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Maple Bourbon Apple Pie

Credit: Jacob Fox

Consider your Thanksgiving menu planning done, with an assist from the recipes in our November 2021 issue of Better Homes & Gardens®. Award-winning cookbook author, Kate McDermott lends her best pie recipes for the holiday. We share how to take cranberries way beyond a basic sauce and use them in bread, salad, cocktails, and more. Plus, your turkey and sides are covered with options for shortcuts and make-ahead steps to make the feast easier than ever to pull off.

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Brown Sugar Gingersnap Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Credit: Jacob Fox

If the idea of rolling out dough makes store-bought pies sound like the way to go, try this one from author Kate McDermott instead. The cookie crumb crust is easy to press in and spends only 6 minutes in the oven. Plus, the silky pumpkin filling cooks on the stove, and the whole thing sets up in the fridge before a final flourish of whipped cream.

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Honey Hazelnut Pear Galettes

Credit: Jacob Fox

Mini galettes look like something from an artisan bakery, but the hazelnut filling—a sugar, butter, egg, and nut mixture called frangipane—is as easy as basic buttercream. Cream cheese in the crust yields a forgiving pastry that's not as temperature sensitive as an all-butter option, so you can take more time to roll it out without stress.

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Maple Bourbon Apple Pie

Credit: Jacob Fox

Even confident piemakers can get stuck in a rut using the same recipes and methods. At her camps, McDermott teaches a new trick for making the classic apple pie using an unconventional dough-mixing method. She combines butter and part of the flour but waits to add the rest of the flour until after the fat is incorporated. This safeguards against overdeveloping the gluten in the crust, ensuring that the pie's basket-weave top is as tender as it is attractive.

Buy It: Williams Sonoma Pie Dish ($20, Williams Sonoma)

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Pork Chops with Cranberries and Pears

Credit: Carson Downing

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Cranberry Salsa Macha

Credit: Carson Downing

Salsa macha is an oil-based, chile-nut salsa from Veracruz, Mexico, that's often served with fish. Despite its fiery hue, this bold salsa brings more flavor than heat. Dried cranberries' natural sweetness tempers two types of chiles (pasilla and morita), and sunflower seeds add crunch. A jar lasts up to a month in the fridge so you have ample time to try it on practically any savory dish.

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Cranberry-Ricotta Pancakes with Salted Maple Butter

Credit: Carson Downing

Creamy ricotta in the batter delivers both fluff and richness to this silver dollar pancakes recipe flecked with fresh cranberries and slathered in a salted maple butter. Keep them on the smaller side and cook them low and slow so they stay light and tender as they cook through.

Buy It: Calphalon Griddle ($43, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Cranberry-Hibiscus Babka

Credit: Carson Downing

Both cranberries and hibiscus have an inherent tartness, but while cranberries bring straight pucker, hibiscus also lends faint floral notes. Like any good holiday treat, this babka can do it all: Wrap it up for a hostess gift, slice it for afternoon tea, or just let it be your weekend baking therapy.

Related: How to Make Babka

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Cranberry and Beet Panzanella

Credit: Carson Downing

The secret to this weeknight-friendly panzanella—an Italian salad traditionally made with veggies, crispy bread cubes, and dressing—is a hardworking vinaigrette that starts with cranberry juice. Use it to season the beets, shallots, and bread cubes before roasting, then serve the whole thing with a finishing drizzle.

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Cranberry Pisco Sour

Credit: Carson Downing

As festive cocktails go, a little effort can go a long way. You'll need a bit of lead time to make the cranberry simple syrup—the base of this delicate, frothy cocktail with lots of juicy flavor—but while it chills, you can knock out the sugared cranberry garnish.

Buy It: Libbey Coupe Martini Glasses ($39, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Roast Turkey with Citrus and Sage

Credit: Carson Downing

This classic roasted turkey has just enough of a twist to keep things interesting. Orange zest adds zing to the traditional thyme, sage, and parsley herb rub. And our dry-brining technique delivers a flavorful, succulent turkey without devoting limited fridge space to a big tub of salty liquid.

Buy It: Farberware Roasting Pan ($30, Target)

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Bourbon and Cider Pan Gravy

Credit: Carson Downing

You can make this gravy the day of or a few days ahead, or use just the bourbon and apple cider amounts called for to dress up store-bought gravy.

Test Kitchen Tip: Stir in some pan drippings for extra flavor.

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Green Bean and Mushroom Skillet

Credit: Carson Downing

Thanksgiving just isn't the same without green beans and fried onions. This fresh sauté reinvents the traditional casserole in a lighter form. It's loaded with mushrooms and dressed up with a bit of bacon, herbed goat cheese, and delicate crisped shallots.

Buy It: Granitestone Skillet ($30, Target)

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Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Peanut Streusel

Credit: Carson Downing

In this updated sweet potato dish, crunchy peanut streusel crowns delicate layers of mandoline-sliced potatoes and a mild coconut milk sauce flavored with basil and five-spice powder. A springform pan is the key to serving pretty wedges that won't fall apart.

Buy It: OXO Hand-Held Mandoline ($18, OXO)

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Potato, Celery Root, and Parsnip Mash

Credit: Carson Downing

Parsnips and celery root, or celeriac—a knobby root vegetable—add complex nutty, celery-esque flavor to this side that's anything but the same old mashed potatoes. The trio is simmered with garlic, onion, and herbs, then finished with a generous drizzle of chive butter.

Related: Dreamy Mashed Potato Recipes That Will Be the Star of the Table

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Autumn Fruit and Ginger Chutney

autumn fruit ginger chutney

Credit: Carson Downing

Even if you can't do without the traditional cranberry sauce, make a little extra room on the table for this deliciously complex, sweet-and-tart chutney. Fresh and dried fruit, crystallized ginger, and marmalade poach in a combo of apple cider and cider vinegar.

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Pull-Apart Stuffing Ring

Credit: Carson Downing

We took two of our Thanksgiving favorites—stuffing and rolls—and spun them into this genius pull-apart loaf. The recipe uses refrigerated biscuits, so it's even easier to prepare than either of the original dishes. A little chopped apple in the mix and baking in a fluted tube pan make the flavor and presentation extra special.

Buy It: Nordic Ware Bundt Pan ($38, Target)

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Winter Slaw with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Credit: Carson Downing

Count on this vibrant salad to add color and crunch to your plate. We picked the heartiest mix of greens—kale, radicchio, and purple cabbage—so you can prep them up to two days ahead. A tangy blood orange and Dijon mustard vinaigrette complements the greens' earthy, pleasantly bitter notes.

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Pumpkin-Chai Cheesecake

Credit: Carson Downing

The flavors of chai latte meet pumpkin pie in this cheesecake's beautiful swirls of color and spice. We almost hate to hide any of it under a dollop of pumpkin spice whipped cream. Almost.

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