There is something mighty comforting about turning a humble loaf of frozen bread dough into a warm dessert that smells like a country kitchen on Thanksgiving afternoon. This kind of recipe reminds me of the practical Midwestern way of cooking, where a good shortcut was never frowned upon if it brought something sweet and homemade-looking to the table. With just a few pantry staples, those frozen loaves bake up into a sticky, cinnamon-kissed pull-apart treat that feels right at home beside the holiday pies.
Serve this dessert warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and if you want to dress it up for the Thanksgiving table, a spoonful of caramel sauce goes nicely too. It is especially good with hot coffee after supper, though it also fits right in alongside roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and all the trimmings because it is easy to set out and let folks pull off sweet pieces whenever they please.
5-Ingredient Oven Baked Thanksgiving Dessert
Servings: 10
Ingredients
2 solid frozen unthawed bread dough loaves
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
Cooking spray or a little extra butter for greasing the dish
Directions
1. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish well. Place the solid frozen unthawed bread dough loaves in the dish and let them sit for about 10 minutes, just long enough to make them easier to cut.
2. Cut each loaf into 6 to 8 pieces and scatter the pieces evenly in the casserole dish.
3. In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Spoon the mixture all over the dough pieces as evenly as you can.
4. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 4 to 6 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size and looks puffy.
5. Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the center is cooked through.
6. Let the dessert cool for 10 minutes before serving so the syrup can settle a bit. Pull apart and serve warm.
Variations & Tips
Add apples: For more of a Thanksgiving feel, scatter 1 to 2 cups of peeled diced apples around the dough pieces before adding the sugar mixture. They soften into the sauce and make the whole dish taste like a cross between monkey bread and apple dumpling filling.
Use walnuts instead: If pecans are not what you have in the pantry, chopped walnuts work just fine and bring a slightly earthier flavor that suits a holiday meal beautifully.
Make it ahead: You can assemble everything the night before in the casserole dish, cover it, and refrigerate it. In the morning, set it out in a warm place until the dough is puffed up before baking.
Watch the browning: Because of the butter and brown sugar, the top can darken quickly near the end of baking. If needed, lay a loose sheet of foil over the dish for the last 10 minutes so it does not get too brown before the center finishes.
Serve it easily: This dessert is meant to be rustic, so do not worry about cutting neat squares. A large spoon works best for scooping out those sticky, sweet pieces with all the buttery nuts and syrup from the bottom of the dish.