Roast turkey, mashed potatoes with any kind of gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are true Thanksgiving classics. This year, we encourage you to try something new. There’s plenty of pumpkin flavor in the fall, plus (and this may come as a shock) not everyone is a big fan of pumpkin pie, so here are some delicious alternatives you can try this year.
1. Pear pie with spices
Pears are a seasonal autumn fruit, which means you can get them ripe, cheap and full of flavor and vitamins. Plus, there’s something very autumnal about their scent. Add some cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg and your whole house will smell like autumn.
2. Apple-cranberry pie
Apple pie is already as American as it gets, but adding some cranberries suddenly gives it a Thanksgiving feel. A great way to shake people’s expectations and explore an exciting new taste.
3. Cranberry cottage cheese cake
Speaking of cranberries, have you ever tried cranberry cheesecake? It’s freaking delicious and you can make it ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge. Leaving it in the fridge for a few hours really helps because it allows the flavors to blend better.
4. Chocolate cream cake
Trust me, no one will miss the pumpkin pie if you serve this decadent chocolate cake instead. This is the perfect treat for the holidays. Try it and there’s a chance you’ll never want to think about any other pie.
5. Sweet potato pie
This is an interesting variation on the classic pumpkin pie. We suggest you cook it, and let the guests know what kind of cake it is.
6. Egg pie
Until now, you probably thought of eggnog as a purely festive drink. Times are changing and people continue to revolutionize their childhood favorites. Now you can eat eggnog like a piece of cake and surprise your friends and family with this invention.
7. Pumpkin pies with cream cheese
For those of you who aren’t quite ready to spend Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, here’s a fun alternative. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies will satisfy your need for pumpkin flavor, but this will be an interesting and fresh variation on the classic dessert.
8. Mini Pecan Pies
Also, many people consider pecan pie a holiday classic. But how about making mini pies instead of one big one? That way you won’t even have to share or feel guilty about the second portion because they are so small. Also, this one is vegan, but no one will be able to tell.
9. Apple and quince cake (gluten-free)
Sometimes you don’t need to invent a whole new kind of pie. You can simply interfere with the classics, add a little to it, season it with spices, and you will get a dessert with a familiar taste, but at the same time completely updated. That’s it with this pie.
10. Chocolate acorns
It may sound crazy to you, but sometimes you can get by without making a cake at all. You can make these adorable little chocolate acorns instead. They will satisfy those with a sweet tooth, but you won’t even need to turn on the oven.
