For many, the essence of Thanksgiving revolves around the turkey. However, for others, the holiday is incomplete without an abundance of Thanksgiving pies to cut and enjoy. We have compiled a selection of our top choices, encompassing traditional favorites such as pumpkin, apple, and pecan, as well as innovative options that reimagine autumnal flavors. Thus, ensure that you are adept at crafting a flaky pie crust and have a generous supply of canned pumpkins in your pantry. It's time to roll up your sleeves and begin baking!
Cranberry Pie
As soon as the temps drop, most bakers start dreaming of seasonal treats. For many, that means pumpkin pie, and for others, it’s a classic apple pie. But here at our Test Kitchen, we think you can’t beat a tart and citrusy cranberry pie.
Cranberry pie is a must for fall baking. It’s the perfect time to pick up fresh, in-season cranberries, especially if you can source them locally. Plus, watching that irresistibly flaky butter pie pastry rise in the oven is the best on those cozy days when you just want to stay indoors. What really takes this pie to the next level is the finishing touch: whipped cream with a touch of orange zest. This pie is so delicious that it will have you saying, pumpkin pie who?
Cranberry Pie Ingredients
Double-crust pie dough: Use a store-bought dough, or roll up your sleeves and make your own!
Cranberries: You’ll need plenty of cranberries to make this recipe—more than 3 cups worth! You can use fresh or frozen.
Oranges: Cranberry-orange is an iconic holiday flavor combination, and in this recipe, we call upon fresh orange segments. The sweetness of the orange helps balance the tartness of the cranberries.
Citrus zest: Get your Microplane grater ready! This recipe uses orange and lemon zest for color and zing.
Advertisement
Directions
Step 1: Make the cranberry filling
Taste of Home
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss together all the filling ingredients—cranberries, orange zest, lemon zest, sugar, orange segments, flour, butter, and salt—in a large mixing bowl.
Editor’s Tip: In this recipe, you can use either fresh or frozen cranberries. If you’re using frozen, measure them before thawing.
Step 2: Roll out the pie crust
Putting cranberry mix in flattened-out pie dough
Advertisement
Before you roll out your crust, give your work surface and rolling pin a light dusting of flour to keep the dough from sticking.
Then, using the rolling pin of your choosing, start rolling out the dough into a round. Give the dough a quarter turn every so often, and roll until the crust is about 1/8 inch thick and big enough to set in a 9-inch pie pan with some excess pastry around the edge (you’ll want this for crimping).
Once the crust is rolled out to the right size, nestle it into the pie plate, and fill it with the cranberry mixture.
Editor’s Tip: Need help transferring your pie pastry into your dish? You can drape the crust over the rolling pin, then transfer it to the pan. It makes moving the dough a bit easier.
Step 3: Create the lattice top
Creating a lattice top and covering the pie
To make the lattice, roll out your second disk of pie pastry. Like the first disk, you’ll want it to be a large round, about 1/8 inch thick. Then break out a ruler and either a pastry cutter or a pizza cutter. The pastry cutter will give you those pretty zig-zag edges, but a pizza slicer will work just fine. You can either cut all your strips to be the same width—somewhere around an inch works well—or you can cut half of the strips to be wide and the others to be thin and alternate them. It’s all personal preference.
To form the lattice, place half the strips going in one direction across the pie. Then layer the rest going the other direction, and weave them over and under as you go. If your pastry strips break, don’t worry. They can easily be patched together with a few drops of water (or hidden underneath the weave).
When you’re satisfied with the lattice, trim the excess pastry around the edges. Then pinch the crust to seal and finish.
Step 4: Finish with egg wash and sugar
Taste of Home
Next, give the crust a quick egg wash. Whisk up an egg, and brush it over the top of the crust. For a finishing touch, sprinkle with sugar. Either granulated or sanding texture will work. That extra sprinkle will give the crust some extra crunch.
Step 5: Bake
Pop the pie into the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350º. Bake an additional 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is perfectly golden, covering the pie edge loosely with aluminum foil during the final 15 minutes if needed to prevent over-browning. Remove the pie from the oven. Remove the foil, and let the pie cool completely on a wire rack. Place the cooled pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Step 6: Make the orange cream
Making whipped cream is easy: Beat the whipping cream until it starts to thicken. Then add the orange zest, sugar, and orange extract, and beat until soft peaks form. In just a few minutes, you’ll have the perfect topping to complement this pie.
Step 7: Slice and dollop
To serve, use a sharp paring knife to slice through the pie crust cleanly, then grab your pie server to pry the slices out carefully. Once plated, give each slice a dollop of orange whipped cream.
Recipe Variations
Add a few spices: Want to amplify the flavors of this fall pie? You can add 1/2 teaspoon of seasonal spices like ground cinnamon or ginger.
Try almond extract: Almond and cranberry are a match made in heaven. Instead of flavoring your homemade whipped cream with orange extract and zest, try a splash of almond extract instead.
How to Store a Cranberry Pie
This pie isn’t made with excessive dairy or eggs (just a few pats of butter in the filling), so it can be stored at room temperature, and best enjoyed within two days. You can also store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about three days.
You can also freeze a pie like this before you bake it. Wrap the unbaked pie tightly, and seal it in a resealable bag or an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to two months. When you’re ready to bake, don’t defrost it. Just pop it right into the oven, and bake. It may require extra time to bake fully.
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Main Ingredients: Pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice
Level: Beginner
Is it even Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? This classic version uses all the spices you expect from this treat—cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and clove—to create the perfect flavor. And you can make this your best-ever pie by using our Test Kitchen’s favorite canned pumpkin.
“Nothing says Thanksgiving like a slice of pumpkin pie. And you can relish every luscious bite of this version since the tender crust is made with canola oil and a mere hint of butter.” —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
The Best Pecan Pie
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Main Ingredients: Dough for single-pie crust, pecans, maple syrup
Level: Beginner
When we say the best, we mean it! This pecan pie is full of rich flavors. It’s not just toasted pecans—it’s maple syrup and bourbon, too!
“Pecan pie is a Thanksgiving tradition in my house, and I was on a quest to create the ultimate version. This might be it!” —Recipe contributor James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Chocolate Cream Pie
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Main Ingredients: Baking cocoa, evaporated milk, dough for single-crust pie
Level: Intermediate
Yes, chocolate is a fall flavor, too! This rich, creamy pie will add variety to the pumpkin and apple dessert spread. Don’t forget to decorate with whipped cream stars!
“Our teenage son, John, has done lots of 4-H baking. This old-fashioned chocolate cream pie recipe with a flaky crust was his favorite thing to make.” —Recipe contributor Mary Anderson,
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
Sweet Potato Pie
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, eggs
Level: Intermediate
Sweet potatoes are wonderfully smooth and vibrant in color—perfect for transforming them into delicious desserts. Our favorite way to use these tubers is to bake them into a classic sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving.
“This creamy sweet potato pie is subtly spiced and slices beautifully! We suggest baking up a few sweet potato pies around the holidays to give to friends and family.” —Recipe contributor North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
Buckeye Pie
Total Time: 45 minutes
Main Ingredients: Chocolate wafers, cream cheese, creamy peanut butter, salted peanuts
Level: Intermediate
In Ohio, there’s no treat as iconic as a buckeye. For Thanksgiving, this peanut butter and chocolate candy gets transformed into a pie to share. It’s made all the more delicious by the thick layer of chocolate ganache on top.