The holiday season is fast approaching. It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone so soon. I love the fall season and all of the delicious cinnamon, caramel and pumpkin flavors it brings with it. Each year we host Thanksgiving at our home. In between catching glimpses of the Macy’s Day Parade floats and performances, you can find me peeling potatoes or mixing up a batch of deviled eggs. When I reminisce about this holiday, I think of all the traditional dessert items on our menu. You may have made some of these before, while others you might be serving up for the first time. Come gather round to hear a few of my favorite sweet treats as we count our blessings of friends, family and food!
Pumpkin Pie
I thought about making a blog post solely dedicated to all of the yummy pies we bake this time of year, but figured that would get a bit repetitive. Blueberry, Cherry, Apple, Pumpkin, Pecan, Key Lime…the list goes on and on! I decided to just mention two flavors, and I had to start off with the classic pumpkin pie. I love a good dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon on top and a side of vanilla ice cream to finish off this timeless pie.
Pecan Pie
My runner up pie is none other than sweet pecan pie. As a child I remember having a pecan tree in our backyard. I’d run outside with a plastic bag and gather as many as I could and bring them in. My family and I would wash them off, crack them open and bake them in all kinds of different ways. This is another dessert that would pair well with ice cream. Why not have the best of both worlds and throw another sweet treat into the mix?
Pumpkin Roll
Since we’re in the fall season, I had to recommend another pumpkin flavored goodie – the pumpkin roll. I am a big fan of the pumpkin roll because it is so moist and the cream cheese filling is heaven all rolled up into one swirly dessert. Be prepared, this creamy snack is going to go quick at Thanksgiving dinner. If you’ve got a sweet tooth like me you’re going to love this easy recipe.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
This dessert is the perfect combination of fresh Granny Smith apples, juicy cranberries and a crisp pecan topping all in one. The sweetness from the sugar and apples paired with the crunchiness of the oats and pecans create the most savory fall flavors. This warm dessert will leave you hungry for seconds. This is another simple recipe that involves minimal prep time and maximum flavors.
Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are by far my favorite cookie to bake this season! The classic cinnamon sugar coating is the star of this dessert. Fun fact: The snickerdoodle has been called many names including “Cry Babies, Jumbles and Plunkets”. There was a popular folk character in the early 1900s named Snickerdoodle. It’s thought that the cookie might have been named after this folk character who was the subject of many tall tales.
Once the turkey has been eaten and dad’s famous green bean casserole is nowhere to be found, the clean up begins. We usually encourage our relatives to take as much food as they’d like home with them. There are always full bellies and plenty of leftovers. Thankfully, our kitchen counter cleanup never takes too long. If you have quartz countertops in your home, cleaning is simple. Since Cambria quartz countertops are non-porous, we recommend using a mild soap with warm water to clean your countertops. Read this article if you’re interested in more tips on how to take care of your Cambria quartz countertops. Have a great Thanksgiving, and remember to count all of the things that you are thankful for.