Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

This is a make ahead mix that can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. The recipes below are 6 different varieties that can be made with the mix.

Easy. two-layer spiced pumpkin cheesecake baked in a graham cracker crust.

Mmm mmm good! This is a must do for every holiday in my household, or just when you have guests overnight! Can be made with egg substitute, skim milk and turkey sausage to make it healthier!

I love this because I always have leftover bread and it goes to waste most of the time. The best part is that you can pull out as many pieces as you want and bake them straight from the freezer!

Freezer apple pie filling. With this recipe, you can treat your family with pies year-round.

Make these creamy mashed potatoes 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge.

Creamy chocolate-filled pastry. Top with whipped cream and grated chocolate if you like.

The color of this dip is very festive and would make a nice addition to any snack or appetizer table at your next holiday party.

Moist pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the perfect holiday treat for you and your family to enjoy! Keep refrigerated as they taste best served cold.

Cranberries and raisins are folded into a sweet bread pudding batter for a homey dessert. This makes a great breakfast strata, too!

Not only is this buttermilk pie easy to make and beautiful to look at, it's also bursting with the kind of bright, tangy flavor that no other custard-style pie can touch. This is sort of like a vanilla custard, meets lemon meringue pie, meets very light cheesecake. Except better.

These puff pastry-wrapped olives are our family's favorite holiday appetizer. We make them with a variety of olives - pimento stuffed green, plump kalamata, Provencal - just make sure they are pitted. We like to use strongly flavored olives; the flavor of canned ripe olives disappears in the puff pastry. You can make these ahead, and freeze; allow 30 minutes for the pastry to thaw before baking. Another advantage: the kids like to make them and eat them.

These cranberry Brie bites are an appetizer that will surely wow your guests at any party or holiday function. Tangy cranberry, creamy Brie, and crunchy walnuts come together in a buttery puff pastry shell, delivering the perfect balance of flavor and texture in every bite. Bonus: These can be made up to 3 days ahead! Just wrap them in plastic wrap before baking and store in the refrigerator. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This piquant chutney is not as sweet as traditional cranberry sauce. The bite of the fresh ginger will become more pronounced as the chutney rests. If you have any left after Thanksgiving, try it in turkey sandwiches with a smear of cream cheese. Oh. My. God.

I tinkered a bit with what I found in other recipes and this is the result. I think I like my results. I stirred in a small handful of tamari-flavored pumpkin seeds just before serving (couldn't find plain ones) and sprinkled a bit of paprika on top to make it look nice.

Loaded with fruit and spices, a fun alternative to regular cranberry sauce.

Rich, creamy cheesecake or smooth pumpkin pie? You can have them both!

There are two kinds of deviled eggs, sweet or savory; mine are the sweet variety. They always seem to be the first dish to disappear at any gathering I bring them to. My Grandma taught me this recipe forty years ago, and it's remained basically unchanged. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I received this recipe from a coworker and made it for Easter brunch this year. It was easy to assemble and tasted fantastic. It was an instant hit with my family! I modified the original recipe, using low-fat egg/dairy products.

If you're like me, I can't stand the last-minute rush and expectations in making the turkey gravy. You have one shot and it better be good! Well, this takes out all the stress of that mad dash. This gravy base can be frozen or refrigerated for five days and is honestly the best turkey gravy I've ever had. You dirty a few pots and pans, but it sure beats the rush of preparing it on Thanksgiving Day. Let me know what you think. Bon appetite!

If you didn't grow up in a coastal town in the South, you might never have eaten pickled shrimp with your Thanksgiving dinner. But since you can use frozen shrimp in this recipe, it might be time to try. Briny and a bit spicy, this pickled shrimp is full of flavor. You can make this dish the day before the feast for a faint pickle taste or leave them in the refrigerator for a week before, which means you'll bring something with huge personality to the table. Either way, this might become a tradition for your family. Good for a week.

My mom makes these mushrooms every year for the holidays and there are NEVER any leftovers! They are the best stuffed mushrooms I have ever had. I now make them any time I go to a holiday party.

This is a holiday breakfast favorite in our home. It is equally delicious served warm or cold, and it also freezes well, so you can make it ahead.

My mother gave me this recipe after looking online for something to suit her taste. This was what she came up with. I usually make this the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas and store it in the refrigerator in the insert of my slow cooker. It frees up my holiday to enjoy with family and is delicious!