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Posted November 6th, 2026
Well hello friends!! I have a very special blog post here for you today!! This is my first annual Thanksgiving Menu & Hosting Guide. I am SO excited to share this with you. Whether this is your first time hosting Thanksgiving or your 10th, I hope this guide makes you feel oh so confident this year. Below you’ll find my full Thanksgiving menu and recipes, a stunning tablescape, a hosting timeline, and all the tips and tricks I have learned to make Thanksgiving hosting a fun and as stress-free as possible experience. Stay tuned because I am planning to add much much more to this post during the month of November such as breakfast ideas for Thanksgiving morning and more!
Also - I just had to say this! I am so excited because I took all the photos in this blog. To me, it looks like a magazine spread!! Everything was cooked, shot, and styled by my husband Eli, and I! It was a labor of love. So I hope you love every second of reading this post just as much as I loved making it for you.
Of course, for my first Thanksgiving menu, I needed to make a classic Thanksgiving Menu; of course with a few twists to make it a bit easier than you’d think and more colorful than you could ever imagine.
Here’s a sneak peak of our fantastic Thanksgiving spread!
The Menu
Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas
Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls
For holiday breakfast, I love making something sweet and something savory! Pair these cinnamon rolls with crispy bacon, frittata, and coffee for a tasty start to your Thanksgiving day! These are great for if you have family who’s joining you Thanksgiving morning and staying until dinner time.
Challah French Toast With Fresh Berries & Caramelized Bananas
One of my favorite breakfasts for a special day! It is stunning & so simple to make!
Appetizers: Make 2-3
Fall Grazing Board
A grazing board is my go-to any time I am building out a big meal for guests! It’s just the perfect snack for people to gather and mingle around! Plus, a grazing board has a little bit of everything for everyone! I love making a festive grazing board to match the season. For Thanksgiving, my grazing board is filled with seasonal herbs, produce, and of course, all the pumpkin & apple things! Below, you’ll find my 2026 grazing board guide with everything you need to make a festive fall grazing board!
Pepper Jelly & Brie Wonton Bites
Talk about a simple and easy crowd pleasing appetizer! Know yourself and know your people and my people and I LOVE brie!! Pepper jelly pairs sooo well and the wonton wrappers are just the most simple way to put this entire appetizer together and wrap it in the crunchiest most tasty little bow.
Toasty Brie & Prosciutto Crostini With Pepper Jelly & Hot Honey
I told you I love brie! Here’s another app that features my favorite cheese and only takes about 15 minutes to make.
The Sides: Make 4-5
Creamy One-Pot Brie Mac & Cheese
This is the Mac and Cheese that Eli & I have been making every year for Thanksgiving for wait…2 whole years! Okay - that may not seem like a lot, but last year was our first time every hosting Thanksgiving! I know this recipe is going to be one that follows us until it’s our 50th year hosting. You are going to love this one. It’s filled with creamy brie and four other cheeses!!
Sage Sausage & Cornbread Stuffing
Oh my goodness I dream about this stuffing. This is one of my favorite recipes ever. This stuffing has a mix of cornbread & french bread, plus lots and lots of herbs. I also add sage stuffing for an even herbier & hearty flavor. It’s Thanksgiving perfection: a recipe you’ll love forever and ever.
The Creamiest Mashed Potatoes
A true Thanksgiving classic topped with tons of butter & chives for a beautiful and tasty dish on your table! Plus, it’s so simple to make!
Honey Butter Delicata Squash
Veggies should always be fun! Delicata Squash has a mild taste similar to a sweet potato (in my opinion!) They pair SO well with honey and lots of butter for a sweet and savory Thanksgiving appetizer that adds both color and incredible flavor to the table.
Honey Glazed Rainbow Carrots
I make these rainbow carrots just about any time I host. Everyone loves them!! These Honey Glazed Rainbow Carrots are sweet, caramelized, and add so much color to the table!!! They truly are the perfect finishing touch to the table.
Butternut Squash Soup Served in an Acorn Squash Bowl!!
The most adorable soups!! You can put a little squash bowl on everyone’s plate before dinner begins and they can serve themselves a bowl of soup as an appetizer before dinner begins! This is also a fantastic side dish to balance out the meal and add a festive touch!
