15 Quick Thanksgiving Desserts for Busy Hosts

When you’re hosting Thanksgiving, oven space, counter space and your own time are all in short supply. These desserts are built for that reality: most need about 20 minutes of hands-on work, many bake in a single pan, and plenty are best made a day or two before the holiday.

You’ll find crowd-friendly bars, fruit crisps and easy cakes, a couple of creamy chilled desserts, and simple cookies and fudge for grazing. Pair one make-ahead option with something warm and fruity, and dessert is handled before the turkey even goes in.

1. Pumpkin Pie Bars

A buttery brown sugar shortbread crust topped with a silky spiced pumpkin filling gives you all the flavor of pumpkin pie with none of the rolling and crimping. The 9 x 13-inch pan cuts into 24 bars and is even better made a day ahead.

Servings: 24

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

For the filling:

• 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin purée
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
2. Pulse the flour, brown sugar, salt and butter in a food processor until crumbly. Press firmly into the pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden at the edges.
3. Whisk the filling ingredients until smooth and pour over the warm crust.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set with only a slight jiggle in the center and reads 160°F (71°C).
5. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Lift out, cut into 24 bars and serve with whipped cream.

2. Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

A press-in shortbread crust topped with a gooey brown sugar filling, toasted pecans and chocolate chips tastes like chocolate pecan pie in bar form. There’s no pie dough to roll, and the bars keep well for three days.

Servings: 24

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

For the filling:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups chopped toasted pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
2. Pulse the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor until crumbly. Press firmly into the pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden.
3. Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla seeds, if using, and salt until smooth.
4. Scatter the pecans and chocolate chips over the hot crust and pour the filling over them.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set with only a slight wobble in the center and reads 200°F (93°C).
6. Cool completely, then chill for 1 hour for clean cuts. Cut into 24 bars and store airtight for up to 3 days.

3. Pumpkin Gingersnap Icebox Cake

Layers of crisp gingersnaps and fluffy pumpkin whipped cream soften overnight into a sliceable, cake-like dessert with no baking at all. It takes about 20 minutes to assemble and frees up the oven completely.

Servings: 10

Total time: 20 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin purée
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 3 cups cold heavy cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• About 60 gingersnap cookies (two 10- to 12-ounce boxes), plus 2 tablespoons crushed for topping
• Ground cinnamon, for garnish

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt until smooth.
2. Whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar to firm peaks. Fold two-thirds into the pumpkin mixture and refrigerate the rest.
3. Spread a thin layer of pumpkin cream in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and cover with a single layer of gingersnaps, breaking cookies to fill gaps. Repeat to make 4 or 5 layers, ending with pumpkin cream.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.
5. Before serving, remove the ring, spread the reserved whipped cream over the top and sprinkle with crushed gingersnaps and cinnamon.

4. Apple Cranberry Crumble Bars

One buttery oat dough forms both the crust and the crumble topping, with a quick filling of chopped apples and cranberries tucked in between. They slice cleanly once cool, travel well and feed a crowd from a single pan.

Servings: 24

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients

For the crust and topping:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, then stir in the melted butter until crumbly.
3. Press about two-thirds of the mixture firmly into the pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until set.
4. Toss the filling ingredients together and spread over the crust. Sprinkle with the remaining crumble and press lightly.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. Cool completely before cutting into 24 bars.

5. Pear Crisp

Juicy pears tossed with ginger, lemon and brown sugar bake under a crunchy oat and almond topping until bubbling and golden. Assemble it the day before, then slide it into the oven while you sit down to dinner.

Servings: 8

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 3 pounds ripe but firm pears (about 6), peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Butter, for the dish

For the topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Toss the pears with the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, ginger and cinnamon and spread in the dish.
3. For the topping, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, rub in the butter until clumpy and stir in the almonds. Scatter over the pears.
4. To make ahead, cover and refrigerate the assembled crisp for up to 1 day, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve warm.

6. Apple Cinnamon Dump Cake

Cinnamon-spiced apple pie filling topped with dry yellow cake mix, sliced butter and walnuts bakes into a bubbly, cobbler-like dessert with about 10 minutes of work. It’s about as hands-off as dessert gets and tastes wonderful warm with ice cream.

Servings: 12

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• Butter, for the dish
• 2 (21-ounce) cans apple pie filling
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Spread the pie filling in the dish and sprinkle with the cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.
3. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the top without stirring.
4. Cover the cake mix with the butter slices in a single layer, covering as much surface as possible, and sprinkle with the walnuts, if using.
5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden and bubbling with no dry, powdery spots. Cool for 10 minutes and serve warm with ice cream.

7. Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Store-bought pie crust pressed into a muffin tin holds a smooth, spiced sweet potato filling for individual pies that need no slicing. They bake in about 25 minutes and can be made up to two days ahead.

Servings: 12 mini pies

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (or 1 1/2 cups canned sweet potato purée)
• 1 (14-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

1. If using fresh sweet potatoes, prick them all over and microwave for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft. Scoop out and mash 1 1/2 cups.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
3. Roll the crusts out slightly on a floured surface and cut 12 rounds about 4 inches across, rerolling the scraps as needed. Press into the muffin cups and crimp the edges.
4. Whisk the sweet potato, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and orange zest until smooth. Divide among the crusts, about 1/4 cup each.
5. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the filling is set and reads 160°F (71°C) in the center.
6. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, run a knife around each pie and lift out. Refrigerate for up to 2 days and serve with whipped cream.

