Thanksgiving dessert recipes to feed a crowd

Dessert on Thanksgiving Day is the sweet exclamation point on a meal that’s days in the making, a reward for taking a turn in the dishwashing rotation.

It’s a course that’s steeped in tradition, and there’s nearly always pie. Pumpkin, apple, cherry and pecan all vie for space on the dessert table, ready for a dollop or six of whipped cream. If you’re feeding a crowd, or want to guarantee leftovers, try Minnesota Star Tribune baking columnist Sarah Kieffer’s Pumpkin Slab Pie — same warming, nostalgic taste without the need to crimp a crust.

Reserve refrigerator space for her (Almost) No-Bake Cheesecake Bars with Cranberry Swirl, a refreshing change from the heavier meal earlier in the day. It also will appease those who prefer dessert to be tart-sweet, not over-the-top sweet.

Cool, rich and creamy on its own, it doesn’t even need whipped cream, although we won’t stop you.

Serves 24.

This is a great way to serve pumpkin pie to a larger group, or a way to ensure there are plenty of leftovers for Black Friday weekend. The crust is thin and flaky, and the filling bakes up into a substantial bite. I serve a hefty dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of candied nuts on each slice. From Sarah Kieffer.

For the crust:

For the pumpkin filling:

For the candied pecans:

For assembling:

Directions

For the crust: Put the sliced butter in a small bowl and place it in the freezer. Fill a medium measuring cup with water and add plenty of ice. Let both the butter and the ice water sit and get very cold for 5 to 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar and salt on low speed until combined. Add half of the chilled butter and mix on low speed until the butter is just starting to break down, about 1 minute. Add the rest of the butter and continue mixing until the butter is broken to the size of small peas. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add about ¼ cup (60 g) of the ice water and mix until the dough starts to come together but is still quite shaggy. If the dough is not coming together, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten it slightly into a square. Gently fold the dough over onto itself and flatten again. Repeat this process three or four more times, until all the loose pieces are worked into the dough, being careful not to overwork the dough. Flatten the dough one last time into a 6-inch disk. Chill the dough for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pumpkin filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves until smooth.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and line a 9- by 13-inch pan with a parchment paper sling.

Make sure your work surface is lightly floured, then roll the dough into 9- by 13-inch rectangle. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Place pie weights on top of the dough and bake until the dough is golden brown, 20 to 28 minutes (the dough can go from light golden to dark golden very quickly, so keep an eye on it).

Remove the pan from the oven and remove pie weights. Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly over the top of the warm crust and place the pan back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn down the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until the edges of the pie are puffed and very center gives the only the very slightest jiggle if shaken, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, 4 to 6 hours (the pie can also be refrigerated overnight before serving).

Just before serving, cut the slab pie into pieces, then top each piece with whipped cream and candied pecans if desired. Serve immediately.

For the candied pecans: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a large skillet over medium heat, stir together the sugar, water and salt. Cook until the sugar has melted. Add the pecans, stirring almost constantly until the pecans are toasted and lightly caramelized. Pour the pecans onto the prepared sheet pan and let them cool completely before chopping. Candied pecans can be store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Serves 16.

The secret to no-bake cheesecake is using a combination of cream cheese and heavy cream, creating a cool and creamy filling that sets easily in the refrigerator. The graham cracker crust only needs to bake a few minutes, just to ensure it is crisp, and provides a sturdy base for the cheesecake. From Sarah Kieffer.

For the crust:

For the Cranberry Swirl:

For the cheesecake:

Directions

For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9- by 13-inch pan with a parchment sling.

Put the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir with a spatula until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the cranberry swirl: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the water, cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium heat until the cranberries are soft and starting to break down, 4 to 5 minutes. Purée the mixture along with the 2 tablespoons of water in a blender or food processor until smooth (a mini food processor works best here, see Note below). Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on high until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat again on medium until light and smooth, 3 or 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides, add the salt and vanilla and mix again until completely combined and smooth. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the cream on low for 30 to 45 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. With a rubber spatula, stir half of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture and fold until combined. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold again until combined and no streaks remain.

Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Pipe or dollop most of the cranberry filling over the top, (see Note below) and then use a wooden skewer or knife to drag the cranberry filling through the top of the cheesecake, creating swirls. Refrigerate the cheesecake until firm, about 6 hours or overnight. Using the parchment sling, remove the cheesecake from the pan and then slice and serve.

Note: If your cranberry filling is very thick or heavy after puréeing it, you can add more water (1 tablespoon at a time) to help thin it out. You want the mixture to weigh about the same as the cheesecake filling (it should look similar to jam) so it doesn’t just sink and resist swirling (if this happens, it will still taste delicious!). I found piping strips across the top worked well; I used just about all of the filling.

Sarah Kieffer is a Minnesota baker, cookbook author and creator of the Vanilla Bean Blog. Follow her on Instagram at @sarah_kieffer.