Thanksgiving is a holiday all about comforting classics, including a perfectly seasoned roast turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, stuffing and green bean casserole with a crispy onion topping. But when the dishes have been cleared, it’s time to bring out the fall desserts everyone has been waiting for. These easy Thanksgiving desserts take away the need to fuss with intricate latticed pies or layered cakes, but still bring the flavors you expect.
This roundup includes pumpkin, apple and pecan pies, quick puddings, fudge and frozen desserts, including homemade ice cream recipes. Each one has 20 minutes or less of prep time, and then it can be baked and cooled or chilled until it’s time to serve. With plenty of no-bake Thanksgiving desserts and make-ahead choices, it’s easy to set up a dessert spread in no time.
These simple Thanksgiving dessert recipes adapt well to different dietary needs and preferences. Use a prepared gluten-free pie crust or coconut whipped topping instead of whipped cream, so there is something for everyone. Whether you make one dessert or five, these quick Thanksgiving treats deliver all the flavors of fall, with warm spices, tart cranberries, crunchy nuts and juicy apples, while still leaving time to enjoy the company around you.
Jazzing up dinner is a snap with a chicken bacon ranch casserole. This dish is similar to mac and cheese but is turbo-boosted with ranch seasoning and the super protein combo of cooked chicken and bacon. I love recipes that start with ranch dressing mix, because the mix is perfectly savory and adds zesty herbs and spice to almost anything. The guy who invented ranch dressing was on to something!
Adding ranch dressing and mix to this pan of creamy pasta gives it the perfect punch of flavor, which makes my friends and family always compete for second helpings. Once you make bacon chicken ranch casserole, either as a side dish or the main event, the casserole will go into heavy rotation and become one of your favorite casserole recipes.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Ingredients
Dan Roberts for Taste of Home
Spiral pasta: Each pasta shape holds sauce differently, and spirals are the best choice for this bacon ranch chicken casserole. Spiral noodles have many nooks and crannies, so each bite is super saucy.
Milk: Milk creates a creamy blend of flavors and textures. We use 2% milk, but you can use whole or skim. Note: If you use the latter, your sauce will be thinner.
Ranch salad dressing: Ranch is so tasty thanks to buttermilk, herbs and mayo (in just the right proportion). You can make ranch dressing from scratch or buy your favorite bottled brand at the store.
Ranch salad dressing mix: You can use your favorite ranch dressing mix or whip up a batch from your spice cupboard.
Cream cheese: Rich and smooth, cream cheese melts easily and creates a luscious texture in this bacon chicken ranch casserole.
Cooked chicken: Chop up some leftover chicken if you have it, but rotisserie chicken from the market is a quick fix when you don’t have time to roast a bird. (This is just one of many dinners to make with rotisserie chicken!)
Bacon: Bacon brings smoke and crunch to this casserole. Try baking bacon for evenly crisp strips without a lot of fuss.
Colby cheese: Colby cheese is mild and melts easily, making it the perfect finishing touch for this bacon ranch chicken casserole. You can use other good melting cheeses if needed. I love Gouda, sharp cheddar or a flavorful Gruyere. For added flavor and consistency, shred the cheese yourself instead of buying the bags of pre-shredded stuff.
Sliced green onions: For the pop of color and the kick of flavor, a little green onion is worth the few extra moments of chopping. Chives are also a great option.
What sounds better, 20 or 30 minutes of hands-on work chopping and dicing and mixing and sauteing and such, or about five minutes of hands-on work and a four- to five-hour slow cook? If you’re thinking that a teriyaki chicken thigh recipe that lets the slow cooker do the work for you is the right answer, then we tend to agree. Slow-cooked teriyaki chicken thighs could not be much more tender or flavorful, and they make a wonderful anchor for many different meals.
You likely already have all the ingredients needed to make this dish, with a possible exception of ground ginger and the boneless skinless chicken thighs themselves, so make a quick run to the store, and then let’s get cooking. Or rather, let’s get the slow cooker going.
Ingredients for Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs: This recipe uses 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs. Trim any excess fat, and consider lightly pounding larger pieces of meat to tenderize them.
Sugar: Sugar goes delightfully well with the salty and savory notes in this dish. It’s an essential ingredient in the teriyaki sauce you’ll be creating.
Soy sauce: We strongly recommend a reduced-sodium soy sauce for this recipe (and in most recipes, for that matter). You’ll hardly notice any less of a salty taste, and you’ll be cutting out a lot of sodium, of course.
Cider vinegar: In most cases, cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the same thing, if you were wondering. You can use a product labeled as either.
Garlic: Use one large garlic clove, and make sure to mince it well so it fully blends into the recipe.
Ground ginger: Ground ginger is a potent spice, so don’t use more than the prescribed 3/4 teaspoon.
Pepper: Just 1/4 teaspoon of pepper has a welcome little kick. You can add a bit more if you like things spicier.
Cornstarch: The cornstarch is mixed with cold water to help form the perfect consistency for the finished sauce.
