Eva Powell, a former elementary-school librarian in Mitchell, Indiana, has won the town’s pudding contest five times with her recipe for persimmon pudding with a crispy, cake-like crust.

Replacing bread with chocolate spice cake adds richness and dark chocolate flavor to this pudding.

Vanilla ice cream makes the perfect topper for a warm, molasses-sweetened Indian Pudding.

A Cajun-inspired dessert comes from the home of Marcia Ball, blues singer and piano player.

Serve this simple, elegant ice cream with fresh fruit or on top of warm bread pudding. See the recipe for Honey Ice Cream »

Elegant and easy to prepare, a classic mousse flavored with espresso and topped with a dusting of chocolate is a great way to end a romantic meal.

Impress your guests with a show-stopping layer cake stuffed with a luscious custard filling and topped with meringue frosting.

Fuji apples hold their shape perfectly when baked and coated in caramel.

There’s nothing like homemade rice pudding—creamy, sweet, and comforting. The brown sugar lends a caramel-like sweetness, while cinnamon and rum-soaked raisins add warmth and depth. Get the recipe for Cinnamon Rice Pudding »

A welcome addition to the holiday table, this simple frosted layer cake can be made with either canned or homemade puréed pumpkin.

A refreshing, seasonal ice cream is a satisfying way to end your Thanksgiving meal. See the recipe for Apple Cider-Cinnamon Ice Cream »

The dessert’s delicate texture is achieved by cooking the cheesecake in a bain-marie, a water bath made by surrounding the springform pan with boiling water. Both the desserts need to be made at least a day before serving, and the ice cream can be made up to a week before serving.To save yourself more time on Thanksgiving day, you can also make the soup and the chutney up to two days ahead. Get the recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap and Hazelnut Crust »

Layers of spiced sweet potato cake alternate with marshmallowy meringue icing in a rich dessert that’s a riff on the classic Thanksgiving side.

Shredded carrots turn soft and sweet in this cardamom-spiced rice pudding.

This batter also makes delicious muffins, perfect for a day-after-Thanksgiving brunch.

Use up leftover pumpkin or squash puree in a sweet, spiced ice cream.

All the traditional flavors of pumpkin pie combine in this satisfying, creamy mousse. Get the recipe for Pumpkin and Bourbon Mousse »

Creamy custard sweetened with maple syrup makes a lovely ending to any meal. Get the recipe for Maple Pot de Crème »

Luscious, eggy, caramel-coated custard is a favorite in Buenos Aires, and the perfect sweet ending to a languorous meal. See the recipe for Flan de Caramelo (Caramel Flan) »

Pecan Cream Cake