Friendsgiving desserts work best when they travel well, can be made ahead, and do not require a pastry performance in someone else’s kitchen. You do not need a full bakery table. One excellent pie and one tray of bars will serve most groups. Point bakers to recipes you already have, especially mini Thanksgiving pies and pecan pie bars, and to the Thanksgiving desserts hub. For the rest of the menu, see Friendsgiving menu ideas.
Pies, bars, and mini pies
Pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies are the expected set, but a Friendsgiving potluck does not need all three. A pumpkin pie plus pecan bars covers two flavors without filling the oven twice on the day of the meal. Mini pies are especially practical in a small apartment because people can take one without a host standing over a cutting board. If a guest is less comfortable baking, a quality store pie is a perfectly honest contribution. Remember that pumpkin pie is a custard pie and must be refrigerated; see how long pumpkin pie lasts.
Make dessert ahead
Ask dessert people to bake the day before whenever they can. Bars and many pies hold overnight, which keeps the Friendsgiving oven free for the main and the sides. A store-bought pie is still a good dessert if that is what makes the day calmer. If someone wants a last-minute option, a no-bake dessert or a simple fruit-and-cookie plate is better than a stressed baker occupying the only oven at 5 p.m. Put dessert on the sign-up so you get one or two sweets, not six.
Serving and leftovers
Clear some dinner plates before dessert comes out, and offer coffee or tea if you have it. Refrigerate leftover pumpkin pie and any other perishable desserts within 2 hours. Extra slices can become the next-day treats in what to do with leftover pumpkin pie. More Friendsgiving planning is in the Friendsgiving guide.
Helpful kitchen tools
- MALACASA 9-Inch Ceramic Pie Pan Set of 2 — A sturdy pie dish is the first dessert tool most Friendsgiving bakers need.
- Pyrex Deep 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Dish with Lid — A 9×13 is ideal for pecan bars or another tray dessert that travels.
- OXO Good Grips Bent Icing Spatula — Useful for serving bars cleanly.
- Everyday White 16-Inch Porcelain Turkey Platter — A platter of mini pies is easier to pass than a single large pie in a crowded room.
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Frequently asked questions
How many desserts should I plan for Friendsgiving?
One or two is enough for most groups. Assign dessert on the sign-up so the table does not fill with only sweets.
What dessert travels best?
Bars, bundt cakes, and mini pies travel more calmly than a very tall cream pie. Pumpkin pie can travel if it is kept cold.
Does pumpkin pie need to be refrigerated at Friendsgiving?
Yes. It is an egg-custard pie. Do not leave it out on the dessert table for hours.