Thanksgiving Desserts! My Favorite Scrumptious Holiday Recipes!
Nov 02, 2023, Updated Nov 02, 2024
Delicious Desserts – Something for Everyone!
What would you think is the quintessential holiday dessert? See my picks – 20 to choose from.
Creative & Updated Classics with Healthy Twists!
Something Apple:
An impressive freeform type of apple pie – sliced apples are placed on a round of flaky dough, edges get folded over then baked until golden… so delish! Perfect for Thanksgiving!
A Quick Sauce – Great for Drizzling over Desserts and Ice Cream. Use only real maple syrup – I have used barrel aged Vermont maple syrup.
Tastes like an apple crumb pie in a bar! Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert buffet – not too sweet with a touch of warm spices. These can be made a few days ahead!
This easy to prepare fall dessert is bursting with harvest flavors: fruit is blanketed with a crisp cinnamon, pecan and oat layer. Vegan, gluten-free and irresistible! Add some coconut whipped cream on the side to dollop.
A spiced apple cake dotted with chunks of apples topped with a generous height of crunchy streusel. Go a step further and add caramelized apples and a dripping caramel sauce to each slice. A gluten-free option too!
An easy and delicious butter-moist cake is “sunken” as the apples are fanned and placed over the batter, which then rises up around them as the cake bakes. Top with my Maple Caramel Sauce for a little decadence!
A moist cake with warm spices topped with Caramelized Apple Slices and baked with Fine Almond Flour. I top it with a drizzle of Vanilla Bean Rum Glaze. A healthy new alternative recipe.
Something Nutty:
A Creamy Cheesecake made with Cottage Cheese – no cream cheese here!
Decadent and creamy – Make my recipe: Chocolate Peanut Biscotti for the crust and pile on some Honey Peanuts on top ~ see that recipe too!
A MUST! My family favorite The Ultimate Pick-Up Bar ~ Perfect for the Holidays!
A press-in shortbread crust with a pour-on-top filling enriched with a crunchy pecan topping. Delish!
I’m teaching this dessert at my upcoming Cooking Class: “The Best of Thanksgiving”
A Perfect Shortbread Crust is topped with a toffee flavored topping rich with Natural Coconut, Crystalized Ginger & Sliced Almonds.
Perfect for the Holidays, Entertaining and Gift Giving!
Something Chocolate:
A Decadent Bittersweet Chocolate Indulgence with an Airy Easy Whipped Coconut Cream Topping with Crushed Raspberries Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Parve. A showstopper cake!
A cracked caramel-sugar top with a creamy chocolate dessert underneath.
Made entirely with milk, not a drop of heavy cream!
Lightened-Up: Creamy, decadent and delicious… decadent but not too rich!
Easy! These delectable, creamy truffles are truly all-natural with Fresh Mint from my garden. Coconut Milk swaps in for heavy cream for a lighter, vegan treat. Cacao nibs adds a little crunch. Can make well ahead! I Love these little bites – the perfect ending to a Holiday Meal!
A wonderful decedent but not-too-rich pie with a press-in crust with a chocolate base and caramel top layer. Finished with coconut whipped cream, honey-sugared peanuts and toasted coconut flakes. Love at first bite! Gluten Free too!
I’m serving this NEW pie on Thanksgiving!
Something Fruity:
The perfect ending to a holiday meal (Thanksgiving!) Spiced, beautiful pears swimming in a ruby syrup with a creamy zabaglione custard.
An easy “press-in” dough recipe! Learn how to make homemade Plum Jam for the bars as well. Buttery, jam-filled bars based on the classic Viennese Linzer torte – dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Can use any good quality jam!
A lightened-up recipe with creamy deliciousness – a crackled sugar top is complemented with a fruity roasted sauce. These small sized Crème Brûlées are the perfect indulgent dessert with less fat than traditional recipes… and no heavy cream!
Ice Cream, Sherbet & Frozen Yogurt:
NEW Vegan: A creamy delicious ice cream with stirred in wet-walnuts! Flavored with real maple syrup for a natural flavor you will love.
A light and airy maple-walnut vegan ice cream with a hint of fresh banana.
PS: tastes like the real thing!
Vanilla Ice Cream does not have to take a supporting role next to your holiday desserts, this one is delicious on it’s own! Simple ingredients blend into a creamy, decadent dessert, infused with Ginger and Pumpkin Spices.
A flavor explosion with beautiful color and texture. This simple Sherbet has just the right sweetness and is so refreshing! Totally loving the white chocolate shavings mixed-into the sherbet.
Karen’s Amazing Apple Galette
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Karen's Flaky Pie Dough
- 4 medium apples, 4 cups total sliced; I used 2 types of firm sweet- tart varieties
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup pure cane sugar, I use organic
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small bits
- 1/2 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sanding sugar, (coarse sugar)
For drizzling on the galette:
- 1 recipe Karen’s Quick & Easy Maple Caramel Sauce for Desserts
Instructions
- Make flaky pie dough. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Can make up to 2 days in advance well covered; refrigerated. Bring to room temperature, yet still cool.
- Peel and quarter the apples. Remove core with a small knife. Cut each quarter into 1/4" slices – add to a large bowl, add lemon juice and toss. Continue with all apples – use 4 cups sliced apples.
- Add 1/2 cup sugar, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt. Set aside.
- Take the flaky dough – add to a lightly floured large piece of parchment paper, 15" wide. Roll to a 14" circle, will be just under 1/4" thick. Place the parchment on a baking sheet to fit.Add apple mixture on the dough leaving a two inch boarder all around.
- Whisk the half of egg yolk until very well blended.
- Bring pastry edges up and over the apples (will be about 2 inches wide) – pleating it in a nice round shape.Dot the apples with the butter bits. With a pastry brush, brush a light coating of egg wash to the exposed pastry border. Add sanding sugar the to exposed pastry. (brush off any sugar that is on the pan.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Refrigerate the galette for 30 minutes – do not skip this step! Bake the galette for 40 minutes, or until the party is very golden and the apples are bubbly. (Pastry will be golden underneath.)
Serve the Galette:
- Cool the galette. Cut into wedges and serve with Maple Caramel Sauce on the side – or drizzle on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.