Scrumptious Clean Eating Desserts Perfect for Thanksgiving

With the air cooling off, the leaves changing colors, and fall moving in, all I can think about is fall themed desserts. I love this season. I love the colors, the smells, the flavors, and the feelings. I always get really excited and really creative around this time of year. Some of the flavors you will see typically come out only around this time of year. It’s not that you can’t make a delicious pecan pie any time of year. It just wouldn’t be the same.

That’s good for my husband, because that means cookies, pies, cakes, breads, and yummy fall themed meals with apples, peaches, pears, and all sorts of yummy toppings. My friends, my family, and my neighbors also benefit because I love sharing my creations. Now I’m sharing some of my great recipes with you!

Some of these are going to look pretty complicated, and you’ll likely question whether or not you will be able to make them at all. However, they are pretty straight forward and fool proof. Just follow the directions, breathe and be patient with yourself, and the reward with be worth it. So they don’t look like the pictures? So they don’t look picture perfect at all? So what! They are going to taste amazing, and the more practice you get, the better you’ll get and the better your desserts will look.

You never know, you may even get inspired to come up with some great desserts of your own! I hope you enjoy these beauties as much as I do!

This is one of my favorite recipes. You can also make this with peaches, pears, and cherries. I’ve made chocolate caramel bread pudding, pumpkin bread pudding, and even banana bread bread pudding (yes, made with banana bread!).

This is one of my husband’s favorites. When I make these, I feel like I’m in a fancy restaurant having dessert. This is definitely one of those special occasion desserts that I only make once or twice during the holidays.

Ingredients

• 4 apples, cut into halves
• 1 cup real butter
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Pie Dough:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1 cup (or so) cold water

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a 9 x 9 inch casserole by greasing it with some coconut oil. In a small bowl, combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. On the side, cut and core each of your apples into halves.
3. Mix your dry pie dough ingredients. Cut in your coconut oil (or butter) until you get a crumbly mixture. Then add water until it comes together as a dough. Knead it together with your hands to combine and then roll out. Cut 4×4 inch squares.
4. Put one of your apples, upside down, in the middle of the prepared dough square and pour your cinnamon and sugar into the center cavity of your apple all the way to the top. Gather the four corners of the pie dough square and pinch them together over the top of the apple. Place your finished dumpling in your casserole dish.
5. Repeat this process with all of your remaining pie dough squares, apples, cinnamon and sugar. Chill your dumplings for 15 minutes. Before baking your dumplings, lightly brush them with a little bit of water and sprinkle them all with the rest of your cinnamon and sugar.
6. Bake for 35 minutes. Yum!

Apple Pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping

We love pumpkin pie in our house, and I don’t think we know any friends or family members who don’t love it as well. Pumpkin pie is a staple around the holidays, but once you’ve had one, you’ve had them all, right? Not with mine. Not only do I line the bottom of my pan with yummy apple filling, but the streusel topping gives it just the right finish!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/2 cup raw honey, melted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Apple Filling:

• 4 apples
• 2 tablespoons real butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pie Dough:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1 cup (or so) cold water

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup real butter
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a deep dish pie pan by greasing it with some coconut oil.
2. Mix your dry pie dough ingredients. Cut in your coconut oil (or butter) until you get a crumbly mixture. Then add water until it comes together as a dough. Knead it together with your hands to combine.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pie crust. My tip is to roll it out a little bit larger with a rolling pin so that you can decorate the edges. Transfer the crust to your pie pan and flute the edges.
4. Core and slice your apples. Toss in butter, cinnamon and vanilla extract and spread out evenly into the bottom of your pie crust.
5. In a large bowl, whisk your pumpkin pie ingredients together. Pour this mixture into your pie shell on top of your apples.
6. Combine your struesel topping in a small bowl. The butter should make it all crumbly. Stir in the walnuts and sprinkle over your finished pie.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes longer, or until golden brown on top and a knife stuck down in the middle comes out clean.

