With this Thanksgiving baking timeline, you’ll get tips on planning what to bake, and how and when to make rolls, pies and other desserts ahead of time. The earlier you start planning, the more goodies you can bake without a lot of stress!

side view of chocolate coconut pie

Thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away! Are you ready? Have you even started thinking about it? Pulling off a big feast like Thanksgiving Dinner is a lot of work. But if you plan ahead, and do some prep work ahead of time, it doesnā€™t have to be a miserable day spent slaving away in the kitchen. 

When it comes to baked goods like rolls, pies, and other desserts, remember a lot can be made in advance and stored in your fridge or freezer until you need them. Whether you’re making everything yourself, or just bringing a dish or two, here is a guide for getting everything done on time with as little stress as possible. Plus, keep scrolling to get your free printable checklist!

Table of Contents

What baking items to plan for

In addition to all the other traditional Thanksgiving menu items to consider like turkey and mashed potatoes, here are the categories that we’re going to talk about today, the ones you generally think of as “baking recipes”:

cutting, rolling and putting crescent rolls on a sheet pan

Create a timeline to get it all done

The earlier you start planning, the more you canĀ bake! And the more easily you can fit everything into your schedule to get it all done with as little stress as possible. So regardless where you are in the month of November currently,Ā get started today, and use this sample timeline as a guide.

ā˜‘ļø Click here to get a free printable checklist of the timeline so you can check it off as you go!

2-4 weeks before

  • Plan what you’ll bake: Pick exactly what recipes you’ll make and have them bookmarked or printed out.
  • Stock your pantry: Make sure you have enough flour, sugar, butter, nuts, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk etc. 
  • Check expiration dates: Make sure yeast and baking powder haven’t expired. Baking soda and spices like cinnamon lose their potency over time, so consider refreshing those items if needed. 

1-2 weeks before

  • Make pie crust. Pie crust will keep for months in the freezer! Make your homemade pie crusts at least 1 week early, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the freezer.
  • Make shopping lists. Now’s the time to plan for non-pantry or more perishable ingredients you’ll need like cranberries, apples, eggs, milk, vanilla ice cream, etc.
  • Freeze shaped dinner rolls: If you really want to get ahead, freeze shaped rolls (skip the second rise) on a parchment lined sheet pan, then transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer.

2-3 days before

  • Thaw pie crusts: If you have pie crusts in the freezer, move them to the fridge.
  • Par-bake pie shells: If you are serving a single crust no-bake pie that requires a baked butter pie crust or graham cracker crust, bake it and store at room temperature covered in plastic wrap.
  • Prep for other desserts: Make cookie dough, bake cake layers, or any other prep that can be made ahead. 
  • Bake bread for stuffing. If you’re going above and beyond making your own bread for stuffing, do it now so it has time to dry out a bit.

The day before

  • Prepare rolls and bread: Make dough for dinner rolls, shape, and let them do their final rise in the fridge overnight (if you prefer, you can bake them the night before instead). If making biscuits, prepare dough and freeze them overnight.
  • Make pies: Bake all of your pies and assemble any no-baked pies that require chilling.
  • Make other desserts: Bake cookies, assemble cakes, etc.
  • Bake cornbread. Cornbread will keep just fine overnight at room temperature. 

Thanksgiving day

  • Bake rolls and bread: I prefer to bake shaped rolls and biscuits first thing Thanksgiving morning so they are at their best without taking up too much precious oven time, but you can also bake them the night before if you prefer. Rolls will need to come to room temperature and puff up a bit before baking, but biscuits should be baked straight from frozen.
  • Make whipped cream: If you’re serving whipped cream as a topping for any dessert, make it in the morning and store in a covered container in the fridge, or spread it on top of your pie/dessert.
  • Rewarm pies if you want. If you want to serve pies warm, put them in a 300Ā°F for about 30 minutes.
pie crust dough and dough pressed into pan

Thanksgiving make-ahead storage cheat sheet

Whether you’re making your pie crust, fully baked pie or dinner rolls ahead of time, here’s everything you need to know about how to store them and how long these baked goods will last. Cover or wrap items with plastic wrap if storing in the fridge or at room temperature to keep items fresh. Frozen items should be double wrapped or put in a thick freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.

