Style and Cheek

This year for Thanksgiving I am responsible for the pies. As an amateur baker and not a cook I’m perfectly comfortable in the kitchen only if I’m following a recipe. Give me exact measurements and one main dish to focus on and I’m golden. That might sound boring to some but that’s why experimenting with classic components can be so rewarding. My family might be surprised to hear this but I’m actually looking forward to doing some baking, though I haven’t picked out my recipe yet.

The holidays make people think of traditional desserts: apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. There’s no question that these pies are yummy but I figured I’d spice it up a bit and add some unconventional ideas to the Thanksgiving table. I’ve never made pecan or sweet potato pie so those are two recipes that ended up being really classic, but pumpkin and apple pie are such familiar flavors I wanted to find recipes with something a bit unexpected.

Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie | Martha Stewart – A cheddar cheese crust is a twist on the classic combination of apple pie and cheddar cheese. If you’re not already sold on that, just imagine the incredibly tasty savory-sweet combination of apple slices with cheese.

Ultimate Pumpkin Pie with Rum Whipped Cream – photo by Quentin Bacon | Barefoot Contessa – If you’re looking to spice up your regular pumpkin pie recipe, how about adding some orange zest and dark rum before topping it off with some rum whipped cream?

Rustic Maple Apple Walnut Tart | Urban Bakes – What’s more autumnal than a rustic dessert with maple and apples? It takes everything cozy and delicious about fall and puts it together into one beautiful tart.

Dad’s Sweet Potato Pie | Joy the Baker – Pumpkin pie addicts might say that they dislike the texture of sweet potato pie, but this incredibly smooth and sweet recipe might just change the pumpkin pie lovers mind.

Cranberry Pie with Rosemary Buttermilk Crust | une gamine dans la cuisine – This cranberry pie is a mix of cranberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Before you run away from the idea of a cranberry pie, just imagine adding this tart holiday berry to a traditional berry pie.

Pecan Pie | Martha Stewart – Just a classic, delicious pecan pie recipe from Queen Martha Stewart. With so many recipes under her belt you really can’t go wrong with using one of her recipes during the holiday season.