Today I give you the perfect thing for those of us that are terrible at making a good looking pie (raises hand): The pie sundae. Since the only skill here is rolling out pie crust and cutting into strips or shapes (or braiding it if you ride that talented train), anybody can do it. What’s even better is the sauces (apple bourbon, chocolate pecan, and pumpkin butterscotch) can all be made a few days ahead of time – so stop whatever you’re doing and add this to your Thanksgiving shopping list.

For the Pie Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out your favorite pie crust recipe (or store-bought I won’t tell) and cut it into strips or whatever shapes you want. Place on the prepared baking sheet, brush with an eggwash (1 egg lightly beaten with a splash of water or cream), and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden brown. Set aside to cool completely. If making ahead of time just store in a zip top bag until ready to serve.

For the Chocolate Pecan Pie Sundae:

2/3 cup pecan halve
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium sized saucepan toast the pecan halves over medium heat until fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, wait for the butter to melt and the mixture to start and boil. Turn the heat down just a little and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool down to just barely warm. Makes enough for 4 sundaes.

Assemble the sundae by putting a spoonful of the sauce in the bottom of a glass, top with a scoop of ice cream, more sauce, another scoop and a final spoonful of sauce. Garnish with a piece of the pie crust and some whip cream if you’re really feeling it.

For the Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie Sundae:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed up
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan melt down the butter. Once the butter’s melted add everything else except the vanilla, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 3 minutes over medium heat.

After the 3 minutes turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla and add the sauce to a small container to cool. Heat up the butterscotch just enough to loosen it for the sundaes when you’re ready to serve. Makes enough for 4 sundaes.

Assemble the sundae by putting a spoonful of the sauce in the bottom of a glass, top with a scoop of ice cream, more sauce, another scoop and a final spoonful of sauce. Garnish with a piece of the pie crust and some whip cream if you’re really feeling it.

For the Apple Bourbon Pie Sundae:

1/4 cup butter, divided
1 large apple, peeled and diced, I like something like a honeycrisp or pink lady apple
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon (feel free to leave this out and add a teaspoon of vanilla at the end)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over a low heat and add the diced apple with the spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes just to start to soften to apple then add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the heat to medium, melt the butter, and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes then remove from the heat and let cool to just slightly warm before serving. Makes enough for 4 sundaes.

Assemble the sundae by putting a spoonful of the sauce in the bottom of a glass, top with a scoop of ice cream, more sauce, another scoop and a final spoonful of sauce. Garnish with a piece of the pie crust and some whip cream if you’re really feeling it.