10 Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas to Inspire and Satisfy

Posted: November 15, 2021 2:38 pm

When indulging in your Thanksgiving feast, be sure to leave room in your stomach for the grand finale. These 10 Thanksgiving dessert ideas are certainly worthy of this special time gathering with friends and family.

Pumpkin Spice Toffee

With only eight ingredients, this pumpkin spice toffee is a good dessert that you can prepare ahead of time. The seasonal toffee melts in your mouth with all of the best flavors of the holiday, including pumpkin spice and toasted pecans. A candy thermometer will come in extremely helpful as you prepare this goodie. The deliciousness is topped with melted white chocolate for the perfect finishing touch. This toffee makes a great dessert idea if you are looking for something that you can pack up and send home with your guests.

Apple Dumplings

Getting tired of ordinary apple pie? Change things up a bit with these gooey apple dumplings. These dumplings are a cinch to assemble using canned crescent roll dough. While it may seem odd, these dumplings are basically poached in the addition of lemon-lime soda. The soda works to create a sweet sauce surrounding the doughy dumplings. Serve these dumplings piping hot out of the oven. Top them with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping along with the drippings from the sauce. Everyone will love this unique twist on a classic apple pie.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake With Honey Cinnamon Apples

This tangy and creamy goat cheese cheesecake with honey cinnamon apples is a Thanksgiving dessert that will surely brighten up your table. The base graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy mixture of sugar, goat cheese, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. This goodness is topped with Honeycrisp apples tossed with lemon juice, butter, honey, and cinnamon. Note that this dessert should be refrigerated overnight, making it important that you plan ahead in the preparation. This dessert is also gluten-free, making it a good choice for diners with special diets.

Nutella Butter Cake

If you have never had a butter cake, you are missing out. This Nutella butter cake can be prepared up to three days early, providing a great Thanksgiving dessert idea if you are trying to get as much done as possible in advance. A butter cake may look like brownies, however, you will find a much deeper flavor profile and texture in this dessert. The Nutella takes it over the top. Do not forget to sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar over the top when the cake is finished baking.

Caramel Apple Crisp Bars

A homemade caramel sauce takes these caramel apple crisp bars to another level. The recipe starts with a brown sugar crust that is then topped with a layer of thinly sliced apples. Serve these bars straight up or top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is another great Thanksgiving dessert idea if you are tired of regular apple pie but still want to incorporate seasonal fall apples into your offerings.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

Fancy up the usual pumpkin pie with this elevated pumpkin mascarpone pie recipe. The top of the pie is distinguished by the marbled mascarpone filling. Not only does this pie look beautiful on any fall table, but it also tastes delicious. You will taste Thanksgiving in every bite of this creamy pie. This pie tastes best served cold. While it tastes great on its own, a dollop of whipped topping makes the perfect finishing touch to this beauty.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

Get a head start on the holiday season by breaking out this gingerbread bundt cake with maple cinnamon glaze recipe. While this cake may look like you spent all day preparing it, the recipe actually comes together quickly. The gingerbread cake tastes amazing on its own, however, it is the maple cinnamon glaze that really makes it stand out. The cake is finished with a sprinkling of chopped pecans to add another layer of texture and crunch. This recipe will get you excited for all of the holiday baking ahead.

Cranberry Pie

Cranberries should not only be reserved for dressing. This tart cranberry pie is both delicious and festive. This recipe is a great way to take advantage of all of the fresh cranberries that you will find at your grocery store this time of the year. You can substitute frozen cranberries if you cannot get your hands on fresh ones. The cranberries are soaked in sugar before being tossed with orange juice, ginger, vanilla, and more. The filling is poured into a pie crust before being put into the oven to finish. This bright red pie will make your Thanksgiving dessert table pop.

S’Mores Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Surprise your dinner guests with this unique s’mores sweet potato cheesecake recipe. This dish combines the goodness of a sweet potato cheesecake with the taste of a gooey s’more. The flavors meld into a crispy chocolate graham cracker crust before being topped with toasted marshmallows. An amazing chocolate sauce is drizzled over the top as a crowning achievement. Do not let the long ingredient list scare you away. This pie is worth the extra effort. As a bonus, you will feel good about all of the vitamin A in the sweet potato puree.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting

These chocolate bourbon pecan pie cupcakes with butter pecan frosting will go quickly once you set them out on your Thanksgiving dessert table. The chocolate cupcakes are made with bourbon and then filled with pecan pie filling. The finished product is topped with a creamy brown sugar frosting and a dusting of cinnamon-spiced brown sugar pecans. Cupcake aficionados will go crazy over these delights. What’s not to love?

These 10 Thanksgiving dessert ideas should provide you with loads of inspiration as you begin planning all of the details of your feast.

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