Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to gather, be grateful for what they have, and, of course, eat to their heart’s content! When this time of year rolls around, every Thanksgiving host is busy prepping for one of the fanciest meals of the season.
While there are several heavy dishes on the menu at Thanksgiving, dessert remains one of the most-awaited parts! The kids probably look forward to dessert more than the rest of the meal. With this in mind, you’d want to make sure that the spread of sweets is as impressive as the main course.
At times, however, you’re just in the mood for making desserts at home, from scratch, and with your own modifications. There’s nothing like a dessert made with love, so why not try your hand at it this Thanksgiving? If you’re not sure where to start, check out the following lip-smacking recipes!
1. Blondies
One sweet tooth may differ from the other. Some people at the Thanksgiving table might crave dessert after their meal, but chocolate may not be their first choice. If you’re looking for a delicious alternative to chocolate desserts, look no further than this blondie recipe:
Ingredients (for 24 bars/servings):
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Two large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (150g)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (200g)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (170g)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (15ml)
Directions:
Set your oven to 350 F. Prepare a 9×9-inch baking pan by lining it with baking or parchment paper.
- Next, put the melted butter in a bowl that’s big enough to hold all the ingredients.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and cornstarch together. Set aside.
- Add all the sugars in the melted butter and whisk until a thick slurry forms. Add the vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
- Put the dry mixture in the large bowl and mix until they’re just shy of being fully combined. Then, put a handful of the white chocolate chips aside and stir the rest into the mixture. Mix until the chocolate chips are well distributed.
- Put the resulting dough into the lined baking dish and spread until it reaches the edges. Sprinkle the rest of the white chocolate chips on top.
- Bake the mixture at 350F for 35 minutes. After that time, insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean or almost clean, check if the edges are set. If they are, the blondies are probably done!
- Turn the oven off and take the pan out. Let it cool for an hour before cutting.
2. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
When in doubt, stick to the classics. The legacy of the chocolate and peanut butter combination is still going strong, so this pie is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. It’s also a great choice for a potluck; it’s super easy to prep and will keep for five days in plastic wrap when refrigerated.
Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
Ingredients (for eight servings):
- 25 chocolate sandwich cookies, any kind
- 5 tbsp. melted salted butter
- 1 cup of peanut butter (creamy)
- 8 ounces of packaged cream cheese, room temperature
- 1.25 cups of powdered sugar
- 8 ounces of whipped dairy or non-dairy topping (whatever you prefer)
Directions:
Make the crust first. This requires the following steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Process the cookies in a food processor until they’re finely crushed (this might take one minute or more)
- Transfer the biscuits to a bowl and combine them with the melted butter (use a fork)
- Press the mixture onto the pie plate
- Bake for 5-7 minutes or until set
Let the crust cool completely while you make the filling with the following steps:
- Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a stand mixer
- Once the mixture is smooth, pour in the powdered sugar
- Once that is smooth, add the whipped topping. Now you have your filling!
- Scrap the filling into the pie crust and even out the top
- Chill the whole pie for 4 hours or more before serving
3. Jell-O Mold
Like the idea of a retro Thanksgiving dessert? This Jell-O mold might be right up your alley! Here’s how you can make it:
Ingredients (for 10-12 servings):
- 5 (quarter-ounce) envelopes of unflavored gelatin
- 7 cups of red fruit punch in separate bowls
- 12-ounce bag of frozen (thawed) mixed berries
- Half a cup of granulated sugar
- Cooking spray
- 15-ounce can of cream of coconut
- Half a cup of heavy cream
Directions:
- Put a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat; put the fruit punch and the sugar inside
- Simmer the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved
- Remove from the stove and whisk gelatin inside
- Pour 2.5 cups of this mixture into a medium bowl and cover it
- Put ice in a large bowl, set another bowl on top of it, and pour the rest of the mixture into the second bowl. Stir until the mixture thickens (this might take up to 30 mins)
- Skim off any foam and see if the mixture is thick enough to suspend the fruit inside
- Fold the fruit inside the thick mixture
- Spray a pan and pour the mixture inside
- Keep the pan uncovered and put it in the fridge for 1 to 1.5 hours
- Stir heavy cream and cream of coconut into the 2.5 cups of mixture set aside before
- Cover the new mixture and let it remain at room temperature
- Pour the coconut layer on top of the fruit layer in the same mold
- Let the layers set together for at least 4 hours.
Conclusion
At Thanksgiving, the dessert options have to be a little more special. You may want to cater to a range of tastes and preferences. With each of the options above, you retain a bit of the holiday cheer and a touch of fall. Take your time and choose which ones will grace your table this year!