If pie just isn’t your thing, chances are you don’t look forward to Thanksgiving. My family doesn’t mind a little pumpkin pie, but if they’re honest, they’re totally not pie people. If you’re in the same boat, don’t despair! Lucky for you there are plenty of Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie. And I’ve gathered them here in one convenient spot for you!
First off, if you’re avoiding pie then you’ve got a couple of options. You can totally go #teamcake all the way and throw those fall flavors into something delicious. Or you can #teamcookie your way to grandma’s house with these tasty Thanksgiving-themed cookies. You can even take the path of least resistance and root #teambakedgoods, which is pretty much anything but pie. Whatever your team happens to be, the only thing you’re going to need besides these recipes are the perfect serving platters. Try grabbing one of these or one of these!
Thanksgiving Desserts That Aren’t Pie
#teamcake Recipe 01: Apple Spice Cake
This cake is moist, flavorful, and low fat to boot making it ideal for the holidays!
Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
- 700 grams Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples (1.5 lb)
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ c. light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 pinch salt
- 110 grams flour (1 c. – 1 Tbsp)
- 75 ml milk (¼ c. + 1 Tbsp)
- 3 tsp baking powder
- powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Start by heating your oven to 350°F and greasing an 8.5" round pan. Then peel, core, and slice the apples and set aside.
- In your stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and salt until thick and creamy before adding in the flour, baking powder, and milk. Continue to beat until combined before folding in about two-thirds of the apples. Then, pour the batter into your pan and artfully arrange the remaining sliced apples on top. If desired, sprinkle with a tablespoon of brown sugar before baking for about 35 minutes or until golden brown and done in the middle. Remove from the oven and dust with powdered sugar before serving!
These might look like your average cookie, but they are sure to be a favorite of kids and adults alike.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ c. flour
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 c. butter room temperature
- 1 c. sugar
- ½ c. light brown sugar
- ¾ c. pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- ¼ c. sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ c. sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- dash allspice
Instructions
- Begin by mixing the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg) together, then set aside. Next, in your mixer, whip the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and creamy. Then blend in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and continue to mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients a cup at a time and continue to mix until the dough forms. Then cover and chill for at least an hour.
- To make the filling, whip the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until combined. Then refrigerate for at least an hour.
- When the dough and filling have chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Then combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar coating and get ready to roll!
- To assemble the cookies, begin by making a disk out of a tablespoon of dough. Then place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the middle, and top with a similar-sized disk on top. Next, seal the edges by pressing them together before rolling into a ball shape and giving it a good dredge in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Before baking, give each cookie a squish with a heavy glass or measuring cup. Then bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tops begin to crack. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about five minutes before moving.
#teambakedgoods Recipe 03: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
These bars are great when you’re serving a crowd! They give you all the pumpkin pie feels without any of the actual pie. 😉
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ c. graham crackers crushed
- ¼ c. butter melted
Filling
- 4 pkgs. cream cheese softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 c. canned pumpkin
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Topping
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Begin by heating your oven to 300°F and lining a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. Make sure to have your parchment paper overhang about an inch over the sides.
- Next, combine the graham crackers and butter in a bowl until combined. Then press them into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs one at a time and continue to whip until blended.
- Spoon half of the mixture over the top of the crust, reserving the remaining cream cheese mixture for the next step. After putting half of the cream cheese mixture over the crust, add in the pumpkin and spices and whisk together until smooth and combined. Then carefully spoon this mixture over the top of the cream cheese mix.
- Bake the bars for at least 50 minutes or until just set. Then turn off the oven and allow them to cool (with the oven door slightly ajar) for about an hour before popping them into the fridge. Allow the bars to set for at least three hours before cutting into squares and serving with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
And there you have it! The next time you’re trying to please a crowd or even some picky kids, don’t be afraid to think outside the pie. These desserts are simple and sure to please just about everyone! I hope one of these Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie work for you and your family. Leave me a comment and let me know which one is your favorite, or tell me about one that’s not listed. Happy Thanksgiving!
Read next: How to Make Hot Chocolate Bombs Easy
Leave a Reply