Harvest Kale salad with dates, apples, and candied toppings
This kale salad is adorned with candied pecans, candied cranberries, apple, dates, pepitas, and lots of goat cheese! It’s topped with a tasty Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette too! The perfect sweet and savory salad to balance out a hearty Thanksgiving feast!
The Main Event:
My First Thanksgiving Turkey: An Easy Herb Butter Roast Turkey for Beginners
This is my first year taking the leap and making an entire Thanksgiving turkey! I’ve never been on turkey duty before but this year I was determined to learn everything I could on how to make the perfect turkey so that I can be a pro before Thanksgiving day. This turkey was perfection!!! However, I did brown it a tiny bit much on top haha! Other than that, it tasted sooo tasty. Below I’ve added a very beginner friendly turkey recipe and all the tips I learned this year.
Our beautiful turkey once carved!! Don’t let making a turkey intimidate you! It is truly so much easier than it looks!!
Dessert: Make 2-3
French Silk Pie
This is my favorite pie to make every Thanksgiving & Christmas!!! It is so so so tasty and such a crowd pleaser!! I can’t say it enough times - you need to try this pie…like immediately. Plus, for both of this year’s pie recipes, I have a little trick that will help your whipped cream stabilize instead of melting after a few minutes!
Pumpkin Cream Pie topped with Cookie Crumbles
Everyone will love this pie! It’s a little bit more mellow than a pumpkin pie and sooo creamy! I topped it with whipped cream and cookie crumbles!
Brown Sugar & Biscoff Apple Crumble Cheesecake
This is another one of my favorites for the Thanksgiving table!! I do lots of apple picking during fall and this is a great way to turn those apples into a masterpiece!! This recipe takes a little bit more love but it’s sooo worth it and can be made in advanced too.
The Little Things
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
You’ll only need about 10 minutes and 3 ingredients for this tasty classic cranberry sauce!! The perfect homemade addition to complement our Thanksgiving menu!!
Classic Gravy Made With Turkey Drippings
It only takes about 10 minutes to make a tasty gravy with all the fantastic drippings from our turkey!! The aromatics that surround the turkey like white wine, broth, potatoes, and carrots, help to give flavor to the drippings that already make an incredible gravy. So so good! And a great way to reduce waste.
Drink
Frosty Cranberry & Apple Holiday Punch
A festive, fun, and tasty drink that can be served in a giant punch bowl so you don’t need to play bartender the entire night!
Everything On The Table
My Cozy, Classic, & Vintage-Inspired Thanksgiving Table
The Spode Woodland Collection, a moody floral tablecloth, and antique brass candlesticks for the coziest Thanksgiving table that still leaves room for a family style spread!
Shop This Thanksgiving Table
Shop All My Thanksgiving Table Finds
I added lots of mini pumpkins to the table, used mason jars as vases, and added lots of collected pieces like antique brass candlesticks from antique stores I love!
Kitchen Essentials
Shop everything I used to make my Thanksgiving dinner happen from roasting pans to all my kitchen essentials for the holiday season!
My Thanksgiving Hosting Timeline
An exact timeline for how to make this Thanksgiving dinner come to life. How to stay organized & on track!
One of my biggest tips for hosting Thanksgiving is to get as much done ahead of time as you can! I absolutely love cooking and hosting, but I also want to enjoy the holiday with everyone else. And trust me, checking a few things off your list early makes such a difference.
This is the timeline I'd recommend for a Thanksgiving dinner served at 5 PM. Of course, you can adjust it depending on your menu, how many people you're hosting, and what works best for you!
5–7 Days Before: Let's Get Organized!
Grocery trip #1: Pick up your turkey, pantry staples, baking ingredients, canned goods, butter, and anything else that will keep well until Thanksgiving. We'll save the fresh produce for a second grocery trip closer to the holiday.
Start thawing your turkey: If you're buying a frozen 12–14 lb turkey, allow approximately 3–4 days for it to thaw in the refrigerator. Keep it on a tray on the bottom shelf, and give yourself a little extra time if possible.
Set your Thanksgiving table! Yes, you can absolutely do this a week in advance! If you aren't using your dining room every day, go ahead and set out your linens, plates, glassware, candles, and decorations. Save the fresh flowers for closer to Thanksgiving.
