Happy almost Thanksgiving, Reader!

I know we're still a couple weeks out... but I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time this year, and it's been all I can think about recently 😅

In order to make the actual day a little less stressful, I'm prepping some of my favorites now! Hopefully this list of make-ahead recipes can save you time this Thanksgiving, too :)

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Favorites

These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are always at the top of my list. You can make them now and freeze them in an airtight container, then pop them in the fridge on Wednesday so they can thaw overnight. Bonus points if you already have salted caramel sauce in your fridge to drizzle on top! It's cheesecake time

Quick breakfasts are paramount when you're already planning to spend all day in the kitchen. This new pumpkin spice granola makes a ton of pumpkin-flavored granola, and it stays good for weeks in the pantry! Make it now, and you'll be able to pull it out for breakfast or snacks when guests arrive. Add some pumpkin spice to your life

Made with a spiced apple filling and a buttery oat crumble, these mini Dutch apple pies are perfectly portioned so everyone gets their own. Make a batch now and freeze in an airtight container. Then, bake them right from frozen for just 10-15 minutes for warm apple pies! Make these apple pies

I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the best cranberry sauce you're ever going to eat. You can make it now and freeze it, or make it early on in Thanksgiving week (Monday or Tuesday) and just keep it in the fridge until Thursday! Alright, I'll try the cranberry sauce

Did you know that you can freeze pie dough? Normally, pie dough only lasts 1-2 days in the fridge before it starts to oxidize, but it lasts for months in the freezer! You can make your pie crusts now in a large batch, then freeze them in individual portions. Just pop them in the fridge the night before you want to use them to let them thaw! Pie me to moon

I somehow have even more Thanksgiving recipes on my website, so feel free to take a look around to see if there's something else you want to add to your Thanksgiving table! A good place to start is my Recipe Filter with the "pumpkin" or "fall" settings ;)

Behind the Scenes

• My grandma passed away last month, and Austin and I flew out for her funeral in Minnesota. It was a bittersweet trip, but I'm glad we were able to go and catch up with family members we hadn't seen in years (or ever met, in Austin's case)!
• One of my sweet friends gifted me a giant bag full of pomegranates from her mom's tree. Stay tuned to see what I'm making with them ;)
• I took a couple days off last week to spend some time with friends and visit Apple Hill, a collection of apple farms in the Sierra foothills. All of the leaves are changing colors, and I couldn't have asked for better company.
• Speaking of apples, I harvested most of the apples from my little trees yesterday! I put bags on them a few months ago to protect them from pests as they ripened, and it seems to have worked pretty well. That super red one in the middle was one of the best apples I've ever eaten.

May your fridge never run out of space this month.

Happy baking!
Alyssa

P.S. If you make any of these recipes, it would mean the world if you leave a review of how the recipe turned out! It goes a long way to let others know it's a tried and trusted recipe 💛