The Most Popular Thanksgiving Pies To Try This Year

Getting ready for that long-awaited Thanksgiving family reunion this year? Every once in a while, cooks need to switch between safe-tested dishes and try something different. In this case, ‘different’ means ‘classic’, and you’re in for an actual treat.

Let’s face it, there's nothing like the aroma of homemade desserts filling the kitchen during Thanksgiving. If you're looking to impress your guests this year with rich, flavorful pies, we have just the recipes for you. These Classic Apple and Southern-Style Sweet Potato pies are sure to be the stars of the dessert table—and with the right tools from Hell's Kitchen, they’ll be even easier to perfect!

Let’s check out two of the most popular and proven tasty Thanksgiving pie recipes to try out this year.

Classic Apple Pie

This traditional apple pie is made even better with caramelized apples that bring out a depth of flavor. By starting the apples in the Hell's Kitchen Hybrid Pan, you’ll get that perfect golden caramelization to elevate each bite.

Ingredients:

For the pie crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup ice-cold water
  
  

For the filling:

• 6-7 apples (a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for balance), peeled, cored, and sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to thicken)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for dotting on top)
• 1 egg (for egg wash)
  
  

Instructions:

Prepare the pie crust:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your hands to work it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Gradually add ice-cold water, mixing until the dough starts to come together.
• Divide the dough into two discs, wrap them in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  
  

Caramelize the apples:

• In the Hell’s Kitchen Sauté Pan or 11” Frying Pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
• Add the sliced apples, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Stir to coat the apples.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes until the apples start to soften and caramelize, releasing their juices. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
• Sprinkle in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes until the mixture thickens.
• Remove the pan from heat and let the apples cool slightly before assembling the pie.
  
  

Roll out the pie crust:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Roll out one dough disc on a floured surface. Use it to line your pie dish, allowing excess to hang over the edges.
• Pour the caramelized apple mixture from the sauté pan into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center.
  
  

Top the pie:

• Roll out the second dough disc and place it over the apples. You can either do a full crust or cut strips for a lattice pattern.
• Trim the excess dough and crimp the edges to seal.
• Use a knife to cut slits in the top crust for steam release. Brush with a beaten egg.
  
  

Bake:

• Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.
  
  

Cool:

• Let the pie cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

By caramelizing the apples in Hell’s Kitchen Hybrid Pan, you’re enhancing the depth of flavor for this classic pie and demonstrating the versatility of the pan.

 

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Bring a Southern favorite to the table! With creamy sweet potatoes and warm spices, this pie is the ultimate comfort food. Our Hell’s Kitchen 4 Quart Sauté Pan makes cooking the sweet potatoes a breeze, creating the perfect texture for a smooth and flavorful filling.

Ingredients:

For the pie crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water
  
  

For the sweet potato filling:

• 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  

Instructions:

Prepare the pie crust:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
• Add cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your hands to combine until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough comes together.
• Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out.
  
  

Cook the sweet potatoes:

• In the Hell’s Kitchen 4 Quart Sauté Pan, bring water to a boil and add cubed sweet potatoes.
• Boil the sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.
• Drain the sweet potatoes by removing the pan from heat and pouring the water out. Now, return them to the warm pan to allow any excess moisture to evaporate.
• Use a potato masher or fork to mash the sweet potatoes until smooth.
  
  

Prepare the filling:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
• Beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.
  
  

Roll out the pie crust:

• Roll out the chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface to fit your pie pan.
• Transfer the dough to your pie dish (although Hell's Kitchen doesn't have a pie pan, a standard 9-inch pie dish will work here).
• Trim and crimp the edges as desired.
  
  

Fill and bake:

• Pour the sweet potato filling into the prepared pie crust.
• Smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown.
  
  

Cool and serve:

• Allow the pie to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

 

Finally, don’t forget to cook the potatoes perfectly with our Hell's Kitchen 4 Quart Sauté Pan, we’re sure you’ll fall in love with its pro-cooking abilities and easy-to-maintain features. If you follow the cooking instructions carefully, these two Thanksgiving pie recipes will prove praiseworthy. Happy Thanksgiving!