Thanksgiving Cookies: 12 Easy Fall Treats for Anyone Too Tired to Bake Another Pie

Thanksgiving cookies are the easy answer for anyone who loves the holiday but dreads baking three pies the night before. They bake in minutes, keep for days in a tin, and travel to Grandma’s house without a single broken or soggy crust. Searches for them have climbed every week since mid-October, so you are clearly not the only one thinking this way. Below you will find cookies that taste like pecan pie and apple pie, soft pumpkin cookies, chewy molasses cookies, chai spice rounds, and cute iced turkeys the kids can decorate at the table. Every one of these Thanksgiving cookies comes with a simple recipe. Pick two or three, bake them on the weekend, and your dessert table is done before the turkey even thaws..

Thanksgiving Cookies: The Fall Cookie Platter

A big platter of Thanksgiving cookies says welcome before anyone sits down. Mix shapes and colors: frosted pumpkin rounds, pecan thumbprints, maple leaf cut-outs and a few turkeys for the kids. According to Google Trends, searches for Thanksgiving cookies jumped from almost nothing in early October to a steady climb by late October. Start with the soft pumpkin cookie with cream cheese frosting, the one most guests reach for first. It is cakey, lightly spiced and ready in under 30 minutes..

You will need: 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Frosting: 4 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, a pinch of cinnamon.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350 F. Beat butter and brown sugar, then beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda, spice and salt. Drop rounded tablespoons onto lined sheets and bake 11 to 13 minutes. Cool completely. Beat the frosting ingredients until fluffy and swirl a spoonful on each cookie. Keep frosted cookies in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Pecan Pie Cookies (Thanksgiving Cookies With a Gooey Center)

If pecan pie is the dessert your family fights over, these Thanksgiving cookies give everyone their own little pie. A buttery shortbread cup holds a spoonful of brown sugar pecan filling that bakes up glossy and gooey, just like the real thing. Here is a tip from people who make them every year: chill the dough balls for 20 minutes before pressing the thumbprint. The edges stay neat and the filling never runs over.

You will need: Dough: 1 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Filling: 1/3 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons maple or corn syrup, 1 egg white, 3/4 cup chopped pecans, pecan halves for the tops.

How to make it: Beat butter and sugar, add yolk and vanilla, then flour and salt. Roll into 1 inch balls, chill 20 minutes, and press a deep thumbprint in each. Stir the filling together and spoon a little into each cookie. Top with a pecan half and bake at 350 F for 14 to 16 minutes until the filling bubbles. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes so the centers set.

Glazed Pumpkin Cookies That Taste Like Pumpkin Bread

These soft pumpkin cookies taste like a slice of pumpkin bread you can hold in one hand. The drizzle of simple vanilla glaze on top sets firm, so you can stack them in a tin without a mess. Make the cookies a day early, glaze them the morning you leave, and they look bakery fresh. Quick question for you: do you like your pumpkin cookies soft and cakey, or thin and chewy? Tell us in the comments.

You will need: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350 F. Cream butter and sugar, then mix in pumpkin and egg. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Drop tablespoon mounds onto lined sheets and bake 12 to 14 minutes. Let them cool on a rack. Whisk the glaze until smooth and drizzle it over the cookies with a spoon. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes before stacking.

Apple Pie Cookies With Little Lattice Tops

Apple pie cookies are the cutest thing on the dessert table and much easier than a full pie. Store-bought pie crust works perfectly here, so this is a fun one to make with older kids. Cut circles, add a spoonful of cinnamon apples, and weave a tiny lattice on top. Dice the apples very small. Big chunks push the top layer off in the oven, while small bits cook soft in the same 18 minutes the crust needs.

You will need: 2 rolled pie crusts, 2 apples peeled and finely diced, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, coarse sugar.

How to make it: Toss the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and flour. Cut 3 inch circles from one crust and place them on a lined sheet. Spoon a little filling into the center of each. Cut thin strips from the second crust and weave a small lattice over each cookie, pressing the edges. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake at 375 F for 16 to 18 minutes until golden.

Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Cookies

Cranberry sauce is on every Thanksgiving table, so why not put those flavors in a cookie? Tart dried cranberries, sweet white chocolate and a little orange zest make these cookies taste bright next to all the heavy pies. They are also the best travelers on this list. The dough freezes beautifully, so roll a batch into balls now and bake them the morning of the holiday. Fresh warm cookies with zero stress.

You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, zest of 1 orange, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup white chocolate chips.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350 F. Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and orange zest. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt, then fold in cranberries and white chocolate. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls onto lined sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers still look soft. Cool 5 minutes on the pan.

Iced Turkey Sugar Cookies for the Kids’ Table

Every Thanksgiving needs a job for the kids, and decorating turkey cookies keeps little hands busy while the grown-ups cook. Bake plain round sugar cookies ahead, then set out small bowls of brown, orange, yellow and red icing. Kids pipe the feathers and add candy eyes. They will not be perfect, and that is the best part. Which job did you get as a kid on Thanksgiving? A) setting the table, B) peeling potatoes, C) staying out of the way.

