Thanksgiving dinner is a marathon of flavors, and while turkey, stuffing, and gravy often steal the show, the right bread is essential. It’s not just about filling space; it’s about soaking up every last drop of flavor and building the perfect leftover sandwich. This guide presents 15 recipes for breads, rolls, and biscuits that will elevate your holiday table.
Yeasted Breads: Classic Flavors with a Twist
Pumpkin Spice Bread: This loaf replaces water with pumpkin purée, creating a subtly sweet, seasonal bread with a beautiful orange hue. It’s versatile enough for sandwiches or simply enjoying alongside butter.
The Best Dinner Rolls: These rolls achieve a perfect balance of fluffiness inside and a crackly crust, thanks to a boiling technique borrowed from bagel making. They stand up to even the heaviest gravy without collapsing.
Parker House Rolls: Restaurant-quality buttery Parker House rolls are surprisingly simple to make at home. A generous coating of melted butter and sea salt makes them irresistibly delicious.
Pull-Apart Stuffing Rolls: These rolls blend the best of both worlds: the convenience of rolls with the savory flavors of classic stuffing. Sausage, celery, and sage create a standout side, and using store-bought dough keeps things easy.
Buttery Pull-Apart Cloverleaf Rolls: These rolls deliver on the core promise of a dinner roll—pillowy softness, tenderness, and perfect gravy-soaking ability.
Gluten-Free Potato Bread: Gluten isn’t necessary for great bread. This recipe combines a gluten-free flour blend with cooked potato for a springy, structured crumb. The flour blend can be made in bulk for future use.
Sourdough Bread (Pain au Levain): For sourdough enthusiasts, Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion to showcase your skills. This recipe produces a deeply flavorful loaf with a subtle tang, ideal for those who enjoy a more complex bread.
Cornbread: North vs. South and Beyond
Sweet Northern-Style Cornbread: For those who prefer a sweeter, cake-like cornbread, this recipe delivers. A 50/50 mix of cornmeal and flour, plus sugar, creates a moist and satisfying loaf. Browned butter takes it to the next level.
Unsweetened Southern-Style Cornbread: If you lean toward the Southern tradition, high-quality stone-ground cornmeal is essential. This recipe keeps it simple: salt, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk, eggs, and butter or bacon fat.
Orange and Cranberry Cornbread: A Thanksgiving twist on classic cornbread, this recipe infuses the flavors of cranberry sauce with citrusy orange. Light brown sugar balances the tartness of the cranberries.
Biscuits: Flaky, Tender, and Fast Options
Homemade Biscuits: Plain yogurt replaces buttermilk in these golden-brown biscuits, providing a tender texture with just the right amount of rise.
Super-Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits: These laminated biscuits stay true to tradition, delivering a fluffy, flaky experience with a perfect buttermilk tang. Butter instead of shortening creates a more tender result.
2-Ingredient Never-Fail Cream Biscuits: For those short on time, this recipe is a lifesaver. Using self-rising flour, it requires only two ingredients and can be ready in 20 minutes.
Sweet Potato Biscuits: Sweet potato purée adds a vibrant color and tender, moist texture to these biscuits. Despite their hue, they deliver a classic buttery flavor.
Yeast-Raised Angel Biscuits: These biscuits require overnight proofing, making them a perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving side. Combine the ingredients the night before, and bake them fresh on Thanksgiving morning.
These recipes will ensure your Thanksgiving table is well-equipped with the perfect bread. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, gluten-free or classic, there’s a loaf for every palate.
Ultimately, the right bread isn’t just a side dish; it’s an essential part of the Thanksgiving experience, tying together all the flavors of the feast.
