Thanksgiving dinner never seems complete unless there is a pumpkin pie for dessert. But what if you added pumpkin to a different part of the meal or changed up the dessert options a bit?
Pumpkin is a surprisingly versatile gourd that is more than just a perfect Halloween lantern. From the Pumpkin Spice Latte to the Pumpkin Pie, there are some typical go-to items that seem prevalent throughout the season. However, there are plenty of interesting items that would actually be a lot more fun to add to your Thanksgiving menu this year.
From savory to sweet, there are a lot of different options to kick things up a notch this season. Whether you want an amazing creamy pumpkin soup to start the meal or a pumpkin spice truffle to end it, we have some ideas to switch up the Thanksgiving menu.
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
One of my favorite pumpkin soups is also one of the easiest to make. And while you could go the more authentic route and roasted a fresh pumpkin, we like using canned pumpkin puree instead. All the work has been done for you by going with the canned option. This is a recipe you will see variations of in many places, and that makes sense thanks to how easy it is to bring together.
In a suatee pan add butter and an onion, carmelize the onions. Once the onions are golden brown and soft, add in some garlic and seasoning (we like nutmeg, cinnamon, and of course salt and pepper) to taste. Once all the garlic, onions, and seasoning have had a chance to blend together, add in a base of chicken stock. For our part we mix the chicken stock with water so that it more of a half and half mixture (1 cup of each). If you are looking to change things up, you could use a vegetable stock or even a turkey broth, but remember to taste the soup in order to make sure the pumpkin flavor comes through. Let the soup mixture simmer for a bit and then add in your can of pumpkin puree.
This soup needs to cook together for at least 30 minutes so that the flavors come together. And once it has, you may want to smooth it out with an immersion blender. We finish off our pumpkin soup with some heavy cream for a creamy and smooth finish.
You will find that this recipe is easy, quick, and perfect for anyone who likes to play with their recipes a bit. You can change-up the spices, make it more or less creamy, and even double the recipe easily to feed more people.
Pumpkin Pie Truffles
Thanks to PopSugar, we have found our newest favorite sweet pumpkin treat. These pumpkin pie truffles are super easy, only require five ingredients, and taste amazing. Cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and ground up graham crackers make up the creamy truffle interior in one of the easiest dessert treats we have ever made at home.
And while this recipe uses white chocolate over the delicious pumpkin truffle interior, we also liked covering it with milk chocolate as well. Whichever chocolate coating you use, this is an inspired dessert that will leave you and your guests happy this Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Hummus
Hummus is one of the easiest things to make at home and if you want to add a savory dish to your pre-Thanksgiving menu why not make your own Pumpkin Hummus this year. Puree a can of chickpeas, then add in garlic, some fresh squeezed lemon juice, 5 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend these ingredients together, and then add in at least a tablespoon of water as well as seasoning to taste.
We recommend serving this homemade hummus with pita chips, crostinis, or even fresh-cut veggies like cucumber, peppers, and carrots.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
An easy and sweet treat that everyone loves is cookies. And thanks to these soft pumpkin cookies, you can enjoy a soft and fluffy cookies unlike anything you have ever tried before. This recipe comes courtesy of Lovely Little Kitchen and is a cake-like bite that will win over all your Thanksgiving diners.
We made these cookies a few different times and we enjoy them straight from the recipe or even dipping them in a cream cheese icing. Either way, these cookies are not too sweet, but rather perfect for those of us looking for a refreshing dessert to end any meal.