Thanksgiving is just a few days away! And if you’re still looking for inspiration for a Thanksgiving dessert, I’m your girl. Below I’m sharing some tried and true recipes that I’ve made over the years. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving, with full bellies and even fuller hearts. Cheers, friends!

5 Tried and True Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

1. Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake: If it’s a Paula Deen recipe, it butter be good! See what I did there? In all seriousness, this recipe is delicious, but it’s definitely not the healthiest. ‘Tis the season though, right? I’ve been making this variation of Paula Deen’s Gooey Butter Cake as my go-to Thanksgiving dessert for years! It’s warm, buttery (in more ways than one), and a fun alternative to pumpkin pie.
2. Moe’s Original BBQ Copycat Sweet Potato Casserole: If you live near a Moe’s Original BBQ, you might have tasted this delicious side dish. We love Moe’s so much, we had our wedding rehearsal dinner at the Atlanta location! And each time I go, I always get this sweet potato casserole. I searched high and low and tested quite a few recipes to find one that best mimicked Moe’s and this one tastes just like it! Think perfectly fluffy sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy, just sweet enough pecan topping. Also, I love that this can be a side dish or a dessert.
3. Whiskey Bread Pudding Made With Krispy Kreme Donuts: When we lived in DC, we loved going to the Eastern Market to get the whiskey bread pudding from Puddin’s food truck. After we had moved to South Carolina, I went on the hunt for a similar recipe. I found this one on FoodNetwork.com and then tweaked it to our liking. During this time, we lived within walking distance to a Krispy Kreme, so my husband suggested we make it with donuts. Who am I to crush a man’s dreams? After all, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! And don’t worry, we earn our sweets the way we work out. If you make it our way, swap out the bread in the recipe for 6 glazed donuts. Because of the glaze on the donuts, I cut the sugar down from 1 cup to 3/4 cup in the bread pudding mixture. I also used half white sugar and half brown sugar in the sauce.
4. Super Easy Crème Brûlée: Ok, if you’re looking to impress, THIS is the recipe to go with. With only 5 ingredients, this Thanksgiving dessert is super easy to whip up and you don’t have to be intimidated by something this fancy because it’s actually really simple to make. Everyone will love the creamy, rich texture and crispy top. I ordered a kitchen torch on Amazon, but have also browned the tops in the broiler and it works just as good. I’ve even made these ahead of time, froze them and popped them in the oven for a quick dessert when you’re short on time. We LOVE this any time of year, but especially as a Thanksgiving dessert or Christmas dessert! And if you’re looking to kick it up a notch, try using my homemade vanilla extract.
5. German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars: Last, but certainly not least, are these gooey German chocolate pecan pie bars. This Thanksgiving dessert came from my husband wanting something a little different than the typical Thanksgiving offerings, but also not wanting to give up one of his favorites… pecan pie. This is the perfect compromise! Everyone ate these up + they also made for good desserts to send people home with. Much easier than traveling with pieces of pie!

Pin These Thanksgiving Desserts For Later!

Let me know if you try any of these Thanksgiving dessert recipes this holiday season! I’m sure I’ll be making at least two of these and also trying out a festive dairy-free option for myself this year as I’m breastfeeding and our little bubba has a milk-protein intolerance. Cheers to Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season!