Best of MacroChef: Six Sweet Recipes To Make For Thanksgiving

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Yesterday, I promised to repost six of my sweet recipes which would be great to make for Thanksgiving, or for any meal this time of year.  So here they are, beginning with cranberry sauce.  Yes, you can buy cranberry sauce, but why would you when it is so easy to make?  You’ll also find recipes for pecan pie made with dates and maple syrup rather than corn syrup and sugar, and for gingerbread cake, another of my favorites (serve with a tasty vegan caramel sauce). This season’s pears are still in the markets, so why not bake a pear spice cake?  And does the pie have to be pumpkin? Sweet potato pie is a swell alternative, or you could use my recipe as a template for your pumpkin pie–if you must! Finally, I’ve included a recipe using that sadly neglected autumn fruit, the persimmon. You really can’t go wrong with persimmon pudding, a dessert which just tastes like autumn. Take a moment to comment, letting MacroChef readers know what you’re cooking up for Thanksgiving! All recipes, as usual, after the jump.

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Holiday Baking: Why A Homemade Pecan Pie Is So Much Better

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Just out of curiosity, while I was shopping at Costco yesterday I checked the ingredient list on their (very nice looking) pecan pies. And what ingredient came first?  You probably won’t be surprised that it was corn syrup.  This is why we bake at home!  And you also won’t be surprised that the first ingredient (by a wide margin) in my recipe is… pecans. Mostly this is sweetened with dates, while barley malt and maple syrup play minor roles. Start with a pie shell, mix all the filling ingredients in your food processor, arrange pecans on top, bake, glaze, and you are done.  Just wait for it to cool before attempting to cut it–or bake it a day ahead of time.  I promise, you won’t miss that corn syrup in the least!. Recipes for the pie, crust and topping are after the jump…