Recipe

Twenty-Two Thanksgiving Desserts

The sweet stuff of holiday legend

Cheesecake on a cake stand

Photo: MARLENA SLOSS

There’s always room for dessert, especially on Thanksgiving. End the meal on a high note with the following recipes.

photo: KATHERINE COBBS / BLUELINE CREATIVE GROUP

Bourbon-Spiked Pecan Pie Two Ways

Because spirited holiday tables often demand spirited takes on the classics, here are two versions of bourbon pecan pie—one with dark chocolate and one that layers in silky pumpkin. Get the recipe.


photo: COURTESY OF LIMESTONECOUNTRY.COM

Persimmon Pudding 

An autumnal classic from the recipe files of Mom. Get the recipe.


photo: Courtesy of Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

Dancing Bear Lodge’s Pecan Pie Martini 

The ultimate fall dessert drink. Get the recipe


photo: The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert: A Baking Book

Smoky Maple Chess Pie 

The Atlanta bakers Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin reinvent a classic. Get the recipe.


photo: Courtesy of Garden & Gun Club Atlanta

A Zesty Sweet Potato Cake 

A sweet yet surprising dessert from the Garden & Gun Club in Atlanta. Get the recipe.


photo: JONATHAN BONCEK

An Epic Dessert: Pumpkin Butter Ice Cream Cake

Not a fan of pumpkin pie? Make this easy layered beauty your sweet of the season. Get the recipe.


photo: Peter Frank Edwards

Apple Jack Stack Cake 

A perfectly imperfect dessert that brings people together. Get the recipe.


photo: Johnny Autry

Sweet Potato Pie, Perfected

This year, Birmingham’s Dolester Miles was named America’s best pastry chef. Try her sweet potato pie, and you’ll see why. Get the recipe.


photo: Peter Frank Edwards

Sorghum-Bourbon Pecan Pie 

Your new favorite holiday dessert. Get the recipe.


photo: RANDY SCHMIDT

Pumpkin and Roasted White Chocolate Pie 

Put a spin on a Thanksgiving classic with this recipe from James Beard Award–winning pastry chef Kelly Fields. Get the recipe.


photo: Johnny Autry

Bourbon Pecan Pie

It’s hard to beat a fresh pecan pie, unless you add a little bourbon. Get the recipe.


photo: HÉLENE DUJARDIN

Spiced Dark Chocolate Cherry Saltine Toffee

Virginia Willis transforms a basic cracker into a classic holiday treat. Get the recipe.


photo: HÉLENE DUJARDIN

Sweet Tea Buttermilk Pie 

Chef Debbie Moose of Raleigh, North Carolina, brings a solidly Southern treat to the table. Get the recipe


photo: COPYRIGHT © 2022 BY WILL TAYLOR

Kentucky Bourbon Balls, Three Ways

Try a few variations on these bite-size, boozy Southern confections. Get the recipe.


photo: EVAN SUNG

Three Spice Carrot Cake

Atlanta chef Asha Gomez shares her mother’s favorite carrot cake recipe. Get the recipe.


photo: Courtesy of the Garden & Gun Club

Butterscotch Bars

The one-bowl wonders are a family tradition for chef Ann Kim of the Garden & Gun Club. Get the recipe.


photo: MARLENA SLOSS

Bourbon Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Pralines

A truly decadent dessert from Charleston’s WildFlour Pastry. Get the recipe.


photo: Johnny Autry

Benne Seed Peanut Butter Balls  

Benne seeds and chile-kicked chocolate raise the bar on a traditional party-time treat. Get the recipe.


photo: The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book

A Sweet-and-Salty Apple Pie

The fillings steal the show in this salt pork apple pie from Four and Twenty Blackbirds. Get the recipe.


photo: Margaret Houston Dominick

Cheerwine Vinegar Pie  

A classic Southern dessert with a twist. Get the recipe.  


photo: SQUIRE FOX

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Maple Whipped Cream

A decadent riff on the classic pumpkin bread. Get the recipe.


Find more Thanksgiving recipes:

Twelve Thanksgiving Starters

Eleven Recipes for Your Main Thanksgiving Dish

Twelve Vegetable-Packed Sides for Thanksgiving

Fourteen Comforting Side Dishes You Need at Thanksgiving

Fourteen Thanksgiving Drinks

Seven Sauces for Thanksgiving


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