16 Holiday Tart and Pie Recipes

A pumpkin meringue pie in an orange stoneware pie plate, sitting on a cooling rack with a pie server.

Pumpkin Meringue Pie1/16

At long last, a slice of pumpkin pie that can be considered complete in and of itself—no dollop of whipped cream required. Pumpkin and meringue. So happy together.

A pear almond tart in a rectangular tart pan on a wooden board.

Pear Almond Tart2/16

French. Foolproof. Froufrou. Fuss-free. Fenomenal. (Work with us.) Rarely does elegance come together with such ease (and alliteration) as this tart recipe.

A slice of sweet potato pie on a metal platter with a knife resting beside it.

Sweet Potato Pie3/16

Sugar and spice and everything nice—that's what you'll find in this magnificently spiced traditional Southern pie from baker extraordinaire, Cheryl Day.

A round tart filled with cooked sliced apples in a concentric pattern

Apple Tart4/16

If you took a look at this stunning tart and thought, “I can’t possibly do that!” think again. We suspect you can.

A pumpkin sweet potato pie in a brown pie dish with a fork resting inside and a linen napkin next to the pie dish.

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Pie5/16

This riff on the classic marshmallow sweet potato casserole of your childhood plunks the sweet staple squarely where it belongs. Dessert.

Four Hoosier sugar cream pies, one dusted with confectioners' sugar on a sheet of parchment.

Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie6/16

Strange how such a sweetly stunning sensation can be just sugar, cream, flour, and vanilla. Couldn't be easier—or more enticing.

A baked hot buttered rum apple pie on a wooden board.

Hot Buttered Rum Apple Pie7/16

An unconventional approach to apple pie that happily involves booze and lotsa butter. Even more memorable than the classic.

A pear tart with blue cheese and honey finished with sliced almonds.

Pear Tart with Blue Cheese and Honey8/16

This lovely melding of cheese course and last course becomes even lovelier with a generous pour of port.

A slice of drunken pumpkin bourbon tart on a white plate with a fork beside it and a mini pumpkin and leaves in the background.

Drunken Pumpkin Bourbon Tart9/16

Drunken pumpkin? Punken drumkin? Drumpin punkdrunk? This innocuous seeming slice boasts just a tad more tipsy-inducing personality than your typical pumpkin pie.

A whole gingerbread cheesecake on a white platter with a slice missing from it.

Gingerbread Cheesecake10/16

This gingerbread cheesecake tastes like the classic Christmas spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in each and every bite of this simple yet stunning dessert.

A whole cooked maple buttermilk pie in a glass pie dish.

Maple Buttermilk Pie11/16

"Silky." "Creamy." "Tangy." "Sweet." That's what folks are saying about this pie that tastes like poor man's cheesecake.

A maple pecan pie in a metal pie plate with one slice missing and forks, plates, and a bottle of rye whiskey beside the pie.

Maple Pecan Pie12/16

Distinct from other pecan pies in one notable way, this recipe draws on robust maple syrup to usurp cloying corn syrup. You're welcome.

Two coconut cream pies with meringue tops, pastry crusts, and sprinkled with shredded coconut

Coconut Cream Pie13/16

A retro classic with a velvety coconut custard buried beneath billows of sweet, luscious, airy meringue and cushioned by a tender, flaky, buttery lard crust. You're welcome.

Caramelized Butternut Squash Pie14/16

What's an un-pumpkin pumpkin pie? It's pie made with caramelized butternut squash, spices, and a splash of brandy. It's subtly different than the classic yet still oh so perfect for Thanksgiving.

Pâte Sablée (Rich Pie Crust)15/16

Perhaps the most indulgent pie crust known to the French, this boasts the notable addition of egg, cream, and lotsa sugar.

How to Crimp A Pie Crust16/16

David reveals his pie-crimping obsession and admits he's been outcrimped by baker Libbie Summers and her 20 cool and classy pie crust tactics.