While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating Thanksgiving with a killer, traditional pie, there’s something to be said for showing up to holiday gatherings with a dessert that’s so unique, your dish is bound to be the star of the dessert table—and talked about for Thanksgivings to come. (Take that, secret recipes your aunt will never share with you because you're from that side of the family.) Here are just a few of our picks—dessert or otherwise—that’ll help you live your turkey day to the fullest, in more ways than one.
Ube Pili Nut Pie from Isa Fabro
Sure, you could complete your meal with a traditional sweet potato pie, but Isa Fabro—operating out of Chinatown incubator Unit 120—proposes a colorful, Filipino-inspired alternative. The pastry chef is bringing back her ube pili nut pie, which stars a creamy, deep-purple center of ube custard that gets topped by sea salt and toffee made with buttery pili nuts. Fabro is taking pre-orders until 5pm on November 19, to be picked up from 9am to 5pm on November 22. Act fast because pies are limited, handmade and will disappear after the holiday. Well, at least until Christmas. ($40 each, includes a reusable 9-and-a-half-inch glass Pyrex pie dish. Email pieordersunit120@gmail.com to reserve yours.)
Mulled Wine Danish at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse
Cozy up during the holidays with wine in a glass, or better yet, a glass of wine that’s actually a pastry. Both the Highland Park and Larchmont locations build layers of flaky pastry dough, then dab the center of each block with a seasonal spiced cream involving cardamom, cinnamon and oranges, before topping it all with thin slices of apples long steeped in mulled wine. It’s all finished with apricot glaze for brightness. Pro tip: Order some by the boxful for a decadent day-after breakfast. ($4 each)
The Turducken Sausage at Dog Haus
Few Frankenstein-like creations can instill both fear and awe into diners as much as the chicken-in-a-duck-in-a-turkey combo. At Dog Haus, they’re turning the turducken into tube form with their turducken sausage, which is not only made with the three types of poultry but also fresh herbs, sweet potatoes and cranberries, all between griddled King’s Hawaiian rolls. Because the Dog Haus team isn’t afraid to pile their creations high, the turducken sausage—available now through December 31—comes topped with sweet potato fries, gravy, cranberry slaw and crispy onions. ($7.99)
Ice Cream Pies at Sweet Rose Creamery
You could have traditional pie, but why opt for that when you can combine pie with ice cream cake and have ice cream pie? All five Sweet Rose Creamery locations are offering Thanksgiving specials, including apple ice cream pie (apple pie ice cream topped with walnut crumble, a swirl of caramel, and cinnamon sugar all in a graham cracker crust); pumpkin ice cream pie (spiced pumpkin ice cream topped with whipped milk, salted pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon sugar, all in a ginger cookie crust); and pecan pie (brown sugar ice cream topped with butter pecans, in a chocolate cookie crust.) These small-batch treats are available in November only, and if you want to add one of these to your holiday table, you’ll have to move quicker than melting ice cream; Thanksgiving orders must be placed by end of the day on November 15, and then picked up on November 21 and November 22. ($48 each)
Thanksgiving Sandwich at Horse Thief BBQ
Let’s face it, Thanksgiving’s brightest star isn’t the whole turkey, nor is it—as we’ve seen from this roundup—the pumpkin pie. The real spotlight stealer is the sandwich piled with leftovers. Horse Thief BBQ knows this, which is why it’s offering a special Thanksgiving-inspired sandwich now through the end of the year. Expect a hefty stack of house-smoked turkey breast lathered with tarragon mayo, then topped with dried cranberries and smoked-almond slaw. ($12.95 each)