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Easy as Pie Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes Your Whole Family Will Love

Written by Chelsea Triola  |  22. November 2013

Once the turkey has been enjoyed and your savory side dishes are all gone, it is time to for dessert! Impress your guests with these delicious dessert ideas that are perfect for both baking beginners and for those of you who have been doing it for years! For those of you whose favorite part of the meal is dessert, these sweet treats will certainly hit the spot!
 
These tasty recipes are the perfect way to conclude your Thanksgiving meal and are simple to prepare. There are a variety of desserts including traditional dishes and some new ideas that are sure to leave your guests satisfied! Dishes are made in just minutes while others take a bit longer but are certainly worth the wait. Follow the easy steps below then dig in!
 
Sweet Potato Cups
Maple sweet potato cups are the ideal treat to end your Thanksgiving dinner and they can be made in just 10 minutes!
 
Ingredients
  • 2 24-oz. frozen steam-and-mash sweet potato packages
  • 1/3 cup of butter, cut up
  •  1/3 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
  •  1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
  • 3 teaspoons of orange zest
  •  1 teaspoon of salt
  •  4 egg whites
  •  ½ cup of granulated sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and steam potatoes according to the package directions. 
2. Mash the sweet potatoes with the butter, maple syrup, salt and brown sugar. 
3. Spoon the mixture into 6-oz. custard cups and place them on a baking sheet. 
4. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they are foamy. 
5. Add 1 tbsp. at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.
6. Spread the meringue over the sweet potato mixture and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until golden brown.
 
Cranberry Cobbler
Take advantage of fresh cranberries by adding them to these yummy creation that takes just minutes to make! 
 
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons of unsalted, melted butter
  • 1 ¼ cups of cranberries, partially thawed if frozen
  • ¾ cups of sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons of baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • ½ cup of whole milk
  • 1 large egg
Preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and butter a 10-inch skillet.
2. Stir the cranberries and 2 tablespoons of sugar together
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining ¾ of sugar in a large bowl
4. Whisk together the milk, egg and butter in a smaller bowl 
5. Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined
6. Pour batter into the skillet and place the cranberries on top, scattered 
7. Bake until the center springs back when touched lightly (25-30 minutes)
8. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving (or sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours)
 
Salted Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cake
This recipe is for those who prefer to indulge in some cake instead of the classic pie. Try this out- of-the-ordinary pumpkin spice cake made with four layers of salted caramel buttercream. The layers can even be prepared ahead of time and placed in the freezer until they are ready for Thanksgiving dinner!
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup of butter
  • 1 ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp. of baking soda
  • 2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup of packed brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ cup of pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup of milk
  • ¼ cup of nonfat Greek yogurt
  • Salted caramel buttercream
  • ½ cup of pecans, chopped
  • ¼ cup of salted caramel sauce
Preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease and flour 2 or 4 9-inch round cake pans
3. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan
4. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the butter turns a golden-brown color and begin to smell nutty. (About 4 minutes) Then set aside.
5. Mix granulated sugar, pumpkin puree, and brown sugar in a large bowl until it is well-combined
6. Stir in the vanilla, milk, eggs and Greek yogurt until it is well-combined
7. Stir the flour mixture in until just combined
8. Add the browned butter and stir until just combined
9. Divide the batter evenly
10. For two pans: bake for about 25-30 minutes and for 4 pans bake for about 15-20 minutes
11. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in pans
12. Place the cakes on wire rack to finish cooling
13. Wrap the layers (once they have reached room temperature) in plastic wrap and frozen for later use.
 
Simple & Sweet Apple Pie
Homemade Apple Pie doesn’t have to be hard to make - in just a few simple steps, you can create a holiday classic that is sure to please everyone at the table!
 
Ingredients
  • 1 recipe for a 9 inch “double crust” pie (top and bottom shell)
  • 8 Medium Granny Smith Apples
  • ½ Cup Brown Sugar
  • ½ Cup White Sugar
  • ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
  • 3 Tablespoons of Flour
  • ¼ Cup Water
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Core, slice, and peel apples, and place evenly into bottom pie crust. Set aside.
3.  Melt butter in a saucepan, stirring in the flour until it forms a paste. Once the paste is formed, add in water, and stir in white and brown sugar, bringing it to a boil. Reduce temperature to a simmer.
4. Pour the butter/sugar mixture over the apples in the bottom pie crust, distributing as evenly as possible - be sure to do this carefully so that there is no run off. 
5. Add the latticework top crust to your pie. 
6. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, and then drop the temperature of the oven down to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 - 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown, and the apples are soft. 
 
The most delicious thing about these desserts is that they won’t take up too much of your time when it comes to preparation this Thanksgiving - these tasty treats can be whipped up without having to get whipped into a frenzy! The prep work and cooking times for all of these recipes are short and sweet - just how desert should be - allowing you to still have a chance to watch the parade or the game, and spend more time with family this holiday!
 
Have a great Thanksgiving dessert you would like to share?
Comment below, or email us at info@longisland.com about adding your idea!

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