If you come to my home and sit at my table, you can count on me serving you dessert. Days before your visit, I will ask what you like and whether you have any dietary restrictions. I’ll spend a day or two delving into my go-to recipes that might fit your taste, and, if needed, I’ll experiment to create something suitable. I’ll always make you something sweet to eat — and I’ll try to make it the best version of that dish possible. I feel pure joy when I have a well-made dessert, and if you are in my home, I want you, too, to experience that bliss.
If you come to my home and sit at my table, you can count on me serving you dessert. Days before your visit, I will ask what you like and whether you have any dietary restrictions. I’ll spend a day or two delving into my go-to recipes that might fit your taste, and, if needed, I’ll experiment to create something suitable. I’ll always make you something sweet to eat — and I’ll try to make it the best version of that dish possible. I feel pure joy when I have a well-made dessert, and if you are in my home, I want you, too, to experience that bliss.
If it’s a holiday celebration such as Thanksgiving, when we have broad permission to have as many slices of pie and varieties of dessert as we like, I’ll have at least two options for everyone. Though Thanksgiving is usually focused on baking the classics, I think it’s so much more important that everyone at the table feels like they belong. It should always be the most welcoming spread.
With this in mind, I developed three new dessert recipes for every baker’s holiday table: one gluten-free, one vegan and one with no diet-related modifications. You can swap the crusts and toppings around to create the dessert that best fits your needs and desires.
I know you’ll be busy simultaneously cooking several dishes, so all of these pies can and should be made ahead of time. Even the whipped cream for the Gluten-Free Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie will hold up in the fridge. The only thing to hold off on until a few hours before serving is the meringue on the Orange Cranberry Meringue Pie, but that billowing fluff with a touch of tart cranberry is worth every moment of last-minute prep — plus you’ll get to pull out the blowtorch for a fiery finish.
For the pumpkin pie, I wanted a crust that tasted good when cold, given we’d make this well before the feast and keep it chilled in the fridge. Graham cracker was the obvious choice, and ground pecans add texture and flavor. Crucially, I wanted to bridge the gap between those who love pumpkin pie and those who love the flavor but not the “wet” texture it sometimes has. This version is dense but creamy and packed with warm spices bloomed by brown butter, which my longtime readers know I tend to put in the most unexpected parts of a dessert. The pie is baked in a springform pan with an easy press-in crust and topped with a thick and tangy cream cheese whipped cream. Get the recipe.
A few baking tips:
A lot of misconceptions surround dairy-free or vegan pastries, but if you have a good butter substitute, you might not notice that the crust and crumble in this apple pie don’t have dairy. My approach to this classic dessert is fairly standard. I wanted to bring out every element in its best light: a flaky, buttery pie crust with a touch of vanilla, and a mountain of densely sliced apples covered in a spiced, gooey caramel-like sauce. For the topping, I wanted to combine apple crumble with an apple pie, so I gave it a crisp, generously spiced brown sugar streusel on top. The result is a gratifying variation of texture in every bite. Serve it with a pure vanilla bean ice cream, and you’ve got Thanksgiving perfection on a plate. Get the recipe.
Baking tips:
For the last pie, I thought of how after a heavy, hearty meal, we often crave something refreshing: a tart fruit. Citrus has a special place in my heart, especially lemon, but in-season cranberries are what I turn to during the holidays. I use fresh orange to soften and sweeten the sourness of the cranberry curd without dulling its wonderful tart flavor.
Inspired by one of my favorite pies, lemon meringue, this recipe made in a tart pan with a removable bottom boasts a similar bright filling. It has an orange and almond pâte sucrée (short crust), so the pie can be made ahead of time without the crust losing its texture and flavor. On top, I put one of my favorite things to make: a billowing, ultra-creamy Italian meringue made with cranberry juice, giving it a sharp flavor that offsets the usual eggy blandness. Get the recipe.
Baking tips:
Editing by Becky Krystal and Olga Massov. Photo editing by Jennifer Beeson Gregory. Art direction and design by Josh Chen. Design editing by Christine Ashack. Copy editing by Dorine Bethea and Emily Morman. Photos by Lauren Bulbin/The Washington Post. Food styling by Lisa Cherkasky.
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