With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to think about making your table unforgettable – without spending hours in the kitchen!
I mean, we all have the traditional turkey and pumpkin pie, but this year, I want to do something different.
Here are 23 fun Thanksgiving treat recipes for snacks and desserts. They’re perfect for kids and adults and are sure to have people asking for seconds. Best of all, they are so easy to make, budget-friendly, and don’t require any fancy cooking skills.
With a mix of no-bake treats and baked goodies, your Thanksgiving table (or dessert buffet) will be abundant with fun treats that are sure to please a crowd.
Happy Thanksgiving, and happy treat-making!
Let’s start with a no-bake treat made with fudge-striped shortbread cookies, peanut butter cups, frosting, and M&M “buckles.”
These adorable pilgrim hat cookies are ready in about 25 minutes and make a perfect last-minute Thanksgiving snack.
How about some fun chocolate acorn treats from Carrie at Desserts on a Dime?
These Bite-sized “acorns” are assembled from Hershey’s Kisses, mini Nilla wafers, and mini chocolate chips.
This easy fall treat uses just 4 ingredients and requires no baking. Kids and adults alike will love these cute chocolate-vanilla bites.
An easy no-bake dessert that brings festive fun to Thanksgiving. A soft chocolate caramel Rolo candy is melted onto a pretzel twist and decorated with candy corn “feathers,” candy eyeballs, and an M&M beak to create an adorable edible turkey.
This treat comes together with just a few simple ingredients like pretzels and candy corn.
Next up – cute no-bake turkey cookies made from Oreo sandwich cookies.
Each turkey has candy corn tail feathers, candy eyes, and a Reese’s Pieces or M&M for a beak.
With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can whip up these adorable treats that are colorful and attractive!
How adorable is this? I Just had to include these no-bake Thanksgiving cookies in my lineup.
They use Nutter Butter peanut butter cookies as the base and are decorated with candy corn feathers, candy eyes, and mini peanut butter cups.
These treats are “simply too cute to pass up” and perfect for kids of any age.
An easy Oreo truffle dessert decorated as little turkeys. Crushed Oreos and cream cheese form bite-size balls, which are dipped in chocolate and adorned with candy corn tail feathers and candy eyes.
These kid-friendly Thanksgiving Oreo balls are as fun to make as they are to eat.
A trending viral treat that’s super cute and fun to make.
Fresh strawberries are given “drumstick legs” using pretzel sticks and mini marshmallows, then dipped in chocolate to resemble little turkeys.
This playful dessert is a hit with kids and will be the most fun you will have this holiday making treats together.
Thanksgiving means pumpkins, and here’s a fun treat to make with the grandkids.
Sweet-and-salty pretzel twists dipped in orange candy melts and topped with a green M&M “stem” to look like mini pumpkins.
With only 3 ingredients, these candy-coated pretzel pumpkins are an easy, festive fall snack. They’re adorable to serve and add a fun pop of color to your Thanksgiving treat table.
A clever no-bake spin on the classic dessert. Marshmallow Rice Krispies treats get a seasonal update with pumpkin pie spice and orange coloring, then are formed into a “pumpkin pie” (complete with whipped cream dollops on each slice).
It’s a foolproof way to ditch the pie crust and still enjoy the famous fall dessert flavors. Yummy!
Are you planning a movie evening on Thanksgiving?
Here’s a fall-flavored version of the classic Chex snack mix (also known as Muddy Buddies). This sugary mix is coated with pumpkin pie spices and studded with candy pumpkins, creating an addictively crunchy treat that’s hard to resist.
It’s quick to make, no baking required, and perfect for nibbling during Thanksgiving movie nights.
For me, a no-bake recipe is a must for Thanksgiving. The last thing I want to do is wait for hours while treats are baking!
This is a fab layered no-bake dessert bar that hides a gooey salted caramel layer inside a spiced pumpkin base.
These bars are incredibly easy to make and are also gluten-free and refined sugar-free, yet super-indulgent. A hit for fall gatherings, they deliver pumpkin pie vibes with a sweet-salty twist in bar form.
All the rich, decadent flavor of traditional pecan pie in an easier bar cookie format. These bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a classic gooey pecan filling on top.
They’re easy to bake and serve – a 9×13 pan yields plenty of hand-held servings, which makes them ideal for holiday parties (and they’ll disappear faster than you can say ‘Turkey Day’!)
Luscious layered bars featuring a creamy dairy-free pecan “cheesecake” filling and a decadent caramel-pecan topping.
Despite their impressive taste, these bars are easy to make and absolutely delicious, with perfect creamy bites that are great for the holidays or anytime.
Bonus: they happen to be gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
Maple Syrup – LUV, LUV, LUV ….. Chewy, soft-centered cookies packed with brown sugar and pure maple syrup for the ultimate fall flavor.
They have crisp edges and mega chewy centers, and can be topped with a simple 3-ingredient maple glaze for extra indulgence.
These cookies are a fan-favorite autumn treat, delivering big maple goodness in each bite.
My next fave ingredient – Butter!
These thick, butter pecan cookies are made with nutty browned butter, brown sugar, and lots of toasted pecans.
They come out super flavorful, with a wonderfully chewy texture and lightly crunchy edges. Warm from the oven, these cookies basically melt in your mouth, making them a must-bake for the holiday season.
Festive slice-and-bake sugar cookies with a hidden pumpkin design in the middle.
This fun scratch-made version of the store-bought holiday cookies is much easier than you’d think to pull off.
