Our All-Time Best Thanksgiving Pies from Simply Recipes
All hail the Thanksgiving pie! Here are all of our favorites, from traditional pies like Mile-High Apple Pie and Pecan Pie to Thanksgiving newcomers, like Chiffon Pumpkin and Pear Ginger. Grab a fork and dig in!
Let’s be real. We might make a big deal about the amazing golden hue of this year’s roast turkey and go back for seconds of Grandma Dola’s famous green bean casserole, but most of us are really just waiting a polite and acceptable period of time until we can hit the dessert table.
We’re just here for the pie, thanks.
There’s a lot riding on these Thanksgiving pies. Do you stick to tradition, or branch out into something new? Will your brother be upset if you don’t make “his” pumpkin pie this year? How many pies do you really need? (Trick question: you need all of them.)
Here’s my advice — give yourself a break when it comes to Thanksgiving dessert. Make one or two traditional pies, but then make some room for something new on the table. Who knows — your picky brother might just discover a new favorite!
Is pumpkin pie your favorite? What is it about slicing into a creamy, spice-filled wedge that is just so very good? Let's not question these things — best to just have another slice. A few notes:
Pumpkin pie is best made ahead of time so it has plenty of time to cool and set before serving. You can serve it the same day it's made, but just be sure to allow time to cool.
Store it in the fridge, where it will keep for 3 to 4 days.
You can also freeze pumpkin pie: wrap the baked and cooled pie very well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Pumpkin pie is best served room temperature. If you take it out of the fridge when you sit down to eat, it will be perfect by dessert time.
Want to make your own pumpkin puree? You can! The instructions are included in our recipe for Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie.
This is absolutely the BEST homemade pumpkin pie recipe! Make it with canned or fresh pumpkin puree and up to several days ahead. Also freezes well! Thanksgiving pie never looked so good or so easy.
Holiday sweet potato pie with a pecan topping. Dense and sweet filling with sweet potatoes, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and bourbon. Topped with candied pecan topping. Delicious!
Pumpkin pie lovers, take note! This Pumpkin Chiffon Pie has a gingersnap crust and a light, pudding-like filling. It's a fun and elegant riff on the classic pie, and sure to become a favorite.
This Thanksgiving, make a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert! This cheesecake has all the best parts of pumpkin pie (pumpkin! cinnamon! nutmeg!) combined with the creaminess of cheesecake. Top it with caramel sauce and whipped cream.
There's no wrong way to make an apple pie: chunky pieces, thin slices, sweet apples, tart apples — they're all winners. A few notes:
The best apples for apple pie is really a mix! Choose a blend of sweet and tart apples and different varieties. This will give you a good balance of flavors and textures in your finished pie.
Apple pies can be served room temperature or warm.
Store apple pies loosely covered with plastic wrap or foil at room temperature; no need to refrigerate.
Apple pies freeze well! Wrap the baked and cooled pie very well with plastic wrap and then freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then warm it up in the oven.
This is absolutely the best homemade apple pie you'll ever make! It has a flaky, buttery crust and a tender, lightly-spiced apple pie filling. Use a combination of apples for best flavor, and bake until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly!
Apple Slab Pie! The perfect dessert for a crowd, plus more flaky crust in every bite. Use a mix of apples for best flavor. Great for apple-picking parties, Thanksgiving, or holiday gatherings.
This apple cranberry pie is one of our favorite pies to make for Thanksgiving or the holidays! Flaky buttery crust, spiced apples mixed with dried cranberries and brandy.
If a slice of nut-filled pecan pie is the only thing you crave on Thanksgiving, then you've come to the right spot. A few notes:
Pecan pie is best made a day or two ahead so it has time to fully cool and set before serving. (If it's still warm, the filling will ooze.)
Cover the cooled pie with plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days before serving.
Pecan pie is best served room temperature or slightly chilled (so it's easier to slice and serve). If you take it out of the fridge when you sit down to eat, it will be perfect by dessert time.
If you like warm pecan pie, we recommend warming individual slices in the microwave rather than the whole pie.
Yes, pecan pie can be frozen! Wrap the baked and cooled pie very well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
With a homemade crust and a sweet pecan filling, this is THE pecan pie for your Thanksgiving table! Make it a day or two ahead, or freeze it for even longer.
Feel like throwing something new into the mix? These pies may not be in the Holy Trinity of Thanksgiving Pies, but they're still festive and fun to serve on Thanksgiving! A few notes:
Cream pies will need at least a few hours to set, and are even better made the day before.
