These Desserts Will Become A New Thanksgiving Tradition
Even if pie duties are already taken, you can still stand out this Thanksgiving by baking creative treats that will more than earn their spot on the dessert table. Wow the after-dinner crowd with homemade caramel stuffed pumpkin cookies that could very well upstage the pumpkin pie. A chocolate tart made with Benton’s Pecan Shortbread Cookies—and other affordable holiday essentials from ALDI—is easy to throw together, but tastes like it came from a bakery. More dessert? Yes, please!
Homemade Maple Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
YIELDS: 18 cookies, recipe can be doubled easily
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour
COOK TIME: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the Maple Caramels
1/4 tsp. Stonemill Sea Salt
For the Pumpkin Cookies
1 1/2 c. (190 g.) Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Simply Nature Organic Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Baker’s Corner Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Stonemill Sea Salt
1 stick Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, (softened)
½ tsp. Nature’s Nectar Lemon Juice
DIRECTIONS
For the Maple Caramels
Cut butter into 8 pieces and mix with whipping cream and salt in microwave-safe container. Microwave in 30-second bursts until mostly melted, about 60 to 90 seconds total, and set aside.
Line a loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. Place sugar and maple syrup in small saucepan. Heat on medium until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until mixture reaches 320°F on a candy or cooking thermometer. Use a small damp brush to wipe down sides of pan where sugar has begun to crystalize. The sugar mixture will sit between 200-260°F for a while, but it will quickly move to 320°F after this range.
Pour cream mixture into saucepan, a third at a time. (Caution: the mixture will sputter and bubble.) Use the candy or cooking thermometer to mix the caramel, stirring gently. Cook until mix has reached 245°F. Remove from heat and immediately pour into prepared loaf pan. Let cool uncovered at room temperature for three hours, and then transfer to fridge to harden. Caramel can be made up to a week in advance, wrapped well and placed in fridge.
For the Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F and line three half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and stir together.
Place butter and sugars in mixing bowl fitted with a paddle and cream together.
Add in vanilla, pumpkin, lemon juice, and cream and mix until combined.
Add in flour mixture and mix with spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Place batter in fridge for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut caramel into ¼” strips, then into ¾” x ¾” x ¼” squares. Caramel will soften and may need to be placed back into fridge sporadically to stay firm. There will be extra caramel. Reserve for later use or enjoy as a snack while you finish baking!
Take a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop and scoop batter into your palm. Flatten slightly and place a caramel square in the middle of the cookie. Gently wrap batter around caramel and place cookie seam-side up on cookie sheet. Continue with remaining batter, leaving about 1½” between each cookie on the sheet.
Bake for 11-13 minutes until cookies begin to brown. Let cool on sheet. Cookies can be made up to three days in advance and packed in airtight container.
Chocolate Tart with Pecan Shortbread Cookie Crust
YIELDS: 8-12 servings
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
ACTIVE TIME: 30 hour
COOK TIME: 40-45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
1 (11.3-oz). pack of Benton’s Pecan Shortbread Cookies
1 Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, room temp
Pinch of Stonemill Sea Salt
For the Chocolate Tart
1/4 c. Friendly Farms Whole Milk
2 tbsp. Simply Nature Organic Cane Sugar
1/2 tsp. Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Stonemill Sea Salt
3 Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs, room temp
For the Maple Whipped Cream
1 3/4 c. Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tbsp. Simply Nature Organic Cane Sugar
1/4 tsp. Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp. Stonemill Sea Salt
1 (2 oz.) Moser Roth Milk Chocolate Bar for shaving
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place entire pack of cookies into food processor and process until no lumps remain. Add stick of butter, ¼ cup sugar, and pinch of salt, and blend until fully combined. Transfer mixture to pie plate and press down to create an even layer of crust. Chill for 1 hour.
Heat ¾ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup milk in microwave in 30 second bursts until very hot (about 2-3 min).
Place semi-sweet chocolate in bowl with sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Pour hot milk over chocolate and let sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, crack 3 eggs into a separate bowl and whisk to combine until well-blended.
Whisk chocolate until fully combined, making sure it is completely melted. Slowly pour chocolate into eggs while whisking. Mix until fully combined. Pour into chilled pie plate (you may have a little extra, which can be poured into ramekins and cooked separately). Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until fully set in the middle.
While tart bakes, make maple syrup whipped cream and prep the chocolate topping.
Add cold whipping cream, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to a stand mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment or in bowl with hand mixer. Whip with mixer on high until soft peaks form. Place in fridge.
Shave chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler to make small shreds, or thinly cut with knife.
When pie is done, take out of oven and let cool until room temperature. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Place in fridge until ready to serve.
Pie can be made up to four days in advance and served chilled. Pie can also be served warm out of the oven, after cooling for 15 minutes, with a dollop of whipped cream on the side.
Photographer: Kristin Teig; Tech assistant: Josh Robinson; Food Stylist: Drew Aichele; Prop stylist: Brooke Deonarine; Styling assistant: Rachel Bieber.
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