Plan your flowers: Decide what you'd like and place an order ahead of time if needed.
Check your kitchen supplies: Make sure you have enough casserole dishes, serving platters, utensils, and anything else you'll need. Don't forget a meat thermometer!
3 Days Before: Fresh Groceries & Flowers
Grocery trip #2: Pick up fresh produce, herbs, salad ingredients, cheeses, and anything else you saved for closer to Thanksgiving.
Pick up your flowers: Give the stems a fresh trim, arrange them in water, and keep them somewhere cool.
Double-check your ingredients: Go through each recipe one more time to make sure you have everything. Nobody wants to realize they're missing butter on Thanksgiving morning!
Organize your serving dishes: I like to choose a serving platter for each recipe ahead of time. You can even place a little note inside each dish so you know exactly what goes where.
2 Days Before: Desserts, Cranberry Sauce & Decorating!
This is where we can really start getting ahead!
Make your desserts! My French Silk Pie, Pumpkin Cream Pie, and Brown Sugar & Biscoff Apple Crumble Cheesecake can all be prepared two days in advance. I recommend choosing two desserts for your menu, but you can absolutely make all three!
A little dessert tip: Both the French Silk Pie and Pumpkin Cream Pie are no-bake, which makes them especially easy to prepare ahead. Save any whipped cream decorations or crunchy toppings for closer to serving if you'd like.
Make the cranberry sauce: This is one of the easiest dishes to make in advance, and it keeps beautifully in the refrigerator.
Prepare the optional acorn squash soup: Make the soup today, let it cool, and refrigerate it in covered containers. All you'll need to do on Thanksgiving is reheat it!
Set your table if you haven't already! If you didn't get around to it earlier in the week, today is a great time to do it. Arrange your flowers, candles, linens, and place settings so your dining room is ready to go.
1 Day Before: The Big Prep Day!
I like to spend the day before Thanksgiving getting as much of the chopping and organizing out of the way as possible. That way, Thanksgiving morning feels a little less hectic!
Prepare your stuffing: I like to get my stuffing ingredients ready the day before. Chop the vegetables, cube the bread, cook any sausage, and measure out your seasonings. Keep the wet and dry components separate until you're ready to assemble and bake the stuffing on Thanksgiving Day.
Prepare your mac and cheese: This recipe is definitely best made fresh, but I've also prepared it a day in advance, and it tastes just as delicious! If you'd rather save some time, assemble it in your baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until it's time to bake.
Prep your vegetables: Wash and cut your rainbow carrots and delicata squash so they're ready to roast.
Prepare your salad ingredients: Wash and dry the kale, make your dressing, and prepare the toppings that keep well. Wait to slice the apples and dress the salad until Thanksgiving Day.
Check your desserts: Make sure everything is chilling properly. You can save any final garnishes for tomorrow.
Get your holiday punch ingredients ready: Gather everything you'll need and chill the juices or other ingredients. Wait until Thanksgiving Day to slice the fruit and assemble the punch.
Prepare your turkey: Make sure it's completely thawed, and prepare your herb butter or seasonings. If your recipe calls for seasoning the turkey overnight, you can do that today.
Before going to bed: I like to clean up the kitchen, clear the countertops, and make sure all my serving dishes and utensils are ready for tomorrow.
And that's it! You've already taken care of so much of the work before Thanksgiving Day even begins.
Remember, you don't have to make every recipe on this menu! Choose the dishes you and your guests will enjoy most, prepare what you can in advance, and leave yourself plenty of time to enjoy the holiday, too.
Thanksgiving Day: My Hour-by-Hour Cooking Guide
Today's the day! If you've followed the prep timeline, you've already gotten so much out of the way. Now it's time to bring everything together!
This schedule is based on a 5 PM dinner with a 12–14 lb turkey. Every oven is a little different, so give yourself some flexibility with cooking times.
9:00 AM — Get the Kitchen Ready
Make yourself some breakfast, put on some music, and get organized! Take a look at your recipes, clear your countertops, and make sure all your ingredients are ready.
If you're following my make-ahead vegetable option, you can roast your honey butter delicata squash and rainbow carrots now. Refrigerate them after cooling and warm them again closer to dinner.
