Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Can you believe it? Seems strange to me. It’s almost like it snuck up on us, right? This year, we are doing a much smaller Thanksgiving celebration and, officially, it’s on Saturday, not Thursday. But, I’m still tasked with making dessert and currently in the process of narrowing down what I should make.

I decided I didn’t want to make something new. I’ve made quite a few recipes that would foot the bill for the blog, and many of them I enjoyed. This would be a perfect opportunity to do a repeat recipe. I’ve narrowed down my top three choices and next week, I’ll let you know which one I ended up making.

Ina Garten’s Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

It’s hard to believe that this was one of the first recipes I ever posted to the blog! I still remember how this one tastes and the mousse-like texture of the filling is super yummy. Especially since the addition of banana makes it a little unexpected. This is a great alternative to pumpkin pie and since it’s in a tart part, your guests will think it’s extra special. Plus it’ll look really elegant.

The Thanksgiving Cake

This next option entered my life on Thanksgiving Day last year. Straight out of the Magnolia Bakery Handbook this tasty treat impressed everyone. Probably because the usual other dessert options in my family are pies. Sometimes you just want a cake! I will always choose cake over pie. Well, maybe not always…but usually.

This single-layer, high rise cake is a showstopper. Filled with incredible fall flavors and dried fruit, this dessert really dresses up the table. Plus, covered in a homemade caramel sauce makes it extra special and sweet. It’s almost like a Thanksgiving fruit cake, but much better. This one is definitely a contender to make a return to the table this year.

Ina Garten’s Apple Pie Bars

If you are looking for a more traditional Thanksgiving dessert, then apples are the way to go! And you can never go wrong with a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa herself! Another early blog post, this recipe is a fresh, updated take on the apple pie. But, this time it’s a bit more cake-like in a way. (See what I mean about cakes?)

These apple pie bars feed crowd and taste like an open-faced apple pie. It’s been quite some time since I made this recipe, but I do remember that I was able to get it done in an evening after work. So, forget the double-crust pie and try these instead. You will be spending less time in the kitchen and your friends and family will be impressed with the new idea.

There are so many yummy Thanksgiving desserts to choose from. These are just the three that are in the running for me to make this year. As of right now, I’m leaning towards the Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart, but my feelings may change as we get closer to Thursday.

What dessert are you making this year?

Until next readers…Happy Thanksgiving!!