While pecan pie ranks as one of the top desserts Southern chefs bake on Thanksgiving, there are other recipes that often make the must-serve list. Here are five desserts that are part of Thanksgiving menu traditions.
Credit:
Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke
Chocolate Chess Pie
Scott Peck, executive chef at The Loveless Cafe—an iconic Southern landmark since 1951, located just outside of Nashville–says his favorite Thanksgiving dessert is chocolate chess pie. “Cobblers, cakes, ice cream, and brownies all have their time and place, but Thanksgiving is the time for pie. Although it’s a close race between pie flavors, I would have to go with a chocolate chess pie. It takes all the elements of a good chess pie and makes it better with chocolate. With a crunchy top layer and a gooey, sweet center, it’s delicious served both cold and warm and pairs well with coffee, milk, or ice cream—an all-around winner,” says Peck.
Remember: always leave a fork in the pan with your leftover pie. “That way, every time you open the fridge, you can sneak a bite—no need to feel guilty about eating multiple slices if you never actually cut any. Just be sure to leave a bite or two behind, or the sinking realization that you’ve eaten an entire pie solo will set in,” says Peck.
Key Lime Pie
A classic key lime pie is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert that everyone should be making and few people are. “The one we put out at Cheeky’s is perfect, thanks to Chef Philip Cleary’s sourcing of the best fresh key limes we can get. He zests and juices each lime by hand and turns it into the smoothest, well-balanced filling set inside a graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream,” says Nate Siegel, founder of Cheeky’s, the new neighborhood seafood restaurant and raw bar in St. Petersburg, Florida. He goes on to say that some people might think it just doesn’t “feel” like fall and this might be why they skip it. “We’re conditioned to think warm spices and autumn flavors that bright, citrusy, beachy vibes seem wrong for November. But that’s exactly why it works–it’s unexpected,” says Clery.
Orange and Cranberry Bread Pudding
Chef Kaytlin Dangaran, Corporate Chef of Elior North America turns to a nostalgic dessert that still surprises guests: orange and cranberry bread pudding.
Orange and cranberry bread pudding is a cozy Southern classic that combines the tangy brightness of citrus with the tart sweetness of cranberries, soaked into rich, custard-like bread. Its warm, comforting flavors evoke nostalgia, making it a beloved Thanksgiving dessert that tastes like home and tradition. “It’s a bright twist on a classic comfort dessert, the citrus adds freshness while the tart cranberries cut through the richness beautifully,” she says. “It’s nostalgic yet a little unexpected, and it always feels festive and Southern.”
Honey Bun Cake
Jennifer Booker is a celebrity chef based in Atlanta, Georgia, and as someone who grew up in the Mississippi Delta, she loves traditional Southern desserts for Thanksgiving, like pecan pie, sweet potato pie and sour cream poundcake.
“A newfound favorite, made every year by a cousin of mine, is a Honey Bun Cake, which tastes exactly like those I grew up eating. Soft cinnamon spiced cake topped with a hard white icing that gets crunch around the edges. Heaven!” says Booker.
Mississippi Mud Cake
“The Mississippi Mud Cake became a holiday tradition by happenstance when Patrick’s mother and two of her sisters, who shared a passion for baking, often challenged one another for the new and best tasting cake,” says Fasicka Hicks of Smoke’N Ash Barbecue in Arlington, Texas. They would trade one another’s recipes and afterwards give the cake a “sho’ nuff girl” approval to cakes meeting their expectations. The Mississippi Mud Cake was introduced during a weekend bake-off and immediately became a family favorite. The texture is tender and similar to a brownie cake. Not only is it simple and quick to mix up, but most ingredients are also pantry staples.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Nostalgia is definitely key here. “I want the sweet potato casserole with the toasty melted marshmallows on top. That level of buttery, savory, sugary delight does not occur in any other dessert, ever. It’s pure autumnal sin and magic,” says Chef Erika Lipe of SoLa in Oxford, Mississippi.
Dining and Cooking