While there's much to love about a buffet of seasonal pies, sometimes the Thanksgiving dessert spread can be a little bit predictable and monotonous. Hand-held treats like cupcakes are perfect after the gluttonous holiday meal, but this is a time when plain vanilla-frosted ones won't do. This year, make our inventive pie-inspired cupcakes to serve expected seasonal flavors in adorable single-size form.
Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
What could be better than pumpkin pie? How about pumpkin pie cupcakes? These super-moist treats are almost like steamed pudding, topped and filled with cream cheese-thickened whipped cream. Afraid you'll miss the crust? There it is, in the form of a crunchy pie-dough garnish.
Why choose between fluffy cheesecake and dense, gooey pie when you can have both? Bake this cheesecake up to two days before you plan to serve it, then top with our oozing pecan-caramel sauce to mash the two favorites together. The bottom chocolate graham cracker crust adds rich flavor and texture to balance the dessert out.
Though you usually shouldn’t mess with a classic, we did, and we’re glad. We transformed everyone’s favorite apple pie into an all-new dessert by giving cupcakes a gooey apple pie filling and the transformative finale: a slightly tangy sour cream whipped topping.
Can cranberry sauce save a dry turkey? It can jazz up the dessert table in the form of orange-zested, bright pink-frosted cupcakes that taste just like the sweet-tart side dish. They’re a welcome break from all those brown pies.
Whether sweet potato casserole is in fact a side dish or dessert is a hotly debated topic at the Thanksgiving table each year. Move the dish definitively into the dessert camp by serving spiced cupcakes (they even have a dash of hot cayenne!) topped with halved, broiled or toasted marshmallows.
