8 Fantastic Thanksgiving Desserts (None of Which are Pie)

We are (as of this writing on Thursday evening) pretty much one week from Thanksgiving dinner. (I had mine last weekend when much of my family was in town.) Anyway, for many of us, the next seven days will constitute the busiest cooking week of the year. There are menus to plan, prep to knock out, and relatives to navigate, all on top of the countless other things that keep us sufficiently busy and stressed on a normal day.

With that in mind, let’s get right to the point. More often than not, Thanksgiving dessert means pie. As “un-American” as it might make me, pie is not my favorite (we’ll unpack that sometime). Whether you feel similarly, are ready for a change of pace, or just want something different to add to your classic lineup of pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, and pecan, here are some of my favorite “alternative” Thanksgiving desserts: 8 recipes. 0 pies. If you’re prepping for the big day this weekend, good luck. If you’re not, offer to help. Either way, have a blessed weekend and I’ll see you Tuesday.

— Mark

Some of your relatives are probably going to be soaked in booze by the time dessert rolls around, so why shouldn’t your cake be, too? Soaking cake in liquor or syrup is a time-honored tradition. Basically, you bake a fairly standard cake (this one is infused with puréed apples), and when it’s done you douse it with butter-laden booze until it’s saturated. The result, as you can imagine, is strong and juicy, and eliminates the need for frosting.