Hot cooked rice (optional): Serving teriyaki chicken thighs with hot cooked rice is technically optional, but it’s a match made in heaven, so we recommend it!
There’s no reason to limit stuffing to the Thanksgiving table. This slow-cooker chicken and stuffing recipe embraces the savory, comforting flavor of the beloved side dish, turning it into a homey weeknight dinner recipe you can use any time of year. Plus, it’s one of our easiest slow-cooker chicken recipes: We make it with store-bought stuffing, and the creamy sauce is a snap to prepare with canned condensed soup and simple seasonings. Just dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and turn it on for a dinner that will simmer away with zero effort on your part.
Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Chicken and Stuffing
Condensed cream of chicken soup:Cream of chicken soup recipes are great shortcuts when time is limited. Use two undiluted cans to make a rich, robust sauce for the chicken.
Sour cream: Sour cream adds richness and tang to the sauce. You can use low- or nonfat sour cream if you like.
Onion: Like many crockpot chicken dishes, this recipe includes onion for its sweetness and texture.
Seasonings: Keep things simple with a dash of garlic powder and black pepper.
Chicken breasts: We like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts here. They cook quickly, and the sauce prevents them from drying out.
Stuffing cubes: Seasoned stuffing cubes are essential. They soak up the sauce in the slow cooker, making this a starchy, hearty side dish.
Parsley: Garnish the chicken with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
When it comes to desserts, I think fall has the most delicious flavor combinations. Our fall cake ideas showcase the best of the season, with recipes filled with apples, pears, cranberries and pumpkin. Paired with fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, these cakes are as cozy as pulling on a favorite sweater.
My favorite autumn cakes fill the kitchen with rich, warm aromas, like a coffee cake loaded with fruit or apple pie-inspired cupcakes that balance sweet and tart. This collection also has cake ideas for fall holidays, so you can make a cake to go with other spooky and sweet Halloween treats or a turkey-themed cake for Thanksgiving. If you really want to impress, try a piecaken, which combines pie and cake in one towering, centerpiece-worthy dessert.
These autumn cakes are also great for quiet evenings at home. A spiced Bundt goes beautifully with mugs of French hot chocolate after dinner, while a pumpkin loaf shared around the fireplace feels just right. To keep cakes fresh, store them in airtight containers at room temperature or in the refrigerator (for creamy frostings) and enjoy them all week when the craving for something sweet and seasonal strikes.
Readers love this wild rice stuffing recipe for two reasons: The wild rice adds a wonderful toasty flavor to traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, and it’s a good way to use the turkey’s giblets. The giblets (heart, liver, kidneys, gizzard and neck) are the secret to wild rice stuffing’s rich and savory flavor. Remove the giblets from the bird’s cavity, simmer on the stovetop until tender, then chop and add right to the stuffing.
Gone are the days of tossing the giblets in the trash. Keep them, because this wild rice stuffing will become your go-to recipe!
What is wild rice?
It’s a semi-aquatic grass that grows natively in North America’s Great Lakes region. While it mimics other types of rice in texture and appearance, wild rice isn’t a true rice. It belongs to a separate but related species called Zizania and is one of only a handful of grains native to North America. People like wild rice for its nutty flavor and for being healthier than conventional rice—it’s higher in both protein and fiber. It’s also a rich source of vitamin B, antioxidants, folate, phosphorus, niacin, magnesium and zinc.
Ingredients for Wild Rice Stuffing
Turkey giblets: The giblets refer to the small package of organ meat stuffed inside a turkey during processing. This package usually contains the bird’s heart, liver, kidneys, gizzard and neck.
Wild rice blend: This recipe calls for a store-bought wild rice blend, but you can create your own blend of wild rice, white rice and brown rice for the perfect flavor and texture.
Celery: This aromatic gives the stuffing flecks of green color along with a fresh vegetal flavor.
Onion: Use white, yellow or sweet onions to make this recipe.
Seasoned stuffing: This recipe takes a shortcut and uses preseasoned crushed stuffing.
Chicken broth: The broth adds moisture and rich poultry flavor. Pick up a good store-bought chicken broth or use homemade chicken broth.
A bronzed, roasted turkey is the classic crowning glory of a Thanksgiving spread, but the evolution of various holiday side dishes is where you can mark the passage of time. What might’ve been all the rage 30 years ago has been pushed off your menu and out of your mind. This collection of non-traditional Thanksgiving sides revisits nearly forgotten recipes and offers new, less expected ideas for your holiday table.
Many of these recipes are vintage side dishes passed down through families that make the holiday feel complete. From vintage fluff salads to stuffings with fruit or oysters, they deliver familiar flavors and comfort in the best way. Other sides offer an alternative to your go-to recipes, with a dash of vinegar or a scattering of crisp pancetta giving vegetables a bright, modern twist.
This collection includes all the ingredients and recipe ideas you associate with Thanksgiving, like cranberry, sweet potatoes and the best Thanksgiving stuffing recipes, so you don’t miss your favorites that define the holiday. While they might be non-traditional, these combinations prove that a Thanksgiving menu doesn’t have to look the same every year to be memorable.
