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ByTiffany Dahle Published: Last Modified:
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Make ahead Thanksgiving recipes save time and help ensure you'll have an enjoyable holiday with your family this year.
Fall flies by and then I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away. Does that happen to you, too?
If you use the weekends in October and November strategically, you can have several key turkey day recipes all prepped and ready to go with so little effort!
Make one or two during one weekend and another one or two the next weekend and your holiday dinner will be easy peasy!!
Jump to:
- Make Ahead Side Dishes
- Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
- Italian Sausage Stuffing
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
- Slowcooker Acorn Squash
- Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
- Make Ahead Breads
- Bread Machine Italian Bread
- Rosemary Dinner Rolls
- Freezer Friendly Crescent Dinner Rolls
- Make Ahead Desserts
- Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
- Freezer Friendly Apple Pie
- Freezer Friendly Cherry Pie
- Make Ahead Garnishes
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Sugared Cranberries
- Freezer Friendly Pumpkin Bread
- More Thanksgiving Ideas
- 💬 Comments
Make Ahead Side Dishes
Want to keep Thanksgiving extra easy? Use these delicious make ahead side dishes for the bulk of your holiday menu.
Then just add a few easy Thanksgiving vegetables and you'll be all set.
Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
The ONLY sweet potatoes that grace our holiday table.
I've made these for more years in a row than I can count.
I assemble the entire dish and freeze it. Let it thaw in your fridge the night before Thanksgiving.
Or, check the post for instructions on how to make it ahead the day before and store in the fridge.
Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
This delicious make ahead sweet potato casserole with pecans is the perfect holiday side dish. Split the recipe into two 8x8-inch pans and serve one for Thanksgiving and freeze one to be served later at Christmas.
4.35 from 64 votes
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Italian Sausage Stuffing
I swear this Italian sausage stuffing actually tastes better when it is baked the next day!
Make it ahead the day before and simply bake it after the turkey comes out of the oven on Thanksgiving day.
Italian Sausage Stuffing
This classic Italian sausage stuffing is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish but tastes great with any special dinner all winter long. Make it up to one day ahead for an easy addition to your menu.
5 from 43 votes
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Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Prep these in the morning and the mashed potatoes will take practically no work for you later in the afternoon.
You could also make them ahead the day before. Check out the post for reheating instructions if you want to go that route.
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
This is the creamiest, fluffiest mashed potatoes recipe you'll ever find. It's the perfect make ahead side dish for a busy holiday dinner. Use the Keep Warm setting and the potatoes will be ready when you are!
5 from 54 votes
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Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
Prep this easy baked mac and cheese in advance and just bake it before serving at dinner.
Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
This easy baked mac and cheese recipe is the perfect side dish or dinner fix. Topped with plenty of crunchy breadcrumbs and perfectly cooked pasta, it will be your go-to recipe at the holidays.
4.60 from 40 votes
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Slowcooker Acorn Squash
Another prep-ahead recipe, you could chop all the veggies and fruit the day before the holiday and simply pop it all into the Crockpot on the morning of the feast and let it cook itself.
Slow Cooker Acorn Squash with Apples and Raisins
This easy side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or other fall dinners. Pop the acorn squash and apples into the crockpot and enjoy a sweet side dish with turkey or pork.
5 from 42 votes
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Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
This is a freezer-friendly cranberry sauce that is perfect for making ahead the day before or weeks in advance for holiday baking.
Cranberry Sauce with Grand Marnier
Freezer-friendly cranberry sauce with Grand Marnier has a delicious burst of orange flavor from the orange juice and liqueur. Serve it for Thanksgiving or split the batch and save half for Christmas morning cranberry cinnamon rolls.
5 from 56 votes
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Make Ahead Breads
Thanksgiving breads are an excellent option for make ahead recipes because bread freezes so well.
You can bake holiday dinner rolls or loaves of Italian bread to turn into stuffing and freeze them for later.
Bread Machine Italian Bread
This Italian bread is the base of my sausage stuffing but would be a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving bread basket.
It also makes great leftover turkey sandwiches the next day. Pop it into your bread machine and the bread actually bakes itself.
Bread Machine Italian Bread
This delicious Italian bread is the perfect partner for a hot bowl of soup or a simple sandwich. It will quickly become your favorite bread machine recipe.
The recipe is featured in The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook.
