Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts

These show-stopping Thanksgiving desserts are a bit unexpected and go beyond pumpkin pie! I've rounded up together some of my most popular dessert recipes that will surely impress your family and guests. The best part is, all of these desserts can be made days in ahead to reduce stress and help save time so you can spend more time with your loved ones.

15 of the best show-stopping Thanksgiving desserts that go beyond pumpkin pie and can be make ahead.

1. Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

This Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake is part molten lava cake, part brownie and part cheesecake, all rolled up into one indulgent dessert!

Chocolate gooey butter cake dusted with cocoa powder and topped with flaky sea salt, are cut in slices and sitting on a cake plate.

2. Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

This baked Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake is as beautiful as it is delicious! Creamy vanilla and spiced pumpkin cheesecake swirled together and baked in a cinnamon-scented buttery graham cracker crust.

Pumpkin swirl cheesecake are cut into slices on a marble serving plate.

3. Chocolate Mousse Bars

These super easy Chocolate Mousse Bars start with a crispy Oreo cookie crust, followed by a fluffy chocolate mousse filling, and then topped with a silky chocolate ganache. One bite and you'll be hooked!

No bake chocolate mousse bars with an oreo cookie crust and chocolate ganache are sliced into bars.

4. Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

This Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie is a salty and sweet dessert that's hard to resist! A beautiful layered pie featuring a salty buttery pretzel crust, with layers of chocolate ganache, creamy peanut butter filling and fresh whipped cream.

5. Gooey Butter Carrot Cake

This delicious Gooey Butter Carrot Cake is a festive twist on a classic Ooey Gooey Butter Cake! It features a moist carrot cake base and a sweet gooey cream cheese filling. An indulgent dessert that will surely impress!

6. Strawberry Pretzel Pie

This super easy Strawberry Pretzel Cheesecake feature a crisp buttery pretzel crust and a creamy no-bake strawberry cheesecake filling. The filling is made with a combination of tangy cream cheese, whipped cream and homemade strawberry jam. One bite and you'll be hooked on the sweet, salty and tangy combo!

No bake strawberry pretzel cheesecake decorated with whipped cream and strawberries are sliced on a serving plate.

7. Lemon Tart

Super easy Lemon Tart with graham cracker crust and a creamy lemon filling made with sweetened condensed milk and fresh lemons!

Easy lemon condensed milk tart with graham cracker crust, cut into slices and sitting on a serving plate.

8. Biscoff Pumpkin Cheesecake Jars

Easy and DELICIOUS no-bake Pumpkin Biscoff Cheesecake Jars are the perfect fall treat! These cute cheesecakes are layered with buttery biscoff cookie crumbs, ulta creamy pumpkin spiced biscoff cheesecake mousse and gooey cookie butter!

9. Chocolate Mousse Cake

This triple Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake is decadent, yet surprising light. It's made with a super moist chocolate cake base, followed by a light and airy chocolate mousse (made without gelatin), and then topped with a rich chocolate ganache.

Triple dark chocolate mousse cake sliced on a dessert plate.

10. Chocolate Tiramisu Tart

This irresistible Chocolate Espresso Tiramisu Tart is a fun twist on the traditional tiramisu dessert! It features an espresso scented ladyfinger cookie crust, an espresso chocolate ganache filling and a creamy mascarpone topping! It's also the perfect dessert to make ahead!

11. Almond Cheesecake

Easy baked Almond Cheesecake featuring an almond vanilla wafer crust, and a creamy and tangy almond flavored cheesecake filling.

Almond cheese slices sitting in a serving plate.

12. No-Bake Earl Grey Chocolate Tart

Impress with this easy, 5-ingredient, No-Bake Earl Grey Chocolate Tart! This delicious no bake chocolate tart features a buttery oreo cookie crust and an Earl Grey infused bittersweet chocolate ganache filling!

A close up of the side view of a slice of chocolate earl grey tart garnished with fresh figs.

13. Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

These Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes feature moist dark chocolate cake, an irresistible filling that combines creamy chocolate hazelnut spread, crunchy chopped hazelnuts and crispy feuilletine flakes, and then topped with a velvety hazelnut buttercream.

Chocolate hazelnut cupcakes filled with nutella hazelnut filling and frosted with a chocolate hazelnut buttercream.

14. Chocolate Chip and Toffee Shortbread

These Chocolate Chip and Toffee Shortbread are an easy slice and bake shortbread cookie loaded with homemade salted toffee bits and dark chocolate chips. They're buttery, soft, tender, and dangerously addicting!