27 Nostalgic Thanksgiving Desserts Just Like Grandma Made

Nostalgic Thanksgiving desserts have a way of bringing back all those cozy family memories, don’t they? There’s something about the classics—simple, heartfelt, and timeless—that feels like a hug from the past. These are the desserts that remind you of bustling kitchens, flour-dusted counters, and recipes passed down with love. They’re great for making your holiday table feel like home, with flavors and traditions that never go out of style.

Old Fashioned Apple Custard Pie Recipe

Buttery crust, tart apples, and a creamy custard filling make this Apple Custard Pie the perfect not-too-sweet comfort dessert for fall.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Apple Custard Pie Recipe

Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting

Iced pumpkin cookies on a cooking rack. — Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

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These Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are made with real pumpkin, warm spices, and a decadent cream cheese frosting.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting

A Foolproof Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Made With Condensed Milk

Sweet Potato Pie with condensed milk, orange zest, and cinnamon makes for a creamy, flavorful dessert. Perfect for holidays or any time of year.
Get the Recipe: A Foolproof Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Made With Condensed Milk

Moist Apple Sheet Cake Recipe With Caramel Frosting

This Caramel Apple Cake is made with spiced apples and rich homemade caramel frosting, like a caramel apple but you can eat it with a fork!
Get the Recipe: Moist Apple Sheet Cake Recipe With Caramel Frosting

Homemade Blackberry Pie With Double Crust

A top-down view of a partially eaten blackberry pie with a lattice crust on a wire cooling rack. The pie has a crispy golden-brown crust with juicy, dark purple filling. A bowl of whipped cream is placed nearby. Crumbs and a piece of pie are visible on the table. — Homemade Blackberry Pie With Double Crust. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Enjoy a delicious Blackberry Pie with a buttery crust and a sweet-tart filling. Perfect for summer gatherings or a cozy dessert.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Blackberry Pie With Double Crust

Fluffy Coconut Cake With Lemon Curd Filling

Delicious coconut cake with lemon curd filling and cream cheese frosting. A perfect balance of sweetness and tartness for your next special occasion.
Get the Recipe: Fluffy Coconut Cake With Lemon Curd Filling

Baked Apple Fritters With Double Glaze

These crispy, golden-brown Baked Apple Fritters are filled with sweet, juicy apple chunks and topped with a luscious glaze.
Get the Recipe: Baked Apple Fritters With Double Glaze

Fudgy Coconut Brownies

Fudgy brownies with a sweet coconut filling, featuring chocolate, cream cheese, and coconut for a tropical twist on a classic dessert.
Get the Recipe: Fudgy Coconut Brownies

Pumpkin Layer Cake With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

A frosted layer cake with light brown icing, decorated with a dusting of cinnamon and a piped frosting design—perfect for thanksgiving cake ideas. One slice is being lifted out with a cake server. — Pumpkin Layer Cake With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

A soft and moist Pumpkin Layer Cake with spiced pumpkin and a tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Ideal for fall or any special occasion.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Layer Cake With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies With Pecans

Close-up of two chocolate cookies with a cracked, glossy surface on a textured, dark-colored plate. The cookies have a rich, fudgy appearance with visible pieces of chocolate embedded within them. — Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies With Pecans. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

With their gooey texture and subtle touch of espresso, these chocolate cookies are nothing short of heavenly.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies With Pecans

Holiday Eggnog Pie (Easy To Make!)

A single slice of eggnog pie. — Holiday Eggnog Pie (Easy To Make!). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This easy-to-make eggnog pie recipe has a creamy, custardy filling that comes together in 10 minutes for an old-fashioned holiday dessert.
Get the Recipe: Holiday Eggnog Pie (Easy To Make!)

Sweet Potato Casserole With Homemade Marshmallow Topping

A spoon dipping out a portion of sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping. — Sweet Potato Casserole With Homemade Marshmallow Topping. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

No mini marshmallows! Recreate the classic sweet potato casserole by adding a homemade marshmallow meringue topping.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole With Homemade Marshmallow Topping

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars With Two Layers Of Cheesecake

A pumpkin cheesecake bar on a plate with a fork. — Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars With Two Layers Of Cheesecake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are so EASY to make! Like like a cheesecake and a classic pumpkin pie put together. Full of the flavors of fall without any hassle.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars With Two Layers Of Cheesecake

Banana Foster French Toast Casserole

A single serving of French toast with bananas. — Banana Foster French Toast Casserole. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Banana French toast combines custardy overnight French toast casserole with caramelized bananas foster for a simple and elegant breakfast.
Get the Recipe: Banana Foster French Toast Casserole