4.70 from 30 votes
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Rosemary Dinner Rolls
You can bake these homemade dinner rolls the day before and then simply reheat them in the oven for 5 minutes before serving and they'll taste fresh.
I usually make two pans!
Buttery Rosemary Rolls
These pull-apart butter dinner rolls are topped with salted rosemary and make the perfect dinner roll for the holiday. Open them up to make small sandwiches from the holiday roast or main dish.
4.98 from 49 votes
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Freezer Friendly Crescent Dinner Rolls
These homemade crescent dinner rolls are bigger and fluffier than the kind from the can.
You can bake them in advance and freeze them. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat them in the oven before serving.
Bread Machine Crescent Dinner Rolls
Easy homemade bread machine crescent rolls are perfect for a delicious holiday bread. Serve them at Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas warm from the oven. Can be made ahead and frozen for an even easier serving.
5 from 57 votes
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Make Ahead Desserts
I always bake my Thanksgiving desserts the day before Thanksgiving since they can rest on the counter overnight or chill in the fridge.
My easy pumpkin pie and pecan pie recipes are perfect examples.
Some of my holiday desserts are also freezer friendly and are perfect for making even farther ahead of time.
But if you're traveling to the holiday at someone else's house, you might need my list of make ahead Thanksgiving desserts that travel well.
Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
My most popular make-ahead recipe on this entire site, thousands of readers have loved this freezer-friendly apple crisp.
Serve with vanilla ice cream andcaramel sauceif you want to dress it up a little fancier.
Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
This freezer apple crisp will change your holiday baking forever. Make one big batch but split it into two smaller desserts -- one to bake now and one to stash in your freezer for later. Perfect quick and easy Thanksgiving dessert.
4.34 from 86 votes
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Freezer Friendly Apple Pie
Apple pies are perfect for the freezer. Read how to bake the perfect one in advance here.
Apple Slab Pie
This freezer-friendly apple slab pie is a delicious fresh apple dessert any time of year. The flaky pie crust and juicy apples are great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
5 from 40 votes
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Freezer Friendly Cherry Pie
This cherry slab pie will take up very little room in your freezer and is the perfect make-ahead dessert to bake in the oven when you want to serve.
Cherry Slab Pie
A simple way to feed a crowd, this delicious cherry slab pie can be baked with frozen cherries or fresh cherries during the peak of the season.
4.93 from 57 votes
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- 15 Easy Thanksgiving Pies to Make Ahead
- 20 Make Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts that Travel Well
Make Ahead Garnishes
Take a little time the weekend before Thanksgiving to make these super easy recipes so you have an amazing homemade touch to the holiday.
A little drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of sugared cranberries makes you look like the ultimate holiday host with very little extra effort.
Homemade Caramel Sauce
This homemade caramel sauce can be made up to a week in advance and is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert garnish for pecan pie, pumpkin pie, or my apple crisp from up above.
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
This addictive homemade caramel sauce makes an excellent ice cream topping or dessert sauce for fall treats.
4.98 from 46 votes
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Sugared Cranberries
You will be shocked to see just how simple these elegant sugared cranberries are to make.
Use them for garnishes on the Thanksgiving desserts table or as an addition to your table centerpiece.
You can make them days in advance and just store in an airtight container.
Sugared Cranberries
This super easy sugared cranberries recipe makes a breathtaking garnish for your holiday dessert or accent for your holiday table. Let your kids prepare them, they will love watching the process!
5 from 2 votes
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Freezer Friendly Pumpkin Bread
Everyone needs a little something to snack on when the turkey feast is hours away.
Wake up Thanksgiving morning to a fresh pumpkin bread thawed from your freezer! Bake these weeks in advance for a special treat all season long.
Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
This big batch of pumpkin bread makes three loaves -- 1 to keep, 2 to freeze or share with friends. Such a tasty recipe for fall entertaining and easy breakfasts. Freezes so well!
4.87 from 59 votes
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More Thanksgiving Ideas
Now that you've got your plan for making ahead these easy dishes,, what about the rest of yourThanksgiving meal plan?
Don't miss my other easy Thanksgiving recipes for your family feast:
- Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas for Families
- 50 Side Dishes for Thanksgiving Potluck Parties
- 25 Easy Thanksgiving Vegetables
- 15 Easy Thanksgiving Bread Recipes
