Thanksgiving dessert can become one more long project after an already busy meal. These 19 recipes use familiar fall flavors across bars, cookies, cakes, pies, and puff pastry, with batch-friendly shapes and clear serving sizes that keep dessert manageable. The list includes pumpkin and pecan favorites, apple bakes, cranberry treats, and chocolate options, so you can pick a flavorful finish without fussy presentation work.
Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Glaze
A fall dessert tray gets a tender, spiced option with Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Glaze. The batch makes 12 scones and takes 55 minutes from start to finish. Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cold butter, and a simple vanilla glaze supply the seasonal flavor. Their wedge shape makes them easy to arrange beside pies and bars, especially when you want a smaller sweet after a large Thanksgiving meal.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Glaze
Turtle Brownies
For a chocolate option that cuts into easy portions, Turtle Brownies make 12 servings in about 55 minutes. The recipe pairs a cocoa-rich brownie base with caramel and pecans, bringing the familiar candy-shop combination into a single pan. Let the brownies cool before slicing so the layers hold together. They work well on a dessert board when guests want a small square instead of another slice of pie.
Get the Recipe: Turtle Brownies
Dutch Apple Pie Squares
Apple-pie flavor comes in easy-to-pass slices with Dutch Apple Pie Squares. The recipe yields 16 squares and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, with tender apples, cinnamon, a buttery crust, and an oat crumble topping. Baking the filling over a pressed crust keeps the format simple to serve. Set these out with the other Thanksgiving desserts for an easy-to-portion fruit bake.
Get the Recipe: Dutch Apple Pie Squares
Sweet Potato Cookies
Soft cookies bring a change of shape to the holiday spread, and Sweet Potato Cookies bake for just 11 minutes. Sweet potato, pecans, and maple glaze give this batch its autumn notes, while the recipe card keeps the steps straightforward. A tray can sit beside the pies for guests who prefer a handheld dessert. Their smaller size also makes it simple to offer a taste without cutting another cake.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Cookies
Vinegar Pie
For a vintage choice with pantry-style ingredients, Vinegar Pie turns eggs, sugar, and vinegar into a tangy-sweet custard in a flaky crust. The recipe serves 8, and its 3-hour-15-minute total includes time for the pie to set. The method relies on a simple filling rather than elaborate decoration, so the finished pie can be sliced and served as is. It adds a different flavor profile to a Thanksgiving table full of fruit and spice.
Get the Recipe: Vinegar Pie
Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Chocolate cookie fans can turn to Chocolate Caramel Cookies for several dessert flavors in a small, easy-to-serve package. The cookies bake for 12 minutes, then get topped with chocolate frosting, caramel sauce, and crunchy Skor bits. The recipe uses a chocolate cookie base and lets the toppings do the finishing work. Set them near the coffee or tea after Thanksgiving dinner for a rich bite that does not need a fork or serving knife.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Nanna’s Apple Cake
Cinnamon-dusted apples take center stage in Nanna’s Apple Cake, a simple bake that serves 10. The recipe needs about 20 minutes of prep and 1 hour 20 minutes of baking, with apples, butter, sugar, and eggs forming its base. A cinnamon-sugar finish adds a little extra flavor without a separate frosting step. Slice it at the table when you want an apple dessert that feels at home among classic Thanksgiving pies.
