Traditional Pumpkin Pie
Usually I prepare two different desserts for our holiday dinner, but one of them must be pumpkin pie—otherwise, it just wouldn't seem like Thanksgiving. My version calls for more eggs than most, making this pie's pumpkin custard fillings especially rich-tasting. —Gloria Warczak, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Sour Cream Apple Pie
A cool, creamy version of the original, this delicious dessert is the perfect finish to a satisfying summer meal. Its crumbly topping and smooth apple filling are crowd-pleasers! Be prepared to serve seconds. —Sharon Bickett, Chester, South Carolina
Salted Pecan Shortbread Squares
My shortbread squares are the ultimate go-to for cookie trays and gift-giving. The buttery caramel and toasted nuts make it a tough to eat just one. —Diana Ashcraft, Monmouth, Oregon
Mile-High Cranberry Meringue Pie
Your holiday crowd will be blown away when they see this pie with towering meringue on top. Let it sit in your refrigerator for at least four hours for best results. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida
Walnut Pumpkin Cake Roll
This is one of my family's favorite dessert recipes, especially for holiday gatherings. —Mary Gecha, Center Rutland, Vermont
Caramel Pecan Pie
This is hands down the best pecan pie—it’s so good, it’s scary! I’m making it for Thanksgiving because there will be others around to share it with me. Here’s the trick: Toss the bag of caramels to your kid or spouse and promise they can eat whatever is left after they unwrap your 36 caramels. —Larry Crowder, Grand Blanc, Michigan
Fluffy Cranberry Mousse
This is a delicious and pretty salad for the holidays, but it's so good that I serve it at other times, too. I got the recipe from a neighbor who had served it with a traditional turkey dinner. —Helen Clement, Hemet, California
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
I make these flavorful pumpkin cupcakes each Halloween, but they're wonderful year-round. —Amber Butzer, Gladstone, Oregon
Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Whenever I visit friends in Lutsen, Minnesota, I make sure to buy maple syrup there because I think it's even better than in Quebec. These delicious cookies can be decorated with sprinkles but they're just fine as is.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
When I was little, my grandpa always had a bag of caramels in his truck and a few in his pocket. Whether we were camping or going to a movie, I enjoyed sharing caramels with him. Now I try to put caramel in as many of my desserts as possible, including this sweet and salty tart. —Leah Tackitt, Austin, Texas
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
This apple cheesecake won the grand prize in an apple recipe contest. With caramel both on the bottom and over the top, every bite is sinfully delicious. —Lisa Morman, Minot, North Dakota
Cranberry Walnut Pie
Here’s a wonderful dessert for Christmas or Thanksgiving. With ruby-red color and a golden lattice crust, this pie looks as good as it tastes. —Diane Everett, Dunkirk, New York
Pumpkin Bars with Browned Butter Frosting
It wouldn't be fall without pumpkin bars, and I think everyone has a favorite version. I based this recipe on one of my grandmother's, so sweet memories are baked into every batch. —Mary Wilhelm, Sparta, Wisconsin
Autumn Apple Torte
When it’s apple season, we always find room for a slice of this heartwarming torte with a cream cheese layer and apples galore. —Margaret Wilson, Sun City, California
Pumpkin Mousse Trifle
You can speed up this recipe by using a store-bought pound cake or baking and freezing one ahead of time. The sugared pecans can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container.—Becky McClaflin, Blanchard, Oklahoma
Classic Carrot Cake
I entered this yummy, moist cake in a Colorado Outfitters Association dessert contest. My carrot cake with pineapple earned first place! —Cheri Eby, Gunnison, Colorado
Apple-Almond Bake
When my children were young, they loved this apple dessert—and they still do 45 years later! I like it served plain at room temperature, but it's hard to resist when served warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Barbara Estabrook, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Cranberry Meringue Cake
A fan of Southern cooking and baking, I love to exchange recipes when I’m working in my beauty salon. I discovered this amazing cake in an old cookbook. —Sandy Thomas, Guntersville, Alabama
Mixed Nut 'n' Fig Pie
A hint of orange flavor compliments the figs in this festive dessert. It's a lovely pie for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any occasion.—Barbara Estabrook, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Potluck German Apple Cake
My mother made this German apple cake for my brothers and me when we were kids. It's an excellent choice for potlucks any time of year. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
Squash Custard Pie
Acorn squash has been a favorite of mine since I was little and my mother baked it with sugar and cinnamon. This particular pie was something I improvised. We love pumpkin pie, but had fresh squash in excess. So I came up with this new variation! It's good to take to potlucks, to pie or cake walks at school, or to serve as a different dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas. —Mary Kelly, Hopland, California
Cranberry-Apple Lattice Pie
Two favorite fall fruits bring out the best in each other — and rum works its own mellow magic. Few people pass up a piece of this pie. — Adri Barr Crocetti, Sherman Oaks, California
Apple Stack Cake
My mom loved to bake this sky-high apple stack cake. Layer the apple goodness two days before serving. Later, a dusting of confectioners' sugar is the only topping you'll need. —LeVa Clement, Jackson, Missouri
Pecan Cake with Cookie Butter Frosting
My mom and I bought a jar of cookie butter to try it out, and we fell in love with it. I knew the flavor would go well with maple syrup and pecans, so I came up with this cake. If you like, make a pretty design on top of the cake with pecan halves. —Natalie Larsen, Columbia, Maryland
