Thanksgiving is the biggest cooking day of the year, and the secret to actually enjoying it is getting most of the work done before the day arrives. These make ahead gluten free Thanksgiving recipes let you fill the table with salads, sides, stuffing, biscuits and desserts days ahead of time. You get your oven, your counter space and your morning back. When you're cooking gluten free for family and friends, making dishes ahead also means you know exactly what went into every one of them, so everyone at the table can eat without worry.
I've organized these recipes by course, and each one tells you how far ahead you can make it, so you can plan your whole week of prep in one place. You'll find layered salads that taste better after a night in the fridge, sweet salads and fluff salads that need time to set, a cornbread stuffing you can assemble the night before, and pies and cakes that hold beautifully for a day or two.
Scroll to the bottom for a simple make ahead Thanksgiving timeline. If you're still filling out your menu, my gluten free Thanksgiving side dishes, Thanksgiving desserts and cranberry recipes have even more ideas.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Appetizers and Snacks
Set these out as guests arrive so nobody hovers in the kitchen waiting on the turkey.
Gluten Free Air Fryer Chex Mix
A salty, crunchy snack mix for grazing all afternoon. Make up to 1 week ahead and store airtight.
Gluten Free Caramelized Onion Dip
Rich, savory and even better the day after you make it. Make up to 3 days ahead.
Air Fryer Sweet and Salty Roasted Cashew Nuts
A sweet and salty bowl of nuts that disappears fast. Make up to 1 week ahead and store airtight.
Refrigerator Dill Pickle Chips
Crisp pickles for a classic relish tray. Make 3 days to 1 week ahead so they have time to develop flavor.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Salads
Layered and dressed salads are some of the easiest dishes to make ahead, and most get better overnight.
Easy Pea Salad
A creamy, old fashioned side that's always on the holiday table. Make up to 1 day ahead.
Seven Layer Salad
The original make ahead salad, layered in a glass bowl. Layer up to 1 day ahead, seal the dressing on top and cover to store in the fridge.
Chopped Wedge Layer Salad
All the flavor of a wedge salad in an easy layered dish. Layer up to 1 day ahead.
Gluten Free Corn Salad with Bacon
A sweet and smoky side that adds color to the table. Make the salad the day before and add the bacon right before serving so it stays crisp.
Honey Dijon Carrot Salad
A bright, tangy side that balances all the rich dishes. Make 1 to 2 days ahead.
Easy Apple Slaw with Poppyseed Dressing
A crunchy, fresh slaw for fall. Make the dressing up to 3 days ahead and toss with the slaw a few hours before serving.
Make Ahead Sweet Salads
These need time in the fridge to set, which makes them perfect for prepping the day before.
Gluten Free Frog Eye Salad
A creamy fruit salad that's a holiday tradition for so many families. Make up to 2 days ahead; it needs at least an overnight chill.
Cranberry Fluff Salad
Sweet, tart and pretty in pink. Make 1 to 2 days ahead so the cranberries can soften.
Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
A fresh, colorful salad to lighten up the table. Make the dressing and cut sturdy fruit the day before, then toss the morning of.
Gluten Free Strawberry Pretzel Dessert
The salty, sweet layered classic. Make up to 1 day ahead so the pretzel crust stays crisp.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Sides and Stuffing
Prep these early so they can go straight into the oven or slow cooker on the day.
Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
Classic stuffing with all the herby flavor. Bake the cornbread up to 2 days ahead, assemble the night before and bake on Thanksgiving.
Gluten Free Cornbread
Golden and tender, for serving on its own or making stuffing. Bake 1 to 2 days ahead, or freeze up to 3 months.
Cheesy Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
A rich, cheesy side that frees up your oven. Prep the ingredients the day before and let the slow cooker do the rest.
Make Ahead Biscuits and Spreads
Warm biscuits with homemade jam or pumpkin butter are always the first thing gone from the table.
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Biscuits
Tender, fluffy and perfect for fall. Bake and freeze up to 1 month ahead, then warm before serving.
Gluten Free Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
No rolling or cutting needed. Bake and freeze up to 1 month ahead, then warm before serving.
Gluten Free Cranberry Jam
Sweet tart jam for biscuits or turkey sandwiches. Make up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerate.
