Impressive Thanksgiving Desserts You Have to Try This Year

This beautiful layered cake has a creamy filling with a mild pumpkin flavor and a little spice. It's quick and always turns out so well. The nuts and caramel topping add a nice finishing touch. —Trixie Fisher, Piqua, Ohio

Chocolate makes the world go round! We have a family that loves chocolate pies, and this version with a splash of brandy is smooth as silk and oh, so special. —Kathy Hewitt, Cranston, Rhode Island

Take these extra-special cupcakes to your next event and watch how quickly they disappear! With a caramel topping and spice cake base, they're the perfect mix of two fall-favorite treats. —Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas

Pumpkin pie does not have to be difficult to make. This recipe has a wonderful taste and will be a hit at your holiday meal. —Marty Rummel, Trout Lake, Washington

This is one of my family's favorite dessert recipes, especially for holiday gatherings. —Mary Gecha, Center Rutland, Vermont

A family friend gave me a simple way to make apple dumplings without lots of steps. I love the sticky cinnamon topping. —Jenny Leighty, West Salem, Ohio

From the hazelnuts to the yummy browned butter glaze, this dessert is a little different from an everyday pound cake. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

When I was young we produced several ingredients for this longtime favorite on the farm. We raised pumpkins in our large vegetable garden, and made homemade butter and lots of sour cream using milk from our dairy herd. —Evonne Wurmnest, Normal, Illinois

Homemade truffles—a little bit sweet and a little bit salty—will keep you coming back for more. Store extra truffles in the fridge.—Shirley Warren, Thiensville, Wisconsin

I was determined to make a healthier version of this pumpkin- and spice-laden cake. Judging by the compliments, it worked. Even a picky 4-year-old eater asked for more.—Krista Frank, Rhododendron, Oregon

While everyone is enjoying a bountiful meal, this eye-catching tart can be baking to perfection in the oven. The pretty holiday dessert calls for very few ingredients, and it's a snap to assemble. —Jackie Zack, Riverside, Connecticut

My kids start begging me for these cakelike sandwich cookies as soon as autumn arrives. I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like these fun treats. —Deb Stuber, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

This has to be on our holiday table or there'd be lots of unhappy campers. Tart cranberries provide delicious contrast to the rich, sweet, nutty filling.—Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

My grandma used to make a version of this for me when I was a little girl. She would make it using fresh apples from her tree in the back yard. I've adapted her recipe because I love the combination of apple, pecans, and caramel. —Emily Hobbs, Springfield, Missouri

When I place a pan of these bars in the teachers' lounge and come back after the last bell, the pan is always empty. I'd say that's a good thing. White chocolate chips and cranberries make them extra special. —Mirella Hackett, Chandler, Arizona

Everyone loves the rich flavor in this decadent cake made with four types of chocolate. —Anna Hogge, Yorktown, Virginia

A good buttery dough and nutty filling take time to make, but the results are so worth it. After munching on a few, I think you'll agree.— Peggy Key, Grant, Alabama

Mom's apple pie might be a cliché, but others have tried and failed to rival my mom's recipe. My siblings and I panic when anyone else takes the holiday apple pie assignment, but we make sure Mom is making hers, too. —Rebecca Little, Park Ridge, Illinois

Your whole house will be filled with the aroma of pumpkin spice when you bake these wonderful sweet potato cheesecake bars. They look complicated but are so easy, you can whip up a batch anytime. —Nancy Whitford, Edwards, New York

Although my family enjoys all of the dishes I serve on Thanksgiving Day, it's this rich and creamy cheesecake they look forward to the most. — Joyce Schmidt, Lilburn, Georgia

These pecan pie bars are rich and delicious - just like pecan pie! They're perfect for taking to potlucks and other gatherings...I always come home with an empty pan. These Kentucky Derby pecan pie bars are the perfect snack while watching the races. —Carolyn Custer, Clifton Park, New York

Yummy things come in these little pudding-rich "packages." The puffs can be made and frozen in advance, then filled before serving for a time-saving dessert. —Michelle Smith, Running Springs, California

Our holiday gatherings often included baked brie. I transformed it into a dessert that’s savory and sweet. It still makes a wonderful appetizer, too. —Kristie Schley, Severna Park, Maryland

We always have an abundance of apples in the fall, so I like to make this easy pie. My husband has diabetes, and this recipe fits into his diet...but everyone enjoys it. —Shirley Vredenburg, Ossineke, Michigan

We wait for these flavors all year long. Stack up the layers in a big trifle bowl, or make minis for everybody at the table. —Amy Geiser, Fairlawn, Ohio

I always fix this recipe for Thanksgiving. It was given to me by a friend and I've shared it with many others. —Sue Williams, Mt. Holly, North Carolina

My mother-in-law gave me this recipe a while back and I just love it! I make it for my husband and his friends during hunting season and it's a big hit. —Lorelle Edgcomb, Granville, Illinois