Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Thanksgiving 32 Mini Thanksgiving Desserts for Cute Individual Servings Whip up one of these tiny desserts to make a big impression. By Betty Gold, Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Grace Elkus, Grace Elkus Grace Elkus is a food writer and editor with over a decade of experience in culinary media. Highlights: * Associate food editor at Real Simple, where she developed recipes, wrote food stories, and assisted with styling * Deputy food director at Kitchn, where she and her team were responsible for 100 recipes a month * Currently the content lead for JOKR Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Sue Hughes Sue Hughes An award-winning author, magazine columnist, and accomplished aviation technical writer, Sue Hughes now lends her editing expertise to Real Simple. She also draws on her homesteading lifestyle in rural Oklahoma to contribute to articles on gardening, food, cleaning, and health. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 17, 2024 Close Photo: Jennifer Causey The little things in life mean the most, and these tiny treats prove it. We love these mini dessert recipes for Thanksgiving because they're portioned into single-serve treats. What's more, most are make-ahead and stored in the refrigerator, so you can give more attention to the main course and your guests on Turkey Day. Many recipes in this mini-dessert collection—from cheesecakes and mini-pies to fudge balls and brownie bites—travel well for guests bringing dessert to their holiday meal. But don't limit these delicious ideas to Thanksgiving. You can enjoy these sweet treats any time of year! 01 of 32 Pumpkin Cream Puffs Max Kelly If a pumpkin turned into a cloud, it would taste like one of these little numbers. Each delightful puff consists of a classic choux (pronounced "shoe") pastry filled with sweet, dreamy, pumpkin pastry cream. Make the filling ahead to avoid a last-minute Thanksgiving frenzy. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 32 Mini Pumpkin Pies With Speculoos Crust and Whipped Cream Jennifer Causey These custardy, ginger-scented pies have a spiced cookie crust that will have guests reaching for seconds. If you can't find speculoos cookies for the crust (we bought ours at Trader Joe's), gingersnaps work just as well. Paper liners in your muffin tin make clean-up a breeze, which is always welcome, but more so on Thanksgiving. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 32 Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes Victor Protasio Don’t be fooled by how cute these mini chocolate olive oil cakes are: They're easy to make and vegan, too. Brewed Earl Grey tea whisked into the batter brings floral, aromatic, and citrusy notes, and good-quality olive oil offers moisture and richness. Top these cakes with a simple silky chocolate glaze and a light shower of candied orange peel. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 32 Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls Caitlin Bensel Chocolate fudge balls covered in chopped pecans are a delicious, easy, no-bake treat. After the fudgy mixture cools, enlist the kids to help with rolling. Make these well ahead of the busy holiday and store them in the fridge for up to a month. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 32 Mini S'mores Cookie Cups Grace Elkus The recipe for this diminutive dessert turns a sweet summer staple into a holiday hero. It uses a mini-muffin pan to form graham cracker cookie dough, half a marshmallow, and a Hershey's Kiss into an adorable single-bite treat. GET THE RECIPEGET THE RECIPE 06 of 32 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Scones Victor Protasio The popular combo of white chocolate and macadamia nuts strikes in this recipe for the iconic British quickbread. These flaky bite-sized scones are packed with white chocolate chips and chopped macadamias, then topped with a buttery caramel glaze, more chopped nuts, and flakey salt. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 32 Dark Chocolate Coconut Tartlets Jennifer Causey Peanut butter cups meet coconut macaroons in this little nest-like presentation. A toasted shredded coconut crust holds a filling of nut butter (your choice) and chocolate topped with flakey salt. What's best is these not-too-sweet, gluten-free tartlets are actually healthy-ish. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 32 Dark Chocolate Truffles Samantha Seneviratne These homemade dark chocolate truffles look and sound impressive but are deceptively easy to make. Once you conquer the basic recipe, branch out and try its six creative variations, or come up with some of your own. