Canadian Thanksgiving Recipes

Updated October 03, 2016
Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time where we celebrate good company and reflect on what we're thankful for. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls in the month of October. So for all of our friends up north, here is a great spread of delicious mains, sides, and desserts to add to your table on this special day. Serve up joy and feel the gratitude with classic favorites like turkey, sweet potatoes, and pies. 

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Cherry-Smoked Turkey on the Grill

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Cherry-Smoked Turkey on the Grill Recipe

The time put into the cooking process of this turkey is what garners such a stellar flavor. The smokey char that the exterior gets from the grill gives it a golden color and an even better rustic flavor. This turkey truly shines as an alternative method for Thanksgiving fare. 

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Roasted Autumn Veggie Salad with Baby Kale

Credit: Daniel Agee, Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis

Roasted Autumn Veggie Salad with Baby Kale Recipe

This hearty salad is brimming with the flavors of fall with ingredients such as pumpkin seeds, brussels sprouts, cranberries, and dark, leafy greens. The salad here is tossed with baby kale, which is much more tender and easier to eat uncooked, which makes it a perfect green to use for a salad like this. The kale delivers a nice and hearty texture while the marvelous toppings here elevate this salad to some gloriously good autumn territory. 

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Baked Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Spinach Topping

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Creamy Spinach Topping Recipe

Make these sweet potatoes a savory affair by topping them with a creamy and delicious spinach topping. The spinach makes a hearty (and healthy!) addition and offsets the creaminess, working in tandem with the sweet potato to deliver a truly delicious and nutritious meal or side dish. 

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Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lydia Degaris-Pursell

Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies Recipe

These adorable cutout cookies are flavored with maple syrup and classic fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  Walnuts provide a delicious crunch.

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Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Gastrique

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Paige Hicks

Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Gastrique Recipe

From the Kitchen of…Hugh Acheson, Longtime Cooking Light Friend

"This dish is an example of the synergy of my Northern and Southern roots. My Canadian veins are partially full of maple syrup, and I adore the Southern staple crop of the sweet potato."

The gastrique, a tangy-sweet glaze, is Thanksgiving worthy but also simple enough to pull off on a weekday.

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Maple-Pecan Bars

Credit: Oxmoor House

Maple-Pecan Bars Recipe

Reminiscent of pecan pie, gluten-free Maple-Pecan Bars deserve a spot at your holiday dessert buffet. Use pure maple syrup to form the gooey brown sugar and pecan mixture needed to make these heavenly bars.

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Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze Recipe

If you’re looking for the perfect fall dessert, let the hunt stop here. This incredibly moist pumpkin pound cake is one of our favorite cakes of all time. Perfect for any fall festivities—Halloween, Thanksgiving, and beyond—this easy pumpkin cake delivers just the right amount of spice, balanced by the rich tang of buttermilk (in the mouthwatering glaze and the cake itself). A few smart swaps keep this tasty seasonal treat a bit lighter than a traditional pound cake, but you’re not likely to notice enjoying its perfectly sweet flavor and rich texture. Note: Draining the canned pumpkin before mixing it into your batter keeps you from adding too much liquid to the cake, so don't skip on this step.

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Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

This buttery, moist stuffing is based on a recipe Cindy Daniel of Healdsburg Shed in Northern California got from her mom. If you're juggling turkey and stuffing in one (smaller) oven, make the stuffing first, then reheat it while the turkey rests before carving.

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Cloverleaf Rolls

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Paige Hicks

Cloverleaf Rolls Recipe

From the Kitchen of…Cheryl Slocum, Senior Food Editor

"The smell of freshly risen dough always takes me back to my mom's rolls."

If the yeast doesn't bubble, it may have expired; start over to avoid wasting time and ingredients.

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Pumpkin Brûlée Tart

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Pumpkin Brûlée Tart Recipe

It's pumpkin pie meets crème brûlée and worthy of your next dinner party.

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Pecan-Pumpkin Drops

Credit: Chris Court; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Pecan-Pumpkin Drops Recipe

Take canned pumpkin out of the pie shell realm and stir into tender drop biscuits. Making turkey soup tomorrow? You can serve these alongside, spread with a little honey butter.

