More than any of the holidays, Thanksgiving is associated with cooking and baking. Even if you spend most of the year avoiding dessert, Thanksgiving is the one holiday where it’s not only acceptable to satisfy your sweet tooth, but it’s encouraged.
Whether you are a traditionalist who insists on pumpkin or apple pie, or a new wave advocate who is unafraid of crazy flavor combinations, there are Thanksgiving desserts for every palate and dietary preference.
Master The Basics
The best Thanksgiving desserts start with good fundamental techniques for making pie crust and fillings. The beauty of most pies is that the recipes are relatively simple. But the downside is that no one likes a pie with crumbly crust or soggy filling. For a classic French twist on crust, try Julia Child’s recipe for crust that combines butter and shortening to keep things crisp.
While many people default to pumpkin pie, one of the most delicious desserts you can make is sweet potato pie. Sweet potato has a wonderful mouthfeel and a bit more depth of flavor than pumpkin pie. However, like its pumpkin counterpart, the sweet potato flavor is neutral enough to augment with add-ons like chocolate, nuts and maple.
If those pies aren’t your cup of tea, there are many other options. Apple pie needs no introduction, but did you know that originally it was a European dessert? With so many family apple pie recipes out there, creating something new requires hacking basic techniques. This pie is wrapped in a paper bag while it bakes to deliver consistently superior flavor and texture, so you’ll be able to deliver a flawless apple pie this year!
For traditional Thanksgiving flavors in a non-traditional package, consider making an amazing cranberry gingersnap pie. The color of this dessert and its original use of cranberries will have all of your guests – both in-person and via Zoom – buzzing.
Non-Dairy and Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Desserts
In recent years, accommodating dietary restrictions has become more prevalent, especially around the holidays with so many different guests. For the gluten-free or gluten-intolerant family members, five-ingredient pumpkin pudding is a delicious temptation that only takes minutes to prepare. Sweet and light, it just might be the perfect dessert after overindulging (even if you are a diehard traditionalist and a gluten-free eater).
Another surefire winner are these vegan fudgy paleo brownies. With almond flour, almond butter, coconut sugar and honey, these are packed with flavor, energy, and a satisfying hit of chocolate.
Craftmark Homes builds beautiful new homes that can be customized to meet your family’s needs. All of our models feature spacious kitchens with ample counter space and upgraded appliances so you can bake any kind of dessert this Thanksgiving with ease!
We wish you a delightful and rewarding holiday season and look forward to your inquiries and model home tours.