If your pie is topped with whipped cream, wait to do that until just before serving since the whipped cream tends to deflate if it sits or is refrigerated.
Peanut butter lovers, this one's for you! It's the most decadent and indulgent peanut butter pie EVER, made with extra peanut butter in the filling, peanut butter cups on top, and a drizzle of melted peanut butter and chocolate. We warned you!
Chocolate, pudding, and pie—the best of all possible worlds! Make the pie filling in the microwave and pour into a pre-baked crust. This make-ahead chocolate pie sets up in a few hours in the fridge, just in time for dessert.
This is the BEST lemon meringue pie! The tart and creamy lemon custard filling is topped with mile-high billowy meringue. Make this when you want something impressive.
This Key Lime Pie is an American classic. Ours is made with lime juice and sweetened condensed milk in a graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream. Use key limes if you have them, otherwise substitute regular limes.
And last but not least, here's everything you need to know about making your own pie crust for Thanksgiving — or not! If you're not in the mood to make your own, check out our guide to the best store-bought pie crusts. A few notes about pie crusts:
The pie crust dough can be made ahead and kept in the fridge 3 to 4 days before you plan to bake.
You can also make and freeze most pie crusts up to three months ahead of time. Freeze either the disks of dough, or freeze the rolled-out dough in the pie pan. If freezing disks of dough, let them thaw overnight before rolling it out.
If you're blind baking, try using sugar instead of pie weights! It's a little surprising, but it works! The method is outlined in How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust.
Several pie crust recipes—an all butter pie crust, or pate brisee, an all butter crust with almonds, combining butter and shortening crust, and how to pre-bake or blind-bake a pie crust.
Putting together a graham cracker crust is not hard at all—and it comes together quickly. Use this recipe to make cream pies, key lime pie, cheesecake, or any other pie that could use a graham cracker crust!
Wonder which frozen or pre-made, store-bought pie crust you should buy? Here's our ultimate Simply Recipes guide to the best and the worst of the bunch.
Emma Christensen is the Editor-in-Chief of Simply Recipes, and has over 10 years of experience creating food and content for web and print. She was formerly the recipe editor for The Kitchn and is the author of three books on home-brewing, True Brews, Brew Better Beer, and Modern Cider. Emma is a graduate of The Cambridge School for Culinary Arts and Bryn Mawr College. She lives in San Jose, California.
Ha ha ha! I hear you! I felt the same while I was writing the post! Enjoy!
Vangie Brake
Well I have to say I really, really like your website and the emails I receive each week or so. Great job, keep up the good work. What I really appreciate is that there are no ads popping up or embedded in the content. There are ads etc in the margins but I can deal with that. Thanks so much and I really look forward to hearing from you.
Is pumpkin pie your favorite? What is it about slicing into a creamy, spice-filled wedge that is just so very good? Let's not question these things — best to just have another slice. A few notes:
There's no wrong way to make an apple pie: chunky pieces, thin slices, sweet apples, tart apples — they're all winners. A few notes:
If a slice of nut-filled pecan pie is the only thing you crave on Thanksgiving, then you've come to the right spot. A few notes:
Feel like throwing something new into the mix? These pies may not be in the Holy Trinity of Thanksgiving Pies, but they're still festive and fun to serve on Thanksgiving! A few notes:
And last but not least, here's everything you need to know about making your own pie crust for Thanksgiving — or not! If you're not in the mood to make your own, check out our 
Our All-Time Best Thanksgiving Pies from Simply Recipes
Can I freeze the sour cream pie crust? I usually make several crusts weeks in advance of the holidays.. Thank you Marie
Hi, Marie! Yes, you can definitely freeze this pie crust. I’ve done it a few times myself. Happy holidays!
I want to lick the screen! They all look soooo good!
Ha ha ha! I hear you! I felt the same while I was writing the post! Enjoy!
Well I have to say I really, really like your website and the emails I receive each week or so. Great job, keep up the good work. What I really appreciate is that there are no ads popping up or embedded in the content. There are ads etc in the margins but I can deal with that. Thanks so much and I really look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you so much, Vangie! So glad you like our website!
Great selection. I’m planning to use this as my go-to for pies from here on out.
Awww, that’s so great to hear! Thank you!
Outstanding ! ! And many many thanks !
You’re welcome!