I must confess. My favorite part of Thanksgiving is not the turkey or the dressing. It’s the dessert table.

Every year, whether I host or not, I am in charge of desserts, and I always put out a spread that could probably feed a small army. 

I always bake a few pies, but sometimes I let a few of my favorite bakeries do a bit of the work. 

Here are five of my favorite sweet treats for Thanksgiving — no baking needed. Just place your orders ASAP. All these pies tend to sell out before Thanksgiving.

“Shady Wake” pecan pie from Muddy’s Bake Shop

The “Shady Wake” pecan pie is the most-ordered item at Muddy’s Bake Shop for Thanksgiving every year. (Courtesy Muddy’s Bake Shop)

I always make a pecan pie using my grandmother’s recipe, but if I were going to pick one up from a local bakery, it would be the “Shady Wake” pecan pie ($35) from Muddy’s Bake Shop. This pecan pie is Muddy’s most-ordered item for Thanksgiving every year. It’s a caramel-y pecan pie done right, made with their from-scratch all-butter crust.

French silk tart from 17 Berkshire

The French Silk Tart at 17 Berkshire is a decadent chocolate tart for your holiday table. (Courtesy 17 Berkshire)

17 Berkshire owner Nuha Abudahair is known for the elegant desserts she serves at her Overton Square bakery and coffee shop. For those looking for a chocolate treat, I highly recommend her French silk tart ($28). The 8-inch tart is filled with a decadent chocolate filling and topped with whipped cream.

Pumpkin cake from Primas Bakery

Primas Bakery makes a pumpkin spice cake every year for the Fall that looks just like a pumpkin. (Courtesy Primas Bakery)

The pumpkin cake from Primas Bakery is a showstopper! Primas bakery owner Rachel Mullen is known for her intricate piping work and vibrant colored treats. For the fall holidays, she decorates a pumpkin spice cake with cinnamon buttercream that looks exactly like a bright orange pumpkin. The cake comes in four sizes, ranging in price from $55 to $85.

Pumpkin swirl cheesecake from The Sift Bakery

The Pumpkin Cheesecake from The Sift Bakery is a New York -style cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and swirls of a pumpkin spice filling. (Courtesy The Sift Bakery)

The Sift Bakery in Bartlett may be known for its French macarons and stuffed spiral croissants, but owner Lonisa “LaLa” Bowen has also created a decadent pumpkin cheesecake ($70) that is not to be missed. This New York-style cheesecake has a graham cracker crust and swirls of a pumpkin spice filling. It’s pretty and delicious.

Decorated sugar cookies from Sweet LaLa’s Bakery

Sweet LaLa’s Bakery is making personalized name plate sugar cookies for your Thanksgiving table. (Courtesy Sweet LaLa’s Bakery)

Sweet LaLa’s Bakery was founded on Lauren Young’s signature almond-flavored sugar cookie. But, for her seasonally decorated sugar cookies, she omits the almond flavoring so everyone can enjoy them. New this year are personalized, edible “place card” cookies. Order in advance, and Sweet LaLa’s will personalize each cookie with a guest’s name. The minimum order is six cookies for $30. 

This Week on Memphis’ restaurant scene

Memphis Made Brewing Co. will host its 11th annual Malted festival. This annual event features limited release, small-batch dark malty brews and is 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at Memphis Made’s new brewery and taproom at 16 S. Lauderdale St.

Huey’s will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Cordova location (1771 N. Germantown Parkway) on Sunday, Nov. 24. Expect all-day happy hour, throwback pricing on the Huey burger ($4.50) and potato soup ($3.25) as well as live music from 3 to 6 p.m.

After four decades, Rum Boogie Café owner Preston Lamm has retired. On Monday, Nov. 18, he officially handed over the keys to his longtime manager Joe Losapio. Lamm sat down with me last week to discuss his 40-year history with Beale Street.

Sam’s Deli owners Brad and Shamira Wilbanks announced the closure of their University of Memphis area deli on Monday. 

JoJo’s Espresso also announced it’s expanding and moving into a space in Thornwood that was once a Newk’s Eatery. Sophia Surrett reported on what to expect at the new location.

Etowah Collective dinner series co-founder also plans to open a new bar in 2025. Bar Limina will feature a revolving lineup of mixologists and bartenders from across the globe.

In this week’s Recipe Exchange, I shared the recipe for my twist on my grandmother’s pecan pie recipe.  This bourbon-chocolate pecan pie, plus a classic pecan pie, are both on my Thanksgiving table every year.

Memphian Michelle O’Guin placed first in the Live Fire division of the 2024 World Food Championship contest last week. The win earned her $10,000 and a chance to compete for $150,000 this spring.

In The Daily Memphian’s Food Files column, Sophia Surrett reported Cold Stone Creamery is opening a new location in Cordova in 2025, Austin-based cookie company Tiff’s Treats will open delivery-only stores in Cordova, the University of Memphis and Olive Branch, and that Collierville restaurant Zopita’s on the Square has closed.

Abigail Warren reported that Swanky’s Taco Shop will close its Germantown location at the end of the month. The Carrefour restaurant was the chain’s first and was open nearly 20 years.

And Joshua Carlucci’s $10 deal this week was from Memphis Whistle in Cooper-Young. His top picks on the menu — besides the mocktails — are the Lion’s Mane Bites (fried mushrooms), the Jalapeno Patty Melt, and the Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Thanks for joining me for this week’s Table Talk. Be sure to look for this column weekly for all the latest food news in Memphis.

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