Mamá Maggie's Kitchen
menu icon
search icon

27 Show-Stopping Thanksgiving Desserts That Steal the Spotlight

Published: by

A great dessert is often the best part of a big holiday meal. These sweet treats are sure to impress your family and friends and make the feast feel extra special. You can find all kinds of recipes, from classic pies to fun new ideas that everyone will love. Each one is a delicious way to end your dinner. You are sure to find the perfect dessert to make your celebration memorable this year.

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Slices of marble cheesecake bars with a swirl of caramel and cream cheese on a parchment-lined surface. The bars have a layered texture with a creamy, marbled appearance.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Photo credit: Boston Girl Bakes.

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have a creamy, spiced pumpkin layer on top of a buttery crust. They are a rich and delicious dessert that is easy to slice and serve.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cajeta Frosting

A close-up of several pumpkin spice cupcakes with swirled cajeta frosting and caramel drizzle, arranged on a dark surface. A pine cone, a large pumpkin, and a mason jar with sauce are in the background. The scene has a cozy autumnal atmosphere.
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting. Photo by Mama Maggies Kitchen.

Soft Pumpkin Cupcakes are topped with a sweet and gooey caramel frosting called cajeta. They are a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for sharing.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin cupcakes with cajeta frosting

Pumpkin Hand Pies

A plate of oval-shaped cookies with a golden-brown crust, displayed on a beige rectangular dish. The cookies have slits on top. The dish is on a surface with an orange and white checkered cloth underneath.
Pumpkin Hand Pies. Photo credit: My Happy Bakes.

A spiced pumpkin filling is wrapped inside a flaky, golden crust for these Pumpkin Hand Pies. They are a fun and portable dessert that is easy to eat.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Hand Pies

Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake

Pumpkin tres leches topped with whipped cream and served on a white plate.
Pumpkin Pastel de Tres Leches. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

A spiced pumpkin filling is wrapped inside a flaky, golden crust for these Pumpkin Hand Pies. They are a fun and portable dessert that is easy to eat.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pastel de Tres Leches

Gobble Them Up Cupcakes

Three chocolate-frosted cupcakes are decorated to resemble turkeys, each with a cookie for a head, candy eyes, a candy corn beak, and colorful candy feathers. They sit on a decorative autumn leaf platter.
Gobble Them Up Cupcakes. Photo credit: Platable Pastime.

These Gobble Them Up Cupcakes are decorated to look like cute little turkeys. They are a fun and festive dessert that is perfect for the holiday table.
Get the Recipe: Gobble Them Up Cupcakes

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Chocolate Chipe Bread sliced and on a cooling rack.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is moist, sweet, and packed with melty chocolate chips. It is a simple and delicious treat that is great for dessert.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

A pumpkin spice cake with a slice removed, showcasing layered texture. The cake is topped with chocolate icing shaped like small pumpkins. In the background are blurred autumn leaves and mugs, creating a cozy autumn atmosphere.
Vegan Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting. Photo credit: Addicted to Dates.

A soft and spiced Vegan Pumpkin Cake is covered in a smooth, dairy-free cream cheese frosting. This cake is a rich and flavorful dessert for everyone.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Cake With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Empanadas

A white plate filled with pumpkin empanadas sits on a red and white patterned cloth. Cinnamon sticks are placed beside the plate, and an orange pumpkin and flowers are in the background, giving a cozy, autumnal feel to the scene.
Pumpkin Empanadas. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

A sweet pumpkin filling is wrapped inside a flaky, golden crust for these Pumpkin Empanadas. They are a wonderful handheld dessert that is both warm and comforting.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Empanadas

Vegan Apple Tart (Top Vegan Recipe)

A rectangular apple tart with sliced almonds is cut into pieces on a white surface. Fresh green apples and red apple slices are scattered around. A striped cloth is partially visible on the side.
Vegan Apple Tart (Top Vegan Recipe). Photo credit: Chef Ani.

This Vegan Apple Tart has a flaky crust and a sweet filling of soft, spiced apples. It is an elegant dessert that everyone can enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Apple Tart (Top Vegan Recipe)

Pumpkin Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)

Pumpkin Arroz con Leche served in a glass cup topped with raisins and a cinnamon stick to the side.
Pumpkin Arroz con Leche. Photo By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

This creamy Pumpkin Arroz con Leche is a cozy twist on a classic rice pudding. The warm pumpkin and spices make it a very comforting dessert.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Arroz con Leche

Perfect Eggless Lemon Bars

Close-up of lemon bars on parchment paper, topped with powdered sugar and small lemon slices. The bars have a golden yellow filling and a crumbly base, arranged neatly.
Perfect Eggless Lemon Bars. Photo credit: Buttered Veg.

These Perfect Eggless Lemon Bars have a tangy and sweet lemon filling on a shortbread crust. They are a bright and refreshing dessert option.
Get the Recipe: Perfect Eggless Lemon Bars

Pay de Queso (Mexican Cheesecake)

A fork taking a piece of the pay de queso on a yellow plate.
Pay de Queso. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

This Pay de Queso is a smooth and creamy Mexican-style cheesecake with a rich flavor. It is a simple and very satisfying dessert.
Get Recipe: Pay de Queso

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows (Super Easy!)

A casserole dish filled with sweet potato casserole topped with toasted marshmallows. A wooden spoon is scooping some of the casserole, revealing the orange sweet potato underneath.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows (Super Easy!). Photo credit: The Yummy Bowl.

This Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is topped with a layer of toasted, gooey marshmallows. It is a sweet and classic side dish that feels like a dessert.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows (Super Easy!)