Mini Pecan Pie Tarts With A Cream Cheese Crust

Pecan tarts on a display rack. — Mini Pecan Pie Tarts With A Cream Cheese Crust. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This SIMPLE recipe for mini pecan pie tarts uses cream cheese in the crust for an extra flaky pastry paired with the gooey-ist, richest, filling.
Get the Recipe: Mini Pecan Pie Tarts With A Cream Cheese Crust

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

A slice of rhubarb pound cake. — Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Grab some fresh rhubarb and add it to a homemade sour cream pound cake for an amazing buttery cake topped with pecans and brown sugar.
Get the Recipe: Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Raspberry Brownies

Rich and fudgy, Raspberry Brownies with cream cheese and fresh raspberries baked in are a decadent dessert.
Get the Recipe: Raspberry Brownies

Pecan Sticky Buns With Sweet Potatoes

A platter of sticky buns next to some cups. — Pecan Sticky Buns With Sweet Potatoes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Sweet potatoes make a soft and tender cinnamon roll that is coated with a caramelized honey pecan glaze for an old fashioned sticky bun.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Sticky Buns With Sweet Potatoes

Frosted Eggnog Cookies

Frosted eggnog cookies recipe are soft, cake-like, holiday cookies baked for all eggnog lovers with a buttery eggnog frosting.
Get the Recipe: Frosted Eggnog Cookies

Graham Cracker Toffee Recipe (Chocolate Bark)

Close-up of chocolate toffee pieces scattered on a dark surface. The toffee is topped with a layer of hardened chocolate and sprinkled with chopped nuts. Some pieces are broken into irregular shapes, and the overall appearance is appetizing and crunchy. — Graham Cracker Toffee Recipe (Chocolate Bark). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Graham Cracker Toffee Bark is easy to make and great for an edible gift. The sea salt and pecan finish make this a decadent treat.
Get the Recipe: Graham Cracker Toffee Recipe (Chocolate Bark)

Turkey Oreo Balls (Thanksgiving Truffles)

Turkey truffles on parchment paper. — Turkey Oreo Balls (Thanksgiving Truffles). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Turkey Oreo Balls (or Turkey Oreo Truffles) are easy and fun to make. With Oreos and cream cheese covered in milk chocolate, everyone’s in on the fun with Thanksgiving Oreo Balls.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Oreo Balls (Thanksgiving Truffles)

Soft Cinnamon Rolls With Pineapple Juice

Soft cinnamon rolls with frosting in a baking pan. — Soft Cinnamon Rolls With Pineapple Juice. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Homemade soft cinnamon rolls have the softest dough you’ve ever tried. Pineapple juice in the dough helps make an easy overnight recipe.
Get the Recipe: Soft Cinnamon Rolls With Pineapple Juice

Ultra Rich Chocolate Pie With A 7 Minute Frosting

A slice of chocolate pie — Ultra Rich Chocolate Pie With A 7 Minute Frosting. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Enjoy one bite of this Chocolate Pie recipe for a rich chocolate dessert with a marshmallow type frosting, better than meringue!
Get the Recipe: Ultra Rich Chocolate Pie With A 7 Minute Frosting

Oatmeal Topped Blackberry Crisp With Red Wine

Two ramekins of apple blackberry crumble with an ice cream scoop and vanilla ice cream. — Oatmeal Topped Blackberry Crisp With Red Wine. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Show off sweet blackberries with a Blackberry Crisp. A little red wine compliments the blackberries for a simple but fabulous fruit dessert.
Get the Recipe: Oatmeal Topped Blackberry Crisp With Red Wine

Pecan Pie Bars Pie You Can Eat Without A Fork

Pecan Pie Bars are a simple dessert that has stood the test of time. With a buttery cookie crust and chocolate topping, you’ll never need to make pecan pie again.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pie Bars Pie You Can Eat Without A Fork

Fresh Cherry Coffee Cake With Raspberries

A square serving of coffee cake with raspberries on the side. — Fresh Cherry Coffee Cake With Raspberries. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Make a brunch or breakfast meeting exceptional by serving a cherry coffee cake with fresh fruit instead of streusel.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Cherry Coffee Cake With Raspberries

Creamy Pumpkin Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Tofutti

This creamy pumpkin vegan cheesecake recipe has a dairy-free creamy filling flavored with warm fall spices and a date-sweetened crust.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Tofutti

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