Thanksgiving Recipes: Your Complete Guide to Turkey, Sides, Desserts & More

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Looking for the best Thanksgiving recipes all in one place? You’ve come to the right spot! I’ve gathered all my favorite holiday dishes, from appetizers and sides to turkey and desserts, so you can plan your feast without the stress. Whether you stick to the classics or try something new, these recipes are sure to impress your guests (and have everyone going back for seconds).

A collage of Thanksgiving foods, including stuffing, roast turkey, caramel apples, a turkey-shaped snack tray, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, turkey-shaped cookies, and sweet potato casserole.

Thanksgiving is always such a fun holiday…and not just because of the food (though that’s definitely a big part of it!). I love the chatter in the kitchen, the smell of turkey drifting through the house, and the excuse to spend the whole day with some of my favorite people.

Of course, I also have a bit of a habit of making way too much food… but honestly, that’s half the fun. There’s something about a fridge full of leftovers that just makes the holiday last a little longer! That, and the fact that I get out of cooking for days afterwards!

And while cooking for a holiday crowd can sometimes feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. With a little planning (and the right recipes), you can put together a menu that’s both stress-free and totally delicious. From make-ahead appetizers to show-stopping desserts, these Thanksgiving dishes will help you pull off the perfect feast – and still have time to actually enjoy it.

Subscription Form – New Recipe

Save this recipe for later! Sign up to have this link sent directly to your inbox.

Amazing Appetizers

I always like to have a few appetizers ready before the big meal — partly to keep everyone out of the kitchen while I finish cooking, and partly because I can’t resist a good dip or savory snack (smelling that turkey roasting makes a girl hungry)! These easy Thanksgiving appetizers are the perfect way to start any feast.

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board
A turkey-shaped charcuterie board with crackers, meats, cheeses, nuts, berries, and spinach, surrounded by autumn leaves and snacks.
This fun Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board is both festive and delicious, with meats, cheeses, fruits, and veggies combined to form a snack try in the shape of an adorable Thanksgiving turkey!
Check out this recipe
Turkey Cheese Ball
A turkey-shaped cheese ball with colorful bell pepper slices as feathers, pretzel stick neck, and crackers arranged around it on a plate.
This festive Turkey Cheese Ball is as delicious as it is festive and is guaranteed to be the star of your Thanksgiving appetizer table!
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
A pumpkin-shaped cheese ball with a stem garnish is surrounded by an assortment of crackers on a platter.
This delicious Pumpkin Cheese Ball is the perfect easy appetizer for all your fall gatherings and Halloween parties!
Check out this recipe
Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
Cranberry Jalapeno Dip recipe card
This festive Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is an easy party dip that's creamy, slightly tangy, and a bit sweet with a subtle kick of heat. There's no better way to add a burst of flavor to your holiday gatherings.
Check out this recipe
Easy Cranberry Salsa Recipe
Cranberry Salsa for recipe card
Made with beautiful crimson red cranberries, fresh jalapeno peppers, cilantro, tangy lime and a sugar and honey mixture that adds the perfect balance of sweetness, this recipe will be a holiday favorite!
Check out this recipe

Main Course

Now let’s talk turkey, the centerpiece of every Thanksgiving table! If you’re keeping things simple this year, this oven-roasted turkey breast is a delicious option that still feels special. Want more ideas? I’ve also put together a list of Thanksgiving turkey recipes from some of my favorite bloggers…there’s something for everyone!

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Sliced roasted turkey breast on a plate garnished with fresh herbs and orange slices.
Tender, juicy, and bursting with bright citrus and herb flavors, this delicious oven roasted turkey breast will have everyone reaching for seconds!
Check out this recipe

Savory Sides

Once the turkey’s out of the oven, it’s time for the best part…the sides! Honestly, I could skip the turkey altogether and just load my plate with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and veggies. These Thanksgiving side dishes are favorites in my house and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Want to mix things up a little? Take a peek at my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes from fellow food bloggers…you’re sure to find a few new favorites.