You will need: Cookies: 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Icing: 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, food coloring, candy eyes.

How to make it: Beat butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla, then mix in the dry ingredients. Roll 1/4 inch thick, cut circles and bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely. Mix the icing until thick but pipeable, split into bowls and tint each color. Pipe a brown body in the middle and colored feathers around the top. Add candy eyes and a tiny orange beak, then let them dry 2 hours.

Thanksgiving Cookies Grandma Kept in the Crock: Chewy Molasses

Old-fashioned molasses cookies were in grandma’s cookie crock long before pumpkin spice was a thing. They are chewy in the middle, a little crisp on the edge, and warm with ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Roll the dough balls in sugar before baking for that sparkly crinkly top. If you want even more ideas for the dessert table, our list of Thanksgiving desserts that are not pie has 20 more crowd favorites. These Thanksgiving cookies stay soft for a week in a tin.

You will need: 3/4 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, extra sugar for rolling.

How to make it: Beat butter and brown sugar, then add egg and molasses. Mix in flour, soda, spices and salt. Chill the dough 30 minutes. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll each in sugar. Bake at 350 F for 9 to 11 minutes, pulling them out while the centers still look a little soft. They firm up as they cool and stay chewy.

Sweet Potato Pie Cookies

Sweet potato pie is a must at many Southern Thanksgiving tables, and this cookie packs the same warm flavor into a soft, golden bite. Mashed sweet potato keeps the cookies tender for days, and a handful of chopped pecans adds crunch. Here is a smart shortcut: bake one extra sweet potato with your holiday sides, scoop out a cup, and you have enough for a full batch. Nothing goes to waste.

You will need: 1/2 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350 F. Beat butter and brown sugar, then mix in sweet potato, egg and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in pecans. Drop rounded tablespoons onto lined sheets and bake 12 to 14 minutes until the tops look set and lightly golden. Cool on a rack. A dusting of powdered sugar makes them look extra pretty.

Thick Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin and chocolate is the combination kids and grown-ups agree on, which makes these the first Thanksgiving cookies to vanish from the plate. The trick to a thick, chewy pumpkin cookie is blotting the puree with a paper towel first. Pumpkin holds a lot of water, and removing some of it keeps the cookies from turning cakey and flat. Be honest: do chocolate chips belong anywhere near a Thanksgiving dessert? Yes or no?

You will need: 1 cup pumpkin puree blotted, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup chocolate chips.

How to make it: Spread the pumpkin on paper towels and press to remove extra water. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar, then add pumpkin, yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda, spice and salt, then the chocolate chips. Chill the dough 30 minutes. Scoop large balls and bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes. Press a few extra chips on top while they are warm.

Chai Spice Cookies for Coffee After Dinner

After the big meal, most people want something small with their coffee, not another heavy slice of pie. Chai spice cookies are the Thanksgiving cookies made for that moment. Cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and a little black pepper give them a cozy, grown-up flavor. Mix your own chai spice blend once and keep the jar for the entire holiday season. A star anise on the plate makes them look like they came from a fancy bakery.

You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Chai spice: 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

How to make it: Mix the chai spices in a small jar. Beat butter and brown sugar, then add egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda, salt and 1 tablespoon of the chai blend. Roll into balls, flatten slightly and bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes. While still warm, toss them in a mix of sugar and a little more chai spice. Store in a tin for up to a week.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not everyone wants pumpkin in everything, and that is fine. These brown sugar oatmeal Thanksgiving cookies are the cozy classic for the relative who just wants a plain good cookie. A spoonful of maple syrup in the dough gives them a gentle fall flavor without changing what people love. Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats, for the chewiest bite. Pack a few in a jar with a ribbon and they make a sweet hostess gift.

You will need: 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups old-fashioned oats, 1 cup chocolate chips.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350 F. Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix in flour, soda, cinnamon and salt, then stir in oats and chocolate chips. Scoop 2 tablespoon mounds onto lined sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Thanksgiving Cookies

Brown butter turns a simple chocolate chip cookie into something that tastes like toffee, and it makes the kitchen smell like fall. Melt the butter until it turns golden and smells nutty, then let it cool before mixing. These Thanksgiving cookies look lovely on a plate with persimmons or small apples for a simple centerpiece. So which cookie will you bake first this year? A) pecan pie, B) pumpkin, C) turkey cookies with the kids?

You will need: 1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups chopped dark chocolate, flaky salt for the tops.

How to make it: Melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat, swirling until it foams and turns golden brown. Pour into a bowl and cool 15 minutes. Whisk in both sugars, then eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda and salt, then the chocolate. Chill 1 hour. Scoop and bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky salt while warm.