Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

Recipes for Caramel Apple Gingerbread, Coconut Flan, and Turtle Pie

Nov 5, 2009 Carol Rzadkiewicz

When time is at a premium, these recipes are lifesavers because they are quick and easy to prepare; yet for something so simple, they are yet deliciously unique.

The traditional desserts for Thanksgiving are pecan and pumpkin pies, but if made from scratch, these old favorites involve a good bit of preparation time. Granted, both types of pies are available in the freezer section, as well as the bakery, of most grocery stores, but nothing beats a homemade dessert when it comes to taste. So, this creates a dilemma for whoever is doing the Thanksgiving meal preparations—should time be sacrificed for flavor or flavor sacrificed for time?

The answer is neither because people can save time and still serve homemade desserts that, while a bit untraditional, are every “bite” as delicious as the old standbys; and three unique and tasty choices for Thanksgiving dinner are Carmel Apple Gingerbread, Coconut Flan, Turtle Pumpkin Pie, and Apple Upside-Down Cake.

Recipe for Thanksgiving Caramel Apple Gingerbread

Ingredients:

1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
1 package gingerbread mix
1/4 cup caramel-flavored ice cream topping
1 tub (8 ounce) whipped topping

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9x9x2-inch baking pan.
Prepare gingerbread mix according to directions.
Fold apple-pie filling into the batter.
Spread evenly in the greased pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow gingerbread to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Top with whipped topping.
Drizzle with caramel topping.

Recipe for Thanksgiving Coconut Flan

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup canned coconut milk (Light is lower in calories)
4 medium eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup toasted coconut

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Put sugar in medium saucepan.
Add 1/3 cup water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Cook, but do not stir, for approximate 10 minutes, until sugar turns amber-colored.
Pour into 9-inch glass pie plate, swirling to coat bottom thoroughly.
Blend condensed milk, coconut milk, eggs, and both extracts in blender.
Pour mixture into pie plate.
Place pie plate in a large roasting pan.
Add hot water to pan (enough to come up halfway on the pie plate).
Bake for 45 minutes or until custard is set.
Remove from oven, place on wire rack, and allow to cool.
Refrigerate until completely chilled, approximately 4 hours, or overnight.

Recipe for Thanksgiving Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1/4 plus 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
1 graham cracker piecrust
1/2 cup pecan pieces plus 2 tablespoons pecan halves
1 cup cold milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix (sugar free if desirable)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 ounce) whipped topping

Preparation:

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into piecrust.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecan pieces.
Beat milk, pudding mix, pumpkin, and spices together with whisk until blended.
Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups whipped topping.
Pour mixture into piecrust.
Refrigerate at least an hour.
Cover with remaining whipped topping, drizzle with remaining caramel topping, and decorate with pecan halves before serving.

Recipe for Thanksgiving Apple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter or margarine (if using stick butter or margarine, chop it up)
1/3 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
6 small red cooking apples (1 and 1/4 to 1 and 1/2 pounds), halved and cored
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 granulated cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coarsely shred three apple halves and set aside.
Put 1/3 cup butter or margarine in a 9x9x2-inch baking pan.
Place in oven until the butter melts.
Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter.
Arrange remaining nine apple halves in mixture, facing down.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbling.
Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ginger, and cinnamon.
Add shredded apple, milk, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, egg, and vanilla extract.
Beat mixture on low until all ingredients are combined.
Spoon mixture over apples in baking pan, spreading evenly (apples may be visible and some butter may come to the surface, but ignore).
Bake 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool for approximately 5 minutes.
Loosen edges of cake with spatula and invert onto serving dish or platter.
Cool for at least 20 minutes and then serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

These delicious desserts will surely be the hit of the Thanksgiving Day feast, and since they are relatively easy to prepare, whoever does the cooking will have far more time to spend in the company of cherished family and friends.

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References:

Apple Upside-Down Cake Recipe, adapted and modified from Better Homes and Gardens, October 2007
Coconut Flan Recipe, adapted and modified from Family Circle, November 2006
Quick Carmel Apple Gingerbread, adapted and modified from recipe by Lucky Leaf Pie Filling, November 2009
Turtle Pumpkin Pie Recipe, adapted and modified November 5, 2009 from jello.com

The copyright of the article Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes in Recipes is owned by Carol Rzadkiewicz. Permission to republish Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.