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 32 Cardamom Bun Cookies Caitlin Bensel Each of these pinwheel bites looks like a cinnamon roll but carries the warm spiced flavor of a cardamom bun. Not a fan? Experiment with other festive fall flavors by swapping the cardamom with pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or classic cinnamon. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 32 Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting John Kernick Simple, classic, and universally loved, these cupcakes are just the mini dessert to cap off a feast. This recipe starts with a boxed yellow cake mix, so it doesn't add much to your culinary workload. Make these in a mini muffin pan to accommodate guests who have room for only one bite of dessert. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 32 Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Jennifer Causey Store-bought puff pastry—a busy baker's best friend—plays a prominent role in these too-easy-to-be-true treats. Just unfold the pastry sheets, brush with egg, spread on a cinnamon-pecan-sugar mixture, then roll, slice, and bake. Once cooled, you have two dozen flaky, buttery sugar cookies that you'll have to hide until dessert. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 32 Cinnamon-Spiced Apple Cider Donuts Grace Elkus Donuts for breakfast are a treat, but donuts for dessert are extra special. Easier to make than you think, these come out of the fryer light and airy. For mini-treats, make a holes-only batch using an upside-down shot glass as a donut-hole cutter. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 32 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Greg DuPree A generous slice of cheesecake may be just too much of a good thing on Thanksgiving, and that's where these little bites come in. Spread a speculoos cookie crust onto a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, swirl the pumpkin and cheesecake fillings on top, and bake. Once cooled on the counter and then set in the fridge, cut into bite-sized squares so everyone can savor just a taste. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 32 Malted Chocolate Brownies Victor Protasio Easy and universally loved, brownies are a crowd-pleaser under any circumstance. This recipe adds malted milk powder to the batter and then mixes in crushed malted milk balls to give this familiar treat an unexpected twist. Cut these into extra-small squares for a one-bite Thanksgiving showstopper. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 32 Chocolate Espresso Truffles Hector Sanchez Whoever thinks these delectable morsels are not addictive is just not paying attention. They're comprised of instant espresso powder, two types of chocolate, cocoa powder, and an optional splash of coffee liqueur for a sophisticated, not-too-sweet bite. Allow at least 4 hours for the chocolatey mixture to cool before forming into balls. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 32 Apple Rugelach Victor Protasio Get a jump on Thanksgiving dessert by making these light-and-airy apple pastries two days ahead. Start by making a crescent roll-style dough, spread with an apple butter mixture, and then roll and bake. Leftovers are great for breakfast! GET THE RECIPE 17 of 32 Potato Chip Crispy Treats Antonis Achilleos Allow guests to indulge their inner child with this twist on crispy treats. In addition to rice cereal and marshmallows, the recipe calls on crushed potato chips, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate chips for this gooey confection. The result is a salty-sweet bite guests of all ages will go for. GET THE RECIPE 18 of 32 Pumpkin Caramel Pie Bars With Toasted Coconut Brie Passano This recipe is so much easier than a classic pumpkin pie, it's almost cheating. It also has what pumpkin pie doesn't have: a homemade caramel sauce in the filling, a toasted coconut topping, and individual portions that are just the right size for Thanksgiving. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 32 Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices Caitlin Bensel Decadent and fancy-looking: Isn't that what Thanksgiving dinner is all about? These bites certainly qualify, despite being surprisingly easy to make. To offer guests this homemade candy bar experience, we recommend cutting them into bite-sized servings instead of slices. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 32 Lemon Pistachio Bars Antonis Achilleos Need a gluten-free finale for your Thanksgiving production? Try these bright, beguiling bars with a pistachio crust and lemony-custard filling. Allow 4 hours to cool at room temp and set in the fridge, then serve with a sprinkle of nuts and lemon zest. