Thanksgiving what can i make ahead of time

Vegetarian Mushroom Gravy. Pecan Pie. Pecan Pie is best after it's had a chance to cool. Nothing wrong with letting it cool overnight! Apple Pie. Apple pie is an American classic that everyone should know how to make. Jonathan Boulton. Crock-Pot Sweet Potato Casserole. Take a break and let your Crock-Pot do some work this Thanksgiving.

The perfect cornbread to add to your Thanksgiving table. Turkey Cake. Make this adorable Turkey Cake in advance and let it greet your guests as they arrive. Chelsea Lupkin. Greek Feta Dip. Greek Feta Dip is easily made the day before, just top with the veggies before serving. Pumpkin Pie Bars. These will keep better than a pie, if you want to start a few days early. Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake. The Thanksgiving dessert of your dreams has arrived. Parmesan Twists. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Rachel Conners. Dark Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie. Slow-Cooker Beer Cheese Dip. Enough said. Judy Kim. Skillet Pumpkin Cornbread. Pumpkin bread goes the savory route. John Komar. Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes. Because the struggle of making actual pie is real. Pumpkin Dream Bars. If you see other types of citrus at the market, feel free to combine them in this simple five-ingredient cranberry-free relish recipe.

A top coat of melted butter and salt makes this Parker House rolls recipe irresistible. Olive oil and almonds keep this gluten free cake moist. Eggs keep it together. Chocolate and sugar keep it delicious. This laid-back apple galette got a standing ovation during tastings, thanks to its crisp crust and the ideal sweet-salty balance.

With this brussels sprouts recipe, get straight to the good stuff: those sweet, bright green, tender-crisp leaves. Any combination of nuts and seeds will be fine, so feel free to finish up any odds and ends you have around. This twice-roasted method allows for the sweet potatoes to get super-creamy on the inside while their skins get a little crispy. The mix of lettuces and crisp vegetables is up to you and we recommend a mandoline for slicing.

This cornbread recipe gets everything you want out of the simple sidekick: It's easy to cut, not too sweet, and holds together. A little cider vinegar in the filling keeps this apple pie from being too sweet.

You can also bake this candy bar of a tart in an 8x8" pan, but whatever you do, toast those nuts. This squash-centric salad has an irresistible pecan dressing and hardy radicchio that refuses to wilt.

No more punch bowls, big-batching, or complicated mixology. You've got better things to do, so let your guests serve themselves. Assemble the greens and citrus in advance and dress the day of—unless you want to break down some of those hardy greens.

You do you. This easy stuffing recipe, or dressing if you prefer, will be a staple on your Thanksgiving dinner menu for years to come. The absolute inarguably best way to cook a well-seasoned, juicy turkey is to break it down into parts, dry-brine it, and roast it on a wire rack in a baking sheet. Neither too sour nor too sweet, this classic cranberry-orange sauce benefits from a winning combo of bright citrus and warming cinnamon.

No booze, no chocolate, no hard-to-find ingredients in this rendition of the classic Thanksgiving pie. Like a greatest hits album, this recipe combines the essential elements and the most successful techniques from all of our most popular stuffing recipes. This puff pastry apple dessert will be your new favorite fruit dessert.

View Recipe. Ridiculously, impossibly creamy mashed potatoes with a patatas bravas-inspired topping. This do-ahead gravy skips the pan drippings.

Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich. Featuring cornmeal AND fresh corn kernels. Your whole kitchen is about to smell like a buttered corn muffin. Don't forget to serve it from a gorgeous gravy boat! Recipe: Herby-Pecan Cornbread Dressing. This earthy version of classic cornbread dressing included toasted pecans for a bit of fall brunch.

You can prepare the cornbread up to three days in advance, and store it, covered at room temperature. Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Straws. It wouldn't be a holiday in the South without a snack bowl full of homemade cheese straws. This old-school recipe can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week before Thanksgiving.

Recipe: Overnight Yeast Rolls. Trust us when we say these rolls are just as easy as buying the frozen ones. With just about 20 minutes of hands-on time and seven ingredients, you should definitely give homemade rolls a shot this Thanksgiving. Prepare the dough a day ahead of Thanksgiving and let it chill overnight.

Recipe: Roasted Herb Turkey and Gravy. Season the turkey and let it chill for up to one day before baking for a classic Thanksgiving feast. For the best gravy, we added onions, carrots, and celery to the roasting pan. Recipe: Mashed Potato Casserole. If your family has a debate each Thanksgiving about whether buttery crackers or fried onions are the best casserole topper , leave them all speechless with this creamy potato casserole that's topped with both.

The potatoes can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, remove the pan from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Prepare the breadcrumb topping, then sprinkle it on top of the casserole and bake it in the oven as directed. Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing. Would you believe this Thanksgiving staple can be made in your slow cooker?

Not only does this recipe leave your more room in the oven for other dishes, but it can also be made as far in advance as you need. Either make it a day ahead and simply reheat it in the slow cooker or make it a few weeks in advance, freeze it, and then reheat it in the slow cooker.

Recipe: Hot Cranberry Bake. These pretty one-bite delights won't spoil anyone's appetite before the big Thanksgiving feast. Not only do they make for presentation that wows, but they are so easy to put together.

You'll be amazed at how much flavor and texture are packed into these little gems! Cook this Thanksgiving mainstay a day or three ahead of time and just warm it up before the meal. Instead of a sticky-sweet marshmallow topping, we made our own creation with brown sugar, butter, spices, and rolled oats for just the right hint of sugar. Recipe: Butterscotch-Spice Trifle. Instead of cutting the homemade spice cake layers into cubes, we left them as they are for a more modern trifle look.