Garlic Herb Stuffing
A dish of bread stuffing with celery and herbs is in a white baking tray, with a wooden spoon lifting a portion.
This Garlic Herb Stuffing recipe, buttery, golden, and filled with fresh herbs and garlic, is the perfect savory side dish for the holidays!
Check out this recipe
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
A bowl of mashed potatoes on a table.
These delicious Garlic And Rosemary Mashed Potatoes are easy and full of flavor, making them the perfect side dish for just about any meal.
Check out this recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows And Pecans
A baking dish filled with sweet potato casserole topped with toasted marshmallows. A serving spoon is placed in the dish, and a portion has been served onto a nearby plate.
This rich and creamy sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans is the ultimate holiday side dish!
Check out this recipe
Roasted Sweet Potato Slices
Roasted Sweet Potato Slices in white bowl
These Roasted Sweet Potatoes Slices make the perfect side dish for any meal. With parmesan, garlic, thyme and more, it's an amazing recipe that's just bursting with incredible flavor!
Check out this recipe
Easy Maple Glazed Carrots
Roasted carrots on a plate with rosemary sprigs.
These sweet and tender Maple Glazed Carrots are the perfect easy recipe for the holidays or just a simple weeknight dinner. Roasted to perfection with a brown sugar and maple syrup buttery glaze, this side dish is always a family favorite!
Check out this recipe
Roasted Potatoes And Veggies
These roasted potatoes and veggies make a quick and easy side dish that will have your family begging for seconds!
Check out this recipe
Rosemary Parmesan Crescent Rolls
A dark bowl filled with golden-brown croissants garnished with sprigs of fresh rosemary, placed on a woven placemat.
These soft and buttery Rosemary Parmesan Crescent Rolls bake up golden brown with irresistible layers of cheesy, herby flavor. They’re perfect for holiday spreads or weeknight dinners when you want the meal to feel just a little extra special.
Check out this recipe

Delicious Desserts

If your family’s anything like mine, no one ever saves enough room for dessert…but somehow, we always find it anyway! These Thanksgiving desserts are totally worth that extra bite (or two).

If you love mini treats, you’ll want to check out these fun Bite Size Desserts. And if you want even more inspiration, check out my favorite Thanksgiving desserts from other bloggers too, because there’s no such thing as too many sweets on Thanksgiving!