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 32 Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Brownies Alison Miksch When brownies and cheesecake clash, you can count on doubling down on decadence. Add a cookies-and-cream filling and you're tripling down, if that's even a thing. To prevent buttons from busting, serve in bite-sized portions. GET THE RECIPE 22 of 32 Carrot Cake Cupcakes With Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez These carroty cakes are pretty standard, but an extra ingredient in the icing qualifies these as Thanksgiving-worthy. An influx of browned butter makes an ordinary cream cheese frosting extraordinarily rich and intense. Pour these into a mini-muffin pan to turn them into one-bite wonders. GET THE RECIPE 23 of 32 Coconut Macaroons José Picayo Looking for something easy to make, quick to bake, and a delight to bite? Try these chewy flour-free cookies that are perfect for topping off a Thanksgiving meal. Make them up to five days ahead for a trouble-free holiday mini-dessert. GET THE RECIPE 24 of 32 Holiday Brigadeiros These chocolatey make-ahead morsels are a celebration for your taste buds. This recipe for brigadeiros—the national truffle of Brazil—requires just sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and salt. For toppings, the sky's the limit—edible glitter, sprinkles, or shredded coconut—but for Thanksgiving, we suggest finely crushed nuts like pistachios, pecans, or walnuts. GET THE RECIPE 25 of 32 Chocolate Bark With Dried Fruit and Spices Josh Wand This rich, no-bake confection is studded with dried fruit: namely apricots and figs. A punch of cinnamon and cayenne gives a Mexican-chocolate twist to each sweet-and-spicy bite. GET THE RECIPE 26 of 32 Chickpea "Cookie Dough" Bites Victor Protasio This recipe transforms chickpeas into what tastes like oatmeal-raisin cookie dough. Besides tasting great, they're a whole-grain, no-bake, protein-packed, fiber-rich, gluten-free dessert that's a no-brainer for a guilt-inducing Thanksgiving menu. For a more seasonal bent, switch out raisins for dried cranberries. GET THE RECIPE 27 of 32 Pecan Logs David Prince These make-ahead sugar cookie treats are embarrassingly easy to make. Roll a basic sugar cookie dough (homemade or store-bought) into logs, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and crushed pecans, and bake. The result is four dozen delightful little bites that are just right for Thanksgiving guests. GET THE RECIPE 28 of 32 Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies Antonis Achilleos This healthier take on a classic carrot cake turns the dessert inside-out and into finger food. The sandwich cookies are loaded with hearty rolled oats, but the filling is that oh-so-familiar cream cheese frosting we can't imagine eating carrot cake without. GET THE RECIPE 29 of 32 Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls Betty Gold Is anyone interested in making cinnamon buns without the rising, proofing, and kneading? This dessert recipe uses store-bought puff pastry sheets to bypass all that yet retain their comforting, cinnamony goodness. Make a double batch of these little gems: one for dessert and one for breakfast the next day. GET THE RECIPE 30 of 32 Golden Grahams Peanut Butter Truffles Grace Elkus This recipe elevates a humble breakfast cereal to holiday heights. It turns Golden Grahams, chocolate (white, dark, or both), and peanut butter into sweet morsels worthy of a confectioner's display case. Hold on to the recipe after Thanksgiving because a bag of these makes a wonderful edible holiday gift. GET THE RECIPE 31 of 32 Brown Butter Jam Tarts Fred Hardy You'll need to get out your trusty muffin pan for these tasty individually-portioned tarts. Toasty brown butter, fruity and smooth jam, crunchy almonds, and a crumby cookie shell come together in this take-home friendly dessert recipe. You'll have them prepped in less than an hour, and you can make them up to three days in advance (read: a dessert perfect for busy Thanksgiving.) GET THE RECIPE 32 of 32 Macaroon Thumbprints With a Surprise Nutella Center Fred Hardy If you're looking for a simple and sweet treat to serve this Thanksgiving, try these hazelnut macaroon thumbprints. Crunchy and nutty with a delicious dollop of Nutella in the middle, these cookies are bite-sized and irresistible. Plus, the recipe makes over two dozen of them so you don't have to feel bad when grabbing two (or more). 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