The Pioneer Woman's Best Thanksgiving Recipes

This Thanksgiving, leave the meal planning to The Pioneer Woman host Ree Drummond. As a mom of four, ranch wife and cookbook author, Ree knows a thing or two about cooking holiday dinners for a crowd.

Spatchcocking your turkey leads to faster cooking, crispy skin and a pan full of drippings ready to be turned into delicious gravy. Basted with maple herb butter, you can have a golden brown bird ready in under two hours.

Melty fontina and nutty Gruyère star in these too-good-to-be-true potatoes, which raise the bar further with bacon and caramelized onions.

Making your own GBC from scratch is awesome, but frying your own onions to top it with is legendary.

Frozen sweet potatoes are a delicious shortcut that give body and sweetness to these delicious rolls. And a big pat of salted butter doesn't hurt either.

Ree's twist on classic creamy mashed potatoes adds tang from cubed cream cheese. They can be made ahead and held for up to two days, which means less stress and fewer dishes on Thanksgiving.

Cooking in a muffin tin means that these easy-to-serve "stuffins" are crispy all the way around.

Turn up the heat at the table this Thanksgiving with Ree's Spicy Maple Roasted Carrots. If you're worried about it being too hot, you can remove the seeds and trim the ribs from the jalapeño, or leave it out entirely.

Dry white wine, spicy pork sausage and cream cheese turn boring button mushrooms into a rich and savory low-carb bite.

Is there a better way to use up leftover mashed potatoes than Ree's crispy ham and cheddar croquettes?

Making this showstopper dessert up to two days in advance helps the fruit and cake absorb syrup and the flavors distribute, leaving you extra time to spend with your friends and family on the holiday.

Classic butter-basted whole roast turkey gets big flavors from citrus zest and herbs. Be sure to check the video for Ree's instructions on trussing the bird!

Keeping it simple and packing in the flavor with the goodness of gizzards, Ree's classic giblet gravy comes together quickly while the turkey cools.

While your turkey is cooling, cool yourself off as well with a splash of Ree's Cranberry Vodka Sangria.

Bringing it all the way back, this showstopping twist on cranberry sauce is an easy make-ahead side sure to have everyone talking.

Save yourself from headaches and make these sweet bites using frozen puff pastry. Soften your cream cheese in the microwave, and they'll be ready to serve alongside your morning coffee.

Soaking your turkey in a sugar-salt brine tenderizes the bird and lets it soak up tons of flavor.

Don’t throw out the turkey drippings from the roasting pan; they’ll give the gravy tons of rich flavor.

After the cake is baked, Ree pokes small holes in it, then brushes it with a spiced rum syrup. You’ll end up with an exceptionally moist cake full of boozy flavor.

Class up canned cranberry sauce in a pinch with maple syrup, orange zest and thyme.

There are milkshakes, and there are milkshakes. Ree uses pecan pie here, but apple or pumpkin works well too!

Ree uses store-bought coconut cream pudding and graham cracker pie crust for this quick and easy dessert.

The trick to Ree’s turkey shortcut is all in the prep. Have your butcher cut it into two boneless breasts, two legs and two thighs. Roast and slice it the day before to save time on Thanksgiving. Then, when you're ready to eat on Turkey Day, just moisten it with broth and gently warm it up in the oven.

Fresh vegetables such as celery, parsnips and fennel give this gravy an extra-special flair of earthy and savory flavors.

Ree gives a fall twist to this Italian classic by layering it with crushed gingersnap cookies, pumpkin espresso syrup and a creamy pumpkin pie filling.

Caramelized, crunchy and buttery, this pecan pie gets smoky caramel and vanilla flavors from a few splashes of bourbon in the filling and pie crust.

Use up your leftover cranberry sauce by combining it with store-bought cherry pie filling for a sweet and tangy cobbler topped with sweet buttermilk biscuits.

Ree suggests adding cayenne pepper, paprika and thyme to give this decadent cheesy dish added smoky flavors.

Ree adds fresh broccoli to her top-rated mac and cheese and finishes it off with crispy breadcrumbs.

Along with brown sugar, orange juice and pumpkin pie spice, Ree adds cornstarch to her potatoes so the sauce will thicken into a sweet-savory glaze in the slow cooker.

According to Ree, the glaze for this ham is "out-of-this-world flavorful," and it only takes 10 minutes to make!

Ree calls this her "cherished Thanksgiving staple" — and fans love it too.

These buttery biscuits are the perfect complement to your Thanksgiving feast. Best of all: they’re easy to make.

Cinnamon raisin English muffins and diced Granny Smith apples add warm fall flavors to this hearty morning meal.

Cranberry gelatin, crushed pineapple and a cream cheese topping take this traditional side dish to the next level. With only 15 minutes of prep time, this dish "could not be any simpler," Ree says.

Toasted caramel syrup, ground cinnamon and apple-flavored bourbon deliver a cocktail and a dessert all in one.

