thanksgiving dessert roundup

Thanksgiving is usually my favorite holiday. The problem with Thanksgiving is: everyone has their favorite items, without which it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving. Whether that's the sliced, canned cranberries or the sweet potatoes with marshmallows or the two kinds of stuffing (you've gotta have both traditional and spicy, Southwest cornbread stuffing, right?), it's hard to innovate if you have to make all the old standbys. I try to sneak in something new for dessert every year. There's usually a pumpkin pie, which both kids and my brother-in-law love, but we also need chocolate cake for my sister... then, are we having apple pie this year? Anyway, here are some of the new recipes I've made the past few Thanksgivings.

Last year, it was this absolutely delicious, winner-winner-turkey-dinnner, copycat Costco peanut butter and chocolate pie. Stop everything and make this:

Previously, I made a cranberry lemon curd pie, which was tasty and zingy, but ultimately not worthy of a permanent place.

In the past, I've made a cranberry upside down cake (also delicious, but not special enough for a holiday table). Pumpkin pie is, of course, classic, and we prefer to decorate it with a Pilgrim turkey.

And one of the Covid years, I made individual trifles so we could all have our own desserts and limit sharing. (And because I own two dozen 5-oz beer flight glasses that are super cute.) These were a rich chocolate pudding with chocolate cake, whipped cream and caramel sauce.