23 Thanksgiving Bread Recipes: Rolls, Biscuits, and More

23 Thanksgiving Breads, Rolls, Biscuits, and Breakfast BunsSquishy rolls for mopping up gravy, flaky biscuits for piling on leftover turkey, and a seedy pumpkin loaf to start the day.Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie StrangioPies get most of the Thanksgiving baking glory. But these Thanksgiving bread recipes make a strong case for saving some oven space for buttery dinner rolls, flaky biscuits, and midnight-sandwich-ready loaves. Think golden sweet potato buns soft enough to nap on, buttermilk cornbread to eat with butter or bake into dressing, and tender sweet loaves to nibble on Thanksgiving morning. Several recipes have make-ahead options, too.Um. Could you pass the butter.Dinner rollsBiscuitsCornbreadSavory loaves and flatbreadsSweet breads for breakfast and dessertPhoto by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart, Prop Styling by Gerri WilliamsParker House RollsThere’s no need to overhaul a classic. Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, these Parker House rolls have buttery folds, golden tops, and a finish of flaky salt. Bake enough for seconds.Photograph by Lucia Bell-Epstein, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, and Prop Styling by Erica LutzSweet Potato RollsThese pillowy rolls get their warm color and gentle sweetness from mashed sweet potato. Bake and freeze them up to a month ahead, then reheat and brush with melted butter before serving.Photograph by Isa Zapata,Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero,Prop Styling by Christine KeelySalt BreadButter tucked inside each roll melts as it bakes, crisping the bottom. “If you can imagine a warm dinner roll meeting a flaky croissant, you’re getting closer,” says Hana Asbrink.Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige HicksPork Floss and Seaweed Pull-Apart RollsPillowy rolls swirled with sweet-salty pork floss, mayo, scallions, and furikake. Bake and freeze them up to three months ahead, then warm them through while everyone finds a seat.Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Claire SaffitzBA’s Best Buttermilk BiscuitsSo many layers, you’ll feel like a geologist unearthing them. Claire Saffitz’s biscuits get their height from a cut-and-stack technique. Another reason to love them: You can freeze the unbaked biscuits up to a month ahead.Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie LengStuffing BiscuitsAll the herby goodness of Thanksgiving stuffing, packed into a biscuit: sage, rosemary, fennel seed, and scallions. Save a few for breakfast the next morning, preferably under a generous ladle of leftover gravy.Photo by Emily HawkesCreamed Corn Drop BiscuitsNo rolling pin, no biscuit cutter, no problem. Canned creamed corn keeps these drop biscuits tender, while Calabrian chile honey butter brings a little heat.Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarcoGarlic Bread BiscuitsFor the guest who always takes the biggest piece of garlic bread: flaky buttermilk biscuits loaded with Parmesan and parsley. Freeze them unbaked, then bake straight from frozen when the oven frees up.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Ines AnguianoCornbread Cheddar BiscuitsBiscuits or cornbread? This cheesy mash-up means you don’t have to choose. Sharp cheddar and fresh sage work their way into flaky, buttery layers that feel right at home on the Thanksgiving table.Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen KaminskiButtermilk CornbreadLooking to start a fight? Declare a cornbread recipe “best.” This version strikes a balance: a tender crumb, buttermilk tang, and a touch of sweetness. Eat it with butter—or turn it into cornbread dressing.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Thu BuserUpside-Down CornbreadCheddar, caramelized corn, and hot honey butter take this cornbread well beyond the usual. Nervous about the flip? “Don’t be afraid of flipping the bread—I promise you can do it,” says former BA food editor Rachel Gurjar.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean DooleyNo-Knead Pumpkin FocacciaPumpkin purée gives this fall-ish rendition of our no-knead focaccia recipe its golden color and gentle sweetness. Finish with rosemary and flaky salt, then tear off a piece for dipping in olive oil. You can bake it a day ahead.Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie StrangioBrown Butter and Sage ParathasLeave the oven to the turkey. These flaky, skillet-cooked parathas have brown butter and sage tucked between their layers. Parcook them a day ahead, then fry until golden just before dinner.Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Linden Elstran, Food Styling by Kaitlin WayneGiant Garlic KnotA garlic knot with centerpiece ambitions. This braided loaf wraps buttery dough around garlic, Parmesan, and parsley, then gets another garlicky brush after baking. Start the dough a day ahead.Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susan Spungen Shockingly Easy No-Knead FocacciaLeave the stand mixer where it is. This focaccia asks for a little patience, not much elbow grease, to produce its airy crumb and golden crust. An overnight rise gets you started; garlic butter finishes the job.Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean DooleyNo-Knead FougasseFocaccia’s leaf-shaped French cousin deserves a turn in the Thanksgiving bread basket. Green olives, rosemary, and lemon zest bring plenty of flavor. And yes, the dough comes together in one bowl.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Stephanie De LucaApple Juice BreadIn this crusty yeast bread recipe, apple juice replaces water. The apple flavor is subtle, but the appeal of a warm slice with butter is not.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Sean DooleyGluten-Free No-Knead Oat Chia BreadOats and chia seeds give this gluten-free loaf a dense, chewy crumb. No kneading, shaping, or scoring; just be sure to use the gluten-free oats and oat flour specified in the recipe.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling Alexandra MassillonCaramel Apple Monkey BreadGive Thanksgiving morning the sticky-bun treatment. This pull-apart bread packs tender apples between cinnamon-sugar-coated bites, with tangy cider caramel coating the whole thing. Put on a pot of coffee and let everyone help themselves.Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl JonesBlack-and-White ConchasChocolate or vanilla? Rick Martinez’s conchas give you both, with a two-tone sugar topping over buttery Mexican sweet buns. Another reason to love them: You can bake them up to three days ahead.Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate BuckensPumpkin Bread With Salted Maple ButterStart the holiday with a thick slice of ginger-spiked pumpkin bread and a generous schmear of salted maple butter. You can bake the loaf up to four days ahead, leaving Thanksgiving morning for coffee and slicing—and, uh, all that other prep.More great Thanksgiving recipesDevra Ferst is a freelance food and travel writer based in Brooklyn. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Bon Appetit, NPR, and numerous other publications. You can often find her at the farmers market, snacking on cheese, or planning her next trip. ... Read More