Life
9 Genius Pie Toppings Because Ice Cream Is So Last Thanksgiving
Pie, we’ve done you wrong. Ever year, despite all the glorious, mind-blowing pie toppings the world has to offer, we inevitably slap you with vanilla ice cream. And not even the homemade kind, either — just a scoop of store-bought stuff, left to melt into sad little rivers on your top crust.
But no more. Today, we take a stand for pies everywhere, from pumpkin to pecan. After all, this is the dough you rolled, the filling you made, the show-stopping star of your Thanksgiving table. And now, it’s time to do it justice. Ditch the pint and crown your pie with creamy caramel and chocolate mousse, with poached pears and airy custards. There is no topping too decadent for your masterpiece. Now that’s how you do Thanksgiving pie.
Image: Oh, Ladycakes
Cheddar
Cheese? On pie? Yes, this is a thing — and it’s glorious. A slice of sharp cheddar over your apple pie is a classic…and bonus points if you bake it into the crust.
Image: Lady and Pups
Caramel
Sure, you could drizzle it over your filling before baking — but a little extra caramel on top never hurt anyone. Averie Cooks has a foolproof recipe.
Image: Averie Cooks
Hot Fudge
It’s not just for ice cream anymore. Katie at the Kitchen Door shows us how to whip up the perfect fudge for pumpkin and pecan pies.
Image: Katie at the Kitchen Door
Chocolate Mousse
Unlike ice cream, this two-ingredient mousse won’t melt into a puddle over your pie. Oh, Ladycakes has the genius recipe.
Image: Oh, Ladycakes
Whipped Ricotta
More cheese? Oh, yeah — we’re going there. How Sweet Eats smothers her pizza with whipped ricotta, but we think it would be perfect atop your apple pie, sweetened with just a touch of maple syrup.
Image: How Sweet Eats
Zabaglione
Otherwise known as sabayon, this airy custard is ideal for fruity pies. Thanks, Green Kitchen Stories!
Image: Green Kitchen Stories
Cookie Butter
Peanut butter pie is one thing, but cookie butter? It’s in a league of its own. Whip some up at home, melt it, and drizzle it over every kind of pie you have. Pepper shows us how.
Image: Pepper
Brown Butter Almonds
Add a little crunch to your pie with this super-easy, three-ingredient topping, courtesy of How Sweet Eats.
Image: How Sweet Eats
Poached Pears
Looking for an epic Thanksgiving dessert? You’re going to need some poached pears. Simmer them in a raspberry simple syrup, à la Sugar et Al, and then slice them in half for the perfect pie topping.
Image: Sugar et Al
