Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts

From moist banana cake to chocolate and pistachio biscotti, here are delicious and healthy Thanksgiving desserts.

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Olive Oil-and-Sauternes Cake with Roasted Pears

Neil Perry uses Sauternes in every component of this dessert, from the cake to the sauce. He also adds olive oil to the batter, which creates a delightfully moist crumb.

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Mace-Spiced Crumb Cake with Bourbon Glaze

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Cocoa Nib Pavlova with Raspberries

PHOTO © JOY THE BAKER

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“Cocoa nibs taste like this cool mix of chocolate and espresso,” says Joy Wilson. The bitter nibs give this Pavlova a hit of chocolate flavor.

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Banana Soufflés

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These simple, airy soufflés are the perfect marriage of Puerto Rican ingredients and French technique.

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Yogurt and Apricot Pie with Crunchy Granola Crust

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Oats and almonds may both help lower blood pressure; they’re incorporated here in an ingenious granola crust for this sweet-tart pie.

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Espresso Gelées with Candied Pistachios

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Melissa Clark loves this dessert because “it’s light, but feels very sinful.” Greek yogurt and sugared pistachios add satisfying creaminess and crunch.

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Amaro-Spiked Amaretti Cookies

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While the names for amaretti cookies and amaro digestif both derive from the Italian word for bitter, amaretti are traditionally made with bitter almonds, while amaro gets its edge from roots, barks and other aromatics. Here, F&W’s Grace Parisi marries the two in a deliciously chewy cookie.

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Banana Cake

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Chocolate & Pistachio Biscotti

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Pastry chef Michelle Myers makes a traditional but still visually surprising cookie—the crispiest, crunchiest, most chocolaty biscotti studded with bright green pistachios.

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Souffléed Apple Pancake

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Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts

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Olive Oil-and-Sauternes Cake with Roasted Pears

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Mace-Spiced Crumb Cake with Bourbon Glaze

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