Caramel Apple Cake
A frosted cake topped with caramel drizzle and three caramel-dipped apples on sticks sits on a decorative metal plate.
This decadent Caramel Apple Cake, with layers of spiced apple cake, creamy frosting and a salted caramel drizzle, is the perfect dessert for all your fall gatherings!
Check out this recipe
Pine Cone Truffles
Three chocolate-coated pinecone-shaped treats dusted with powdered sugar are displayed on a wooden slab with a blurred background.
They may look like pine cones, but one bite and you'll realize it’s pure truffle bliss! Add a fun snowy dusting and you've got an eye-catching dessert that's festive, fun, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes
A mini bundt cake with white icing and a cinnamon stick on top, served on a white plate.
These perfectly spiced Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes are light, moist, and topped with a cinnamon glaze that settles into every swirl. Made with real pumpkin and a few pantry staples, they’re simple to bake and just the right size for sharing.
Check out this recipe
Mini Apple Pies (Muffin Tin Recipe)
Mini apple pies recipe card
These easy muffin tin mini apple pies, with warm apple filling and flaky pie crust, make a fun and delicious dessert that's perfect for all your fall parties!
Check out this recipe
No Bake Pumpkin Lasagna Dessert
No Bake Pumpkin Lasagna Dessert recipe card
This no bake pumpkin lasagna dessert, with it's delicious pumpkin cheesecake flavor, is a fun dessert lasagna that's always a crowd pleaser!
Check out this recipe
Cranberry Fluff
A white bowl filled with pink cranberry salad topped with three whole cranberries and chopped nuts. A spoon rests in the bowl.
This Easy Cranberry Fluff, with a flavorful combination of cranberries, marshmallows, whipped cream and more, is a fun and festive addition to your holiday spread.
Check out this recipe
Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Mousse
A white bowl filled with light orange pumpkin mousse, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, on a white surface with a gold spoon.
Light, airy, and full of pumpkin spice, this easy no-bake Pumpkin Mousse is the perfect way to celebrate fall.
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Dip Recipe
A pumpkin-shaped bowl cradles creamy pumpkin fluff dip, adorned with a sprinkle of cinnamon and surrounded by autumn leaves.
This easy pumpkin dip is the perfect delicious yet simple treat for pumpkin season. Light and fluffy with a creamy pumpkin pie taste, it's sure to be everyone's new favorite fall treat!
Pie Crust Cookies
Leaf-shaped cookies with cinnamon sugar coating on a plate near an orange pumpkin.
These easy Pie Crust Cookies, shaped like cute fall leaves, have a flaky, buttery texture and a sweet, cinnamon-sugar crunch that’ll keep you reaching for “just one more.” With just four ingredients and a quick bake time, they're the perfect dipper for your pumpkin dip.
Check out this recipe
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
No bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe card
This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake combines a light and fluffy spiced pumpkin filling with a homemade buttery graham cracker crust for a dessert that's easy, delicious and full of flavor!
Check out this recipe
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
A chocolate-covered pumpkin cheesecake with a slice missing, placed on a wooden board with two small pumpkins in the background. Crumbs are scattered on the white surface.
This amazing chocolate pumpkin cheesecake, with creamy cheesecake, chocolate ganache topping and an Oreo crust, may just be the ultimate fall dessert.
Check out this recipe
Easy Apple Pie Bites
Apple Pie Bites square
These 2 ingredient apple pie bites, with sweet apple filling and golden brown crust, are the perfect easy dessert for fall!
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Hand Pies
Pumpkin hand pies image for recipe card
These delicious pumpkin hand pies are everything you love about a pumpkin pie in a cute and convenient pumpkin-shaped individual portion.
Check out this recipe
Cake Mix Pumpkin Bars
Cake Mix Pumpkin Bars recipe card image
These rich and delicious cake mix pumpkin bars are the perfect easy dessert for all your fall parties.
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfait
Layered pumpkin cheesecake parfait with whipped cream and a cookie on top, served in a clear glass on a marble surface.
This delicious pumpkin cheesecake parfait is heaven in a glass! Made with delicious layers of creamy pumpkin pudding cheesecake and crispy gingersnap cookies, it's the perfect dessert for fall!
Check out this recipe
Pecan Pie Bites
Three mini pecan pies with flaky crusts and pecan toppings on a white plate.
These Pecan Pie Bites have all the gooey goodness of classic pecan pie in a crisp, bite-sized shell. They're super easy to make and totally irresistible!
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting recipe card image
This pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting combines spice cake mix with pumpkin puree for a delicious cake filled with sweet cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. Top it off with a delicious cream cheese frosting for an easy fall dessert that's always hit!
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls square
These Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls make the perfect fall treat! Buttery crescent rolls are filled with a sweet brown sugar pumpkin filling and baked to golden perfection for a delicious breakfast or mini dessert that everyone will love!
Check out this recipe
Nutter Butter Turkeys
Thanksgiving turkey cookies on a wooden cutting board.
These Nutter Butter Turkey Cookies are super cute and easy too, making them the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table!
Check out this recipe

And there you have it…everything you need for a Thanksgiving meal that’s full of flavor, fun, and plenty of leftovers (my favorite part!). I hope these recipes help make your holiday a little easier and a lot more delicious. Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving filled with laughter, love, and of course, pie!

Let’s be friends!

Did you love this post? Make sure to comment below and let me know your thoughts! And don’t forget to follow on your favorite social network below!

Fun in your inbox

Get the latest recipes, crafts and more straight to your inbox

    Lisa, author of Fun Money Mom, standing in front of a kitchen counter with a cupcake.

    About Lisa O’Driscoll

    Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s run since 2014. She’s the author of the children’s cookbook Roll It, Slice It, Mash It, Dice It, designed to get kids excited about cooking. With multiple TV appearances under her belt, she loves sharing her expertise on family-friendly recipes, creative DIYs, and party planning and is always on a mission to inspire and entertain!

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Similar Posts