[Photographs: Vicky Wasik, Carrie Vasios Mullins, Yvonne Ruperti]
Thanksgiving is a pie kind of holiday. Maybe it's because pies travel well, making them suitable for the potluck nature of many Thanksgiving feasts; maybe it's because homemade pies require a good bit of work (despite the old "as easy as pie" saw), so we end up saving them for celebratory occasions. Whatever the reason, it's a rare Thanksgiving dinner that doesn't end in pie, and we've got lots and lots of pie recipes that reflect that tradition.
On the other hand, there are plenty of reasons to consider supplying a dessert that's not pie, too: If you're hosting or attending a really big gathering, where you can reasonably expect several treats to be crowding the sideboard, it makes sense to mix things up with a crisp, a batch of cookies, or a rich and gooey chocolate cake for the chocoholics among you (there's got to be at least one). And, acknowledging that pie isn't a terribly light option, there's a good argument for including a dessert that is—like crunchy biscotti—for the folks who just want a taste of something sweet. To that end, we've rounded up 15 recipes for doing dessert a little differently this Thanksgiving.
Fruit Desserts
The Best Apple Crisp
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
An apple crisp is a lot less work than apple pie, and some people even prefer a crisp's buttery, nutty crumb topping to a pie crust. We're partial to pecans for the topping, though a variety of nuts could work—just make sure to toast them for extra depth of flavor.
Get the recipe for The Best Apple Crisp »
Gluten-Free Apple Fritters
[Photograph: Elizabeth Barbone]
Doughnuts aren't the most traditional of Thanksgiving desserts, but they're certainly pretty American by most accounts, and these crispy apple fritters are perfect for the season. Using Chebe mix, which contains modified manioc starch and supplies necessary elasticity for the dough, makes them totally gluten-free. Lightly pre-cook your apples before adding them to the dough so they end up just tender enough in the final fritter.
Get the recipe for Gluten-Free Apple Fritters »
Apple Brandy Doughnut Holes
[Photograph: Sydney Oland]
For a simpler way to work doughnuts into your Thanksgiving menu, try these easy doughnut holes flavored with apple cider and grated apples, then tossed with cinnamon sugar. A few tablespoons of brandy give the doughnuts a nice little warmth and kick.
Get the recipe for Apple Brandy Doughnut Holes »
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
[Photograph: Carrie Vasios Mullins]
Considering that cookies are easy to make in large quantities and easy to transport, it's a wonder they don't show up more often at Thanksgiving. These chewy oatmeal cookies studded with chopped apples get most of their moisture from applesauce, which helps the fruit flavor stand out.
Get the recipe for Apple Oatmeal Cookies »
Cinnamon Apple Sour Cream Cake With Spelt
[Photograph: Stephanie Stiavetti]
Whole-grain spelt flour and a modest amount of sugar make this apple cake a relatively healthy option that's still wonderfully comforting. Sour cream supplies all the fat in this recipe, as well as a bit of tartness.
Get the recipe for the Cinnamon Apple Sour Cream Cake With Spelt »
Pear, Riesling, and Ginger Sorbet
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
A light sorbet can be a great follow-up to a big dinner. This refreshing, seasonal, just-fancy-enough version uses pears poached in sweet-tart Riesling. The recipe calls for a generous amount of ginger—a classic match for pears, and a complement to the wine's mineral backbone—but you can tone it down if you'd like it less spicy.
Get the recipe for Pear, Riesling, and Ginger Sorbet »
Spiced Prune Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
Prunes don't get nearly the respect they deserve, at least here in the States, but this recipe is good enough to sway even the most skittish prune-phobes. Because they're intensely moist as well as flavorful, they do a beautiful job in a cake batter spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The cream cheese glaze just heightens the attraction.
Get the recipe for the Spiced Prune Cake With Cream Cheese Icing »
Pavlova
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
Pavlova, a dessert made of French meringue topped with whipped cream, looks impossibly sumptuous. In fact, it's not all that difficult to make, it's cheap, and it scales well, meaning it's great for feeding a large crowd. You can top it with whatever fruit you can find, but because the meringue and cream are sweet, tart fruits like citrus and cranberries work especially well, and it's a good time of year for both.
Chocolate Desserts
Olive Oil Cake With Roasted Grapes and Chocolate Ganache
[Photograph: Carrie Vasios Mullins]
This elegant olive oil cake neatly bridges the gap between fruit desserts and chocolate ones. Roasting grapes before mixing them into the cornmeal-based batter both reduces their water content and deepens their sweetness. A dose of fresh orange juice and zest brighten it up, and a bittersweet ganache tops the whole thing.
Get the recipe for the Olive Oil Cake With Roasted Grapes and Chocolate Ganache »
Salted Caramel-Chocolate Pudding Cake
[Photograph: María del Mar Sacasa]
Pudding cake, as the name implies, gives you the best of two delicious worlds, as does pairing salted caramel and chocolate. Pour the caramel cake batter into the pan, then top it with a mixture of cocoa powder and sugar and a dousing of coffee. The chocolate mixture will sink down to the bottom, leaving you with a layer of cake resting atop a bed of creamy chocolate pudding.
Get the recipe for the Salted Caramel-Chocolate Pudding Cake »
Candied Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti
[Photograph: Carrie Vasios Mullins]
These crunchy biscotti with chocolate chips and candied almonds are made for dunking in post–Thanksgiving dinner coffee. Like traditional Italian biscotti, they don't use any butter, which keeps them crisp and light.
Get the recipe for Candied Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti »
Smoked Salt, Pretzel, and Potato Chip Chocolate Bark
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
This version of the classic holiday treat gets a salty crunch from pretzels and potato chips and an almost bacon-like edge from smoked salt (though regular coarse salt will do if you can't find smoked). Quickly temper the chocolate to give it a smoother texture.
Get the recipe for Smoked Salt, Pretzel, and Potato Chip Chocolate Bark »
The Rest
Pumpkin Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
A pumpkin cheesecake brings all the warm, spicy flavors associated with pumpkin pie in a form that's generally more crowd-pleasing. This one is made festive with a topping of homemade candied walnuts; a gingersnap and brown sugar crust accentuates the mellow pumpkin flavor.
Get the recipe for the Pumpkin Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust »
See the step-by-step photo guide for the Pumpkin Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust »
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Icing
[Photograph: Elizabeth Barbone]
Made with genuine pumpkin purée, these cupcakes are worthy of a spot on your short list of pumpkin spice–flavored treats you're not sick of. A splash of orange juice gives them sweetness, and a blend of white rice flour and cornstarch keeps them gluten-free.
Get the recipe for Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Icing »
Brown Butter Bourbon Cookies
[Photograph: Carrie Vasios Mullins]
Often cooking with alcohol leaves you with just a faint hint of the spirit in the final dessert. In these cookies, the stomach-warming, caramel- and vanilla-scented bourbon comes through loud and clear. As the cookies bake, though, the bourbon blends in with the brown butter, so it ends up being distinctive without adding too much bite.
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