Orange Sweet Potato Pie with Ginger Streusel
Flecks of orange zest add a pleasant texture and zip to this classic sweet potato pie. Cook and mash the potatoes a day ahead to save time on pie-making day. —Lindsey Cook, Dallas, Texas
Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip
My husband and two kids are sure to eat the first dozen of these cookies, warm from the oven, before the next tray is even done. A co-worker gave me the recipe for the pumpkin dip, which everyone loves with the cookies. —Kelly McNeal, Derby, Kansas
Pumpkin Pecan Custard
My family loves pumpkin pie flavor, but this is a delicious, creamy, healthier alternative, and we don’t miss the crust at all. It firms up as it cools. —Abby Booth, Coweta, Oklahoma
Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake
I love to play with cheesecakes by mixing and matching flavors. This one with pumpkin and maple is the star of our Thanksgiving spread. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie
When I first made the original recipe for this bourbon-splashed pie, I added some vanilla extract and eliminated the flour. We loved the result. —Paul Falduto, Efland, North Carolina
Cranberry Pear Tart
Our test cooks came up with this lighter n pear tart with dried cranberries. While it’s delicious as is, it would also be good served warm with ice cream. — Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Sweet Potato Pie Cake Roll
Smooth cream cheese filling is all rolled up in the cinnamony sweet potato flavor of this cake. This change-of-pace dessert looks stunning on a dessert table, and tastes just as amazing as it looks. —Bernice Taylor, Wilson, North Carolina
Buttermilk Pecan Pie
This is the treasured "Golden Oldie" that my grandmother made so often whenever we'd come to visit. Grandma grew her own pecans, and we never tired of cracking them and picking out the meat when we knew we'd be treated to her special pie! —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas
Mini Pumpkin Cakes
I saw these cute cakes at a local grocery store and decided to make my own version at home. They’re a hit at any fall gathering. —Jennifer Dorff, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Tender Pecan Logs
Folks always ask me to make these tender nutty logs. They're not overly sweet and pair perfectly with a steaming cup of coffee or tea. —Joyce Beck, Gadsden, Alabama
Sweet Potato, Pear, and Fig Crisp
My unusual fruit crisp celebrates the flavors of the holidays. Offer it as a side, or add ice cream to make it a standout dessert. —Deanna McDonald, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Triple Pear Pie
One year, I won a giveaway and received three different kinds of pears. After sharing a few with family, I decided to use the rest to prepare a pie for our dessert at Easter that year. Put this together with some vanilla ice cream and it's the perfect pairing! —Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California
Miniature Pumpkin Cake Towers
I make these pumpkin treats every autumn and they are gone in minutes. The spice combination is perfect for fall, and it is all wrapped up in a pretty little cake.—Deb Lyon, Bangor, Pennsylvania
Bread Pudding with Homemade Caramel Sauce
My famous bread pudding is a sweet way to make use of the day-old dinner rolls that didn’t get gobbled up at Thanksgiving. The combination of the soft pudding with the sweet, velvety smooth sauce is a match made in heaven. —Anita Geoghagan, Woodstock, Georgia
Cranberry Icebox Cookies
These crisp cookies are especially popular at Thanksgiving and Christmas with a cup of hot tea or coffee. It's convenient to bake a batch, too, because you can store the dough in the fridge until needed. —Gloria Anderson, Paso Robles, California
Cranberry-Cherry Nut Pie
This delightful, stress-free pie combines cranberries with convenient cherry pie filling for a fresh, fun flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Favorite Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Tart
I grew up in Louisiana where, as in most of the South, pecan pie is a staple. this tart variation is extra good because it includes chocolate. I decided to up the decadence even more by adding bourbon and drizzling some caramel on top. —Amber Needham, San Antonio, Texas
Fresh Pear Ginger Crisp
Gingersnaps lend crunch to my heartwarming cool-weather classic, featuring the season's juiciest fruit—pears.—Linda Robertson, Cozad, Nebraska
More The Merrier Orange, Fig & Walnut Bars
Orange, fig and walnuts make a bar that’s uniquely different and delicious. Think you can eat just one? —Judy Dalton, Danville, Virginia
Gingerbread & Pumpkin Cream Trifle
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
Billie's Southern Sweet Potato Cake
I made sweet potato cakes for my kids when they were younger and they told me in their little voices, "Mommy, you're the best baker." Little did they know that was Mommy's first attempt at homemade cake! —Billie Williams-Henderson, Bowie, Maryland
Maple Pumpkin Pie
Tired of traditional pumpkin pie? The maple syrup in this special pie provides a subtle but terrific enhancer. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
Pecan Meringue Pie
My good friend sent me this recipe and when I made it, it was every bit as delicious as she said! I love making it for Thanksgiving.—Anne Powers, Munford, Alabama
Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce
This sweet and tangy cake, loaded with bits of cranberries and topped with warm caramel sauce, is even better served warm with a scoop of ice cream. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Pumpkin Pie Tartlets with Maple Pecan Crust
After discovering I had multiple food sensitivities, I began developing holiday recipes that would be safe for me, but enjoyable for others, too. These tarts are delicious—with no gluten, eggs or dairy! —Chantale Michaud, Guelph, Ontario
Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake
The nicely spiced streusel in the center of this cake is a marvelous surprise and complement to the cinnamony pumpkin cake. It's delicious for breakfast or dessert. —Elaine Holmberg, Norfolk, Nebraska
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