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5 Great Pies for Thanksgiving

Buttermilk Sweet Potato Pie

Not sure what to make for your Thanksgiving dessert? The options are almost endless because there is no wrong way to end a Thanksgiving meal. That being said, pie is traditional and I know at least a few people who would throw a minor fit if it wasn’t an option. I just love pie in general, so any reason to have pie is a good one. Here are 5 great pie recipes – in case you need a few suggestions – to finish off Thanksgiving!

Pecan pie is probably the most popular Thanksgiving pie of all. I like my Maple Pecan Pie because it has a great maple syrup flavor to it and it isn’t overly full of super sweet “goo” (the technical term for the filling underneath those pecans). Unlike the traditional pecan pie recipe, it doesn’t use any corn syrup. It also has a nice balance of sweet and savory because it calls for roasted, salted pecans in the filling.

Pumpkin pie has got to be a close second favorite in the Thanksgiving pie race. This year, keep that savory sweet theme going with a Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie, which gives you a classic pumpkin pie with a little bit of a twist to it. Keep some extra caramel around for garnish, or to finish other desserts. Make Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes if you want a more personalized pie for your Thanksgiving guests.

Apple pie is perhaps the most traditional fall pie of all. A double crust pie is great, but Apple Crumble Pie never fails to make even the fullest Thanksgiving dinner guests ask for a small slice. It’s also a bit easier to make than a traditional double crust pie if working with pie crust makes you a bit nervous. Serve this one with vanilla ice cream.

Sweet potatoes are often used in sweet dishes, like marshmallow topped casseroles, so it makes sense that they would work in a dessert like Buttermilk Sweet Potato Pie, which is pictured up at the top. This pie has a creamy filling that has a nice balance of sweetness with a hint of tanginess from the buttermilk. This pie can work well with a pastry crust, but graham cracker crust adds yet another flavor element to the pie, plus a nice crunch!

For something completely different (my grandfather always wanted coconut, for instance, never pumpkin or pecan), try a Lemon Swirl Cream Cheese Pie. This cheesecake-like pie is topped with homemade lemon curd and has a vanilla almond crumb crust. It also won the best in show prize Crisco National Pie Championships, where I was a judge, earlier this year. It is light and fresh tasting, thanks to all that lemon, and is a great way to end a rich Thanksgiving dinner.

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4 Comments
  • Rachel
    November 14, 2010

    I’m still debating over what multiple pies and other dishes I’ll be making. Thank you for the inspiration and ideas 🙂

  • I made a maple pecan pie using your recipe last year and it was a huge hit! It was salty and sweet and just about perfect. I’ll be making it again this year too! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!

  • Carrie
    November 16, 2010

    I was planning to make an apple pie for Thanksgiving…and after seeing your recipe for an apple crumb pie I think I’ll give it a try. It looks delicious!

  • Ryan
    November 18, 2010

    I’ve never been a huge pie eater, and have never made any kind of pie, but I may have to try that lemon swirl cream cheese pie. It looks amazing.
    The one pie that I think more people should make (and eat), is chess pie… I’m not sure why I haven’t heard tons of bloggers talk about it, because it’s seriously amazing. Of course, how could anything made out of basically butter and sugar not be amazing? xD
    Anyway, I LOVE your blog, it’s probably one of my favorites. I check it every day xD Have a great Thanksgiving! 🙂

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