24 Unexpected Thanksgiving Desserts Your Entire Family Will Love

Pumpkin pie who?

Cinnamon Swirl Apple Slab pie — Credit:
Will Anderson

As much as we love classic apple pie or pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, sometimes it's nice to mix things up a bit. Why not try a unique recipe to round out the dessert table at this year's family feast? From delectable cakes and bread puddings to cheesecakes and tarts, these unexpected Thanksgiving desserts are sure to impress all of your guests.

01 of 24

Persimmon Tart

tomatoes beside persimmon tart — Paola + Murray

Persimmons are one of autumn’s most underutilized fruits. The sweet-tart flavor and silky texture of ripe Fuyu persimmons work wonders in the custard for this delicate dessert.

02 of 24

Butterscotch Pie With Pecan-Shortbread Crust

butterscotch pie with pecan shortbread crust — Christopher Testani

This one is for guests who have a serious sweet tooth. The brown sugar-butterscotch custard will instantly transport you to your childhood, while the toasted pecan crust is suitable for more refined palates. Get creative with your design on top and have fun arranging the pecans into unique shapes.

03 of 24

Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake

flourless chocolate cake — Jonathan Lovekin

If you ask us, chocolate should appear on more Thanksgiving dessert menus. Rich and dense flourless chocolate cake is always a crowd-pleaser, and it’s perfect for gluten-free guests who can’t indulge in flaky pies.

04 of 24

Caramel Apple Steamed Pudding

Old-school steamed puddings may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu, but we think they deserve a spot nonetheless. This pudding features caramelized apples on the top and a dense, spicy cake-like pudding.

05 of 24

Spiced Snacking Cake

Spiced Snacking Cake — Lennart Weibull

Easy desserts are always a good thing to include at the holidays, especially if crimping pie dough isn’t your thing. This delicate snacking cake has specks of cinnamon and cardamom throughout, and a smooth citrus and vanilla glaze makes it extra special.

06 of 24

Citrus Upside-Down Cake

Citrus Upside-Down Cake recipe — Paola + Murray

This stunning dessert will wow each and every one of your guests when you set it down on the table. We use a combination of blood oranges, Cara Caras, and mandarins, but navel oranges and pink grapefruits would be equally as delicious. If desired, top each slice with a pillowy dollop of whipped cream before serving.

07 of 24

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin cupcakes on cake stand — Bryan Gardner

What’s better than pumpkin pie? Pumpkin cupcakes! And the only thing better than pumpkin cupcakes is the bite-sized marzipan pumpkins that sit on top. Each bite of these cupcakes is perfectly spiced with a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.

08 of 24

Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake

Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecake

Layers of graham cracker crust, cheesecake filling, pumpkin mousse, and, finally, whipped cream on top come together in this decadent alternative to pumpkin pie.

09 of 24

Linzer Crumble Pie With Cranberry-Raspberry Jam

Kate Mathis

Prepared in a rimmed baking sheet, this slab pie features a hazelnut shortbread press-in crust and a delicious cranberry-raspberry jam on top. More shortbread is sprinkled on top for the classic Linzer look.

10 of 24

Easy Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Bars — Mike Krautter

Think of this as a mix between bar cookie and sheet-pan cake—a dense, moist, spiced cake that features all the same flavors as pumpkin pie, with a delicious cream cheese frosting on top. No one will ever want pumpkin pie again!

11 of 24

Salted-Caramel Six-Layer Chocolate Cake

Salted-Caramel Six-Layer Chocolate Cake — Johnny Miller

Rich salted caramel oozes between layers of chocolate buttermilk cake. Use a candy thermometer to ensure that the caramel turns out perfectly.

12 of 24

Fruit-and-Herb Sorbets

concord grapeârosemary guava-basil and cranberry apple-mint sorbets — Dana Gallagher

Sorbet is a lovely way to finish off a big meal, even when the weather is cold. These sorbets feature classic fall flavors, such as cranberry, apple, Concord grape, and rosemary. They use juice as a convenient shortcut.

13 of 24

Mini Bourbon Bread Puddings

Yossy Arefi

There's something special about serving guests individual portions of a dessert in little ramekins. Here, a brioche-based bread pudding is elevated with a bourbon glaze.

14 of 24

Pear Tarte Tatin

Pear Tart Tatin

Tarte tatin is a classic French upside-down dessert that starts with baking caramelized fruit beneath a flaky pastry crust, then flips it over before serving. This recipe uses store-bought frozen puff pastry to make things easier.

15 of 24

Sweet Potato Souffle Pie

Sweet Potato Souffle Pie — Gentl and Hyers

In place of traditional pie crust, this soufflé-like sweet potato pie is surrounded by light, crisp layers of phyllo dough. The pie filling will puff up while baking, but it will settle once it has begun to cool.

16 of 24

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Lennart Weibull

Can't get enough of your favorite fall espresso drink? Have it for dessert, too! This moist cake is reminiscent of gingerbread is topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream and dusted with espresso powder—just like the real deal.

17 of 24

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Everyone expects pecan pie on their Thanksgiving table, but change it up with these luscious chocolate pecan pie bars instead.

18 of 24

Maple Flan

maple-flan-030-exp-1-d111325_horiz

Maple syrup stands in for the usual caramel sauce in this fall take on flan. It pairs wonderfully with the light, creamy custard.

19 of 24

Apple Pandowdy

Apple Pandowdy — Bryan Gardner

Like a cross between a pie and cobbler, a pandowdy is an easy, traditional dessert that deserves a place on the Thanksgiving table. Don't let its funny name distract you!

20 of 24

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

round cranberry cheesecake with slice cut — Justin Walker

Can't get enough cranberry sauce or have too much leftover? Then make this classic cheesecake, the filling is swirled with homemade or store-bought sauce for a picture-perfect Thanksgiving dessert.

21 of 24

Cranberry-Meringue Tart

Cranberry-Meringue Tart — Pieter Estersohn

Think lemon meringue pie, except fall version, made with a press-in saltine cracker crust and a cranberry-orange filling. The meringue is piped into an attractive wreath shape around the edge.

22 of 24

Apple Sundaes With Caramel Cider Sauce

apple sundae with cider caramel — Justin Walker

Ice cream sundaes might not be the first thing that comes to mind for Thanksgiving dessert, but with caramelized apples and a cream- and cider-based sauce, they totally make sense.

23 of 24

Apple-Cider Doughnut Cake

apple cider donut cake — Jonathan Lovekin

Who doesn't love eating apple cider doughnuts during the fall? This Bundt has all the flavors—apple cider, cinnamon, and sugar—of fall's favorite ring-shaped treat in cake form.

24 of 24

Apple-Cardamom Brown-Butter Dutch Baby

Stephen Kent Johnson

A Dutch baby is essentially a giant, fluffy pancake that can be served for breakfast or dessert. Here, we've given it the autumnal touch it deserves with nutty brown butter and slices of tart Granny Smith apples.

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