Unveiling Thanksgiving’s #1 Dessert (2024)

What is the most popular Thanksgiving dessert?

The holidays are here and that means it’s time to plan your holiday menus. Sweet and savory food are a key part of celebrating any holiday, especially at Thanksgiving, but deciding on what to serve can feel more stressful than celebratory. We’ll take a look at the traditional thanksgiving dinner dessert moves and suggest what types of treats you should order for your big day.

Unveiling Thanksgiving’s #1 Dessert (1)

Pumpkin Milk Bar Pie

Meet the 2-in-1 pie of your dreams. Pumpkin Milk Bar Pie has the gooey, buttery, fudgy consistency of a pecan pie mixed with the quintessential pumpkin flavor you can’t resist during fall. Your dessert plate will never be the same (in a good way). This pie is a hit at any type of fall event—parties, birthdays, Friendsgiving—or even just a Tuesday night.

Why Thanksgiving Desserts Make the Holiday So Special

Sure, Thanksgiving conjures images of turkeys and pilgrim hats and cornucopias, but not far from mind on this holiday is one thing: dessert. While many holidays carry with them some elements of dessert, Thanksgiving celebrates the sweeter side of food in a big way. Imagine going to a family Thanksgiving meal with no pecan pie or cake to cap off the meal – it just wouldn’t feel right would it? So why is it that Thanksgiving has become so synonymous with dessert? Perhaps to balance out all the savory items? Or because folks want an excuse to linger a little longer with friends and loved ones.

Exploring Thanksgiving Dessert Trends

While we know pumpkin flavor desserts are a popular fixture of the Thanksgiving dinner, there are a few specific items that are most closely associated with this November holiday. In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust. It wouldn’t be unusual to see a chocolate cream pie of some sort if your crew is into chocolate desserts. So how do you choose the right dessert to serve or bring as a guest? Here are some choices that everyone at the table will enjoy.

Unveiling Thanksgiving’s #1 Dessert (2)

Milk Bar® Pie

Our signature, gooey Milk Bar Pie has a sticky, buttery, salty-sweet filling in a hearty oat-cookie crust. *This* is the pie that put Milk Bar on the map. Get it delivered fresh, anywhere in the USA. We dare you not to have a second slice.

10” pie serves 8-10.

Get +53 points on this purchase to use towards *free* treats when you join The First Bite Club! Information Icon

Finding the Perfect Thanksgiving Desserts That Everyone Will Love

Go with the classics: pie.

If you’re not trying to rock the boat, or a sucker for playing the classics you simply can’t go wrong with pie. Our iconic Milk Bar Pie is a buttery, gooey, brown sugary soulful treat and pleases snackers of all personalities. If you want something a little more thematic, a Milk Bar Pumpkin Pie ups the ante with vegetal pumpkin flavors perfect for the fall. These pies are modern twists on the classics, and your fellow feasters will be asking for seconds.

Go big with flavor: cake.

If you’re more of a fan of frosting, no need to apologize! Cake makes a great holiday centerpiece. Our cakes are layered up with loads of texture and flavor, making them a worthy complement to the holiday main course. Our Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cake will bring the traditional pumpkin energy your guests may be expecting, but surprise them with gooey cinnamon energy that feels like a cozy fall moment. If you prefer apple to pumpkin, our Caramel Apple Pie Cake remixes apple pie into a caramel loaded cake topped with ice cream frosting for something fresh and new.

Go with something snackable: cookie treats

Maybe you want something folks can graze on with their coffee or snack on while they watch the big game, cookies are an easy, low lift but high impact treat for Thanksgiving. Our assorted cookie packs mean you’ll have the perfect flavor for all of your guests, from salty and sweet to creamy and dreamy.

Go with the crowd’s needs: gluten free.

Don’t forget to take the dietary needs of your guests into consideration as you plan your dessert spread. We deliver gluten free cookies and cake for easy solutions to special requests. Even better: your non-gluten free guests would never guess there’s no gluten to be found in these goodies.

Save Yourself Precious Time by Ordering Milk Bar for Delivery

Still thinking about what to buy for Thanksgiving dinner? No matter what you’re serving, one thing is for sure, you don’t want to add any extra stress to the holiday. Order your treats from Milk Bar and we’ll send the freshest, tastiest treats straight to your door so you can unwrap, plate, and celebrate. You can even pick your delivery date so you’ve got one less thing to worry about!

Unveiling Thanksgiving’s #1 Dessert (3)

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Get +0 points on this purchase to use towards *free* treats when you join The First Bite Club! Information Icon

Conclusion

From pies to a cheesecake, desserts are a key part of celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ve helped take the guessing work out of the meal planning process by pairing the best Thanksgiving Day desserts with your holiday spirits. Whether you serve pumpkin ice cream to go with a pumpkin cheesecake, or a cherry pie topped with whipped cream and a perfected pie crust, all that’s left to do is plan the rest of your thanksgiving day menu! Check out more for the perfect process!

