Looking for Thanksgiving Desserts? Here are Some of the Best That Won’t Break Your Budget

An assortment of Thanksgiving desserts from Lowes Food, including ginger cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin donuts, and pumpkin spice cotton candy. 

Photo Credit: Jillian Studebaker

Jillian Studebaker, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

With the holiday season quickly approaching, there is plenty to look forward to, and for many of us, the food is at the top of the list. Thanksgiving traditions often center around classics like a perfectly roasted turkey or delicious stuffing, but my personal favorites are always the desserts. 

The most popular seasonal sweets are often traditional pies, such as pumpkin pie. There are also various cakes and bars, such as pumpkin spice cake and pecan pie bars. In addition, there are alternatives, such as apple crisp, which features baked apples covered with pie crust. These delicious treats are only around on Thanksgiving, though.

For this review, I purchased or prepared 4 different Thanksgiving desserts. Some of them are classic desserts that are well-known, while others are less popular. I ranked each dessert from least favorite to my favorite.

1. Ginger Cookies

Homemade ginger cookies covered in sugar, sitting out on a countertop to cool down. These were made using a family recipe.

Photo Credit: Jillian Studebaker

This fall-themed cookie is a delicious dessert for anyone who loves a good cookie but wants to have something more seasonal. It has a nice, strong spice flavor but also a soft texture that makes it the perfect cookie. It is one of my favorite seasonal desserts. I’m a big fan of cookies, so when fall rolls around, near Thanksgiving, I make sure to pull out this recipe a few times and bake dozens of these delicious cookies.

This dessert has had its place at the top of my Thanksgiving desserts list ever since my mom first made it. She found this recipe from my grandma, and we have been baking it for our whole family for many years. It is one of my grandma's favorite cookie recipes. It is a must-have for any cookie lover, and I hope that anyone who loves cookies will try this recipe.

Recipe:

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp kosher salt

½ cup of butter (unsalted)

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

⅔ cup molasses

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp ground nutmeg

Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat well. Stir dry ingredients into the beaten mixture.

Shape into 1 ½ inch balls and roll them in the 2 tbsp of sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 ½ inches apart. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes or until light brown and still puffed. Let stand for 2 minutes before serving. 

2.  Pumpkin Donuts

Pumpkin spice donuts covered in a delicious, sugary glaze. While donuts may not be a traditional dessert, these might work well for the morning of the big meal.

Photo Credit: Jillian Studebaker

My second favorite dessert was the pumpkin donuts, because they are rich in flavor. This is due to the strong spices and sugary glaze. The dough is soft, fluffy, and not at all dry, which helps enhance the pumpkin flavor.  Adding more seasonal donuts will encourage people to continue buying in every season of the year.

There are many places to find good seasonal donuts. Whether it's from the grocery store or a local shop like the Local Lion, there are always plenty of fall-themed donuts. One of the most popular fall-themed donuts is apple cider donuts. I think the pumpkin-flavored donut has a more Thanksgiving feel and is a dessert to look out for.

I put this one as my second because it has a great pumpkin flavor that is not bland, and the glaze adds some extra sugary flavor. Overall, this one makes a great breakfast treat and is definitely worth trying at least once around Thanksgiving.

3.  Pumpkin Pie

A recently bought pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pies are traditional Thanksgiving day fare. 

Photo Credit: Jillian Studebaker

Pumpkin pie is a dessert I always look forward to on Thanksgiving due to its nice pumpkin flavor and spice. It’s soft and a little creamy with a nice, fluffy pie crust to finish it off. The best part by far is the crust around the border of the pie. If cooked right, it has a nice crunch that adds a contrast to the texture of the rest of the pie.

Pumpkin pie is one of the most iconic and recognizable desserts that everyone looks forward to around Thanksgiving. I put this one as my third on my list because it's something I’ve loved for years and always eat a few times during the fall season. Everyone should have pumpkin pie at some point.

4.  Pumpkin Spice Cotton Candy

Pumpkin Spice cotton candy available at Lowe’s foods.  While this is not a traditional dessert, young kids might appreciate having a fun option to finish out the meal. 

Photo Credit: Jillian Studebaker

This unique fall-themed treat is one that I did not expect to find. I’m personally a big fan of cotton candy. It's a fall fair treat I always look forward to. Although at the fairs, they usually have the typical cotton candy, finding a Thanksgiving/fall-themed cotton candy was a surprising but welcome treat.

It is a fluffy cotton candy with a distinct but delicious pumpkin spice flavor. I shared it with my sisters, and all three of us finished it very quickly. Despite how delicious it is, I had to put it last on my list because nothing truly beats some good festive pastries. Overall, I recommend this to any cotton candy lover seeking a fall-themed flavor. 

All four of these Thanksgiving desserts are delicious and amazing treats, and everyone should have the opportunity to try them all. The best way to get into the holiday season is to have a holiday-themed treat. Desserts are a great way to bring people together during the holiday season, and these 4 desserts will do the trick.