Thanksgiving is all about sharing good food and good times—not stressing in the kitchen. These last-minute recipes are here to save the day with big flavors and easy steps. They’re so simple to pull together, your family will think you’ve been planning for weeks!
Apple Cinnamon Cake
Nothing says fall like a warm apple cinnamon cake straight from your oven. The mix of sweet apples, cozy spices, and a crunchy cinnamon crumble topping feels like a warm hug in every bite. Top it off with a drizzle of powdered sugar glaze, and you’ve got a dessert that screams “Thanksgiving perfection” with almost no effort.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Cake
Pepper Gravy
Pepper gravy brings bold flavor to your Thanksgiving spread with minimal effort. Thick, creamy, and packed with just the right amount of peppery kick, it’s the perfect topping for mashed potatoes, biscuits, or turkey. Made with only five ingredients, it’s as easy as it is delicious.
Get the Recipe: Pepper Gravy
3 Ingredient Fudge
When dessert needs to happen fast, this three-ingredient fudge is your best friend. Chocolate, condensed milk, and butter come together for a rich, creamy treat that tastes like it took hours to make. Cut it into squares, and watch it fly off the dessert table.
Get the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Fudge
Honey Mustard Salmon
Looking for a showstopper main dish that’s not turkey? This honey mustard salmon has you covered. The flaky fish with its sweet, tangy glaze feels fancy enough for Thanksgiving but is so easy, you’ll be wondering why you don’t make it more often.
Get the Recipe: Honey Mustard Salmon
Puff Pastry Palmiers
These flaky puff pastry palmiers are your Thanksgiving secret weapon. All you need is sugar and store-bought puff pastry to create buttery, caramelized treats that look fancy but take minimal effort. Set them out as a snack or a sweet finale, and watch them disappear in no time.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Palmiers
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Need a crowd-pleasing drink while you juggle other Thanksgiving tasks? Toss wine, citrus, spices, and honey into your slow cooker, and let it simmer to perfection. The result is a warm, fragrant mulled wine that fills your home with cozy vibes—and makes you look like a holiday pro.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Puff Pastry Apple Pie Pockets
These puff pastry apple pie pockets are a total Thanksgiving hack. Juicy, spiced apples wrapped in flaky pastry make all the flavor of a traditional pie possible without the hassle. Serve them warm with ice cream for an instant crowd-pleaser.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Apple Pie Pockets
Potato Skins
These crispy, cheesy potato skins are what snack dreams are made of. Loaded with butter, garlic, bacon, and melty cheese, they’re the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving spread. Quick to whip up, they’ll be a hit before the turkey even hits the table.
Get the Recipe: Potato Skins
Cranberry Chicken Salad
Give your Thanksgiving leftovers a glow-up with this cranberry chicken salad. Juicy chicken, sweet cranberries, crunchy pecans, and a creamy dressing come together for a dish that’s quick to prep and bursting with flavor. Serve it with rolls or on a bed of greens for a fresh twist on holiday flavors.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Chicken Salad
Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
This cheesy garlic bread is the ultimate side dish to complement any Thanksgiving feast. With its golden crust, fluffy inside, and melty cheese in every bite, it’s a dish everyone will fight over. Best of all, it’s ready in minutes—because you’ve got better things to do than knead dough all day.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Pumpkin Pasta
If comfort food had a season, this creamy pumpkin pasta would win Thanksgiving hands down. The rich pumpkin sauce, combined with cream cheese, spices, and hearty rigatoni, hits all the right notes. A sprinkle of mozzarella and fresh basil turns this simple dish into a star—easy enough for a weeknight, but festive enough for your holiday table.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pasta
Pineapple Cheese Ball
Every Thanksgiving table needs a centerpiece, and this pineapple cheese ball is it. The mix of sweet pineapple, creamy cheese, and crunchy pecans is both unique and delicious. Set it out with crackers, and you’ve got a no-fuss appetizer everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Cheese Ball
Cranberry Brie Bites
Tiny, flaky, buttery bites of brie and cranberry goodness? These easy-to-make cranberry brie bites are a classy way to add a touch of elegance to your Thanksgiving table—and they’ll disappear before you know it.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Brie Bites
Honey Glazed Carrots
Transform plain carrots into a Thanksgiving-worthy side with this honey-glazed recipe. Sweet, tender carrots coated in a buttery honey-garlic glaze add a pop of color and flavor to your holiday spread. Best of all, they’re ready in minutes, so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the feast.
Get the Recipe: Honey Glazed Carrots
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These garlic mashed potatoes are everything you want in a Thanksgiving side—creamy, fluffy, and loaded with buttery, garlicky goodness. They’re simple enough to whip up quickly but taste like they took hours. Your family won’t be able to get enough of these dreamy spuds.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Cheese Curds
Crispy, golden cheese curds are the snack your Thanksgiving spread didn’t know it needed. Whether pan-fried or baked, these gooey little bites come together in minutes with just four ingredients. Serve them with a dipping sauce, and watch them become the highlight of your holiday appetizers.
Get the Recipe: Cheese Curds
Parmesan Potatoes
Crispy on the outside, buttery on the inside, these parmesan potatoes are pure magic. Tossed in a cheesy, garlicky crust and roasted to golden perfection, they’re the perfect side to enhance your Thanksgiving dinner. Serve them with sour cream for dipping, and watch everyone come back for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Potatoes
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Free up your stovetop and let your slow cooker do the work with these ultra-creamy mashed potatoes. They’re garlicky, buttery, and outrageously fluffy, making them the perfect complement to turkey and gravy. Plus, they stay warm in the slow cooker until you’re ready to serve—no timing stress needed.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Easy Herb Cheese Ball
Here’s your ticket to instant appetizer success: a creamy herb cheese ball. Made with just a few simple ingredients, this nut-free snack is rolled in fresh herbs for a gorgeous and tasty finish. It’s quick to make, easy to serve, and classy enough to impress everyone at your Thanksgiving table.
Get the Recipe: Easy Herb Cheese Ball
Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Need biscuits in a hurry? These buttermilk drop biscuits are your solution. No kneading, no rolling—just mix, scoop, and bake until golden brown. Soft, buttery, and ready in no time, they’ll steal the show alongside your Thanksgiving feast.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
Stuffed Dates
These stuffed dates are the ultimate sweet and savory bite. Sticky Medjool dates stuffed with creamy goat cheese and topped with crunchy walnuts are quick to prep but look so elegant on your Thanksgiving table. They’re the kind of no-cook treat that makes you feel like a culinary genius with almost zero effort.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Dates
Bacon Cheddar Dip
This bacon cheddar dip is the MVP of last-minute Thanksgiving appetizers. It’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with ranch seasoning and crispy bacon for a flavor punch that’s impossible to resist. Whether you serve it with crackers, chips, or veggie sticks, it’s guaranteed to disappear fast—and you won’t believe it only took you five minutes to whip up.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Cheddar Dip
Bacon Wrapped Fillet Mignon
When you want to wow your guests, bacon-wrapped filet mignon is the way to go. Tender beef wrapped in crispy bacon and finished with a buttery herb sear—it’s indulgent, impressive, and shockingly easy to make. A fancy Thanksgiving dish with none of the stress? You got it.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Fillet Mignon