7 Delightful Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas

The leaves are changing color, the Turkeys are looking nervous, and family is coming into town. This could only mean one thing: time to start dreaming of Thanksgiving desserts!

We’ve got a lot to be thankful for this year, and pie might just be at the top of the list. But while we’ll always be grateful for the classics like pumpkin pie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Thanksgiving desserts can be a lot more fun, too.

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite Thanksgiving dessert ideas sure to delight your family and friends this holiday season. And while your Aunt Polly’s holiday pudding might always get the most compliments, we guarantee these unique treats will disappear faster than the marshmallows out of the sweet potato casserole.

The best part about these desserts? They’re all super quick and easy to make. We know you’ve got a lot on your plate with preparing a holiday feast, so we promise whipping up these treats will be easy as pie (a whole lot easier, actually). So, what are you waiting for? Let’s dig in!

Turkey Pancakes

We all know turkey is the star of Thanksgiving dinner, but what about Thanksgiving breakfast? With so much focus on the evening’s meal, Thanksgiving breakfast and lunch often get overlooked. Start the day off right by surprising your kids with a breakfast they’ll gobble down!

Our Bite-Sized Pancakes can be warmed up in 60 seconds and taste like light and airy pancake clouds. Transform them into miniature turkeys by arranging small slices of red apples and tangerines around each pancake like feathers. Cut a small triangle out of a tangerine for the beak and another out of your red apple for the wattle. Top with two candy eyes. This version of Thanksgiving turkey may be untraditional, but you don’t get far if you don’t ruffle a few feathers!

Apple Pie Bites

There’s nothing more American than apple pie— which means you’ve probably had dozens of apple pies on your Thanksgiving table over the years. For a creative twist on the classic, try whipping up some phyllo dough apple pie bites instead.

Bake phyllo dough shells (found in the frozen food section of your grocery store) until crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Create an apple pie filling by caramelizing diced apples in butter with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Simmer in Bourbon until the apples are tender and then add in a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken the mixture. Finish by spooning the pie filling into your crispy phyllo shells. We promise they’ll taste even better than your kitchen will smell!

Butter Pecan Bundt Cake

You’re nuts if you think we’d leave pecans off our list of the best thanksgiving dessert ideas! To create this crowd-pleasing butter pecan Bundt cake, start by whisking together your dry ingredients:

•  3 cups of flour, 
• 2 teaspoons each of baking powder and pumpkin pie spice, and
• 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. 

Beat 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, and then a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, half a cup of sour cream, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Slowly mix in your dry ingredients before folding in chopped pecans. Bake for 50-55 minutes, and drizzle with a cream cheese glaze for extra holiday pizzaz!

Thanksgiving Cheesecake Servings

Cheesecake is one of our all-time favorite desserts, but this rich and creamy treat can feel a little heavy after a Thanksgiving feast. Belgian Boys’ Frozen Mini Cheesecakes come in individual ramekins for the perfect sweet bite after a big meal— even if you’re already stuffed with stuffing. Serve as is, or give your cheesecakes a Thanksgiving twist by topping with pudding frosting and fall-colored candies.

Just whisk together a box of instant vanilla pudding and a cup of milk, fold in a container of Cool Whip, and use a piping bag to swirl on top of each cheesecake ramekin. Decorate with red, orange, yellow, and green candies.

Choco Stroopwafel Pilgrim Hats

One of the sweetest Thanksgiving dessert ideas for kids, these cute and creative chocolate Pilgrim hats are a fun and easy way to get your little cousins in the kitchen. All you need is some orange frosting, a bag of mini peanut butter cups, and our Choco Stroopwafels to create these adorable treats. 

Squeeze a dab of frosting in the center of your Choco Stroopwafel and press an upside-down peanut butter cup on top, using the frosting as “glue.”  Squeeze a ring of orange frosting around the base of the peanut butter cup and add a square for the buckle. That’s it! Pro tip: don’t let the kids sneak too much frosting before the evening’s meal.

Turkey and Gravy Waffle

The early bird catches the waffle! That’s the saying, right? Well, it should be— especially with these elevated turkey and gravy waffles that make use of your leftovers from the night before.

It only takes a few seconds to heat up our Original Belgian Waffles, and a few more to warm up the dishes that didn’t make it into your stomach last night. Drizzle gravy over your waffles like you would syrup, and top with a hefty slice of turkey and a dollop of cranberry sauce. Enjoy the perfect brunch for the Turkey Day comedown!

Pumpkin Spice Mule

Pumpkin spice is the de facto flavor of the season, and we’re not mad about it! But if you’ve had one too many lattes, try mixing things up with a cocktail instead.

These stylish pumpkin spice mules take seconds to whip up. Just fill copper mugs with ice, then combine one part apple cider with two parts pumpkin pie flavored vodka. Top off with ginger beer and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Sip before, during, or after a big Thanksgiving meal or in front of a fireplace on any fall night. Hey, adults need dessert, too!