These spicy, crunchy treats offer the perfect predinner bite.

It's all about what Ree calls My Favorite Turkey Brine when prepping this foolproof bird. The salty-sweet liquid infuses into the meat, making the meat moist, tender and full of flavor.

There's no need to stress over rolling out a pie topper. For this rustic version, simply pile the cinnamon-spiced fruit on top of a single sheet of dough and fold it over.

Butterfly a turkey breast, stuff it with a savory sausage mixture and roll it up to create a showstopping presentation that will leave your guests speechless.

The beauty of a cheese platter on Thanksgiving is that it looks impressive but is simple to prepare. Plus, cheese and crackers won't fill up your guests, so they'll surely have room for turkey and sides when the feast is served.

For all the fans of a bread dressing made outside the bird, Ree's classic recipe is for you. This one feeds a crowd, which is ideal for a holiday buffet.

Ree ensures this dessert is fuss-free by starting with a store-bought pumpkin pie and dressing it up with a rich chocolate ganache.

Warm up herbs and bright lemon zest in melted butter, then slather the flavorful mixture over frozen rolls for a next-level take on the crowd-pleasing classic.

For a dressed-up take on the traditional recipe, Ree mixes several heads of sweet, soft roasted garlic into her easy mashed potatoes before baking the mash with butter.

Equal parts maple syrup and port boost the flavor of canned cranberries.

You've got a lot of leftovers to get through, so why not start off right with a gravy-bathed biscuit breakfast sandwich?

Follow Ree's lead and opt for store-bought frozen pearl onions and Brussels sprouts. It'll save you valuable time on a busy holiday.

Thanks to the addition of a cup of buttermilk, Ree's easy cornbread turns out moist every time. She opts for a trio of dried herbs — basil, sage and thyme — in the batter to add warm, fragrant flavor to each bite.

The secret to a successful dressing is letting the bread cubes dry before getting to work; the stale bread will better absorb the flavors and moisture of this bacon-laced dressing.

These buttery muffins are baked in groups of three dough balls, which, when fused together, turn out like cloverleaves.

This three-veggie roast not only turns out beautiful flavors but also creates a platter that's downright striking, with golden squash, vibrant green sprouts and pearl-like pink pomegranate seeds.

In place of the usual crushed graham crackers, Ree opts for a mixture of spicy gingersnap cookies and crunchy pecans. When blended together, they offer the ideal taste and texture complement to the richness of the creamy pumpkin filling.

Please everyone at the feast with The Pioneer Woman's duo of baked mashed potato casseroles: one classic and buttery, and the other featuring a base of sweet sauteed shallots.

You can save yourself time on Thanksgiving Day by baking the rolls partway ahead of time. When you're ready to finish them on Turkey Day, slather them with butter and bake them for an additional few minutes.

Made with her Herbed Cornbread, this bacon-studded dressing is studded with jalapeños for subtle heat.

Consider this the ultimate workhorse deviled egg recipe; the whites are tender, and the mayo-mustard yolks turn out creamy and tangy.

There's no denying the seasonal hue of this balanced, bubbly cocktail.

What you can't see in this picture — but what delivers a smoky bite to these fresh green beans — is the crispy bacon. The beans and tomatoes are cooked right in the bacon fat, which promises rich flavor throughout.

Ree lets the pepper-studded brine impart the flavors of maple and whiskey into this dressed-up holiday bird, which she rounds out with her complementary Maple Whiskey Gravy.

Use the drippings from Ree's Maple Whiskey Turkey to make this rich gravy, laced with, of course, both whiskey and pure maple syrup.

Ree bakes potato cubes in a seasoned cream mixture with a blanket of cheddar on top to create a gooey, melty casserole ideal for a crowd.

Sweet and savory flavors combine in these fuss-free snacks. There's a crunchy surprise inside each date, too: salted roasted almonds.

It takes only a few everyday ingredients, like butter, brown sugar and chili powder, to bring bold flavor to this tender roasted vegetable.

Like peanut butter and jelly, and chocolate and hazelnuts, the flavors of apples and caramel are simply better together. Here, Ree fills a cinnamon-scented pie crust with sweetened apples and tops the fruit with a buttery brown sugar-oat crumble. And as for the caramel, that's drizzled all over the top before serving.

Your roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, dressing and gravy get a second life when layered between slices of bread with gooey Swiss cheese in these hefty sandwiches.

When you roast a 20-pound turkey, you need to get creative with your leftovers. Ree's Thanksgiving twist on her famous chicken spaghetti casserole steps right up and cures the leftover sandwich blues.

This creamy casserole serves 12 and bakes up in just 35 minutes, which makes it an easy side to prep while your turkey rests.

Ree's giant apple tart features a buttery shortbread base, gooey caramel sauce and sweet crumbly topping … and the best part is that it can be on your table in under an hour.

Ree's soft and sweet Chocolate Sheet Cake switches it up for fall with maple, pumpkin and creamy whipped topping.