35 Show-Stopping Thanksgiving Pie Recipes (2024)

Crispy-skinned turkey and side dishes aside, we all know Thanksgiving dinner just isn’t complete without a slice (or three) of pie. This year, consider branching out from the old family stand-bys and instead swap in one of our very best fall pie recipes. Bakers with traditional tastes will find our ultimate pumpkin pie recipe, plus retro classics like mincemeat, lemon meringue, and shoofly pies—but if you’re looking to mix things up, there’s no shortage of unorthodox options in our archives—think spicy kabocha, rosemary-caramel apple, and cranberry-frangipane.

Pastry novices can breathe easy when making one of our many tasty, no-roll crusts, while ice cream lovers will swoon for frozen delights like pumpkin pie ice cream pie or a festive, boozy lalla rookh. Whether you love a classic dessert or are looking to mix things up this Thanksgiving, there’s something for everyone in our ultimate autumn masterlist.

A crunchy crust and pudding-like filling make this chocolate cream pie a standout. Get the recipe >

In this sophisticated apple pie from Chicago’s Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits, a subtle, rosemary-infused caramel sauce does double duty: First, it's mixed into the tart apple filling, and then it's drizzled atop the crust at the end of baking to form a delectably gooey topping. Get the recipe >

With a streusel topping and rich and crispy crust, Jake Cohen’s family recipe is half cake, half pie. And while the Cohens enjoy this cozy dessert on Rosh Hashanah, we think it’s delicious all through the fall. Get the recipe >

Swapping in homemade butternut squash purée and sweetened condensed milk for their typical canned equivalents results in the ultimate pumpkin filling; baked together in a crisp and flaky All-Butter Crust, these DIY ingredients elevate pastry chef Stella Parks’ traditional pie into something far greater than the sum of its parts. Get the recipe >

Kabocha, Japanese pumpkin, makes for a lighter squash pie with a vivid orange color. This version trades in the more expected pumpkin spice for a warming dose of ginger and black pepper. Get the recipe >

Pumpkin pie ice cream—rich with pumpkin purée and generously spiced—is perfectly at home inside a graham cracker crust. Get the recipe >

This genteel and mousse-like dessert is a lighter and more refined version of classic, custardy pumpkin pie, thanks to egg whites folded into the filling. Get the recipe >

As Indiana's state pie, this rich, nutmeg-dusted custard dessert also goes by the name "Hoosier Pie." Born from Amish and Shaker communities that settled in Indiana in the 1800s, this recipe is as simple as it is delicious. Get the recipe >

Shoofly pie—a molasses-filled, crumb-topped concoction from Pennsylvania Dutch country—was supposedly given its name because its shiny, sweet, and aromatic filling attracted flies that needed to be politely asked to leave. Get the recipe >

With a perfect balance of sweetness to acidity and the flakiest-ever, all-butter crust, this pie makes an epic dessert as well as a next-day breakfast to look forward to. Get the recipe >

The legendary French chef Jacques Pépin learned to make this rustic apple tart from his mother.Get the recipe >

Swap out the apples for their elegant orchard cousins in this simple-yet-elegant French dessert. Get the recipe >

In French-style pastries, frangipane—a fragrant, almond-based cream —is often paired with poached or fresh fruits. We love the tangy pop of whole cranberries in this sweet-and-sour frangipane tart. Get the recipe >

Baker Bryan Ford's campfire galette method translates well to cooking in an indoor fireplace—or even in a standard kettle grill.Get the recipe >

For this old school Nesselrode pie, Petra Paredez of New York City’s Petee’s Pies macerates her own sour cherries in sugar and dark rum, but in a pinch, we find that good-quality jarred cherries like those made by Luxardo or Starlino make a worthy substitute. Nesselrode pies are often served with chocolate shavings on top, but a drizzle of chocolate ganache lends a silky, elegant touch. Get the recipe >

With a generous glug of rum and a brown-butter crust, this silky ice cream pie is decidedly grown-up. Get the recipe >

These crispy fried hand pies are adapted from a recipe from Jennifer Jones of Big Springs Trading Co. in St. Joe, Arkansas. For the best results, use a firm apple variety like Granny Smith, which holds its shape well and releases minimal liquid during cooking. Get the recipe >

We’re through the moon over baker and writer Ellen Grey’s no-mixer, no-rolling pin pumpkin pie recipe. Get the recipe >

Dark chocolate and a splash of bourbon add body and kick to the pecans in this excellent Thanksgiving pie recipe from James Beard Award-winning chef and cookbook author Kelly Fields. Get the recipe >

This fast, easy-to-make pie recipe comes to us from the beloved Ships Diner in Los Angeles that closed in 1995. The whipped cream filling doesn't require any cooking—no custard here—while sliced banana and toasted almond add texture and flavor.Get the recipe >

Crunchy cracked caramel balances a smooth butterscotch custard filling in this simple, satisfying tart. Get the recipe >

Brooklyn-based pastry chef Ayako Kurokawa collects leftover dough from the butter crust of this creamy lemon custard pastry to make decorative cookies to adorn the outside. Get the recipe >

The gooey filling in this delicately spiced tart is held together by a rye flour crust that gets its richness and depth from bittersweet chocolate. Get the recipe >

Every part of the orange is used in this subtly sweet tart, including the zest, juice, and flesh. If temple oranges are not available, thin-skinned navel oranges or tangerines make excellent substitutions.Get the recipe >

Maple syrup is folded into the filling of this elevated take on classic pumpkin pie. For the best texture, wait to brûlée the surface until just before serving. Get the recipe >

Love pecan pie? Then you’ll love this one. Earthy walnuts replace the more typical pecans in this variation; browning the butter ahead of time accentuates the flavor of the nuts, while a final flourish of sour cream offsets the sweetness of the rich filling. Get the recipe >

The silky, chestnut-like base of this autumnal pie is made from sweetened navy bean purée spiced with nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon.Get the recipe >

Cincinnati Enquirer Food and Dining Writer Keith Pandolfi's mom, would occasionally surprise him with this creamy chocolate icebox pie when he came home from school, then watch as he devoured a quarter of it while watching M*A*S*H reruns. Get the recipe >

A cloud of meringue is piled sky-high over lemon-curd filling in this recipe inspired by a diner classic served at the Modern Snack Bar in Aquebogue, New York.Get the recipe >

This cream-topped pie is filled with a thick coconut milk custard that perfectly complements the zip of fresh lime juice and grated zest. Get the recipe >

Adapted from a recipe from Brooklyn, New York's Four & Twenty Blackbirds, this deep-dish pie is packed with apples and a thick salted caramel sauce. Choose both sweet and tart apples to balance the caramel's richness. Get the recipe >

Whipped egg whites aerate the tart cranberry custard in this bright and fluffy pie. Get the recipe >