47 Friendsgiving Desserts My Cousins Stole Before Dinner

Every Friendsgiving has that one cousin who can’t wait until dinner, and this lineup proves why. 47 desserts vanished before the turkey even hit the table. From pies to bars and everything sweet in between, they disappeared faster than the rolls. It’s the kind of dessert spread that makes you wonder if dessert-before-dinner should just be the new holiday rule.

A close-up of a glass dish with tiramisu being scooped out, showing layers of cream, cake, and cocoa powder. — Tiramisu Ice Cream. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Chocolate Truffles

Fancy bites always get grabbed from the dessert tray whenever someone thinks no one is looking. Chocolate Truffles help start the snack line before the meal hits the table. Some cousins act casual, but everyone knows who took the last one. Someone always hides a couple away for later.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Truffles

Blueberry Cheesecake

A slice of cheesecake topped with glossy blueberry sauce on a white plate, with two black spoons beside it. — Blueberry Cheesecake. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Creamy layers in a dessert never last long, especially when cousins line up early. Plates filled with Blueberry Cheesecake sneak from the fridge before the host can cut slices. It’s pointed out in stories every year. Leftovers are rare if they exist at all.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Cheesecake

Pumpkin Roll

Swirls pop up on every plate, even though it’s supposed to be for after dinner. Pumpkin Roll slices go missing while everyone is still setting the table. The powdered look leaves behind clues but fingers still get cleaned quick. Requests for more usually start before seconds are served.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Roll

Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Bars work great for sneaky dessert grabs, leaving just crumbs in the pan. Plates of Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars always disappear before dinner plates hit the table. Relatives never eat just one. Some cousins break off half and try to act innocent.
Get the Recipe: Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Homemade Bread Pudding

A close-up of decadent bread pudding, topped with creamy vanilla sauce, is being lifted from a serving plate. — Homemade Bread Pudding. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Toasty edges vanish first from the pan during the kitchen rush. Bowls of Homemade Bread Pudding end up hidden behind drink pitchers on the counter. Someone goes back for more while chatting about old stories. The pan’s empty before the meal even gets started.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Bread Pudding

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

A slice of cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, topped with strawberry sauce and fresh strawberry pieces, sits on a serving tray. — No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Cold squares find their way into hands as the table gets crowded with cousins. No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake draws extra forks in the kitchen. Boxes meant for later get opened early. Friends always ask about the recipe after a slice.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

Fun Rolo Pretzel Thanksgiving Turkeys

A festive plate of Rolo Pretzel Thanksgiving Turkeys crafted with chocolate, pretzels, candy corn, and candy eyes. — Fun Rolo Pretzel Thanksgiving Turkeys. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Cute shapes get picked up quick, especially when dessert plates are lined up on the counter. Count on Fun Rolo Pretzel Thanksgiving Turkeys being gone by the time dinner starts. People snap photos before eating multiples. Whoever helps in the kitchen nabs the last one.
Get the Recipe: Fun Rolo Pretzel Thanksgiving Turkeys

Pumpkin Cake

Slices get eaten up so fast that you notice empty spots on the dessert table every time you look over. Passing around Pumpkin Cake means chatter and sticky fingers everywhere. The first slice is usually crooked and that’s how you know it’s already been hit. Good luck saving one for later.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cake

Coconut Cream Pie

Fluffy filling always makes people line up early in the kitchen, hungry or not. Slices of Coconut Cream Pie go to whoever spots them first. Someone’s always scraping the pie pan for another spoonful. It ends up as a top request year after year.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Cream Pie

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Two cupcakes with light brown frosting are shown on a white surface, each in a beige paper liner. — Pumpkin Cupcakes. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Trays stacked high get knocked down to just wrappers before dinner even starts. Friends rave about Pumpkin Cupcakes and cousins race back for seconds. It gets quiet in the kitchen right before the last one vanishes. You’ll see a few wrappers in people’s pockets.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Cupcakes

