20+ Unique Thanksgiving Desserts

You're going to love these Unique Thanksgiving Desserts! I am happiest when my recipes are a little unexpected, and hearing "Oooh--what is THAT?!" when you set down one of these beauties after Thanksgiving dinner is the best!

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Don't feel like serving the same old thing after Thanksgiving dinner this year? Here are 20+ Unique Thanksgiving Desserts that will have your guests impressed! From cookies to pies to cream puffs, there's something here for everyone!

So what makes a recipe unique? This roundup of Unique Thanksgiving Desserts includes many combinations of flavors that maybe you haven't seen before, or perhaps ingredients used in a different way (like in my Caramel Apple Angel Food Cake)!

If you enjoy this roundup, check out my posts with 30+ Fall Desserts, 20+ Friendsgiving Desserts, and 40+ Fancy Desserts!

Cookies & Bars

Cookies and bars tend to be rather humble in the baking world--but not these! Each of these cookie recipes is rather unexpected, in the best possible way!

Caramel Apple Cookies

These Caramel Apple Cookies are crisp, buttery, and sandwiched with dulce de leche!

Check out this recipe!

Orange Shortbread Cookies with Cranberry Glaze

These Orange Shortbread Cookies are the most flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread you've ever tasted! Flavored with orange zest and orange oil, with a beautiful glaze made from fresh cranberries, you'll want make these beauties for the holidays and all winter long!

Check out this recipe!

Apple Crisp Macchiato Bars

These Apple Crisp Macchiato Bars have a crisp espresso shortbread crust topped with an apple-cinnamon filling, then with a crunchy cinnamon-espresso topping! These bars are so cozy and delicious!

Check out this recipe!

Sage Cookies with Cranberry Buttercream

These Sage Cookies with Cranberry Buttercream are an unexpected treat! The sage sugar cookies are sandwiched with cranberry buttercream, for an outstanding combination of flavors and textures!

Check out this recipe!

Dirty Chai Cookies

These Dirty Chai Cookies are crisp and chewy with the warm, spiced goodness of chai paired with a hint of rich espresso. They're so cozy and comforting!

Check out this recipe!

Blondie Brownies

These Blondie Brownies are two desserts in one! The browned butter blondie layer is topped with a fudgy brownie layer for the ultimate treat! I drizzled a few of mine with homemade salted caramel sauce for a truly decadent dessert, but these are so rich and delicious they don't really need it!

Check out this recipe!

Cakes & Cupcakes

Cakes and cupcakes are definitely crowd-pleasers, and these unique recipes are no exception! Serve up something your Thanksgiving guests haven't tasted before!

Caramel Apple Angel Food Cake

This Caramel Apple Angel Food Cake is a light, fluffy apple angel food cake drizzled with a caramel glaze and homemade salted caramel sauce, then topped with cinnamon apple chips!

Check out this recipe!

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Cranberry Buttercream

These Apple Cider Cupcakes with Cranberry Buttercream are moist (sorry not sorry), delicious apple cider cakes topped with sweet-tart cranberry Swiss meringue buttercream. Fall in cupcake form! <3

Check out this recipe!

Caramel Ginger Date Cake

This Caramel Ginger Date Cake combines the warm flavors of ginger, dates, and salted caramel with the goodness of cream cheese frosting!

Check out this recipe!

Cream Puffs

I've made so many cream puff recipes that they get their own section (and these are just the Thanksgiving-worthy ones)! I love how a cream puff is a (delicious) blank canvas for whatever flavors you can dream up!

Pecan Pie Cream Puffs

These Pecan Pie Cream Puffs are brown sugar craquelin cream puffs filled with pecan pie filling and bourbon whipped cream!

Check out this recipe!

Caramel Apple Cream Puffs

These Caramel Apple Cream Puffs are a classic cream puff filled with caramel pastry cream and apple preserves, then drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce!

Check out this recipe!

Pies

Sometimes it's nice to put a twist on tradition (Apple Date Pie) or to shake things up completely with something never seen before (Pumpkin Coconut Pie)! I also threw in a couple galettes--not to be overlooked with their easier-than-pie crust and amazing flavors!

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie

This Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie has a classic pumpkin pie filling inside a gingerbread crust! Topped with spiced whipped cream, this pie would be perfect for all your holiday festivities!

Check out this recipe!

Chocolate Cherry Pie

This Chocolate Cherry Pie has juicy, fresh cherries and chopped dark chocolate in a crisp, flaky chocolate pie crust! I think the two-tone lattice gives it a little pizazz, too! 🙂

Check out this recipe!

Apple Date Pie

This Apple Date Pie is a twist on tradition! Here, a classic flaky pastry crust is filled with spiced apples and the caramel flavors of dates and brown sugar!

Check out this recipe!

Cinnamon Pie

This Cinnamon Pie has a flaky pastry crust filled with a cinnamon cream cheese filling, piled high with apple cider meringue, then topped with homemade apple chips! This unique pie is perfect all Fall long!

Check out this recipe!

Rosemary Almond Apple Galette

This Rosemary Almond Apple Galette is a rustic beauty! Its sweet pastry is filled with homemade almond paste, apples, and rosemary sugar!

Check out this recipe!

Pumpkin Coconut Pie

This dreamy Pumpkin Coconut Pie puts a Fall spin on a classic! The filling is a coconut cream/pumpkin spice custard, topped with cinnamon-vanilla whipped cream, toasted coconut, and candied pumpkin seeds!

Check out this recipe!

Hazelnut Fig Galette

This Hazelnut Fig Galette has a sweet pastry crust filled with homemade hazelnut paste, topped with figs drizzled with honey and vanilla bean paste! Absolutely fantastic served with a dollop of crème fraîche!

Check out this recipe!

Apple Maple Custard Tart

A classic pastry shell filled with maple custard and topped with sliced apples. Refreshingly Fall!

Check out this recipe!

More Unique Thanksgiving Desserts

Last but *definitely* not least, here are all the recipes that didn't quite fit into a category. My personal favorite is the Caramel Apple Shortcakes made with cornmeal biscuits!!

Apple Shortcake

This Apple Shortcake is cornmeal buttermilk biscuits with caramel baked apples, cinnamon-cardamom whipped cream, and homemade salted caramel sauce!

Check out this recipe!

Vanilla Bean Blondie Cheesecake

This Vanilla Bean Blondie Cheesecake is a creamy, no-bake vanilla bean cheesecake with a funfetti blondie crust and whipped cream!

Check out this recipe!

Caramel Apple Marshmallows

These Caramel Apple Marshmallows are fluffy apple marshmallows dipped in homemade salted caramel! Drizzle them with chocolate, coat them in chopped peanuts, or enjoy them plain. They're the ultimate fall treat!

Check out this recipe!

So there you have it! This roundup has over 20 Unique Thanksgiving Desserts, but you know that I'll have more to add! Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you! Reach out in a comment below or reach out to me on Instagram.

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