Christmas is just around the corner and nothing is better than spending it with your family on your farm. Your family could enjoy spending time with the farm animals. They could breathe in the fresh air that they don’t always get in the city. But, as the host, you have to do is plan out the dinner menu. You have the basics–turkey, ham, beans, etc. You already have plans for homemade eggnog. You’ve ordered crates of wine. But what about dessert?

Chocolate and peppermint are among the staples of a classic Christmas dinner. Chocolate cake, truffles, and cookies are great but predictable choices. So what if you want to expand your dessert menu? What if you make healthier and more satisfying desserts for the family?

The best way to do that is to locally source your ingredients. Here are some farm-to-table desserts that you can try out for this year’s Christmas dinner. The great thing is that they also make sure that the farm machinery parts you ordered online give a lot of bang for your buck.

Caramel Apple Pie

What’s Christmas without an apple-based dessert? The fall and winter seasons are apples’ time to shine. And when it comes to the fruit, you can never go wrong with a pie.

A caramel apple pie gives a twist on the classic American dessert. Caramel brings out the sweetness of the apples. Pair that with species such as cinnamon and you could easily taste Christmas with every bite. It would go well with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top.

It’s the perfect pair for a cup of coffee as well. So, during dessert when the family is winding down in the living room after a hearty dinner, they can munch on the pie and sip some coffee. ;

Cranberry Cheesecake

Cranberries are also a must-have dinner item during the holidays. What’s a turkey meal with cranberry sauce, right? But no one said that cranberries are only made for just the sauce. You can also use them as a Christmas dessert.

Instead of using the cranberry mixture as a side dish for your turkey, you can use it as a topping instead for your cheesecake. What’s even great is that a cranberry cheesecake is a baked good that doesn’t ask for too many ingredients. You just need the basics for the cream cheese filling and the crust.

Linzer Cookies

Christmas is a time for many types of cookies. There are the usual suspects such as gingerbread cookies and snickerdoodles. But if you want to shake things up and give the children in your family more unique choices, you can opt for linzer cookies.

What makes the linzer cookies healthier than other cookies is that it has fruit in it. Other cookies are filled with chocolate and peanut butter. On the other hand, linzer cookies are filled with jam. And it’s up to you which kind of jam you want to use. If your farm has strawberries, then go for it. If not, you can also have raspberry and black currant. ;

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars

Another crucial dessert on the Christmas table is a pumpkin pie. It’s traditionally eaten during Thanksgiving. But it’s also quite popular during Christmas. So this makes the pumpkin pie an obvious choice for you.

What you can do is add a twist to the common dessert. Instead, you can make pumpkin crème brûlée cheesecake bars. They definitely have a more complex recipe than a typical pie or even cheesecake. It’s because you’re adding crème brûlée into the mix. But Christmas is the perfect time for you to experiment with new recipes. Nothing would impress your family more than an impressive dessert that they’ve never tried before. Who knows? It could lead to new traditions for your family’s Christmas dinner.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Pecan is often known as “America’s native nut” and is popular in farms across the country. It’s also a popular ingredient during the holidays. Many households serve pecan pies for dessert. But, again, this is a common dessert that you can add a twist to. This time, you can make it into a cheesecake instead.

A pecan pie cheesecake would certainly entice your family. New York-style cheesecake is perfectly topped with an overwhelming amount of pecan. Then add to that as well a rich caramel sauce. The next thing you know, your family will be fighting over the last slice of the cheesecake.

Truth be told, you really do have an array of choices for Christmas desserts. But the downside is that they typically have similar bases. Most of them are chocolate-based. So if you want to broaden your dessert menu, it’s always good to look at what you have on your farm. It’s healthier, cheaper, and more exciting.