Sweet Potato Pie

Everyone acts chill but slices of sweet dessert keep getting slimmer each time you open the fridge. Leftover Sweet Potato Pie isn’t something anyone expects. The first piece is gone before food hits the table. Someone’s always offering to cut more “just in case.”
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie

Coffee Cake

Close-up of eight square pieces of crumb cake with a textured, crumbly topping. — Coffee Cake. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Crumbly and pleasing pieces go quick, usually while someone is making coffee for later. Even small hints of Coffee Cake draw people in from other rooms. Sweets get grabbed by the handful. No one leaves a crumb behind.
Get the Recipe: Coffee Cake

Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup

Two glass cups filled with layers of sliced strawberries, chocolate, granola, and chopped pistachios, with a blurred bowl of nuts in the background. — Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Fancy dessert in a cup always brings cousins around the dessert table. Lids from Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup pile up quick. It’s one of those desserts that gets the “who got the last one?” debate started. Empty cups tell you who scored big.
Get the Recipe: Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup

Pecan Pie Cobbler

Gooey squares get stacked high before anybody thinks about dinner. Pans of Pecan Pie Cobbler clear out like it’s a race. Someone always leaves a tiny corner behind. Heat it up later if you’re lucky enough to get some.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pie Cobbler

Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls

A plate of five sticky buns topped with caramelized nuts and sauce, resting on a red cloth. — Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Rolls with sticky tops get taken while chatting in the kitchen or grabbing a drink. Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls vanish before dinner is served. It’s the one everyone asks about after eating. Someone always claims, “just one more.”
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls

Chocolate Pie

Even slices never look straight in the pan, especially with cousins sneaking bites early. Chocolate Pie gets lots of requests for seconds, even before the meal starts. End pieces somehow go missing first. Favorite for both dessert and breakfast the next day.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Pie

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

A slice of pineapple cake topped with fresh raspberries on a white surface. — Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Toppings shine and pull everyone in for an early sample. Large servings of Pineapple Upside Down Cake fill plates fast. The last piece gets split into smaller bites just to be fair. Everyone’s mouth is full before dinner call goes out.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Apple Pie

No one waits for the official dessert announcement, and empty spots appear in the pie before dinner. Apple Pie always starts arguments over who deserves the last bite. The crust gets picked by those nearby. You’ll hear stories about this one every Thanksgiving.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie

Decadent Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

Close-up of two stacked pieces of chocolate cake drizzled with caramel sauce on a plate, with more cake in the background. — Decadent Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Layers fall apart in the rush for early slices when no one wants to wait. Every piece of Decadent Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake gets snapped up with a smile. Some try to hide their plates under napkins. Gone way before the meal is done.
Get the Recipe: Decadent Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans

Close-up of freshly baked cookies with nuts on top, arranged closely together. — Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Soft stacks fit in pockets or napkins, so they disappear twice as quick. People notice that Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans are already missing before dessert time. Someone always claims the last one. Nobody ever says “no” to a second round.
Get the Recipe: Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Pecans

Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake

Tall slices look impressive on the table but go missing before a fork even touches dinner. Serving Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake means seeing empty spots on the platter right after the cousins walk through. The mix of flavors keeps everyone coming back. It’s a real crowd-pleaser.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake

Cinnamon Sugar Blondies

Close-up of sliced crumbly cakes topped with white icing. One piece is positioned vertically to show its texture. — Cinnamon Sugar Blondies. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Sweet bars line the dessert tray but are hard to spot by the time dinner comes out. Cinnamon Sugar Blondies get snapped up during the first family “walk through.” Bites are always even, but the tray is empty before you know it. These bars keep showing up at every big meal.
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Blondies

Banoffee Pie

Creamy pie gets picked at little by little before plates are even set up. When Banoffee Pie gets sliced, there’s always a group waiting around with forks ready. The drip is part of the fun. Someone always goes back for any missed crumbs.
Get the Recipe: Banoffee Pie

Copycat Crumbl Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie

Close-up of spiral cookies with red jam filling on parchment paper, reminiscent of Copycat Crumbl Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies, one partially eaten and surrounded by crumbs. — Copycat Crumbl Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Big cookies always make their way around the kitchen before plates are stacked. No one can wait for a bite of Copycat Crumbl Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie. They break easily, which means cousins grab “just a piece” again and again. The last cookie gets a rock-paper-scissors match.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Crumbl Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie

Tiramisu Cheesecake

A close-up of a slice of layered tiramisu cake with cream, coffee-soaked sponge, and dusted cocoa powder on top, served on a white plate. — Tiramisu Cheesecake. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

This sweet coffee dessert never even makes it to the table half the time. Checked trays always show less Tiramisu Cheesecake than expected. Siblings say they “only had one” but the math never works out. You’ll see plates with nothing left but crumbs.
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu Cheesecake

Banana Pudding Brownies

Several squares of chocolate brownies with a yellow and brown marbled pattern are stacked and arranged on parchment paper. — Banana Pudding Brownies. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Mash-up bars get snapped up while people are talking in line for dinner. Banana Pudding Brownies go fastest with teens and always have missing corners before plates are handed out. The combo pleases everyone. Crumbs are proof of early dessert action.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Brownies

Matcha Tiramisu

A close-up of a slice of tiramisu topped with green matcha powder, served on a ceramic plate. — Matcha Tiramisu. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Green layers look cool and cause a bit of a rush in the kitchen from family looking for new treats. Plates of Matcha Tiramisu hit the sink before the meal. It brings up “Where did this come from?” talk every year. Not much is left for after dinner.
Get the Recipe: Matcha Tiramisu

Apple Cobbler

You’ll see spoons in the pan before anyone’s called to the table. Friends take huge bites of Apple Cobbler and then act surprised it’s almost gone. It gets a quick mention at the dinner table. Cousins always serve themselves extra.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cobbler

Easy Banana Pudding

Banana pudding in a bowl with whipped cream and bananas. — Easy Banana Pudding. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Simple desserts fill up cups quick so the bowl empties before plates are stacked for dinner. Every year, Easy Banana Pudding is called out for being almost gone. Younger cousins scoop it up twice. Some even lick the bowl.
Get the Recipe: Easy Banana Pudding

Chocolate Lasagna

A slice of layered dessert with a creamy white layer, chocolate filling, and crushed cookie topping. — Chocolate Lasagna. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Layers of creamy chocolate get taken in big spoons by anyone passing through the kitchen. Leftover Chocolate Lasagna is a rare sight. It’s a crowd favorite that leaves nothing behind. People chat about who took extra long after it’s gone.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Lasagna

Pumpkin Bars

Soft bars make busy hands swing through the dessert tray faster than you’d think. Trays of Pumpkin Bars end up empty just as dinner is set out. They’re easy to spot on someone’s plate before it’s dinner time. Always gets requests for more.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Bars

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Close-up of three chocolate muffins in brown paper wrappers, topped with chocolate chips, with part of a bowl of chocolate chips visible in the background. — Chocolate Chip Muffins. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Batches start disappearing between rounds of setting up drinks or napkins. Every batch of Chocolate Chip Muffins is smaller than it should be by mealtime. People take extras for “later.” A few end up in jacket pockets for the ride home.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

A slice of apple cinnamon roll on a plate. — Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Spiral slices break up the usual dessert tray and catch everyone’s eye early. Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie is one of those treats that new and old guests ask about. Plates clear fast, and no one holds back on seconds. It’s a favorite every year.
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Warm slices send cousins sneaking into the kitchen ahead of the meal. Pumpkin Coffee Cake does not last long on the serving board. A few extra forks always pop up before dinner. Makes appearances at every Friendsgiving.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Cream Cheese Brownies

Brownies with a cream cheese layer in the center are cut into squares and arranged on parchment paper. — Cream Cheese Brownies. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Swirls of creamy filling get noticed as soon as dessert hits the table, but they really disappear before then. Slices of Cream Cheese Brownies shrink on the tray by the minute. They double as snacks and treats. That last square is a hot topic every year.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Brownies