11:00 AM — Prepare the Turkey
Preheat your oven to 325°F and get your turkey ready!
Prepare your herb butter, season the turkey, and arrange it in the roasting pan. Make sure it's fully thawed before you begin.
12:00 PM — Turkey Goes in the Oven!
Time for the main event!
A 12–14 lb unstuffed turkey generally takes about 3–3¾ hours at 325°F. I like to give myself a little extra time here because the turkey is the one thing I really don't want to rush.
While it's roasting, we can work on everything else!
12:30 PM — Make the Mashed Potatoes
I like getting my mashed potatoes out of the way early.
You can prepare them on the stovetop or use a slow cooker to save some space. If you have a slow cooker, you can also transfer your finished potatoes to it and keep them warm until dinner using an appropriate hot-holding setting.
You can even make mashed potatoes the day before! Just add a splash of cream when reheating to bring back that creamy consistency.
1:30 PM — Prepare Your Salad & Garnishes
Get your harvest kale salad ingredients ready, but wait to add the dressing and fresh apples until closer to serving.
This is also a great time to prepare garnishes for your turkey platter and other dishes.
2:00 PM — Assemble the Grazing Board
You can honestly do this whenever you have a little free time!
I usually like to assemble my board while the turkey cooks, then keep it in the refrigerator until we're ready to serve.
Just leave off the crackers and anything that might get soggy until right before your guests arrive.
2:30 PM — Get the Mac & Cheese and Stuffing Ready
Now we're getting into the fun part!
I like to have my mac and cheese and stuffing ready to bake while the turkey finishes roasting.
Since I have enough space in my oven, I can bake these alongside the turkey. If you don't have that much room, you can simply wait until the turkey comes out.
If you're using glass baking dishes, be mindful of temperature changes and follow the manufacturer's instructions. I prefer using oven-safe metal dishes when moving casseroles straight from the refrigerator into a hot oven.
The mac and cheese is best made fresh, but if you assembled it yesterday, it may need a little more baking time.
3:00–3:45 PM — Check the Turkey!
Start checking your turkey's internal temperature if you haven't already.
Once it reaches 165°F in the thickest parts of the breast, thigh, and wing, remove it from the oven.
Let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes before carving. If it finishes early, make sure it's safely held until you're ready to serve.
Meanwhile, finish baking your mac and cheese and stuffing, adjusting the oven temperature as needed.
3:30 PM — Make the Gravy & Finish the Vegetables
While the turkey rests, use those delicious drippings to make your gravy!
If you didn't roast the carrots and delicata squash this morning, now's the time to get them into the oven, once the casseroles are finished.
If you did roast them earlier, simply warm them closer to serving.
4:00 PM — Prepare Your Appetizers
Now it's time to make your Brie & Pepper Jelly Wonton Bites and Brie & Prosciutto Crostini!
These are best prepared fresh, so I like to leave them until Thanksgiving Day.
If you're short on oven space, a toaster oven or air fryer can be really helpful here. Otherwise, allow a little extra time to make them in batches.
Bring out your grazing board and add the crackers just before serving.
4:20 PM — Make the Holiday Punch
Slice your fresh fruit and combine all your punch ingredients in a large punch bowl.
If you're using sparkling ingredients, add them right before serving to keep everything nice and bubbly!
4:30 PM — Finishing Touches
We're almost there!
Toss the kale salad with its dressing and add the remaining toppings.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a serving bowl.
Warm your store-bought dinner rolls.
Make sure your mashed potatoes and gravy are hot.
Finish garnishing the roasted vegetables.
Carve the turkey and arrange it on your serving platter.
If you're serving the optional acorn squash soup, warm it through and have it ready for your guests.
5:00 PM — Dinner Is Served!
Bring everything to the table, light the candles, and enjoy!
And please don't feel like you have to do every single thing yourself. Have someone help with the punch, appetizers, or bringing dishes to the table.
You've already done so much work to make this gathering special. Now it's time to enjoy it!
Happy Thanksgiving!!! I hope you love this guide!! Oh by the way, there’s a full cook-along with me Youtube video for this guide too! I’ll add it below for you!
I am SO thankful for you and I truly truly hope this guide inspires you and helps you this holiday season. Shall we do this again next year?! Or maybe even…for Christmas?!
