A list of Best Thanksgiving Pies from a classic pumpkin pie to my family-favorite Bourbon Butterscotch Pie. Looking for something delicious but totally different? Try Blueberry, Basil, Goat Cheese Pie.
In my mind, Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie are the most classic Thanksgiving pie recipes. Growing up, my family always hosted Thanksgiving, and we usually served a chocolate pie, a pumpkin pie, and an apple pie. I’ve included recipes for all of those here.
My list of best Thanksgiving pies has something for everyone. Even beginner bakers can make simple mix-and-dump pies like my easy Chocolate Walnut Pie. More experienced bakers might want to try my grandmother’s pumpkin pie or the chocolate silk. For something truly outstanding, go for the blueberry goat cheese basil which is the combination of a pie, cheesecake, and a crumble.
Here is my secret: I don’t always make pie crust. I often use store-bought pie crust. If I am going to someone else’s home, I usually buy a pie crust that is already in a pie tin so I don’t have to worry about picking up my dish later. When I do make pie crust, I use my mother’s super easy recipe for a shortbread pie crust. It’s foolproof.
The Best Thanksgiving Pies:
I’ve divided my list into a few categories: Classic Thanksgiving Pies, Chocolate Pies, Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Pies, No-Bake Pies, and Thanksgiving Desserts That Are Not Pie.
Classic Thanksgiving Pies:
Pumpkin Pie
My grandmother’s recipe for a classic pumpkin pie with a light soufflé-like pumpkin filling is irresistible. This has been on my family’s Thanksgiving day menu for generations.
Mini Apple Pies
How adorable are these mini apple pies? It’s a traditional apple pie, just in an individual serving size. I like the idea of putting one at each place setting! This is my go-to recipe for apple pie filling since the apples retain just a touch of crispness – they aren’t mushy. The vanilla and cinnamon seasonings complement the flavor of the apple without overpowering it.
Ideally, serve with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream.
Pecan Pie
Another pie recipe perfect for beginners, this Pecan Pie recipe is made with a six-ingredient pecan pie filling that gets mixed up and poured into an easy-to-make shortbread crust. It’s an easy but impressive recipe.
Chocolate Pies:
Chocolate Silk Pie
My brother’s favorite pie is a staple at family gatherings. This is a rich, silky chocolate pie topped with fresh whipped cream. It’s perfect. I do want to point out that it is made with uncooked eggs, so I don’t serve this to children or anyone pregnant or immunocompromised. You could prepare this recipe with pasteurized eggs if you want to reduce the risk of using uncooked eggs.
Chocolate Walnut Pie
Anyone can successfully make this pie. You just need to mix up the chocolate walnut filling, pour it into a store-bought pie crust, and bake it.
Tollhouse Cookie Pie
My version of a tollhouse cookie pie gets some updates: a shortbread crust and caramel. The pie’s ooey, gooey filling is inspired by a warm chocolate chip cookie. I recommend serving this pie warm and topped with a scoop of ice cream.
Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Pies:
Bourbon Butterscotch Pie
I created this recipe for a rich butterscotch pie seasoned with bourbon and vanilla, and it has been a staple on our Thanksgiving menu ever since. Yes, you can omit the bourbon if you want to simply have a vanilla butterscotch. Another option is to add a layer of chocolate ganache. Add ganache after the pie crust has baked, and give it a few minutes to set before adding the pie filling on top.
Blueberry, Goat Cheese, Basil Pie
The combination of blueberry and basil gives this pie a light, fresh flavor. The goat cheese in the filling makes this like the combination of a blueberry pie and a cheesecake. It’s delicious – and so different that it will be memorable – in a good way. It can also be prepared as a crumble. (Inspired by)
No-Bake Pies
You can’t get easier than a no-bake pie. Simply buy a graham cracker or Oreo pie crust from the store and add a simple filling that only needs to be mixed and chilled.
Peanut Butter Pie
For this pie, you can opt to make a salty pretzel crust or save time by using a graham cracker or Oreo crust. The pie crust gets topped with a layer of chocolate ganache made in the microwave. Mix up the filling, pour it in, and let it set – it is that easy. I like to serve this pie topped with any leftover chocolate ganache, whipped cream, some peanuts, and crushed nutter butter cookies. The active prep time is under 30 minutes, but make sure that the pie has two hours to chill in the fridge.
Nutella Pie
If you can use a mixer and have 10 minutes, you can make this pie. Nutella pie has a silky texture similar to Chocolate Silk Pie, but it is far easier to prepare! Mix up the six-ingredient filling, pour it into a graham cracker or Oreo crust, let it set in the fridge, and serve topped with whipped cream. It’s so easy and a definite crowd-pleaser!
Thanksgiving Desserts The Are Not Pie
These aren’t pies, but I wanted to share these recipes since they are so perfect for Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Trifle
My pumpkin trifle is made with layers of cinnamon cake, pumpkin pudding, whipped cream, and maple vanilla toasted pecans. I love to serve a trifle on Thanksgiving since it makes me think of that classic Friends episode where Rachel makes a trifle. I chose to make individual servings of trifle, which makes for a lovely presentation, but you could use this recipe to make a large trifle in a trifle dish instead.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
This healthier take on cheesecake is made with layers of pumpkin filling and a yogurt cheesecake. It still has a rich, creamy flavor and texture, but it isn’t as heavy as a traditional cheesecake.
Save the Best Thanksgiving Pie Recipes for later by sharing this image on Pinterest:
