40 Sensational Thanksgiving Pies and Tarts

Christopher Testani

At Thanksgiving time, dessert is just as important as the turkey perfectly cooked with the help of our downloadable, no-fail guide. Bake these American classics, old and new, for the holiday table.

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Christopher Testani

You may have noticed that when people offer to bring dessert to Thanksgiving dinner, they already know what it is they'll be making. That's because they're not making it for you—this is all about them. But don't take it personally; that is, you may not love pumpkin pie, but they feel strongly that a Thanksgiving meal would not be complete without a sliver of that warm, familiar taste of spice and a dollop of lightly whipped cream. Thankfully, our American custom of having a few different pies on the dessert table generally means that there's something for everyone to enjoy at the end of the feast.

Which dessert says Thanksgiving to you? Maybe a hint of bourbon in a luscious pecan pie makes you feel at home, or do you prefer the lofty meringue topping on a sweet potato pie, which always reminds you of your Great Aunt Joyce? How these pies and tarts became part of your holiday ritual might depend on how you celebrated Thanksgiving in your family; whether they were served at a favorite local restaurant and gained a cult following, like the Virginia Peanut Pie from the Virginia Diner in Wakefield, Virginia, or the Apple Sour Cream Crumb Pie made famous by Bookbinder's in Philadelphia. There are plenty of legendary pies with stories that hint of regional history; President Tyler's Pudding Pie and Shaker Lemon Pie, to mention two, tend to take on a mythical quality. After a couple of generations no one can even remember why they have seemingly always been on the Thanksgiving table—and really, no one can see any reason to make a change.

Unless, that is, something opens our eyes to exciting new possibilities. Then we happily take the plunge, adding a twist—like a phyllo crust—or a tweak—such as adding dates to an otherwise traditional pecan pie—and before we know it, our old favorite has evolved into something else. Old-Fashioned Apple Pie becomes Apple Rose Tart. Or we delegate the trusty, traditional pies to someone else and take a chance on a dazzling newcomer—sure to become an instant classic. And so it goes.

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Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie

Christopher Testani

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40 Sensational Thanksgiving Pies and Tarts

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Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie

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Lemon-Cranberry Meringue Pie

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Five Spice Pumpkin Pie with Phyllo Crust

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Chocolate Chess Pie

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Poached Pear Frangipane Tart

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Apple Rose Tart

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Date Pecan Pie

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Diamond Apple Pie

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Brown Sugar Butternut Squash Pie

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Apple Crostata with Cheddar Crust

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Marionberry Pie

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Butterscotch Pie with Pecan Shortbread Crust

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Sweet Potato Custard Pie

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Quince Slab Pie

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Panna Cotta Pie with Poached Fruit

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Pear Cranberry Slab Pie

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Pecan Pie

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Traditional Pumpkin Pie with a Fluted Crust

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Mini Cranberry Meringue Pie

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Maple Custard Pie

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Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

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Double-Coconut Cream Pie

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Texas Hill Country Spiced Pumpkin Pie

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Milk Chocolate-Pistachio Tart

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Citrus Chess Pie

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