I love baking pies for Thanksgiving because they make a beautiful presentation for dessert. If I’m having a small crowd, I can bake just one. But if serving a crowd, I can bake a few. Any leftovers are a delicious late-night snack. These five Blue Ribbon pie recipes are easy to make and your guests are going to want to slice into them.
For my family, it’s not Thanksgiving without something pumpkin on the dessert table. Light and creamy, I enjoy Cecelia Huddleston’s Creamy Pumpkin Pie With Candied Pecans.
“This is my favorite pumpkin pie which I bake every Thanksgiving,” reveals Cecelia. One bite and you’ll see why she bakes it annually.
I love the choice of spices in this light and creamy pumpkin pie. Someone who doesn’t traditionally like the traditional pumpkin spice will like this combination.
Candied pecans on top are delicious and I could have eaten those by themselves. Topped with a bit of sweetened whipped cream, I could seriously eat the entire pie myself.
Another traditional Thanksgiving pie is apple pie. I love how in Cindy Smith Bryson’s Perfectly Simple Apple Cranberry Pie she combines two traditional Thanksgiving flavors into one dessert.
“This is a relatively quick and easy pie for your holiday table, especially so if you use a refrigerated (prepared) pie crust,” shares Cindy. “I like to use a lattice top to showcase the colorful berries but please make this pie your own with your fave top crust.”
Apples and cranberries are a fantastic flavor combination. Add the buttery, sweet aroma of the rum and you have one delicious pie. The crispy lattice across the top gives a flaky cinnamon sugar spice to each bite.
“The secret is cooking the sugar and corn syrup first,” explains Stacy Cypret (West Point, UT) about her Pecan Pie That’ll Make Your Mouth Water. “It’s not for dieters for sure!”
There is a nice mix of textures with the crunchy nuts and gooey filling in this pecan pie. The filling is sweet and nutty. Just like a pecan pie should be.
Chocolate desserts more your speed? Well, I have two delicious options.
Up first, Wanda Harrison’s (Henderson, TN) Chocolate Chess Pie. Wanda thinks, “This is a great pie,” and I agree.
If you’re not familiar with chess pie, it’s a custard-like pie with a slightly jiggly center. This version is full of chocolate flavor. Your chocolate-loving friends will be begging for another slice.
Next is Phyllis McDaniel’s (Lancaster, KY) Chocolate Pie recipe. It’s similar to a chocolate pudding pie but takes things to the next level.
“I love chocolate and peanut butter together, who doesn’t, right,” jokes Phyllis. “Well, I made plain chocolate pies for years and I thought I’d upgrade it a little.”
Four different types of chocolate are used which really amps up the chocolate flavor. No one will ever guess this started with a boxed pudding.
Using four egg whites creates a tall meringue that easily covers the pie. Grating Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on top, add a hint of peanut butter to every bite without being overpowering.
These easy-as-pie Thanksgiving desserts deserve a spot on your dessert table. But if you want more dessert ideas, our Holiday Baking recipe collection has tons of them. You can even get a head start on your Christmas dessert menu. Happy Pinching!