Caramel Apple Pecan Pie

This is just one of the many pies I will make by the end of the fall season. Of course, I make the obligatory apple pie, pear pie, cherry pie, and peach cobbler, but I really have some fun when I can make some unique pies. I have a caramel apple, an autumn surprise, a pecan pumpkin, an apple pumpkin, an oatmeal maple pear pie, and many mixtures of fruits and toppings.

Ingredients

Apple Filling:

• 4 apples
• 2 tablespoons real butter
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pecan Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1/4 cup real butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

Pie Dough:

• 1 cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 2 cups (or so) cold water

Caramel:

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup half and half

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a deep dish pie pan by greasing it with some coconut oil.
2. Mix your dry pie dough ingredients. Cut in your coconut oil (or butter) until you get a crumbly mixture. Then add water until it comes together as a dough. Knead it together with your hands to combine. Split it into two, one for the top crust and one for the bottom.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of your pie crusts. My tip is to roll it out a little bit larger with a rolling pin so that you can decorate the edges. Transfer the crust to your pie pan.
4. Core and slice your apples. Toss in butter, cinnamon and vanilla extract and spread out evenly into the bottom of your pie crust.
5. In a large bowl, mix your pecan mixture. Pour this mixture into your pie shell on top of your apples.
6. Now roll out your second pie crust. Lay it gently over your pie and crimp the two pie crusts together. You’ll want to cut off any overhanging crust.
7. Bake your pie for 30 minutes, then cover it with foil and bake it for another 20 minutes.
8. While your pie is cooking, let’s make your caramel sauce.In a medium saucepan, mix your coconut sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until it all liquefies. Then add your butter and stir until incorporated. Finally stir in your heavy cream very slowly.
9. Allow it to boil for 1 minute and then remove it from the heat. Let it cool for about 5 minutes before using it. It might even help to pop it into the refrigerator to help it thicken up if needed.
10. When your pie is done, remove it from the oven and then drizzle with your caramel sauce.

Autumn Surprise Pie

I call this my autumn surprise not only because it’s filled with all sorts of yummy fall goodness, but because nobody can exactly guess what’s inside of it each year. Of course, it doesn’t help that I change it up a bit with different fruits and ingredients, based on what I have in the pantry each year.

Ingredients

• 6 apples
• 4 pears
• 16 cherries
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a deep dish pie pan by greasing it with some coconut oil.
2. Mix your dry pie dough ingredients. Cut in your coconut oil (or butter) until you get a crumbly mixture. Then add water until it comes together as a dough. Knead it together with your hands to combine. Split it into two, one for the top crust and one for the bottom.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of your pie crusts. My tip is to roll it out a little bit larger with a rolling pin so that you can decorate the edges. Transfer the crust to your pie pan.
4. Slice and core your apples and pears. Remove the stems and the pits from your cherries.
5. In a large bowl, combine your apples, pears, cherries, and raisins. Add i the rest of your ingredients and mix well. Spoon your filling into the prepared pie crust.
6. Roll out the remaining pie crust and cut it into strips for a lattice finish on your pie. If you are unfamiliar with latticework, you may want to watch this video on it. Trim, seal and flute the edges of your crust.
7. Brush the entire pie crust and lattice with a little water, and then sprinkle a little coconut sugar over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

These are only a few of my favorite fall desserts! I may have to compile a few more for another article just to share them all with you! I realize that some of them seem a bit complicated, but once you get used to pulling together a pie crust, for instance, it will start getting a lot easier. You should also check out my fall cookie recipes, cupcakes recipes, bread recipes, and fall themed dinners for even more fall themed yummy goodness.

With just a little bit of time, effort, and some amazing ingredients, you can be the talk of the Thanksgiving meal when you bring one of these desserts to share with everyone. They all think you’ve got amazing talents, or that you took a cooking class or two. I sure hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Thanksgiving is kind of my time to pull out all of the stops and make the desserts that I’ve been waiting all year to make.

Fall brings the tastes of pears, apples, pumpkins, pecans, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, hot chocolate, and apple cider. I hope to show your some creative ways to use each and every one of these yummy flavors in a variety of different fall themed articles. Be on the lookout for the rest of them!

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