Camotes Enmielados (Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes)

A white bowl contains several chunks of cooked Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes. A spoon rests beside the sweet potatoes in the bowl. The bowl is placed on a patterned cloth napkin, and a few whole black peppercorns are visible on the wooden surface next to the napkin.
Camotes Enmielados. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

For Camotes Enmielados, sweet potatoes are cooked in a sweet syrup until they are tender and glazed. This creates a wonderfully sticky and flavorful side dish or dessert.
Get the recipe: Camotes enmielados

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

A white plate holds eight mini cheesecakes. Each cheesecake has a swirl of caramel and a dollop of whipped cream on top. A golden serving spatula is placed beside the plate on a patterned napkin.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake. Photo credit: Art of Natural Living.

These Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are individual desserts with a creamy filling and a crunchy crust. They are a cute and perfect single-serving treat for a party.
Get the Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Tamales

Cooked Pumpkin Tamales on a white platter next to an orange pumpkin and fall leaf.
Pumpkin Tamales. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

These sweet Pumpkin Tamales are filled with warm spices and a smooth pumpkin filling. They are a unique and special dessert that is steamed inside corn husks.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Tamales

Pumpkin Pie Galette

A rustic pumpkin galette with a slice cut out, showing its rich, smooth filling. The golden-brown crust is flaky and sprinkled with sugar, providing a textured edge. It rests on white parchment paper. An orange item is partially visible to the side.
Pumpkin Pie Galette. Photo credit: My Happy Bakes.

This Pumpkin Pie Galette is a free-form pie with a spiced pumpkin filling and a flaky crust. It is a rustic and beautiful dessert that is easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Galette

Mini Apple Strudel with Phyllo Pastry (Apfelstrudel)

A slice of apple strudel with a flaky golden crust is topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream, served on a decorative plate with a fork. The pastry filling is visible, showcasing chunks of apple.
Mini Apple Strudel with Phyllo Pastry (Apfelstrudel). Photo credit: Peanut Butter & Julie.

These Mini Apple Strudels have a spiced apple filling wrapped in a crispy, flaky phyllo dough. They are a delightful and elegant handheld pastry.
Get the Recipe: Mini Apple Strudel with Phyllo Pastry (Apfelstrudel)

Thanksgiving Dessert Charcuterie Board

A dessert tray featuring a variety of cookies, cake slices, and chocolates, with a bowl of creamy dip in the center. Decorations include small pumpkins, adding a festive, autumnal touch.
Thanksgiving Dessert Charcuterie Board. Photo credit: Rose Bakes.

A Thanksgiving Dessert Charcuterie Board is a large platter filled with many different small sweets and treats. It is a fun way to let everyone choose their favorite desserts.
Get the Recipe: Thanksgiving Dessert Charcuterie Board

Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes

Mini pumpkin bundt cakes topped with white icing are arranged on white plates. The background features scattered autumn leaves, creating a fall-themed presentation.
Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes. Photo credit: LikeHotKeto.

These Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes are small, moist, and have a lovely shape from the bundt pan. A sweet glaze is often drizzled over the top of them.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Overhead view of pumpkin pie bars topped with dollops of whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon on a white surface.
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Photo credit: Pratically Homemade.

These No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have a creamy pumpkin filling on top of a crunchy crust. They are a simple and delicious dessert that does not need an oven.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Cranberry Coffee Cake

A slice of crumbly cake topped with red cranberries and nuts sits on a wooden plate alongside a fork. The cake has a golden brown crumb topping, and a few cranberries and nuts are visible on the side.
Cranberry Coffee Cake. Photo credit: Greedy Eats.

This Cranberry Coffee Cake is a soft and tender cake with a sweet and tart cranberry swirl. It is a wonderful dessert to serve with a cup of coffee.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Coffee Cake

Apple Crostata

A rustic apple galette topped with thin apple slices on parchment paper. It's surrounded by fresh apples, a jar of caramel, walnuts, a spoon, and a red-checkered cloth on a marble surface.
Apple Crostata. Photo credit: Boston Girl Bakes.

An Apple Crostata is a rustic, free-form tart with a sweet apple filling and a flaky crust. It is a simple but very impressive-looking dessert.
Get the Recipe: Apple Crostata

Wine Poached Pears

Three poached pears in small glass bowls sit on a dark surface. Two pears have stems, and one has a paper leaf attached. Slices of orange and a cinnamon stick add a touch of color in the foreground.
Wine Poached Pears. Photo credit: Art of Natural Living.

Wine Poached Pears are whole pears slowly cooked in a sweet spiced wine syrup. They become tender and take on a beautiful color and elegant flavor.
Get the Recipe: Wine Poached Pears

The Best Vegan Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)

A slice of pecan pie being lifted from the pie dish. The slice showcases a flaky crust, gooey caramel filling, and a topping of whole pecans, all in rich, warm tones.
The Best Vegan Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup). Photo credit: Addicted to Dates.

This Vegan Pecan Pie has a sweet, gooey filling that is full of crunchy pecans. It is a classic dessert made without any animal products.
Get the Recipe: The Best Vegan Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole (Without Marshmallows)

A close-up of a baked sweet potato casserole in a white dish. It is topped with a crumbly brown sugar and pecan mixture, giving it a textured, golden-brown appearance. The dish is placed on a light-colored wooden surface.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole (Without Marshmallows). Photo credit: Cookrita.

This Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is creamy and topped with a sweet, buttery streusel crunch. It is a warm and comforting side that is almost like a dessert.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole (Without Marshmallows)

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

A slice of pecan pie on a plate, topped with caramelized pecans and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The pie's crust is golden brown, and the filling is gooey and rich.
Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. Photo credit: Allergy Free Alaska.

This Gluten-Free Pecan Pie has a rich, sweet filling and a crunchy pecan top on a special crust. It is a delicious dessert for anyone avoiding gluten.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

More Recipe Roundups

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *