Our 4 Top Tips for Building the Perfect Thanksgiving Dessert Table

1. Start with Something Cute

We love to serve a dessert that pleases the kids (of all ages), like these Pumpkin Pie Cookie Bars. Fresh from the Betty Crocker Kitchens, these bars bake up easy in a 13x9. With a couple clever cuts and some creative frosting — none other than Betty’s Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting tinted with cocoa powder and food coloring — you’ve got the cutest cookie dessert at the whole table. But you won’t really appreciate these treats until you take a bite and notice the extra-soft and chewy texture, which comes from the addition of dry pudding mix. Give this recipe a try, or better yet, ask a guest who wants to bring a treat to bake a pan of these!

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2. Add a Crowd-Pleasing Pie (or two!)

Of course Thanksgiving is all about pumpkin pie, but there’s more than one way to make this classic. One of our favorite recipes is this pretty Marshmallow-Brown Butter-Pumpkin Slab Pie, which feeds 16. It’s a breeze to make, thanks to the time-saving Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust and canned pumpkin. Another advantage to this pie is that you can bake it ahead. Then right before dessert, pop it under the broiler to give the marshmallows a toast.

If marshmallows aren’t your thing, we also recommend our totally indulgent Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Swirl Pie or our classic, scratch-made Decadent Pecan Pie. Or, find a new favorite among our pie recipes.

3. Have Fun with Fall Flavors

Our Thanksgiving tables aren’t complete without a bowl of Classic Cranberry Sauce but that’s certainly not the only way to enjoy this super-seasonal ingredient. The tart cranberry provides the perfect contrast to the sweet crust and topping featured in our recipe for Cranberry Crumb Bars. In 20 minutes, you can throw together this sensational dessert and after baking, these bars don’t need another thing — no frosting nor fussing required. So if you are looking for a simple, scratch dessert, these jammy, crumb bars are for you!

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4. Don’t Forget the Chocolate!

Yes, pumpkin and pecan are the traditional flavors on the Thanksgiving dessert table, but we think there’s always room for chocolate. Betty’s got every chocolate cake and brownie recipe you could ever want, but this year we’re most excited about these French Silk Brownies fresh from the Betty Crocker Kitchens. These dressed-up bars get baked in a 13x9 — which makes them easy to transport — but they feel extra special thanks to the dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of chocolate chips. No one will ever guess these beauties started with a box of Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix.

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So there you have it, four simple ways to make dessert even better than dinner this Thanksgiving. Just remember, don’t do it all yourself. Let your friends and family help and make some memories along the way!