31 Thanksgiving Pies Worth a Second Slice at Breakfast

Classic pumpkin, bourbon-caramel apple, cranberry meringue, pecan cream, and more reasons to save room for dessert.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarcoSome people will happily eat a slice of cheesecake after Thanksgiving dinner. We respect that. But this list of Thanksgiving pie recipes is for those of us who already have our forks poised over the pie table, whipped cream at the ready.You’ll find the classics: silky pumpkin pie, gooey pecan pie, and apple pie with a double crust and another with cinnamon crumble. Then things get interesting: cranberry meringue with lime-sharpened curd, butterscotch custard with a blanket of toasted marshmallow, a pecan cream pie that doesn’t know when to stop layering. We’ve also got chilled chocolate pies, citrusy custards, and more than a few excellent candidates for breakfast the next morning.Need more inspiration? Browse our favorite pie recipes or the rest of our Thanksgiving desserts. For help with the pastry, check out our guide to making better pie or the best store-bought pie crusts.Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth PakradooniBA’s Best Pumpkin PieSilky pumpkin custard, a buttery, flaky crust, and just the right amount of warming spice. Maple syrup and vanilla bring extra depth to this Thanksgiving classic, which has converted more than a few pumpkin pie skeptics.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović, Props provided by East Fork including the East Fork Spun Iron Pie Dish.Bourbon Caramel Apple PieA beautiful lattice crust is just the introduction. Beneath it, Honeycrisp apples meet smoky burnt-sugar caramel and a generous pour of bourbon. Give this pie plenty of time to cool before slicing.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie FosnochtBA’s Best Pecan Pie“This old Gramma has been baking pies for MANY years and this is by far the best pecan pie recipe I have ever used,” wrote one of our readers. Gramma from Chattanooga, Tennessee, we salute you.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović, Props provided by East Fork including East Fork Spun Iron Pie Dish.Cranberry Meringue PieThat crimson cranberry-lime curd is as tart and punchy as it looks; a billowing meringue cap supplies the sweetness. Start the day before serving so the filling has ample time to set.Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole HerriotBA’s Best Apple PieClaire Saffitz’s deep-dish apple pie builds flavor with reduced cider, vanilla, and cardamom. Sweet-tart Pink Ladies are our first choice for the filling, but plenty of other excellent baking apples work.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Linden ElstranPecan Cream PieIf pecan pie and cream pie had a very ambitious child, this would be it. A nut-packed base, brown sugar custard, tangy whipped cream, and candied pecans make each slice a four-layer event.Jesse David GreenToasted Marshmallow Butterscotch PieDetroit’s Sister Pie brings the drama with a flaky crust, dark chocolate ganache, salty-sweet butterscotch custard, and a homemade marshmallow topping toasted to golden peaks. It’s a project, but what a payoff.Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew AichelePear Pie With Lattice CrustThis classic Gourmet dessert makes a compelling case for ousting apples at Thanksgiving (jk, obviously you have to make both). Firm-ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears, a little nutmeg, and a flaky lattice crust are all it takes.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Paola AndreaSweet Potato Pie With Marshmallow WhipFresh ginger and a trio of warming spices bring depth to the sweet potato custard. The coup de grâce: a cloud of marshmallow-spiked whipped cream that gives sweet potato casserole some dessert-table competition.Photo by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen KaminskiLemon Meringue PieThe lemon filling means business—it gets the zest of four whole lemons. A towering crown of toasted meringue brings the drama, but you can break up the work over a few days.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin WaynePumpkin Chiffon PieAll the cozy spice of pumpkin pie, with a cloudlike filling and a crisp Biscoff cookie crust. No baking required, but build in plenty of chilling time to achieve that dreamy texture.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer RichardsCinnamon Apple Crumb PieFor anyone who prefers streusel to a pastry lattice, this is your pie. A thick layer of cinnamon-spiced apples settles beneath a buttery crumb topping. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is highly encouraged.Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop styling By Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Mieko TakahashiLemon Buttermilk PieAlison Roman’s Southern-style custard pie brings lemon zest, tangy buttermilk, and optional saffron to a tender, flaky crust. The saffron adds a delicate floral note and gives the filling its golden glow.Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin WayneUbe Pie With Marshmallow WhipInspired by the author’s Filipino family holiday traditions, this striking purple pie uses jarred ube halaya and coconut milk for a silky filling. A pearly marshmallow whip makes it look positively regal.