Unveiling Thanksgiving’s #1 Dessert (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular dessert at Thanksgiving? ›

In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust.

What desserts did they eat at the first Thanksgiving? ›

It turns out that the desserts on the big day were more likely sweetened by something else entirely: Dried grapes and raisins! According to If You Were at the First Thanksgiving, Anne Kamma's history book for kids: Perhaps you would have eaten cornmeal pudding sweetened with dried strawberries or grapes.

What dessert did the pilgrims have? ›

According to some accounts, early English settlers in North America improvised by hollowing out pumpkins (which were plentiful), filling the shells with goat's milk, honey, and spices to make a custard, then they roasted the filled pumpkins whole in hot ash from the fire.

What desert did the pilgrims eat? ›

Pumpkin Pie

According to accounts, they used to hollow them out, fill them with milk and honey to make a custard, and then roast the orange orbs in hot ashes.

What is the most delicious dessert in the world? ›

The top 10 of the world's best desserts
  • Queso helado (Arequipa, Peru) ...
  • Tiramisù (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) ...
  • Crème brûlée (France) ...
  • Dondurma (Kahramanmaraş, Turkey) ...
  • Alfajores (Argentina) ...
  • Dulce de leche (Argentina) ...
  • Chocolate soufflé (France) ...
  • Sernik (Poland)

What president refused to declare Thanksgiving a holiday? ›

Thomas Jefferson was famously the only Founding Father and early president who refused to declare days of thanksgiving and fasting in the United States.

What was the real first Thanksgiving menu? ›

There are only two surviving documents that reference the original Thanksgiving harvest meal. They describe a feast of freshly killed deer, assorted wildfowl, a bounty of cod and bass, and flint, a native variety of corn harvested by the Native Americans, which was eaten as corn bread and porridge.

What was not eaten at the first Thanksgiving? ›

Whether mashed or roasted, white or sweet, potatoes had no place at the first Thanksgiving. After encountering it in its native South America, the Spanish began introducing the potato to Europeans around 1570.

What did slaves eat for dessert? ›

During the week, if there was a dessert, it would be a piece of corn bread with some molasses poured on top or some fruit. In addition, slave cabins rarely had the cooking equipment or appliances necessary to adequately bake a pie.

What dessert did cowboys eat? ›

Dried apples, raisins and apricots were common, but berries and prunes also were available. In addition to eating it plain, dried fruit reconstituted in water with crumbled biscuits formed the basis of simple steamed cobblers and puddings.

What 3 foods did the Pilgrims eat? ›

In fact, the meal was probably quite meat-heavy. Likewise, walnuts, chestnuts, and beechnuts were abundant, as were sunchokes. Shellfish were common, so they probably played a part, as did beans, pumpkins, squashes, and corn (served in the form of bread or porridge), thanks to the Wampanoags.

What desserts were eaten at the first Thanksgiving? ›

The Desserts

Some records say that the pilgrims filled hollowed out pumpkins with milk, honey and spices and baked it in hot ashes to form a custard.

What is the dark history of Thanksgiving? ›

"Thanksgiving day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture," says the United American Indians of New England. They've marked the occasion as a day of mourning for 48 years, according to Native Hope.

Was there actually a Thanksgiving feast? ›

It wasn't called Thanksgiving

There's no evidence that the 1621 feast was called Thanksgiving, and the event was not repeated for at least a decade, experts say. Still, it is said to be the inspiration behind the now traditional annual gathering and a testament to the cooperation of two groups of people.

What is the most consumed pie at Thanksgiving? ›

Pumpkin Pie Is The Must-Have Fall Dessert That Reigns Supreme.

What are the 3 most popular food dishes served on Thanksgiving? ›

The 10 Most Popular Thanksgiving Dishes
  • Roast turkey. We've already filled you in on how to carve a turkey like a chef. ...
  • Stuffing. Good stuffing is key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner. ...
  • Mashed potatoes. ...
  • Green bean casserole. ...
  • Corn casserole. ...
  • Sweet potato casserole. ...
  • Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts. ...
  • Cranberry sauce.
Nov 2, 2022

What is the most popular dessert turkey? ›

1. Turkish Baklava. This is the most famous traditional Turkish dessert that people around the world know and enjoy.

What is the desert for Thanksgiving? ›

Tarts and Thanksgiving pies may be the tradition that overtakes the dessert table this holiday, but don't forget to make room for cakes, puddings, and ice cream sandwiches for a well-rounded spread.

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