Beef and sausage chili is hearty, filling and just the ticket for a slow-cooked meal on a blustery, cold night. This tasty version is made in a crockpot, and after some light prep, you can toss everything in and leave it to cook all day. The result is a wholesome beef and sausage medley marinated in tomato, veggies and seasonings that will be ready and waiting for you come dinnertime. Serve it with warm, buttery rolls, topped with your favorite chili garnishes, and you’ll feel cozy and nourished no matter what the weather’s doing outside.
Ingredients for Beef and Sausage Chili
Beef and sausage: You can opt for either lean ground beef or regular, though the extra fat content in the regular makes for a heartier chili and deeper beef taste. This recipe also calls for a pound of bulk pork sausage; if it’s frozen, let it thaw before cooking.
Kidney beans: You’ll be using four cans of kidney beans, but if you like variety, you can switch it up and grab a different bean for all four cans. Whatever you choose, do rinse and drain them before adding them in.
Canned tomatoes: You’ll be using two cans of regular diced tomatoes as well as two cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles. All four cans will go into the recipe undrained.
Fresh veggies: Onion and green pepper may be basic, but they’re staples in a chili recipe like this one.
Seasonings: To season this mouthwatering chili, you’ll be using an envelope of taco seasoning (or make homemade taco seasoning—it’s easy!), plus salt and pepper.
Toppings (optional): Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion and sour cream are always good chili toppings. Of course, you can also add your own favorites.
“Move over, cupcakes, there’s another bite-size treat sweetening up a bakery near you . . . they’re bites of home-style dessert that fit in your palm.” —The Seattle Times
Praised by Bon Appétit, DailyCandy, and Sunset magazine, the secrets behind Dani Cone’s signature handmade, all-natural miniature pies are revealed for the first time inside Cutie Pies: 40 Sweet, Savory, and Adorable Recipes. Whether you’re grabbing the perfectly portable Flipside on the way to work, enjoying a Piejar as a tasty afternoon treat, or looking for a fun and impressive dinner party dessert, Cutie Pies provides the perfect morsels to satisfy sweet and savory cravings alike.
Inside Cutie Pies, Cone presents 40 exclusive recipes inspired by the unique line of compact pastries she serves at her Seattle-based Fuel Coffee and High 5 Pie locations, which have received a Best of Seattle Weekly award. Sweet, one-of-a-kind treats like a Mango-Raspberry-Lemon Piepop mingle with savory recipes like Cone’s Curry Veggie Piejar, all in a distinct and delightful design.
Cutie Pies is illustrated throughout with more than 20 mouthwatering, full-color photographs, and its contemporary fashion and straightforward recipes enable bakers everywhere to create these tiny treats with big flavor.
“Pies are quickly becoming the ‘new’ cupcakes. Get in on the ground floor with Cutie Pies. This is such a fun cookbook.” —A Well-Seasoned Life
“If you are looking for great recipes for pies to impress, this will fit that niche. It is also a good selection for those who are following a vegan or gluten-free diet.” —FoodReference.com
Sarah S 5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Pie from Incredible People Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2013 Verified Purchase These recipes are amazing! I haven't made them all myself, but I have tried several of the options at High 5 Pie. I literally dream about double blackberry pie. This was a must-have addition to my kitchen, especially now that I don't live within driving distance of High 5 Pie!
Most of the recipes are interchangeable between a standard 9-inch pie, a 7-inch deep dish pie, a half-pint mason jar pie, muffin tin sized cutie pies, mini-muffin tin sized petit-5s, pie pops, or the ultra portable flip flops, which is great because it adds so much versatility. There is a really great variety of flavors too.
What is even more amazing is that I had a question about a recipe, emailed the store, and got a response the next morning.
Vanessa Hill 5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable Book, Perfect Results Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2012 Verified Purchase I bought this book for my daughter as a Christmas gift. Tonight, I arrived home from work to find the most adorable, exquisite, cupcake-sized blueberry pies waiting for me to sample. In a word, heaven! I bit in to the picture-perfect treat, and was rewarded with a mouthful of delight: lush, rich, tender crust, and a lemon-laced blueberry filling that was so surprising, fresh and flavorful it almost brought tears to my pie-loving eyes. This was my daughter's second attempt at pie baking, ever, and her result was something so delicious it could easily have been the product of a seasoned pastry chef. Pie nirvana. A cookbook that can guide even a novice to results like this deserves all 5 stars.
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just serving family dinner, starting with appetizers is extra fun. It’s a great way to sneak in a special in-season vegetable or whet appetites with an out-of-the-ordinary treat. Our best easy appetizers offer tons of variety: Think sweet and savory dips, fancy skewers, baked pinwheel, crunchy snacks, fresh veggies and cheese plates. You’ll find choices for vegetarians and carnivores, and ideas for every season of the year.
Good Food, Good Meat, Good God, Let's Eat! 