The Best of the Best: The Thanksgiving Recipes Our Editors Will Be Making This Year

Maple Rum Flip

Start things off on a sweet note, with a seasonal cocktail that's sure to impress your Thanksgiving guests. Allrecipes Editorial Director Diana Moutsopoulos says, "This will be a new addition to Thanksgiving this year." She adds, "I made this cocktail from the magazine this past weekend and it is SO delicious. Made it for a dinner party and everyone loved it! It tasted like a fall version of eggnog!"

Unbelievable Rolls

Make like our Senior Editorial Director, Ashley Kappel, and kick your dinner off with a piping hot batch of one of our top-rated dinner rolls. "I LOVE these rolls," she says. "They're also a great base for whatever you want to make—dinner rolls? Awesome. Monkey bread? Obviously. Cinnamon rolls? You betcha."

Chef John's Creamy Corn Pudding

Editor Bridget Olson says, "This year, I'm only making sides and dessert (and ordering smoked brisket!)." She came across this recipe while working on Thanksgiving updates and printed it immediately. "I can't wait to try it."

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Now for more sides, because what's a Thanksgiving meal without sides? Here are some no-fail crowd-pleasers that are sure to disappear from the table in record time.

"I have been making this Mac & Cheese for years," praises editor Courtney Kassel. "It's creamy, crunchy, cheesy, and always the first thing gone at our Friendsgiving feast, even though I wish there were leftovers. It uses my two favorite (lactose intolerant-friendly!) cheeses and comes out perfectly every time."

Lemony Green Beans with Walnuts and Thyme

Senior Editor Devon O'Brien is not a fan of the traditional green bean casserole so she opts for this fresh-tasting green bean recipe instead. "My family loves the bright lemon flavor and I add some minced garlic to punch up the flavor even more!"

Homemade Bread Stuffing

"My absolute favorite part of the holiday plate is the stuffing (technically dressing but that doesn't have the same ring)," editor Andrea Lobas writes. "There are so many variations but my mom has made it this way for as long as I can remember with butter, sautéed celery and onion, and cubed white bread set out the night before... I make her at least double (if not triple) the recipe. There is nothing better or more quintessentially Thanksgiving!"

Fast Upside-Down Turkey

As for the bird, take a note from our team and try one of these recipes for guaranteed success. Senior Visual Editor Lindsey Hayes recommends this unusual upside-down turkey.

"This was technically the first turkey I've ever cooked from start to finish. I'm usually in charge of brining the bird and bringing it to my parents' house for my Mom to cook—weird I know! BUT this recipe was so easy, and turned out waaay better than I expected with really crispy skin and perfectly juicy meat. It gave me all the confidence that I could totally take over turkey duties when/if my Mom ever truly relinquishes the task."

Dry Brine Turkey

"Last year was the year of the deep-fried turkey, but this year we're going to (finally) try dry-brining our bird to cut down on the fuss and mess," says Andrea Lobas. "It takes a little more planning as the turkey needs to sit with the salt for two to three days (plus) in the fridge, but since we do that to let it thaw anyway, it'll be a good experiment to dry brine at the same time."

She adds, "I'm excited to see how it stacks up against other turkey preparations, but Allrecipes user Carma's comment convinced me, saying 'My family decided this would be our brine of choice for all future turkeys!'"

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

"I truly believe that once you go make-ahead, you’ll never go back to the stress of last-minute mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. Mashed potatoes are a high-stakes dish, and you need to get them right," asserts Editorial Content Director Liza Schattenkerk.

"So often, when you try to perfect them in the chaos of the last 20 minutes before everyone sits down, you end up with gluey, dry, cold, or (gasp) burnt potatoes. When you make them ahead extra wet, bake them, and pull them out right before dinner, the potatoes are moist and creamy, with lava-hot with pools of butter on top."

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

When it comes to dessert, our team has strong takes on which pies deserve a spot in your dessert spread.

"Perfect Pumpkin Pie is actually perfect," raves staff writer Corey Williams. "Not only is it a great basic pumpkin pie, but it takes like five minutes to throw the filling together (I use a store-bought crust because I'm lazy)."

Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

Associate Editor Annie Campbell recommends this top-rated apple pie recipe. "To me, this is Allrecipes in a recipe. Apple pie is my brother's favorite dessert but he's also extremely picky about them. This is the one he insists I make every Thanksgiving (and usually for his birthday, too)."

Pumpkin Pie with Maple Mascarpone Swirl

Devon O'Brien recommends another less traditional pie. "I've been in charge of pumpkin pie every year since I first made one with mascarpone and we all fell in love with how creamy and rich it is. I love how simple and pretty this one is." She adds, "Want to take it over the top? Make mascarpone whipped cream to top it with by adding about 1/2 cup mascarpone to 2 cups heavy cream, then whipping as usual."

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Not pie people? Our team has ideas for crowd-pleasing dessert alternatives.

"I made these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies a few years ago and people have been asking me to bring them back to the dessert lineup ever since. They're sweet, spiced, and full of fall flavor. But the best part is they require zero serving or portioning (the last thing I want to do at the end of a long day cooking)—just put them on a serving dish and let everyone go to town. They're particularly popular with the little ones." -Courtney Kassel

Turkey Tater Tot Hot Dish

As for the leftovers? We've got plenty of recipes and ideas for how to put them to good use, but one in particular stood out this year: "I'm a tater tot casserole connoisseur so I am really wanting to make Chef John's Turkey Tater Tot Casserole. Seems like a really good recipe for leftovers!" -Jenny Wentworth, Associate Social Media Editor