You can assemble the entire trifle up to a day in advance and top with whipped cream and ground cinnamon before you serve it. Recipe: Root Vegetable Gratin. Fall's harvest brings plenty of gorgeous, earthy root vegetables. Since slicing the veggies takes the most time for this recipe, get that done and assemble the casserole the day before Thanksgiving so all you have to do before dinner that day is pop it in the oven.

Recipe: Smoked Turkey Breast. This flavorful turkey recipe requires the turkey to rest in a brine for at least five and up to 12 hours, so you basically have to make it ahead. If you've only depended on your oven when it comes to the Thanksgiving turkey, it's time to turn to the smoker. We put a fall twist on your old-school sausage ball recipe , and you're going to love it.

Chorizo adds a bit of spice, and mashed roasted sweet potato and a touch of cinnamon add just the right about of fall flavor. You can freeze these in advance and bake straight from frozen! If your family is full of pumpkin spice lovers, this layer cake by New Orleans cookbook author and food blogger Joy Wilson is a must-bake.

The spiced cake layers are delicious alone, but when paired with cream cheese frosting that's swirled with ribbons of homemade caramel, this cake becomes something stunning. Make the cake layers up to three days in advance and store them in the refrigerator before decorating. The sweet potato casserole might get all the attention at Thanksgiving, but we're making the case for old-fashioned candied yams. Fresh rosemary and citrus brighten up this dish, which you can assemble up to three days ahead of time.

Recipe: Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy. This one-pot, minute recipe is the absolute easiest way to get a helping of gravy on the table this Thanksgiving. It can be made and chilled up to three days in advance and heated up just before the meal. Travel editor Valerie Luesse's Aunt Grace knew a thing or two about Thanksgiving dressing, as this "silky smooth and ultra-moist" recipe proves. If you want to make it ahead, she has her own method: wo days ahead: Prepare breads and chop veggies.

One day ahead: Mix all ingredients except eggs and refrigerate. Thanksgiving Day: Bring dressing mixture to room temperature, add eggs, and bake. Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole. Every Southerner needs a trusty broccoli cheese casserole in the recipe repertoire.

This rich side dish is a surefire way to get the kids to eat their veggies. Recipe: Cheese Dreams. If their name is any indication, these bites are an absolute delight. Assemble them the day before and refrigerate or freeze them for up to three weeks before Thanksgiving.

Decadent but not too hearty that they'll ruin anyone's appetite before the main event, these are the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer. Recipe: Baked Corn Casserole. Recipe: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake. If you've been asked to bring dessert to Thanksgiving and you're unsure what to make, surprise everyone with this two-in-one recipe where pumpkin pie and cheesecake meet.

Make it the night before, chill in the refrigerator, and top with fresh whipped cream when you're ready to serve. No one will complain to see old-fashioned collard greens among the heavy casserole lineup at Thanksgiving. You can make this classic side dish a week or two ahead of Thanksgiving and freeze in air-tight bags or a day or two in advance and refrigerate in the slow cooker insert if you have room!

Let the insert stand at room temp for 30 minutes, then return to the slow cooker to reheat. A tip from the Test Kitchen: Do not reheat the cold insert straight from the fridge or it will crack. Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole. Instead of serving individual baked potatoes, serve up the same flavor your family loves in portable, big-batch casserole form. Prepare it one day in advance and chill the unbaked dish, covered, in the refrigerator. Let the dish come to room temperature before popping it in the oven.

Recipe: Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls. This recipe appeared on the pages of Southern Living all the way back in November , and 25 years later, it's still good as gold.

Or you can make the rolls, let them cool, and freeze them in Ziploc freezer bags. However they arrive at your table, these tender, buttery rolls will be gone in no time. Recipe: Creamed Greens Casserole. Recipe: Southwestern-Style Spoonbread Dressing. We looked back in the archives to November and found this gem of a casserole. Prepare the recipe according to the directions one day omitting the garnishes , let it cool to room temperature, then store it, covered, in the refrigerator.

Reheat before serving and top with red bell pepper strips and celery leaves. Recipe: Sweet Potato Sheet Cake. There's nothing better than a soft sheet cake when you need to feed dessert to a crowd. With sweet potatoes, pecans, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and even bacon, this one has all the fall flavor you crave in a Thanksgiving dessert. No one will believe a dessert with this much flavor started with a box of cake mix and you don't have to tell them.

Make it the day before and keep it in the fridge till you're ready to serve! Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons. Add something new to your Thanksgiving side dish lineup with this fun way to showcase Brussels sprouts. This dish comes together quickly as it is, but you can make the cornbread a day in advance to make it even faster. You'll want to top every casserole and salad with these savory cornbread croutons.

Your slow cooker can truly do it all, including baking this Thanksgiving casserole for you! You basically dump all the ingredients in and press "start. Recipe: Orange-Buttermilk Trifle. You can make each element of this gorgeous trifle in advance, making it an easy dessert that doesn't look like it was easy to make we don't tell if you don't.

The striking color combination of navel oranges and the bright red blood oranges mimics the fall leaves outside for a centerpiece-worthy dessert. Recipe: Au Gratin Potato Casserole. Put these easy, cheesy potato casserole together the day before and pop it in the oven before your Thanksgiving meal.