Pies – a lovely, welcome, and anticipated addition to most Thanksgiving and Christmas dining tables. They come in many forms, from sweet apple pies to tangy cherry pies to decadent Boston cream pies and beyond. But holiday pies are of a certain variety, with many families having their own specific pies for each holiday that they simply can’t go without. Here at Yankee, we compiled a list of favorite holiday pie recipes, from the classic pecan pie to something with a little twist, such as the eggnog chiffon pie.
Here’s a cross between coconut cream pie and pumpkin pie. Unexpected? Perhaps, but it was inspired by a friend who makes her pies with coconut milk and swears by their improved flavor and texture. The pairing makes for a completely delicious, fresh take on a classic dish, with layered flavors of squash, nut, coconut cream, and spice.
Best Pumpkin Recipes | Coconut-Pumpkin Cream Pie
Delivered Daily: New England Recipes and Tried & True Kitchen Tips from the Editors of Yankee Magazine
This Eggnog Chiffon Pie tastes like a glass of creamy eggnog and is based on a wartime Thanksgiving recipe from November 1942. Yankee’s food editor at the time, Marjorie Mills, wrote, “It departs a bit too much from the traditional for our taste, but it’s a delectable concoction.”
In a 2011 food feature, chef Frank McClelland shared that his sister, Cathy Kelly, makes this pie not just at Thanksgiving, but also for birthdays and for her husband, Tim’s, annual office bake sale. There, her six pies sell out in seconds. “Our grandmother always made a pecan pie,” Cathy says. “I tweaked it with brown sugar, butter, and vanilla.” It has quickly become one of our favorite holiday pie recipes, too.
Frank McClelland sister Cathy’s Pecan Pie is a holiday favorite and a delicious way to end the meal.
This is one of the easiest desserts you may ever make. This pie holds up beautifully and is delightfully sweet – yet the filling contains no eggs or added sugar. (The crust, a rare indulgence, contains 6-9 grams of sugar.) A dab of whipped cream really makes this dish sing.
Use grade B maple syrup if possible when making this maple-pumpkin pie; its robust flavor withstands the heat of baking better than more-delicate grade A. Use leftover pastry to make delicate leaf cutouts to decorate the top for an extra-impressive touch.
A quick, company’s-coming pie that makes its own crust and tastes like a macaroon cookie with cranberries. Serve this Cranberry Surprise Pie during the holidays, when cranberries are most available, with a dollop of whipped cream.
Cranberry Surprise Pie
Credit: Jen Perez
Cranberry Surprise Pie Credit: Jen Perez
Do you serve specific pies at each holiday? Which holiday pie recipes are your favorites?
Cathryn McCann
While on staff as digital assistant editor, Cathryn wrote and promoted content for NewEngland.com and its social media channels. Prior to this role, she lived and worked on Martha’s Vineyard as a newspaper reporter, covering everything from environmental issues and education to crime and politics.
I once made a Tipsy Apple Cranberry Pie from a Yankee Magazine recipe and now I can’t find it anywhere. I remember soaking craisins in Grand Marnier and something was different about the crust – it either had cheese or cornmeal in it perhaps? Is that recipe still available?
I once made a Tipsy Apple Cranberry Pie from a Yankee Magazine recipe and now I can’t find it anywhere. I remember soaking craisins in Grand Marnier and something was different about the crust – it either had cheese or cornmeal in it perhaps? Is that recipe still available?