Dessert for the Holidays
Thank you Tillamook for sponsoring this post. Visit your local grocery store to buy Tillamook Ice Cream today!
Time to take the guess work out of dessert this holiday season. I'm happy to partner with Tillamook to showcase their Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream which is the perfect scoop for all your pies! Five pie recipes from no bake, pie bars, galettes and traditional pies all in one easy place to find.
Tips for Stress-Free Baking
Whether you're hosting a holiday gathering or need the perfect dessert to bring to a friend's house, look no further. It's easy to stress about baking, especially if it's not something you do regularly. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you keep turned STRESSED into DESSERTS!
- Pickup your favorite store bought pie dough ~ homemade is amazing, but there are so many options out there these days, it's an easy shortcut
- Ice cream make everything better! Whatever pie you choose to make, don't forget a tub of Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream. Tillamook uses more cream than air in their premium ice cream, making each bite smooth and creamy and perfect to top any pie!
- No Bake! Not all pies are equal and not all pies need to be baked. Choose a no bake pie option to alleviate some oven space and make ahead!
- Lose the pie crust! Who says all pie has to have pie crust? A shortbread type crust works perfectly as a pie base. Try a simpler pie bar to serve at your next gathering.
- Go free!! A galette is the easy pie in my book! Free form, one layer, no crimping or lattice tops. It's pie made simpler!
5 Ultimate Pie Recipes
So what will it be? Pie? Galette? No Bake? Pie Bars? Phyllo Pie? I have a recipe for each!
No Bake Pumpkin Pie
One of my favorite hacks to pies is creating a no bake version. These little individual No Bake Pumpkin Pies are a cross between cheesecake and pie and no baking required! A simple mix of Biscoff cookies and butter create the base while the filling is a blend of cream cheese, pumpkin pie spices, pumpkin and whipped cream. A little fridge time and your dessert is ready. Top with some vanilla ice cream for an ultra decadent dessert.
Cranberry Pie Bars
These Cranberry Pie Bars can absolutely double as breakfast! So fast and easy to make. No pie dough required, no chill time, just pure sweet and tart flavor of fresh cranberries and a hint of orange. Cut these up and display on a serving platter for guests while scooping up some creamy Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream on top.
Phyllo Pear Cups
I know phyllo dough isn't traditional pie dough but it is used very heavily in my Lebanese culture. I thought it would be lovely to incorporate a simple phyllo cup and fill it with some cooked pears and top with vanilla ice cream and caramel. This dessert is elegant but also can be so incredibly easy to prepare ahead and even have guests assemble at your event.
Persimmon Galette
Persimmons are one of my all-time favorite fruits. There are many different varieties but Fuyu are the most common here in the States and is the best to cook and bake with. It was natural to pair one of my favorite fruits with one of my favorite types of pies, the galette! A galette is a free form pie, just one layer and much thinner than a traditional pie. It is rustic and forgiving and the perfect avenue for fruit and ice cream.
Apple Crumb Pie
The most traditional for last! Apple pie! Not just any apple pie, but a SOGGY-BOTTOM FREE apple pie! One of the most important things in pie making is getting the ultimate crisp crust. Something that will hold all that fruit and then ice cream on top without falling apart is vital. The key is to bake it long enough and using a metal pie pan also helps. I know this pie isn't the fanciest but a crumb topping will have my heart forever over a traditional pie crust top.
Tillamook to top all your Pies
Whether you prefer traditional pie, no bake pie or something completely unconventional like the Pear Phyllo Cups don't forget to top them all with the ultimate rich and creamy Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream. Click here to find out where you can purchase some tubs for your holiday gatherings and elevate your dessert.
As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
xoxo,
Cosette
No Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: dessert
Description
This simple no bake pumpkin pie is perfect to prepare ahead.
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz Biscoff cookies or similar
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 8oz plain cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp all spice
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Place your Biscoff cookie in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until fine crumbles form.
- Place crumbs in a small bowl and add in melted butter.
- Place about ¼ cup of mixture into 6 large ramekins (6oz) and press down using a tamper or glass until flat. Place in fridge while you prepare filling. Reserve any extra for topping.
- Place your cream cheese, sugar, spices and pumpkin into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on high until blended and combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, place your heavy whipping cream and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into your pumpkin mixture until incorporated.
- Fill your cups with pumpkin mixture and place in fridge for 4 or more hours until set.
- Top with vanilla ice cream and extra biscoff mixture.
Cranberry Pie Bars
Description
These simple bars are fuss free and perfect for a casual gathering. Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen Raspberry Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
Crumble
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 stick butter, cold, cut in cubes
- ¼ cup olive oil
Filing
- 1 package fresh cranberries - 12oz
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
Crumble
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare 9x13 pyrex baking pan by spraying with cooking spray and then lining with parchment paper.
