Thanksgiving dessert recipes

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  For dough:

  1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, chilled and cut into pieces
  1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping and rolling
  1/2 cup sugar
  1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  1/4 teaspoon salt

  For filling:

  3 small ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into thin slices
  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  1/4 cup sugar
  1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  1 large egg yolk
  2 tablespoons apple jelly or strained apricot jam

  HOW TO:

  1. Make dough: Combine cream cheese, butter, flour, sugar, cardamom and salt in work bowl of a food processor. Process until dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface, shape into a 5-inch disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.

  2. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough into a 12-inch round. Use a plate to trim into an even 10-inch circle. Fold edge over by 1 inch. Freeze for 20 minutes.

  3. Make filling: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine pears, lemon juice, sugar and ginger in a large bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.

  4. Arrange pear slices in concentric circles on top of dough. Brush edge with egg yolk. Bake until crust is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Slide tart, still on parchment, onto a wire rack. Brush pears with jelly or jam and let stand 20 minutes before slicing and serving warm, or cool to room temperature before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.” data-id=”19575960″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10823_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9575960″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  1/2 cup brown sugar
  1 pinch salt
  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  1/2 cup flour
  1/2 cup oats (rolled or steel-cut but not instant or quick-cooking)
  6 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the pan, at room temperature
  6 to 8 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered
  1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
  Port syrup (see recipe below)

  HOW TO:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Work the butter into the oats with your hands to form a coarse mixture, or pulse in a food processor until combined.

  2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place pears and cranberries in the bottom and sprinkle with the oat mixture. Bake until top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream and drizzle with Port syrup. Makes 8 servings.

  For port syrup:

  1 cup ruby Port
  1 cup red wine vinegar

  Combine Port and vinegar in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until reduced to 1/4 cup syrup, about an hour. Makes 1/4 cup.” data-id=”19575965″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/18647_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9575965″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  For the cake:

  2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
  1 cup yellow cornmeal
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/2 cup plain yogurt
  1/4 cup milk
  2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  3 large eggs
  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  2 cups fresh cranberries

  For the glaze:

  1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  2 tablespoons molasses
  2 tablespoons milk, or a little more, if necessary
  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  HOW TO:

  1. Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together yogurt and milk in a small bowl.

  3. Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add eggs and beat, scraping down the bowl once or twice, until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the yogurt in 2 additions, and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in cranberries.

  4. Scrape batter into prepared Bundt pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert it onto a wire rack and cool completely.

  5. Make glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, molasses, milk and ginger until smooth and thick but pourable. Scrape into a glass measuring cup. Place cake on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle glaze over cake. Let stand until icing is set, about 30 minutes. Makes 12 servings.” data-id=”19575984″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10824_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9575984″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  1 1/2 cups white sugar
  1 teaspoon salt
  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1 teaspoon ground ginger
  1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  4 large eggs
  1 (29-ounce) can Libby’s pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
  2 (12-ounce each) cans evaporated milk
  2 (9-inch) unbaked deep-dish piecrusts

  HOW TO:

  1. Place 2 cookie sheets in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

  2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Add pumpkin and sugar- spice mixture and mix well. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shells.

  3. Place pies on heated cookie sheets in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Do not freeze as this will cause crust to separate from filling. Makes 16 servings.” data-id=”19479884″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/img_5daa16883c954.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9479884″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
  1 refrigerated piecrust (about 7 ounces)
  5 Bartlett pears (about 2 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  1 tablespoon flour
  1 lightly beaten egg

  HOW TO:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet pan with cooking spray.

  2. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the crust out to a 14-inch circle; transfer to the sheet pan. (It is all right if the dough hangs over the edges.)

  3. Toss the pears with the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and flour. Arrange them artfully on the dough, leaving the outer 2-inch perimeter clear. Fold this edge in toward the center, gently pleating it as you go. Brush the dough with the egg.

  4. Bake 10 minutes, rotate the pan and bake until the crust is golden and the pears are fork tender, about another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into wedges. Makes 8 servings.

  To accompany with roasted pear: Cut a 1/4-inch-thick slice out of the center of each pear. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and brush with butter. Place in a preheated, 425-degree oven 16 to 17 minutes, turning once, or until golden and tender.” data-id=”19575982″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10825_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9575982″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED
  4 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch wedges
  1/4 cup plus 1 cup sugar, divided
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  1 cup flour
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  2 eggs, lightly beaten
  1 teaspoon vanilla

  HOW TO:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

  2. Toss the apples with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon.

  3. Cream the butter with an electric mixer; when fluffy, add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until again light and fluffy. Add the flour and baking powder; beat to incorporate. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the mixture is well-blended. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread evenly.

  4. Starting around the outer edge of the pan, arrange the apple slices in concentric circles, allowing each row to slightly overlap. Bake, rotating once, until a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 hour.

  5. Allow to cool in the pan 20 minutes; run a knife around the edge and remove the sides. Cool completely on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.” data-id=”19337698″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10826_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9337698″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  For the crust:
  25 gingersnap cookies (to yield about 1 1/3 cup crumbs)
  5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1/8 teaspoon salt

  For the filling:
  3/4 cup sugar
  8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  2 large eggs
  1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon ground ginger
  1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1. Make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookies in workbowl of food processor; process till finely ground. Add butter, cinnamon and salt; process until crumbs are moist. Press mixture evenly over bottom of a 9-inch pie plate, all the way up the sides of pan, packing tightly with fingertips so it is even and compact. Bake crust until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

  2. Make filling: Combine sugar and cream cheese in large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice as necessary. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add pumpkin, cream, flour, ginger, nutmeg and salt, and beat until smooth.