8. Maple Cheesecake Bars

A graham cracker crust topped with a creamy, maple-sweetened cheesecake filling bakes in a 9 x 13-inch pan with no water bath or springform to fuss with. Make them up to two days ahead and drizzle with extra maple syrup before serving.

Servings: 24

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Pinch of kosher salt

For the filling:

• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
2. Mix the crust ingredients, press firmly into the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar on low until smooth. Add the maple syrup, sour cream, flour, cinnamon and salt, then beat in the eggs one at a time on low just until blended.
4. Pour over the crust and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly, about 160°F (71°C).
5. Cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Cut into 24 bars, drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with walnuts, if using.

9. Chocolate Pots de Crème

Rich chocolate custards cooked on the stovetop and poured into small cups need about 20 minutes of work and then chill on their own. Make them up to three days ahead so dessert is waiting in the fridge on Thanksgiving.

Servings: 6

Total time: 25 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
• Whipped cream and shaved chocolate, for serving

Instructions

1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer over it.
2. Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan until steaming. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt, then slowly whisk in the hot cream.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, for 4 to 6 minutes, until it coats the spatula and reaches 170°F (77°C).
4. Pour through the strainer over the chocolate, let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth, adding the espresso powder, if using.
5. Divide among 6 small cups, cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

10. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist, spiced pumpkin cupcakes topped with a swirl of cinnamon cream cheese frosting are easy to serve, with no slicing or plates required. Bake them a day ahead, refrigerate once frosted and set them out an hour before dessert.

Servings: 18 cupcakes

Total time: 50 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin purée
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk

For the frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a bowl.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and milk. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth.
4. Fill the liners two-thirds full and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
5. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon and salt and beat until fluffy.
6. Pipe or spread the frosting on the cupcakes and dust with cinnamon. Refrigerate for up to 2 days and take them out about 1 hour before serving.

11. Chocolate Sheet Cake

A thin, tender chocolate cake baked in a large sheet pan gets a warm fudgy frosting poured over while it’s still hot, so there’s no waiting or layering. The whole thing takes under an hour and cuts into 24 squares or more.

Servings: 24

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Butter, for the pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons whole milk
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 13 x 18-inch rimmed sheet pan.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Bring the butter, cocoa and water to a boil in a saucepan, then pour over the dry ingredients and whisk. Whisk in the buttermilk and eggs until smooth.
4. Pour into the pan and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. About 5 minutes before the cake is done, melt the butter with the cocoa and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and salt until smooth, then stir in the walnuts, if using.
6. Pour the warm frosting over the hot cake and spread evenly. Cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store covered for up to 3 days.

12. Cranberry Orange Trifle

Cubes of pound cake, a quick cranberry orange sauce and clouds of orange whipped cream are layered in a glass bowl for a showstopping dessert with no baking. It needs a few hours to chill, so assemble it the night before or the morning of Thanksgiving.

Servings: 12

Total time: 30 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

For the cranberry sauce:

• 1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

For the orange cream:

• 8 ounces mascarpone or cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, plus more for garnish
• 2 cups cold heavy cream

For assembly:

• 1 (16-ounce) pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

Instructions

1. Simmer the cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest in a saucepan for 8 to 10 minutes, until most of the berries burst and the sauce thickens. Cool for 15 minutes, refrigerating to speed it up.
2. Beat the mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar and orange zest until smooth. Add the cream and beat to soft-firm peaks.
3. In a trifle bowl, layer a third of the cake, a third of the cranberry sauce and a third of the cream. Repeat twice.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Garnish with orange zest before serving.

13. Ginger Molasses Cookies

Big, chewy cookies with crackled sugar tops and plenty of ginger, cinnamon and molasses make an easy treat for grazing between slices of pie. The dough can be scooped and frozen days ahead and baked straight from the freezer.

Servings: about 24 cookies

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup turbinado or granulated sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses and egg in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt and stir into the wet ingredients. Chill for 10 minutes if the dough is too soft to roll.
4. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls, roll in the sugar and place 2 1/2 inches apart on the pans.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are crackled. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes.
6. To make ahead, freeze the unrolled dough balls for up to 1 month, then roll in sugar and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.

14. Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Browning the butter gives classic cinnamon-sugar snickerdoodles a toasty, nutty depth that makes them taste far more special than their simple ingredient list suggests. The dough mixes by hand in one bowl, with no mixer needed.

Servings: about 24 cookies

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling, for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden with toasty brown bits. Pour into a large bowl and cool for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk in 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar, then the egg, egg yolk and vanilla seeds, if using.
3. Stir in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Chill for 10 minutes if the dough is soft.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line sheet pans with parchment paper. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon.
5. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls, coat in the cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed and set at the edges with soft centers. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes.

15. Maple Walnut Fudge

White chocolate melted with sweetened condensed milk and real maple syrup sets into creamy, maple-rich fudge studded with toasted walnuts. It takes 15 minutes on the stove and keeps for two weeks, so it’s an easy make-ahead treat for the dessert table or for guests to take home.

Servings: 36 pieces

Total time: 15 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

• 3 cups (18 ounces) white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
2. Combine the white chocolate, condensed milk, butter and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly for 5 to 8 minutes, until melted and smooth, without letting it boil.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and walnuts.
4. Spread in the pan and sprinkle with flaky salt. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, until firm.
5. Lift out and cut into 36 squares. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.