The countdown is on, friends. With just 2 days to go, we have some big decisions to make! Whether you’re looking to put a little twist on one of the classics, or you’re all about making life as easy as possible right now, I wanted to share a few of my favorite desserts to make for Thanksgiving and the holiday season!
I always find that an apple dessert is a must so I’ve included your favorites along with a few that I think are a must for the long weekend, like apple cinnamon crumb cake – seriously the best! I’ll be making one of these over the weekend and sharing on Instagram just in case you need any more convincing!
Bar desserts are always a great idea. They’re great for portioning out, and I love the idea of dropping a plate of apple crisp bars off to friends and neighbors. You’ll also find some pumpkin options, including the incredibly lush no-bake pumpkin mousse cheesecakes, and I had to include the cupcake of the season just in case you’re in the mood for a little chocolate caramel situation!
We can’t do Thanksgiving without apple crisp, and I’m going with everyone’s favorite, Apple Crisp Bars! First, I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who’ve already made these! These gems continue to be one of the most popular recipes to date, and I’m so happy you love them! If you haven’t tried them yet, they’re everything you love about classic apple crisp in bar form, and that shortbread crust is everything! They’re pretty perfect as is, but even better with a scoop of ice cream, or bourbon whipped cream!
Speaking of dreamy apple desserts, Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars are simply the best! These combine the best of both worlds with cinnamon coated apples, brown sugar shortbread & vanilla bean cheesecake all tucked under a blanket of crisp topping. Is it wrong that I’d liked to be tucked under a blanket of crisp topping too?
Next is my go-to Apple Crumb Cake! This is something I love to bake for Thanksgiving morning that we can snack on while we’re prepping and cooking. You’ll also be really happy to see this one the day after Thanksgiving. It always winds up going from I don’t think I’m ever going to eat again to I want something, but I’m so over this turkey to – oh hey, crumb cake!
While I’m all about snacking on this one throughout the weekend, this is a great option for dessert too. I’m all about the no-fuss desserts right now, and this crumb cake checks all the boxes! Serve it with a little scoop of ice cream, and you are set!
Speaking of no-fuss bakes, this Apple Loaf Cake is definitely another recipe you’re going to want to have in your arsenal at all times. It’s incredibly simple to make, full of warm, cozy flavors, and pretty much fits the bill for anything and everything. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and if you want to add a little whipped cream and caramel sauce to the situation, it would be amazing!
Kicking off the pumpkin portion of the program with my Pumpkin Coffee Scones, aka, PSL in a scone + Baileys!
Now that I think about it, these might be all you need to make this week, or forever for that matter! The espresso adds so much flavor and warmth to the scones, and my biggest tip is don’t skimp on the glaze! I made these over on Instagram and saved them in my highlights so you can check out the process!
Tip: I love to make these and freeze the dough so I can simply bake them off when needed. I’ll also say that while they’re a staple for mornings and holiday brunching around here, they’re also perfect for dessert with side of Irish coffee – just putting that one out there!
There’s no way we can talk pumpkin desserts without the light as air No-Bake Pumpkin Mousse Cheesecakes!
If you’re looking for an easy, no-bake dessert, you’ve found the answer. Classic pumpkin cheesecake gets a major upgrade with a gingersnap crust, layer of chocolate ganache, bourbon spiked whipped cream, and ALL the rainbow sprinkles!
I don’t like to play favorites, but I love this one. Between the bourbon and the sprinkles, it’s always a win!
Pumpkin Cake Roll is a staple at my Thanksgiving table and between the homemade whipped cream and toasted pecans, this recipe definitely takes the cake! It’s filled with brown sugar cream cheese frosting, draped in homemade boozy whipped cream, and always gets rave reviews! I’ve also included my best tips for cake roll success in the post just in case you’ve ever bee a little intimidated to make one.
Spoiler alert: They’re not as high maintenance as they look!
And I also find that even people who apparently don’t like pumpkin love this cake!
Spiced Kahlua Cupcakes are officially the cupcake of the season, and I cannot believe how many of you made them over the weekend! These boozy little gems have so much warm, cozy holiday flavor going on, they’re basically a Hallmark movie in cake form!
Kahlua chocolate cupcakes topped with the most incredibly lush cream cheese frosting, caramel sauce and toasted pecans are not going to take much convincing, and they’re another easy bake that you can doll up as much or as little as you wish!
If you’re going the piping route for the cupcakes, make sure to check out How-to Fill a Piping Bag video over on YouTube!
I’m going to wrap it up with the one and only, Caramel Apple Dream Cake! Layers of spice filled apple cake paired with the best caramel cream cheese frosting is completely irresistible! And if you’re looking for an easy, yet impressive way to decorate this one, my advice is to frost it regularly and then cover the sides with toasted, chopped pecans like we do with the Pumpkin Layer Cake. It’s an easy, yet impressive way to make a cake look gorgeous and I love the crunch form the pecans!
I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks so much for reading and sharing your Thanksgiving bakes with me. Huge thanks to all of you who ordered cookies and bourbon pecan pie bars for the big day! I’m so excited for you to finally try the pie bars!!
I’ll see you next week with more holiday bakes!
Happy baking and Happy Thanksgiving! xo
Leave a Reply