What is the best thanksgiving dessert that will ‘wow’ your guests? This Thanksgiving Cookie Tray filled with an assortment of mini pies, cookies, and chocolate-covered pretzels.
Cookie Trays are such a fun way to get creative in the kitchen without jeopardizing a recipe. While baking is a science, arranging your cookie tray is an art. I generally create two or three assortments prior to being satisfied.
For example, I created this Thanksgiving cookie tray two times before realizing exactly what was missing: mini pies and acorn cake bites. After all, who thinks about Thanksgiving without thinking about pie? And the acorn cake bites were the perfect way to make my no-bake cake ball recipe more festive.
What’s In This Thanksgiving Cookie tray?
- Acorn cake bites based on my no-bake cake ball recipe
- Handle The Heat’s Sugar cookies decorated for Thanksgiving
- Chocolate covered pretzels rods and minis
- Mini apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie
- Walnuts and dried cranberries
Acorn cake bites based on my no-bake cake ball recipe
Simply follow my no-bake cake ball recipe with the following adjustments:
- Create ‘acorn’ shapes instead of round balls
- After dipping in the dark chocolate:
- Dip each acorn into melted butterscotch or peanut butter chips
- Dip each acorn into chocolate sprinkles
- Top with a mini pretzel
Handle The Heat’s Sugar cookies decorated for Thanksgiving
If you’ve checked out my October Cookie Tray post or my Ultimate Friendsgiving Guide, you already know I love Handle The Heat’s Sugar cookie recipe. It only includes key ingredients, it’s easy to make, can be made in large batches and frozen, and the cookies always taste delicious. After you’ve baked the sugar cookies, frost each cookie with vanilla icing, cover with chocolate sprinkles, and top with two candy eyes and three candy corn.
Chocolate covered pretzels rods and minis
Regardless of the cookie tray I have prepared, or the event I am hosting, chocolate covered pretzels always go first. Not only are rods quick and easy to dip, but they add another shape and visual interest to your tray. The other reason I love adding pretzel rods to my cookie tray is because there are just three ingredients (chocolate, pretzel rods, and sprinkles).
Mini apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie
I recommend adding at least one mini pie recipe to your Thanksgiving Cookie Tray. Save time buying premade crust and making the pie fillings a couple of days in advance.
Walnuts and dried cranberries
I always try to prevent white space or gaps in my cookie tray. Depending on the theme of the tray, I will use candy, nuts, and dried fruit. For Thanksgiving, I thought walnuts and dried cranberries were the perfect addition to balance the sweetness of the pies, cookies, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Other times, I will stick with candy, like my October Cookie Tray and Christmas Cookie Tray.
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I want to hear from you!
Do you have any questions about the recipes on this cookie tray? Did you gift it to family and friends or serve at your own Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving?
