Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes & Saying Thanks
By Denise Resendez
Pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, cranberry jam, apple crips and towering trifles. These are just a few iconic (and tasty) Thanksgiving treats. Of course, every table is different. Some of us don’t favor pumpkin at all. While some will have an assortment of pumpkin-flavored desserts. This is part of the beauty of Thanksgiving. We’re not only sharing gratitude, but learning more about each other.
We learned this first-hand when we sent out our Thanksgiving company newsletter. In the letter we asked our customers what their favorite Thanksgiving dessert was. In return we received such lovely and unique responses. Pies were a favorite, especially pumpkin, apple and pecan pies. Empanadas, a pastry often filled with fruit or creme filling, was an uncommon answer. If you haven’t had one, try a pumpkin empanada this Thursday. One wonderful customer, Sheila Jargowski, wrote in with some delicious recipes. Cornflake cookies and peaches and cream cheesecake, who can say no that? With her permission, we are sharing them below.
Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Recipe
There’s a lovely story behind this dessert. Sheila shared that she once baked this cheesecake for her now-husband. The way to the heart is through the stomach, after all. Their 30th wedding anniversary was this week on November 19th. Thanks again Sheila for sharing a beautiful memory and recipe with us.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup flour - 1 teaspoon baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 box (3 1/2 ounce) of regular vanilla pudding mix. Cook & serve, not instant. - 3 tablespoons of soft butter - 1/2 cup milk - 1 egg - 15 -20 ounces sliced peaches or can of pineapple rings - 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature) - 1/2 cup sugar - 6 tablespoons peach juice - 1 tablespoon sugar - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Beat the flour, baking powder, salt, dry pudding, butter, milk and egg with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. 3. Then pour into an 8-inch square or pie pan. 4. Drain and save juice from the sliced peaches. 5. Arrange peaches over the batter. 6. Mix cream cheese, sugar and fruit juice. Beat until smooth. 7. Spoon over the top, keeping 1 inch from edges. 8. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. 9. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is golden brown. 10. Then chill.
Cornflake Cookies Recipe
Sheila also shared this next recipe. It’s a quick and easy Thankgiving dessert anyone can do. You probably have all the ingredients ready in your pantry. No last-minute runs to the grocery store!
Ingredients:
- 1 c. butter, softened
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 3/4 c. flour
- 1 tsp. soda
- 1 tsp. cream of tartar
- 2 c. corn flakes
- 1 c. chopped nuts
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Cream butter and sugar in bowl. 3. Add remaining ingredients. 4. Drop by teaspoonfuls. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. 6. Cool cookies on a rack for about 5 minutes.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
We hope you enjoyed these recipes, courtesy of the lovely Sheila. If you’d like to share your own recipes or favorite Thankgiving dessert, tell us in the comments below. We’d also like to say thank you to those who wrote back to us with your favorite Thanksgiving treat. Though we can’t be at each other’s tables, we can share a little piece of our traditions. In that way, we are passing on the gratitude and keeping an open-mind. So here’s to you. Though we are miles apart, we want to say thank you for your time. May you enjoy this Thanksgiving with loving family and friends. We hope you become full with not only great food, but love and laughter.