  • Pie crust dough: Store in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for about 1 month.
  • Un-baked pie crust shells: Store them in a pie dish, ready to go, in the freezer for about 1 month. Use straight from frozen.
  • Baked single pie crust: Par-baked pie crust and baked cookie crusts will keep at room temperature for about 3 days or in the freezer for about a month.
  • Unbaked fruit pies: Freeze for up to 1 month and bake straight from frozen, adding 20-30 minutes baking time. Assembled fruit pies should be baked or frozen right away, do not store in the fridge.
  • Baked fruit pies: Will keep at room temperature 1-2 days, 3-5 days in the fridge, and up to 1 month in the freezer. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
  • Baked custard pies like pumpkin pie: Pies with eggs and dairy should be stored in the fridge and will keep for 3-5 days. These pies do not freeze well. 
  • Baked pecan pie or chess/sugar pies: Store at room temperature for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 1 month. 
  • Cream pies: Always store in the fridge, they will keep for 3-5 days. These pies do not freeze well. 
  • Bulk yeast-risen dough: Dough can complete its first rise (or bulk rise) in the fridge for about 12 hours. Let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes, then punch down and shape.
  • Shaped dinner rolls: Unrisen shaped rolls can complete their second rise (or proof rise) in the fridge for about 12 hours. Or freeze on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let come to room temperature and get a little puffy before baking.
  • Baked dinner rolls: Will keep for about 1-2 days at room temperature or in the freezer for about 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
  • Baked cornbread: Store at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the freezer (unsliced) for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
  • Unbaked shaped biscuits: Freeze on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bake straight from frozen.
  • Baked biscuits: Store in the freezer for up to 1 month and thaw at room temperature.
slice of mile high apple pie with ice cream on a plate

How to rewarm pies, rolls and more

Rewarming baked goods helps to bring back some of that crispness in their crust, or softens up bread, and generally just helps whatever your serving to taste more fresh. 

A good rule of thumb is that you can warm most baked goods in a 300Ā­Ā°F oven for about 20-30 minutes. This works for baked rolls and other bread, fruit pies, pumpkin pie, etc. Try to warm them in the pan they were baked in, and use foil to cover the pan if needed to prevent over-browning. 

soft white dinner rolls in the baking pan

Additional Thanksgiving baking tips

  • Consider using quick-rise/instant/rapid-rise yeast to cut down on prep time. It can be substituted 1:1 for active-dry yeast in most recipes.
  • Plan for 1-2 dinner rolls per person, and even more if you’re hoping for leftovers (we all love a good leftover Turkey sandwich on a roll!).
  • One 9-inch pie will yield 8-12 slices of pie, or even more if the slices are really thin so guests can sample multiple pies.
  • If you live in a cold environment, the outdoors in November are a great make-shift fridge! I often will put baked goods on my covered porch to cool or chill if my fridge is full. 
  • If you are traveling with baked goodies on Thanksgiving day, be sure to pack everything well! You don’t want anything sliding around or spilling in the back of your car. Consider packing items in an open box, or using towels as buffers between items. 
  • Give yourself more time than you think to make your recipes, especially if you’re more of a beginner baker.
  • Thanksgiving might not be the best time to try some elaborate new recipe or technique that you are unfamiliar with or that’s way out of your comfort zone; you may be just setting yourself up for frustration. Stick to old faves or recipes you know you can succeed with, or do a practice run before the big day.
  • If something doesn’t go according to plan, remember to take a big breath and relax! 

See also:

Whatever your plans for the Thanksgiving holiday, I hope you plan to bake something completely delicious! Start planning now and reduce your stress. At the end of the meal, when youā€™re undoing the top button of your pants and contemplating a second piece of pie, it will have all been worth it.