Some years the dinner is the entire project and the dessert simply cannot be. These are the ones for that year: no-bake things that set in the fridge, dump-and-bake cakes that need no skill, and honest semi-homemade shortcuts. All of them are made ahead, most of them have to be, and none of them fight the turkey for the oven.

[Photo: a trifle bowl of layered pumpkin, cake and cream, a serving spoon dug in]

No-bake, sets in the fridge

• Pumpkin Fluff — canned pumpkin, dry instant pudding mix, whipped topping and spice, folded together in ten minutes. Serve as a dip with gingersnaps or spoon it into glasses. Holds for days.
• Pumpkin or banana pudding trifle, layers of pudding, whipped cream, and crushed cookies or cubed cake in a big bowl. Assembled the day before; it needs the overnight to soften.
• No-bake cheesecake, a graham crust pressed into a pan, a filling of cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream, chilled 4 hours. Top with cinnamon or caramel.
• Icebox cake, graham crackers or thin cookies layered with sweetened whipped cream (spiced, or with a little pumpkin folded in), chilled overnight until sliceable.
• Chocolate or pumpkin mousse in glasses, portioned, elegant, made a day ahead.

Dump-and-bake (one brief oven window)

• Pumpkin dump cake, a can of pumpkin pie mix, a box of yellow cake mix scattered dry over the top, melted butter poured on, baked until golden. It is not subtle and it is always finished.
• Apple dump cake, canned apple pie filling, cake mix, butter, cinnamon. Same idea, same result.
• Cobbler with canned fruit, canned peaches or apples under a quick batter or biscuit topping. 40 minutes, mostly hands-off.

Semi-homemade, done well

• Store-bought pie, upgraded, a bakery or frozen pumpkin pie is fine. Make it yours with a real whipped cream (heavy cream, powdered sugar, a spoon of maple or bourbon) and a scatter of candied pecans.
• Ice cream sundae bar, good vanilla ice cream, warm caramel, spiced whipped cream, crushed gingersnaps, toasted pecans. Zero cooking, and people love building their own.
• Pound cake with roasted fruit, a store-bought pound cake, sliced and lightly toasted, with pears or apples roasted in butter and maple spooned over.
• Brownies from a box, swirl in the pumpkin-cheesecake mixture from our pumpkin brownies for a small upgrade that looks like effort.

What to skip when you are busy

Anything with a from-scratch pie crust, anything laminated, anything that needs the oven at a precise time, and anything you are trying for the first time. The full dessert range is in our Thanksgiving desserts guide when you do have the bandwidth. This list is for when you do not.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest Thanksgiving dessert to make ahead?

Pumpkin fluff, ten minutes, no oven, and it holds for days. A no-bake cheesecake or an icebox cake are next, both of which have to set overnight anyway.

What Thanksgiving dessert needs no oven?

Pumpkin fluff, a pudding trifle, no-bake cheesecake, icebox cake, and mousse in glasses. All set in the fridge and are made the day before.

Is it okay to buy the pie?

Yes. Dress a store-bought pumpkin pie with real whipped cream flavored with maple or bourbon and a scatter of candied pecans, and it holds its own.

What is a pumpkin dump cake?

Canned pumpkin pie mix in a pan, a dry box of cake mix scattered over it, melted butter poured on top, baked until golden. It requires no mixing and no skill.

The bottom line

Pick a no-bake that sets overnight, or a dump cake that needs one oven window, or a semi-homemade shortcut you dress up. Save the pastry for a year with more time.

Save it for the year the turkey is all you can handle.