Pumpkin Butter - Trader Joe's Copycat Recipe
Smooth, spiced and so good on warm biscuits. Make up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerate.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts
Most holiday desserts hold perfectly for a day or two, so you can finish dessert before the main event even starts.
Gluten Free Praline Pumpkin Pie
Creamy pumpkin pie with a crunchy praline layer. Bake 1 to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake
A tender, spiced cake that serves a crowd. Bake up to 2 days ahead, or freeze unglazed up to 1 month.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cake
A cozy, snack style cake for the dessert table. Bake 1 to 2 days ahead.
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A moist, spiced sheet cake with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting that's easy to slice and serve to a crowd. Bake and frost up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze the unfrosted cake up to 1 month.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Gingersnap Parfait
Individual layered desserts that look fancy with very little work. Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and layer the morning of so the gingersnaps keep some crunch.
Gluten Free Pumpkin White Chocolate Cookies
Soft, spiced cookies for the dessert tray or sending home with guests. Bake up to 3 days ahead, or freeze up to 1 month.
Gluten Free Pecan Pie Bars
All the flavor of pecan pie, easier to cut and serve. Bake up to 2 days ahead.
Gluten Free Cranberry Apple Crisp
A warm fruit dessert with a buttery topping. Assemble the day before, keep the topping separate and bake while the turkey rests.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Breakfast
Assemble breakfast the night before so Thanksgiving morning is as easy as turning on the oven.
Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
A sweet, cozy breakfast for a houseful of guests. Assemble the night before and bake in the morning.
Pumpkin Apple Baked Oatmeal with Streusel Topping
A hearty fall breakfast that feeds everyone. Assemble the night before, or bake ahead and rewarm.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Drinks
Have the drinks ready to pour so guests can serve themselves.
Autumn Harvest Punch
A festive punch for the whole family. Mix the base the day before and add anything bubbly right before serving.
Easy Instant Pot Apple Cider
Warm, spiced cider that makes the house smell amazing. Make up to 3 days ahead and rewarm before serving.
Non Alcoholic Spiced Apple Fizz Drink
A sparkling, spiced drink everyone can enjoy. Make the spiced apple base ahead and top with seltzer as you serve.
Your Make Ahead Thanksgiving Timeline
Here's how to spread the cooking across the week so Thanksgiving Day is mostly baking, reheating and enjoying your people.
One week ahead: Make the Chex Mix, roasted cashews and refrigerator dill pickle chips. Bake and freeze biscuits and cornbread if you like. Make the cranberry jam and pumpkin butter.
Two to three days ahead: Make the caramelized onion dip and apple cider. Bake the cornbread for stuffing if you didn't freeze it. Make the dressing for the apple slaw and the filling for the pumpkin gingersnap parfaits. Bake the cookies.
One day ahead: Layer the seven layer salad and chopped wedge salad. Make the pea salad, carrot salad, corn salad, frog eye salad, cranberry fluff salad and strawberry pretzel dessert. Bake the pies, bars and cakes, and frost the sweet potato cake. Assemble the cornbread stuffing, cranberry apple crisp and breakfast casserole. Mix the punch base and the spiced apple fizz base.
Thanksgiving morning: Bake breakfast. Toss the fruit salad and apple slaw, and layer the parfaits. Start the creamed corn in the slow cooker.
Before dinner: Bake the stuffing, add the bacon to the corn salad, warm the biscuits and bake the crisp while the turkey rests. Top the drinks with seltzer as you pour.
Tips for Storing and Reheating Make Ahead Dishes
Keep cold salads covered and refrigerated until right before serving, and add crunchy toppings like bacon or pretzels at the last minute so they stay crisp. Warm frozen biscuits and cornbread wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Let assembled casseroles and stuffing sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes while the oven heats so they bake evenly, and add a few extra minutes to the bake time since they're starting cold. If you're bringing a dish to someone else's Thanksgiving, label it gluten free and bring your own serving spoon so it stays safe.
More Recipes You Might Enjoy
Which make ahead dish are you starting with this year? Leave a comment and a star rating on any recipe you make, and save this post to Pinterest so your Thanksgiving prep plan is easy to find all week.
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