The dough is tinted and rolled to form a pumpkin shape inside each cookie, making these the cutest fall cookies to delight family and friends.
The perfect little three-bite blend of apple pie and cookie.
These mini treats start with a circle of pie crust in a muffin tin, which is filled with cinnamon-spiced diced apples and topped with a buttery crumble.
Essentially, they’re tiny Dutch apple pies you can eat by hand – sweet, buttery, and with just a touch of tart apple in each bite.
Do you grow your own apples, or have a fabulous fresh produce market nearby? Apples are a must-have for the holiday season!
Incredibly easy and quick to make, these apple pie bites wrap fresh apple slices, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice inside crescent roll dough.
After just 5 minutes of prep and a short bake, you get warm, flaky mini apple pie rolls filled with soft cinnamon apples. With only five or six common ingredients, this semi-homemade treat delivers big autumn flavor with minimal effort.
Adorable individual pumpkin-spice cakes baked in mini bundt pans.
Move over, pumpkin pie – these mini bundt cakes (made by doctoring a simple cake mix with pumpkin puree) are moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with cream cheese frosting.
They’re just the right size for a single serving and look so cute with a candy pumpkin garnish on top. Thanks to Brandy from Gluesticks!
Fluffy cupcakes flavored with apple pie spices and brown sugar, topped with a light cinnamon buttercream. These cupcakes pack all the cozy spice of an apple pie into a moist, sweet treat.
Thanks to sour cream and a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, each bite is bursting with fall flavor and comforting dessert vibes.
This is a classy end to your Thanksgiving dinner!
Who can resist popcorn? Not me! So, here’s a fab version of popcorn on the next level from Zainab!
Chewy, sweet-and-salty bars that combine popcorn, sticky homemade caramel, pretzels, and dried apples (or apple chips). Imagine caramel apples, popcorn balls, and pretzel snacks all in one – these bars bring the best of both worlds together in perfect harmony.
They’re an addictive treat with crunchy texture and buttery caramel flavor.
Do your grandkids love eating your raw dough when you’re baking? Here’s a much nicer ready-to-eat version!
A creamy, egg-free dessert dip that tastes like spiced pumpkin cookie dough. This fun dip lets everyone indulge in spoonfuls of cookie dough without any raw eggs.
It’s lightly sweet and filled with pumpkin pie flavor – serve it with apple slices, graham crackers, or cinnamon-sugar pita chips for a festive fall snack.
Let’s end with the essence of Thanksgiving! A time to bond with family and friends and give blessings to everyone.
Here’s a wonderful sweet-and-salty snack mix shared in festive baggies with a gratitude poem. It’s super simple to make: all you need are pretzels, Bugles corn chips, candy corn, dried fruits (like craisins or raisins), peanuts, and M&M’s.
Each ingredient is symbolic (e.g. Bugles for a cornucopia, pretzels for thankful arms) – but it also happens to be a delicious munchy mix to gift or serve in bowls on Thanksgiving.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some easy Thanksgiving treats I can make ahead of time?
Many no-bake treats like Oreo turkeys, pilgrim hat cookies, and blessing mix can be prepared a day or two in advance and stored in airtight containers.
2. Are these Thanksgiving treats kid-friendly?
Yes! Recipes like chocolate acorns, Rolo pretzel turkeys, and pumpkin Rice Krispie treats are simple, safe, and fun for kids to help make.
3. Can I find healthier Thanksgiving treat options?
Absolutely—options like no-bake pumpkin bars and apple spice cupcakes can be made lighter with natural sweeteners or gluten-free ingredients.
4. Do these recipes require special baking skills?
Not at all. Most recipes are easy, beginner-friendly, and use simple ingredients. A mix of no-bake snacks and traditional desserts means anyone can make them.
5. How can I serve these treats at my Thanksgiving gathering?
Arrange them on a dessert platter, package them in festive bags for guests, or add them to your snack table alongside savory dishes for a balanced spread.
Written by Appliance Granny — Madlyn is a tech-savvy senior with 30+ years of experience running an IT business. She combines her love of cooking and family with a mission to make kitchens safer, simpler, and more joyful for seniors.
Hello There!
Hi! My name is Madlyn and I’m a modern tech-savvy Grandma with a passion for all-things-appliances.
If it has an On-Off switch, I want it! I have a job, a home, a husband, kids, grand kids, and pets – the whole nine yards. And, I have kitchen appliances …
My Appliance Journey
Over the years, my hubby and I have spent a fortune on appliances ranging from baby bottle warmers to large fancy fridges for a house full of growing teens.
Some were value for money and lasted for years, while others packed up in less than a month.
Over the years I have gained vast experience with appliances of all types and would love to share my insights with others.
Hopefully this will help you make informed decisions and not waste unnecessary time and your hard-earned money.
What I Do
I’ll be writing about must-have kitchen appliances like kettles, toasters, fridges and washing machines.
I’ll also chat about not-so-must-have kitchen appliances like coffee makers.
Okay! I get it – for coffee addicts like myself, a coffee maker is most definitely a must, and is certainly more important than a toaster.
Being familiar with the iconic brands, I will also give you comparisons, some history (for history lovers) and other insights that I have gained over the years spent in the kitchen.
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Whether you are a single professional, a busy working Mom, a new home owner, or a retiree, I will keep you up to date with the perfect kitchen appliances and kitchen tips for your needs.
Being an elder person myself, I will also offer kitchen appliance tips, kitchen safety tips, cooking tips, and healthy eating tips for the elderly.