Make ahead Thanksgiving desserts are the best way to get the most out of your time on turkey day.
There are so many things to do on Thanksgiving, especially if you’re hosting, it can be easy to feel like letting dessert slide to the backburner.
That’s why we can’t get enough of make ahead meals as a stress-saving shortcut, especially around the holidays.
Saving time and effort is the goal, and if we can do that with food that still wows guests and tastes amazing, we’re all for it.
Plus, if you’re a guest, then bringing a dessert is something every host will appreciate.
With that in mind, put together a list of easy and impressive make ahead Thanksgiving desserts that can all be made the day before or frozen.
There are time-tested favorites and plenty of new ideas too.
All you have to do is remove and serve, avoiding any Thanksgiving burnouts and meltdowns in the process.
Enjoy!
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts
- No-bake pumpkin cheesecake
This one bowl wonder of a cheesecake doesn’t require baking and can be frozen in advance. It couldn’t be easier! - Salted caramel butterscotch blondies
All you need to set off these blondies is a scoop of vanilla ice cream. To make them ahead, simply bake the day before and warm through in the oven before serving. - No-bake pumpkin cheesecake
This one bowl wonder of a cheesecake doesn’t require baking and can be frozen in advance. It couldn’t be easier! - No-bake pumpkin tiramisu
Pumpkin spice latte tiramisu is the fall dessert we didn’t know we needed! This recipe calls for a 6-hour or overnight refrigeration, and only takes 20 minutes to put together, so it’s a make ahead dessert made for busy holidays. - No-bake gingerbread pumpkin icebox cake
The gingerbread flavors of this icebox cake mean it can do double duty at Christmas too! - Pumpkin pie truffles with cream cheese
After a heavy meal, sometimes you want a dessert on the lighter side, which is where this truffle recipe comes in. - Pumpkin crunch cake
Vegans won’t feel like they’re missing out with this creamy pumpkin and crunchy pecan-topped creation. - Pumpkin brownie ice cream cake
Ice cream cake is a make-ahead dessert staple, and this Thanksgiving oreo recipe is one of the best we’ve seen. . - Easy pecan pie bars
If you don’t want to make them as dessert, these crumbly pecan pie bars would be brilliant sweet favors for guests to take home. - Praline pumpkin mousse
Not gonna lie, this recipe had us at ‘praline’. - Cranberry walnut crumb dessert bars
These freezable bars are perfect for using up leftover cranberries. - Nutella cheesecake
If you want a crowd-pleasing dessert, we think this nutella cheesecake would be pretty hard to beat. - Apple bread pudding with salted caramel sauce
This indulgent bread pudding is a pumpkin-free dessert that’s still full of fall flavors! - Iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies
Based on a traditional recipe, baking these cookies will make your house smell amazing and give you all the cozy feels! - Caramel pumpkin swirl cheesecake with gingersnap crust
This marbled cheesecake will bring the wow factor to any dessert table.. - Pumpkin rumchata pudding shots
If you like your desserts with a kick, here’s a rum-infused recipe that’s just for the grown ups! - Baked pumpkin French toast casserole
We love a good breakfast casserole and if we don’t start the day with this one, you know we’re bringing it out for dessert instead. - Nutella s’mores pie
Even after Thanksgiving, you’ll be finding any excuse to make this easy yet decadent s’mores pie.
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