Apple Dump Cake

Close-up of an apple crumble dessert with a golden crust, topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and a spoon placed inside the dish. — Apple Dump Cake. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Dessert trays always look lighter once spoons scoop through a big pan of this quick cake. Once Apple Dump Cake comes out, cousins ask if there’s more hiding somewhere. Sweet pieces end up in two hands at once. Rarely ever any left for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Apple Dump Cake

Fried Banana

Warm treats get picked up when cousins crowd around the kitchen island, sometimes right off the pan. Stacks of Fried Banana sneak off the tray in less than five minutes. Some dip them, but most just eat by the handful. Never a single piece left over.
Get the Recipe: Fried Banana

Pecan Pie Bars

Two pecan-topped dessert bars are stacked on parchment paper, showing a dense, crumbly base and a caramelized nut topping. — Pecan Pie Bars. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Bars get cut smaller as the night goes on, mostly because everyone’s had at least two already. People look for Pecan Pie Bars as soon as dessert gets served. The tin looks empty before you know it. Napkin-wrapped pieces end up in pockets for later.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pie Bars

Cherry Cheesecake

Sweet and creamy desserts with a bright topping go missing while people are pouring drinks for dinner. Cherry Cheesecake isn’t quiet on any table, so it grabs attention right away. Many ask for “just a taste” then come back for more. Last slice always causes the loudest debate.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Cheesecake

Decadent Biscoff Brownies

Close-up of a stack of gooey caramel-filled Biscoff Brownies, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, on parchment paper. — Decadent Biscoff Brownies. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Cookie layers in brownie form never last long, with big squares going first. Decadent Biscoff Brownies have cousins grabbing for more before dinner’s done. The crumbs tell the true story. It’s impossible to make enough.
Get the Recipe: Decadent Biscoff Brownies

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Slice of cheesecake topped with caramel, pretzel, pecan, and sea salt on a plate, with a spoon beside it. — Salted Caramel Cheesecake. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Creamy and salty make people line up fast, with slices always vanishing just before dinner call. Plates with Salted Caramel Cheesecake get cleaned first. Extras sneak into the fridge, if any. Friends request it every single year.
Get the Recipe: Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Cinnamon Apple Strudel Slices

A close-up of a baked pastry ring dusted with powdered sugar, featuring multiple layers of golden-brown, flaky dough and hints of cinnamon apple strudel slices peeking through. — Cinnamon Apple Strudel Slices. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Warm, flaky sweets get split into tiny portions so everyone has at least a piece before dinner. Sharing Cinnamon Apple Strudel Slices starts with siblings who know the kitchen schedule. Before you know it, the pan is empty. Someone always saves a piece for breakfast.
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Apple Strudel Slices

Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

A plate of blueberry muffins with crumb topping, arranged in a pile. — Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Muffins get snacked on with coffee or just before the chairs fill around the table. Trays with Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins get lighter every time someone walks by. People pretend they don’t know who took them early. This treat pops up in every kitchen story.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

Pumpkin Pie

Slices shrink each year, because everyone comes back for seconds before the real meal. Plates with Pumpkin Pie are cleaned off before anything else. Someone always asks for another slice. This pie never sees leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie

Best Chocolate Cake

A person holding a slice of chocolate layer cake with frosting from a chocolate cake recipe. — Best Chocolate Cake. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Big rounds of cake seem smaller every time the fridge is opened because people keep sampling. Serving Best Chocolate Cake gets everyone at the table asking how it’s so moist. Plates tell you who got a piece. The recipe is requested on repeat.
Get the Recipe: Best Chocolate Cake

Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie

A slice of Reese's pie sits on a cake slice, ready to be served. — Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Creamy and rich snacks get smiles and jokes from cousins long before dinner. Forks dig into Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie with no warning. It doesn’t matter if plates are clean, it goes quick. This pie is always the talk of the meal.
Get the Recipe: Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie

Tiramisu Ice Cream

Cups of ice cream start lining up by the sink before plates are even out for the meal. Spoons fly through Tiramisu Ice Cream in less than ten minutes anytime it makes an appearance. It’s gone before anyone asks who brought it. Cousins start requesting it for birthdays, too.
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu Ice Cream