- Next, place all your ingredients for your crumble in the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse for a few times until the butter becomes small pebble-sized.
- Reserve 1 ½ cups of the mixture for the top.
- Place the remaining mixture in the parchment lined baking pan and press down.
- Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until slightly golden brown.
- Let cool slightly, leave oven on.
Filling
- Place all your filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Pour into slightly cooled crust, spreading out evenly.
- Top with reserved 1 ½ cup of crumble mixture.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove and let cool on wire rack, cut and serve. Store in fridge.
Pear Phyllo Cups
Description
Simple Phyllo Cups filled with pears and topped with ice cream and caramel make the perfect simple dessert.
Ingredients
- 12 sheets of phyllo dough
- cooking spray
- 4 large firm pears, cored and diced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp corn starch (mixed with splash of water)
Instructions
Phyllo Cups
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray standard sized muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Remove one sheet of phyllo dough at a time and gently fold into muffin cup creating a flat bottom and ruffling the top edges to create a cup.
- Continue with all 12 muffins. Then spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Pears
- In a large skillet on medium high heat add your butter and diced pears.
- Add in your spices and finally vanilla and corn starch mixture.
- Continue to cook on medium high until pears become soft but still slightly firm.
- Allow pears to cook and fill phyllo cups with pear mixture and top with Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream and your favorite caramel. Enjoy right away.
Notes
- You can make all components ahead of time, assemble just before eating.
Persimmon Galette
Description
Sweet persimmons with a tangy creme fraiche in this rustic galette.
Ingredients
- 1 basic pie dough recipe, I like using Marie Saba's all butter pie crust (store bought is fine too)
- 1 ½ Tbsp semolina (can sub almond flour)
- 1 ½ Tbsp sugar
- 8 oz creme fraiche
- 2 firm Fuyu persimmons
- 3 Tbsp raw sugar, divided
- heavy cream
- 2 tsp apricot jam + splash of water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Sprinkle a sheet of parchment paper with flour and roll out your pie dough into a round/oval shape about ⅛" thick. You don't want your pie dough to be paper thin where it will seep but also not very thick.
- Place parchment paper on a heavy sheet pan.
- Once your dough is rolled out into your desired round or oval shape, mix your semolina and granulated sugar together and sprinkle on your dough, leaving about an inch border to fold over.
- Spread your creme fraiche over the semolina mixture.
- Slice your persimmons in circles, about ¼" thick.
- Begin fanning your persimmons around the edges of the galette, gently overlapping until you find your way to the center.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoon of your raw sugar over your persimmons.
- Fold over your edge to enclose your persimmons and seal everything in.
- Brush your crust with heavy cream then with your last tablespoon of raw sugar, sprinkle the crust.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until crust and persimmons are browned.
- Remove from oven and mix apricot jam with your water and brush over warm persimmons. Serve warm with ice cream.
Apple Crumb Pie
Description
A classic apple pie with a crumb topping.
Ingredients
- 1 basic pie dough recipe, I like using Marie Saba's all butter pie crust (store bought is fine too)
Apple Filling
- 8 medium sized apples, peeled and sliced ~ Granny Smith are a common variety but any firm apple with do or a mixture
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Crumb Topping
- 7 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ cups flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ walnuts
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Roll out your pie dough and place into a metal pie plate, crimp the edges and set in fridge until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Peel and slice your apples into thin slices and place in bowl.
- Add your sugars, flour, corn starch, lemon juice and spices to the apples, set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor place all your crumb ingredients together and pulse until fine crumbles form.
- Remove your pie crust from the fridge and fill with apple filling then top with crumb mixture.
- Place entire pie on a sheet pan lined with parchment or foil (spillage)
- Wrap the crust lightly with foil and place in upper rack of oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
- After 15 minutes, drop temperature to 375 and continue to bake for 30 minutes. Drape a piece of foil over top of the pie if crumb begins to brown too much.
- After 30 minutes, remove all foil from top and crust and move to the bottom of the oven and continue to bake for another 30 minutes.
- Remove pie from oven and allow to cool before slicing. Top with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- A metal pie plate really does help ensure to get that nice crispy crust.
- A pie can't be over-baked, it can burn but can't over bake. The longer you bake it the crispier the crust and more the fruit solidifies to ensure no soggy bottom!
- Baking at the top and bottom of the oven ensures even baking.
[…] fabulous, easy pumpkin dessert are my no-bake pumpkin cheesecakes. Made perfectly into ramekins for individual servings. You can find 5 top pie recipes on this post! […]