corn syrup or maple syrup, serves as a 9-inch pie, and isn’t overly sweet. It stays moist without the syrup and is perfect for making a day ahead.
No-Bake Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes feature a chocolate graham cracker crust and creamy chocolate cheesecake filling and are topped with a rich chocolate ganache. It is then finished with a dollop of cocoa whipped cream and a sprinkle of shaved chocolate.
This Butternut Squash Pie is rich, smooth, custard-like, and perfectly spiced. Made with roasted butternut squash, it’s a delicious twist on pumpkin pie and will become a favorite Thanksgiving dessert!
This Chocolate Mousse Tart is truly one of the most impressive chocolate desserts you can make—and it’s so much easier than it looks! Silky, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for any occasion.
These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are beautifully layered, baked in a muffin tin, and topped with cinnamon whipped cream. They are the ultimate bite-sized pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving or holiday parties. No water bath!
This Fresh Apple Cake is soft, fluffy, buttery and packed with lots of fresh apple chunks. If you are looking for the best apple cake recipe, this is it!
This Sweet Potato Pie features a buttery, flaky pie crust filled with a creamy, smooth sweet potato filling and topped with clouds of brown sugar whipped cream.
These Apple Hand Pies are the perfect handheld treat — portable, mess-free, and no need to slice a whole apple pie. They're filled with a delicious cinnamon apple filling and wrapped in a flaky homemade pie crust. Bake in the oven or air fry!
This Pumpkin Loaf Cake is so soft, it will melt in your mouth! It is easy, mildly sweet with cozy Fall spices. Baked in a loaf pan, it's just as easy as pumpkin bread but with a finer, more tender crumb that makes it perfect for pumpkin dessert.
These No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes are super creamy, rich yet light and not overly sweet. They make the perfect bite-sized make-ahead dessert that takes minutes to prep.
Tiramisu Tres Leches Cake combines the rich flavors of Italian tiramisu with indulgent Mexican tres leches cake, resulting in a heavenly dessert that’s a fan favorite. It's tiramisu but with cake!
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting have an ultra-fluffy texture with a tender, moist, and velvety crumb that melts in your mouth. They are the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering.
This Almond Flour Chocolate Cake is decadently rich, fudgy, and moist! A cross between a moist almond cake and a chocolate brownie, it is gluten-free, low-carb, and flourless.
These Mini Pecan Pie Cheesecakes are the ultimate dessert mashup! Nestled in a pecan graham cracker crust, each creamy cheesecake cup bites are generously topped with a luscious, gooey caramel pecan sauce that’s simply irresistible.
These Apple Cranberry Hand Pies are the perfect handheld treat — no need to slice a whole apple cranberry pie. They're filled with a delicious spiced apple cranberry pie filling and wrapped in a flaky homemade pie crust.
This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake is soft, plush, and perfectly spiced for fall. A tender pumpkin spice cake is topped with a beautifully marbled cream cheese swirl baked right in.
A little planning ahead makes hosting so much easier, especially when dessert is already taken care of! Choose a few favorites from this collection of make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts, prepare them before the holiday, and simply serve when it's time for something sweet. Whether you're looking for easy Thanksgiving recipes to share with a crowd or a few treats to round out your dessert table, these recipes will help make the day a little less hectic and a lot more enjoyable.
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Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