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Maya RossiChocolate Peanut Butter PieThink giant peanut butter cup + graham cracker crust. A fudgy chocolate layer sits beneath airy peanut butter mousse. This isn’t the time for drippy natural peanut butter; the conventional creamy stuff gives the filling its velvety texture.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović, Props provided by East Fork including East Fork Ceramic Pie Plate.Salted Coffee Custard PieLike your best cappuccino, but in pie form. Espresso and cold-brew concentrate infuse the cool, silky custard; a buttery oatmeal cookie crust adds crunch, and mascarpone keeps the whipped cream standing tall.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Alexandra MassillonMississippi Mud PieCoffee ice cream, bourbon fudge, toasted pecans, and an Oreo crust make a gloriously rich frozen pie. Assemble it up to four days ahead and save that precious oven space for Thanksgiving dinner.Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Tiffany SchleighGluten-Free Maple Pumpkin PieMaple syrup sweetens the warmly spiced pumpkin custard, while a toasty oat-flour crust makes this Gourmet adaptation a welcome gluten-free alternative. Use certified gluten-free oat flour and a labeled gluten-free flour blend.Photograph by Guang XuChocolate Pecan PieThis pecan pie’s dating app profile would read: “Gooey brown sugar filling, bittersweet chocolate throughout, cocoa crust, fluffy chocolate cream on top.” Are we swiping right? Obviously.Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling By Mieko TakahashiKey Lime PieA tart, silky filling and billows of whipped cream make this pie a welcome break from all the brown sugar and spice. An egg yolk in the graham cracker crust helps it hold together for clean slices.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko TakahashiShoofly PieThis Pennsylvania Dutch specialty is all about molasses: dark, sticky, and delicious beneath a crumbly topping that bakes into a striking marbled surface. A spoonful of whipped cream makes a fine companion.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth PakradooniSimply Brilliant Banoffee PieWhat makes this British classic so brilliant? Instead of canned dulce de leche, we make a deep, chewy caramel sauce and add a layer of salted nuts. Bananas and whipped cream take it home.Photograph by Rana Duzyol, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling by Marina BevilacquaCinnamon Crunch Crinkle PieInspired by Greek bougatsa, this skillet-baked pie uses rumpled sheets of phyllo instead of traditional pastry. Don’t sweat the tears and folds; they’re what give the cinnamon-scented custard pie its dramatic, shatteringly crisp top.Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin WayneChocolate PieThis old-school chocolate cream pie gets its deep flavor from bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate. A crisp cookie crust and generous swoop of whipped cream complete the diner-dessert fantasy.Laura MurrayBA’s Best Coconut Cream PieThink of this pie as a Samoa cookie gone grand: a coconut-graham crust, chewy caramel, silky coconut custard, and toasted flakes on top. Coconut lovers, this is your moment.Photo by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen KaminskiBanana Cream PieA salty-sweet peanut-and-graham-cracker crust, banana-packed custard, and a mountain of whipped cream. The peanut topping makes this especially good for anyone who believes banana pudding could use a little crunch.Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen KaminskiPecan-Rye Pumpkin PieImagine pumpkin pie with pecan pie’s best feature: that crunchy, candied nut topping. Now spike the custard with rye whiskey and deepen the crust’s flavor with rye flour. The best of both worlds, indeed.Photograph by Rana Duzyol, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling by Marina BevilacquaTriple Citrus Creamsicle PieLemon, lime, and orange join forces in a creamy, tangy no-bake pie with a Biscoff cookie crust. It’s the refreshing little palate reset your Thanksgiving dessert table might need.Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Stevie StewartKentucky Bourbon PieThis Southern specialty folds chocolate chips, bourbon, and your choice of pecans or walnuts into a gooey brown sugar filling. A generous pinch of salt keeps all that sweetness in check.Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Samantha Seneviratne, Rebecca BartosheskyMincemeat PieBefore you ask: Yes, it’s dessert. No, there’s no chopped meat in this version. Instead, you get a glorious jumble of dried fruits, apples, warm spices, and rum tucked beneath a golden lattice crust. Prepare the filling at least 24 hours before assembly, or freeze it up to three months ahead.Gentl & HyersSour Cherry PieCherries at Thanksgiving? Absolutely, when you’re using frozen fruit. Almond flour makes the pastry especially tender, while lime zest brightens the tart cherry filling. A classic double-crust pie worth saving a slice of for breakfast.Joe joined the Bon Appétit team in 2022 after climbing the editorial ranks for a few years at Condé Nast’s other food publication, Epicurious. As the senior SEO editor, he works to make sure Google loves all of BA’s cooking stories just as much as you do. Look for his ... Read More