This Thanksgiving, I’m out of pie. The taste has nothing to do with it: the butter-rich crust and sugar-laden fillings are still seriously delicious. It’s just that serving cake (heating, cutting, plating, scooping ice cream, and providing cutlery) is keeping me from having the best time.
Instead, I want desserts that are included in conversations. Snacks that can be grabbed from a platter and taken to the couch without missing the beat of your uncle’s Electoral College monologue. Delicacies that reject plates, satisfy a post-turkey sugar craving, and flourish alongside coffee and amaro. Below are six desserts that do just that.
1. Individual Apple and Blueberry Crisps
These single-serve chips come together in under an hour, can be made three days in advance, and have all the notes of a classic Thanksgiving apple-based dessert. Pro tip: Check how many ramekins you have before you commit to this recipe.
2. Pecan Pie Bars
Pecan Pie: Absolutely delicious, but do I want a dozen bites? Probably not. Enter: Pecan Pie Bars – a friendly solution to ensure each guest receives their desired amount of the always delicious holiday classic.
3. Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
In her glowing review of these pumpkin bars, community member Megan sums up their appeal: “Light, moist cake and the best cream cheese frosting I’ve ever had. I usually hate the cloying sweetness of most cream cheese frostings, but this one is nutty and has just the right amount of sweetness and tang.”
4. Linsey Shere Caramel Baked Pears
Part of our Feel Good Thanksgiving recipe collection, Linsey Shere’s fruit dessert far exceeds the sum of its parts. Which is especially good considering its parts are limited to five ingredients and twenty minutes of work.
5. Sweet Bourbon Balls
Anytime on Thursday night, if I find myself in the middle of a card game with 1) a cup of coffee; 2) a low glass of something strong; and 3) a plate of Amanda’s sweet bourbon balls within arm’s reach; I will consider Thanksgiving a great success.
6. Chocolate and olive oil ice cream sandwiches
Of course, these ice cream sandwiches won’t appear in the next version of The Most Clichéd Thanksgiving of All Time—but they are delicious. And crowd friendly. And, again, it’s ice cream sandwiches.
What are some other great Thanksgiving sides without pie? Let us know in the comments below!
