11 Thanksgiving Dessert Dips

Dessert dips are the most relaxed way to end Thanksgiving dinner: set out a bowl or two with cookies, crackers and sliced fruit, and guests can help themselves while they linger at the table. These dips capture favorite holiday flavors, from pumpkin and pecan pie to caramel apple, cranberry and gingerbread.

Most are whipped together in about 10 minutes with cream cheese or yogurt and can be made a day or two ahead. The warm apple pie dip comes with homemade cinnamon sugar pie crust chips, and every recipe includes ideas for the best dippers.

1. Pumpkin Pie Dip

Cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar and warm spices whip into a fluffy dip that tastes just like pumpkin pie filling. Gingersnaps are the perfect dipper.

Servings: 8

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup pure pumpkin purée
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Gingersnaps, graham crackers and apple slices, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the pumpkin, both sugars and the pumpkin pie spice and beat until combined.
2. Add the cold cream and beat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Spoon into a bowl and dust with cinnamon.
4. Serve with gingersnaps, graham crackers and apple slices. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

2. Caramel Apple Dip

Cream cheese whipped with brown sugar and swirled with caramel sauce and toffee bits makes a sweet, salty dip that turns sliced apples into dessert. It’s ready in 10 minutes.

Servings: 8

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce, divided
• 1/3 cup toffee bits
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
• 4 crisp apples, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth, then beat in 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce.
2. Spread in a shallow dish, drizzle with the remaining caramel and sprinkle with the toffee bits and flaky salt.
3. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice to keep them from browning and arrange around the dip. Refrigerate leftover dip for up to 3 days.

3. Pecan Pie Dip

A lightly sweetened cream cheese base is topped with a warm, glossy pecan pie caramel and toasted pecans. Scoop it up with graham crackers or shortbread cookies for pecan pie in every bite.

Servings: 8

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the base:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

For the topping:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• Graham crackers, shortbread cookies and apple slices, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and brown sugar until smooth and spread in a shallow serving dish.
2. Bring the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cream and salt to a boil in a small saucepan and boil for 1 minute, stirring.
3. Remove from the heat, stir in the pecans and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Spoon the pecan topping over the cream cheese and serve with graham crackers, shortbread and apple slices.

4. Cranberry Cheesecake Dip

A creamy, orange-scented cheesecake dip is topped with tart cranberry sauce and chopped pistachios for a festive red-and-green dessert. It’s a great way to use leftover cranberry sauce.

Servings: 8

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
• Graham crackers, shortbread cookies and pretzel crisps, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, sour cream and orange zest until smooth.
2. Spread in a shallow bowl and spoon the cranberry sauce over the top.
3. Sprinkle with the pistachios.
4. Serve with graham crackers, shortbread and pretzel crisps. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

5. Sweet Potato Pie Dip

Mashed sweet potatoes whipped with cream cheese, brown sugar and warm spices make a silky dip that tastes like sweet potato pie. Vanilla wafers and apple slices are perfect for scooping.

Servings: 8

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes, cooled
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons crushed gingersnaps
• Vanilla wafers and apple slices, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the sweet potatoes, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until very smooth.
2. Add the cold cream and beat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until fluffy.
3. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with the crushed gingersnaps and a pinch of cinnamon.
4. Serve with vanilla wafers and apple slices. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

6. Cookie Dough Dip

This eggless chocolate chip cookie dough dip uses heat-treated flour, so it’s safe to eat straight from the bowl. Kids especially love it with pretzels and graham crackers.

Servings: 8

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• Pretzels, graham crackers and apple slices, for serving

Instructions

1. Microwave the flour in a bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Cool completely and sift.
2. Beat the butter, cream cheese, both sugars and salt until fluffy.
3. Beat in the cooled flour and milk, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Serve with pretzels, graham crackers and apple slices. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

7. Brownie Batter Dip

Cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cocoa and a little brown sugar whip into a rich, fudgy dip that tastes like brownie batter with no eggs or flour. Strawberries and pretzels are perfect partners.

Servings: 8

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• Strawberries, pretzels and graham crackers, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.
2. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa, add the brown sugar, salt and milk and beat until fluffy.
3. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips.
4. Serve with strawberries, pretzels and graham crackers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

8. Maple Cinnamon Fruit Dip

Greek yogurt and cream cheese sweetened with maple syrup and warm cinnamon make a light, tangy dip for fresh fruit. It’s a refreshing option after a big meal.

Servings: 8

Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Apple and pear slices, grapes and strawberries, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the yogurt, cream cheese, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
2. Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with a little maple syrup and dust with cinnamon.
3. Serve with sliced apples and pears, grapes and strawberries. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

9. Gingerbread Dip

Molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves turn a fluffy cream cheese dip into something that tastes just like gingerbread. Gingersnaps and apple slices are the obvious dippers.

Servings: 8

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• Gingersnaps, apple slices and pretzels, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, molasses, brown sugar and spices until smooth.
2. In another bowl, whip the cream to soft-firm peaks and fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
3. Spoon into a bowl and dust with a pinch of cinnamon.
4. Serve with gingersnaps, apple slices and pretzels. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

10. Cannoli Dip

Creamy ricotta and mascarpone sweetened with confectioners’ sugar and orange zest and studded with mini chocolate chips tastes like a cannoli filling. Broken waffle cones make perfect crunchy scoops.

Servings: 8

Total time: 10 minutes, plus draining

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
• 4 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
• Broken waffle cones or cinnamon pita chips, for serving

Instructions

1. Drain the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes.
2. Beat the ricotta, mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and cinnamon until smooth.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips, spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with the pistachios.
4. Serve with broken waffle cones or cinnamon pita chips. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

11. Warm Apple Pie Dip

Finely diced apples cooked with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon make a warm, chunky dip served with crisp cinnamon sugar pie crust chips. It’s apple pie you can eat with your hands.

Servings: 8

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the dip:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

For the pie crust chips:

• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment. Unroll the crust, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and cut into small wedges or shapes.
2. Bake the chips for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Cool on the pan.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender.
4. Stir in the lemon juice and cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 minute, until thick and glossy.
5. Spoon into a small dish and serve warm with the pie crust chips.