Get the Recipe: Nanna’s Apple Cake
Pecan Slab Pie – On A Baking Sheet
When a round pie would be awkward to portion for a crowd, Pecan Slab Pie – On A Baking Sheet makes 24 servings in just over an hour. Refrigerated pie crust, brown sugar, eggs, corn syrup, and pecan halves form the familiar filling in a broad pan. After cooling, cut it into squares for easy passing and transport. It brings classic pecan pie flavor to the Thanksgiving dessert table with straightforward serving.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Slab Pie – On A Baking Sheet
Pumpkin Blondies
Square-cut Pumpkin Blondies are simple to portion, and the recipe makes 24 pieces in 50 minutes. Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and both white and dark chocolate chips bring seasonal flavor to the soft blondie base. Bake, cool, and slice before arranging the bars on a platter. They are useful when the Thanksgiving menu needs a pumpkin dessert that can be made ahead and served without plates or forks.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Blondies
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Tender apple filling and cream cheese icing make Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls a sweet centerpiece for a holiday dessert spread. The recipe yields 12 rolls and takes 1 hour 40 minutes, using yeast dough, apples, cinnamon, and a cream cheese topping. The rolls bake together in one pan and are easy to portion individually. Serve them warm after Thanksgiving dinner for guests who want apple pie flavors in a softer, pull-apart form.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Old Fashioned Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake
An oatmeal base and broiled coconut topping give Old Fashioned Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake its distinct finish without piped icing or layers. Oats form the cake base, while brown sugar and coconut add texture across the top. The old-fashioned sheet cake is easy to cut into squares for serving, making it a practical choice when the dessert spread already includes pies. Place it on a platter and let guests take a piece alongside coffee.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake
Cranberry Bars
On a Thanksgiving tray, Cranberry Bars pair a tart cranberry filling with a shortbread-like base. Fresh or frozen cranberries both work, and white chocolate can be drizzled over the top for an optional finish. Since the bars bake in a square pan and slice into individual portions, they are easy to arrange on a Thanksgiving tray. Make them when you want a fruit dessert that adds color and can be picked up without a fork.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Bars
Apple-Cranberry Puff Pastry Tarts
Store-bought pastry sheets keep Apple-Cranberry Puff Pastry Tarts manageable while giving them a flaky finish. The recipe makes 8 tarts in about 32 minutes, with apples, dried cranberries, cinnamon, and a quick crumble topping. The fruit filling can be prepared ahead, then spooned onto the pastry before baking. Serve the tarts warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Get the Recipe: Apple-Cranberry Puff Pastry Tarts
Maple Pecan Pie Bars
For the classic pie flavors in an easier-to-share shape, Maple Pecan Pie Bars layer maple and pecan filling over a shortbread-style base. The bars are cut into portions instead of requiring a pie plate and slices, which helps keep the dessert table moving. Pecans bring crunch, while maple adds a deep sweetness to the filling. They fit a Thanksgiving spread when you want a familiar nut dessert with simpler serving.
Get the Recipe: Maple Pecan Pie Bars
Dutch Apple Danishes
Puff pastry gives Dutch Apple Danishes a bakery-style look without making dough from scratch. The recipe yields 12 pastries in about 55 minutes, using Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a crumb topping. A light glaze finishes the pastries after baking, and each one can be picked up individually. Set them out with coffee after the Thanksgiving meal or include them on a mixed dessert tray for easy sharing.
Get the Recipe: Dutch Apple Danishes
Buttermilk Banana Cake
Bundt-shaped and glazed, Buttermilk Banana Cake serves 10 slices. Buttermilk and ripe bananas keep the cake moist, while cinnamon and nutmeg add a gentle spice note. The recipe takes about 1 hour 5 minutes, including 50 minutes in the oven. Slice it ahead and place the pieces on a platter, a useful option when you want a cake dessert that does not need last-minute decorating.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Banana Cake
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Cinnamon sugar gives Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies their familiar crackly coating, with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice folded into the dough. The batch makes 24 cookies, and they bake in 12 minutes after the dough chills. That short oven time keeps the final baking step simple, while the dough can be prepared earlier. Add them to the Thanksgiving cookie tray for a pumpkin treat that is easy to pick up and pass around.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Chef Jenn’s Upside-Down Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Turn out Chef Jenn’s Upside-Down Puff Pastry Apple Tart to reveal caramelized apples atop crisp pastry; the recipe makes 6 tarts in 50 minutes. Store-bought puff pastry, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon keep the ingredient list familiar, while flipping the baked pastry creates the glossy apple topping. Serve the tarts warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Their individual portions make them a useful choice when a plated dessert is part of the holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Chef Jenn’s Upside-Down Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Gooey Butter Cake
With a two-hour rise before baking, Gooey Butter Cake suits a day when the oven can work ahead of dinner. The recipe yields 12 squares and takes 3 hours 5 minutes total, including 35 minutes in the oven. Yeast dough forms the base, while a butter-and-sugar topping gets dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Cut it into portions before dessert so it is ready to serve beside Thanksgiving pies and bars.
Get the Recipe: Gooey Butter Cake