  3. Scrape filling into cooled pie shell and bake until center is just set, 40 to 45 minutes.

  4. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 6 hours and up to 2 days, before serving.” data-id=”19480024″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10827_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9480024″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
  1 single-crust 9-inch pie shell, chilled
  6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  1 cup packed light brown sugar
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  3 large eggs
  1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
  1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  1 1/4 cups pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
  1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  1 large egg white
  1 cup (5 1/2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

  HOW TO:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick bottom and sides of pie shell all over with fork. Line shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing it against bottom and sides of shell and letting the foil overhang the edge by one inch. Prick the foil with fork and through the pastry. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and continue to bake until crust is golden, 10 minutes longer.

  2. While crust is baking, prepare filling: Place a few inches of water in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Combine butter, sugar, salt, eggs and corn syrup in large bowl and place on top of pot, whisking until butter is melted and ingredients are warm to the touch. Whisk in the vanilla and stir in the pecans and coconut. Remove from the heat.

  3. Remove pie shell from oven and lower temperature to 275 degrees. Brush the bottom of the shell with egg white and let stand 2 minutes to dry. Pour the pecan mixture into the hot shell. Scatter chocolate chips over filling. Bake until center is just barely set, with the slightest wiggle to it, about 55 minutes.

  4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.” data-id=”19575977″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/image-126.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9575977″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  For pumpkin seed topping:

  6 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
  1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1/4 cup unsalted, shelled pumpkin seeds
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  For cake:

  1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  Pinch nutmeg
  1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  1 1/4 cups sugar
  3 large eggs
  1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not “pumpkin pie filling”)
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1/3 cup milk
  1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Make streusel: Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and pumpkin seeds in a mixing bowl. Work butter pieces into mixture with your fingers, making coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

  3. Make cake: Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium-size mixing bowl.

  4. Combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice as necessary.

  5. With mixer on medium-low speed, add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla. Stir in milk.

  6. Turn mixer to low speed and add flour mixture, 1 / 2 cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in cranberries.

  7. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle streusel topping over batter. Bake cake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Place pan on wire rack and cool completely.

  8. Release sides of pan, cut into wedges and serve. Store leftover cake at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days. Makes 8 to 10 servings.” data-id=”19480049″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10828_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.9480049″/>

• WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  For the crust (make 2, separately, one for bottom crust, one for the lattice top):

  1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
  1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces and chilled for at least 15 minutes
  5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled for at least 15 minutes
  1 large egg white
  2 tablespoons ice water
  1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
  For the filling:

  3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  5 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  1 egg, lightly beaten
  Sanding sugar for sprinkling

  HOW TO:

  1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the workbowl of a food processor and pulse several times to blend. Add shortening and pulse 8 to 10 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add butter and pulse another 8 to 10 times, until mixture once again resembles coarse meal.

  2. Beat together egg white, water and vinegar in a small bowl; then pour over flour mixture. Pulse 5 to 7 times, until dough just begins to come together in large clumps. If it doesn’t stick together, sprinkle another tablespoon of water over mixture and pulse again. Remove lid of food processor and press some dough between your fingers. If it is still very crumbly, process once or twice more.

  3. If it holds its shape, press it into a 5-inch disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Make second pie crust; refrigerate.

  4. On a lightly floured countertop, press the disk into a rough circle by pushing down on it all over with the rolling pin. When you have a circle measuring 6 or 7 inches in diameter, use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough, sliding a large metal spatula underneath the dough after every 4 or 5 strokes to loosen the dough from the work surface, and rotate the dough 45 degrees. Continue to roll, loosen and turn, until you have a 13-inch circle (smaller than this and you might have trouble creating a nice, thick edge).

  5. Loosely fold your dough circle around the rolling pin, lift the pin and unroll the dough over the 9-inch shallow pie plate. Gently press it into the bottom and sides with your fingertips, taking care not to stretch or thin the dough when you do this, or dimple it with your fingers, which may cause the dough to shrink in the oven.

  6. Use a pair of scissors to trim the crust all around so that it overhangs the edge of the pan by 1 inch. Tuck that extra dough underneath itself to form a double-thick edge that sits on the rim of the pie plate.

  7. Pinch the edge of the crust with the thumb and forefinger of one hand while pressing from the inside with the index finger of the other hand, repeating all the way around the edge. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using.

  8. To start the filling, melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice; cook, stirring frequently, until apples are cooked through but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the apples to a baking sheet to cool completely. (Filling can be chilled, transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 week.) Spoon the apples into pie shell.

  9. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and place a rimmed baking sheet on rack. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slide the chilled lattice from the parchment onto the pie, adjusting the strips so they are straight and even. Trim the strips so they overhang the rim of the pie by 1 inch. Pinch the ends of the strips so they form part of the rim.

  10. Brush the lattice and rim with the beaten egg. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 degrees and continue to bake until the lattice and rim are golden brown, another 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack and serve.

  11. For the lattice top, repeat step 4, and roll dough into a 13-inch circle. Using a ruler and a fluted pastry wheel or sharp paring knife, cut the dough into eight 1-inch-wide strips.

  12. Line up half of the strips vertically, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then gently weave in the horizontal strips.

  13. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.” data-id=”16424401″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10829_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.6424401″/>

Even after huge Thanksgiving dinner, there’s always room for dessert. Here are some tasty treats to cap off your holiday feast.