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Speedy Shepherd's Pie

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Speedy Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Making the most of supermarket convenience items gets this family favorite on the table in a flash. Precut matchstick carrots are easier to chop into small pieces quickly, and using prepared mashed potatoes for the topping is a good trick for when you don't have leftover mashed potatoes on hand.

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Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

Credit: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr

Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta Recipe

Stuffed with prosciutto and provolone cheese, our 40-minute Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy is quick and simple. The Creamy Polenta is a healthier alternative to creamy mashed potatoes.—and taste amazing.

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Maple-Walnut-Banana Bread

Credit: Oxmoor House

Maple-Walnut-Banana Bread Recipe

This gluten-free quick bread features a harmonious blend of bananas and walnuts wrapped in the sweetness of pure maple syrup. It makes an easy breakfast treat or an after-school snack.

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Sourdough-Apple Stuffing

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Sourdough-Apple Stuffing Recipe

Dress up Thanksgiving dinner with Sourdough-Apple Stuffing. Feel free to swap rye bread for sourdough, if desired.

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Butternut-Bacon Stuffing

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Butternut-Bacon Stuffing Recipe

Guests will adore this autumn-inspired Butternut-Bacon Stuffing, filled with diced butternut squash and flecks of crispy bacon.

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Traditional Beef Pot Roast with Carrots

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Traditional Beef Pot Roast with Carrots Recipe

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles to sop up the rich gravy. A side of sautéed or steamed green beans or Brussels sprouts can round out the meal.

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Dressing-Stuffed Mini Peppers

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Dressing-Stuffed Mini Peppers Recipe

We love these stuffed peppers as an appetizer, but you can also serve them as a side dish. Be sure to use baby bell peppers and not mini sweet peppers (shaped like jalapeños) so they're big enough to accommodate the filling. As an alternative to broiling, you can char the peppers directly over a gas flame, turning frequently with tongs.

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Quick Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole

Credit: Johnny Miller; Styling: Sarah Smart

Quick Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Quick Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole is ridiculously easy and goes into the oven in only 10 minutes, thanks to sweet canned yams. To boost flavor and add richness, we counter the canned spuds with luscious creme fraiche; chunks of almonds bring big brunch to our sweet potato casserole.

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Maple-Pecan Pie

Credit: Oxmoor House

Maple-Pecan Pie Recipe

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a pecan pie. If you have gluten-free family members, this pie will be a real treat for them.

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Spinach and Mushroom-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Wine Sauce

Credit: Johnny Miller; Styling: Sarah Smart

Spinach and Mushroom-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Wine Sauce Recipe

For an easy, elegant meal, serve family and friends Spinach and Mushroom-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Wine Sauce. Our secrets for the best beef tenderloin: Cook it quickly, keep it moist, and use a trustworthy thermometer. Pull the tenderloin from the oven right when it hits 125', and residual heat will take it to perfection.

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Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuit

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

After baking hundreds of biscuits, our Test Kitchen landed on this winning recipe for Our Favorite Buttermilk Biscuit. This no-fail biscuit recipe will impress new cooks and old pros alike.

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Maple Pumpkin Pie with a Message

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Maple Pumpkin Pie with a Message Recipe

To use up the leftover pumpkin, try adding some to a breakfast smoothie, or stir into pancake batter. Or combine with a splash of half-and-half, season with sage, and toss with pasta.

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Butternut Squash Glazed Tart

Credit: Christina Holmes

Butternut Squash Glazed Tart Recipe

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.

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Double-Crust Apple Pie

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mindi Shapiro and Amanda Widis

Double-Crust Apple Pie Recipe

A double crust seals in the apples' natural juices as the pie bakes for full-on apple flavor. Tossing the apples with apple juice keeps them from browning as you peel and slice them, and it adds a boost of apple flavor.

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Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe

Coat acorn squash slices with a mixture of chili powder, cumin, and paprika before roasting them until tender. 

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