34 Show-Stopping Thanksgiving Pies and Tarts

This easy pecan pie tastes of dark caramel, toasted nuts and a little bit of bourbon. Cheryl Day designed the recipe to work with a range of less-refined sweeteners, from honey to cane syrup. The supereasy press-in crust means you don’t even need a rolling pin.

In 2009, Allison Kave and her boyfriend, Jay Horton, were winners in Brooklyn, New York's Pie Bake-Off with this clever pie. The challenge was to use a local ingredient, so they chose apple cider and developed this delicious combination of cream pie and apple pie. Winning the contest was the impetus for Kave to open First Prize Pies in Brooklyn.

To create a crisp crust on the bottom, Grace Parisi partially bakes the pie shell before adding the filling. If the edge starts to darken too much, cover it with a pie shield or strips of foil.

In this fun twist on a classic apple pie, master baker Alice Medrich enhances the flavor of the tender baked apples with dried apricots and orange zest.

This dish looks like a pumpkin pie, but the filling is actually made with sweet potato.

These flaky little pies may be the ultimate grab-and-go dessert, making them ideal for a holiday buffet or potluck.

Andrew Zimmern had this extraordinary coconut pie ever—simple and delicious—in Charleston, South Carolina.

This elegant puff pastry is quick to make. You’ll be surprised at how delicious butternut squash is for dessert. Look for a squash with a long neck.

This creamy, fruity, elegant dessert was inspired partly by Gabriel Kreuther's grandfather, a farmer who used to grow plums and dry them for homemade tarts.

Valeri Lucks, the co-owner and self-titled "chief people wrangler" and "pie master" at Milwaukee's Honeypie Cafe, says this pie marries two of her best-selling pies: chocolate cream and banana cream.

This pie has a super-simple crust made with store-bought gingersnaps and ground walnuts, a silky pumpkin filling and a cranberry compote topping with more crunchy walnuts.

Three Babes Bakeshop in San Francisco offers this fun, portable pie: They bake the pastry in a jar, then fill it with fig-and-pear syrup, mascarpone cream, fruit and toasted walnuts.

In this clever variation of Key lime pie, Michael Mina replaces the usual lime curd with lemon and the typical graham cracker crust with a cinnamon-pecan cookie crust.

This supereasy caramel lovers’ dream pie is made with sweetened condensed milk sprinkled lightly with sea salt and baked until thick and gooey, then chilled in a simple graham cracker crust.

Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Tip: The tarts can be stored overnight in airtight containers.

Michael Glissman's tart is like a dark-chocolate truffle in a crisp, flaky cocoa crust. Bourbon adds a wonderful smokiness; be sure to heat it carefully with the sugar so it doesn't ignite.

At Seattle's High 5 Pie, owner Dani Cone has responded to popular demand by making these adorable, portable pies (she calls them "flipsides"), available not just in the fall but year-round. When she tries to take them out of the rotation, customers get angry; one time, she says, a woman even cried.

The sweet-and-tart berries in the creamy custard pop when you take a bite.

Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Tip: The pie can be prepared through Step 5 and frozen for up to 2 weeks, making it a perfect dessert choice during the busy holiday season.

Greg Patent likes to use an assortment of tart and sweet apples in this dense, apple-packed pie. Some varieties to look for are Greening, Cortland, Winesap, Braeburn, Jonamac and Granny Smith.

Humble ingredients like puffed rice cereal (transformed into a brilliant topping) and graham crackers (crushed with hazelnuts to yield a tender crust) are the core of this surprisingly luxe dessert.

"I had the honor of cooking for Julia Child's 80th birthday party at the home of a former F&W editor in chief," says Grace Parisi. "At the end of the evening, Child graciously asked, 'Who made that looovely dessert?' I managed to croak out, 'I did.' These tartlets are a variation on that recipe."

For a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of her pecan pie, master baker Alice Medrich adds minced candied ginger and a splash of rum to the filling.

If the French celebrated Thanksgiving, they'd probably serve this caramelized hazelnut tart for dessert instead of pecan pie. Dimitri Fayard spreads layers of soft caramel and creamy chocolate ganache in a sweet pastry shell, then sprinkles chopped hazelnuts over the top.

Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Tip: The tart is most delicious one day after it’s baked.

Chef Michael Laiskonis likes to roast the sweet potatoes for the filling instead of boiling them because he feels the flavor becomes deeper and sweeter.

Unlike most pies, this tart is just as good when baked a day ahead as long as it is not refrigerated.

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

Gail Simmons mashes up two classic desserts to make the ultimate Thanksgiving indulgence: butterscotch pudding pie, topped with whipped cream, turbinado sugar, and pecans.

The only thing better than a slice of good cherry pie is a slice of great cherry pie. This version is made with a traditional pie crust on the bottom and sugary oat clusters as topping, so you get all the best parts of a pie and a crumble.

Who says flowers are only for table decoration? This pie is made of a honey and dried lavender filling that’s sweet, floral, and light.

Take classic pumpkin pie for a spin with this gingery, caramel-y version that’s topped with candied pepitas that add crunch as well as flavor.