23 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes That Aren't Pie (2024)

So you’re not a huge pie fan? No problem here! We put together an extensive list of Thanksgiving desserts (that aren’t pie), so that there’s a little something sweet for everyone.

23 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes That Aren't Pie (1)

Thanksgiving Desserts That Aren’t Pie

Alright I’ll just say it, I don’t really like pie. I know we just had a whole pie week and we have a bunch of pies on the site, but when it really comes down to it, I’d pick a cake or a cookie over pie any day. Obviously there’s going to be pie on the Thanksgiving dessert spread, but you can also load up that table with tons of other Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie. If you’re hosting, it can be nice for variety, or if you’re bringing a dessert you can probably assume there’s going to be pie, so why not bring something unique?

We rounded up our favorites for you to give you some ideas of seasonal sweets!

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What other types of desserts can you serve for Thanksgiving?

I know when we think of Thanksgiving desserts, pie is probably the one that comes to mind, but there are SO many other delicious desserts you can whip up to end the feast of all feasts on a sweet note. If you choose the right, seasonal flavors, pretty much any dessert form can be ideal for Thanksgiving.

Our favorite Thanksgiving Flavors

So, what flavors are appropriate for the Thanksgiving dessert spread? This is a loaded question, because personally I feel that any flavor is the right flavor if you like it; however, certain flavors are a little more nostalgic and seasonal so they’ll fit in seamlessly with the pie spread. Some of our favorite flavors for the holiday are:

  • Maple
  • Pecan
  • Pumpkin
  • Toffee
  • Apple
  • White Chocolate
  • Cranberry
  • Caramel
  • Cinnamon

Remember that these are just suggestions, and you can indulge in whatever desserts are your favorite!

Thanksgiving Cakes

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  • Pumpkin Streusel Cake: Step aside b-day cake, this Milk Bar style pumpkin streusel cake is about to seduce your tastebuds. Made with layers of moist pumpkin cake, buttery cinnamon sugar streusel, and dreamy cream cheese icing, this fall cake is sure to be a favorite.
  • Caramel Cake: This decadent caramel cake is moist, buttery and the salty-sweet treat of your dreams. Made with homemade caramel, the best vanilla cake ever and a fluffy vanilla buttercream!
  • Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake: Take all your favorite flavors of an apple cider donut and make them into an easy bundt cake. This apple cider bundt cake is tender, moist, spiced to perfection and coated in a buttery, cinnamon sugar for the ultimate Fall treat.
  • Chocolate Turtle Cake: All your favorite flavors of a gooey chocolate turtle in cake form! Thischocolate turtle cakeis the perfect decadent layer cake for all the chocolate caramel lovers out there.

Thanksgiving Cheesecakes

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  • Classic Cheesecake: Let’s talk cheesecake. About how it’s, like, the best dessert ever?! This classic cheesecake recipe makes a foolproof dreamy cheesecake every single time!
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake: Meet your new favorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin cheesecake. You’ll love this luscious pumpkin cheesecake with a buttery gingersnap crust, light whipped cream topping and salted caramel drizzle. DROOL.

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  • Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: These soft pumpkin cookies with a dreamy salted maple icing are the perfect fall cookie to whip up this weekend. You’ll love these maple pumpkin cookies for all your pumpkin baking needs.
  • White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars: These dreamy white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars are calling your name! Made with melted white chocolate and thick ribbons of scrumptious raspberry jam, you’ll love these easy cheesecake bars!
  • Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler: Put together the two best things in the world (apple pie and cinnamon rolls. duh.) into the most scrumptious cinnamon roll apple cobbler. You’ll love this easy apple dessert all fall long!

Thanksgiving Cookies

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  • White Chocolate Maple Pecan Cookies: Release your inner cookie monster because these super soft and chewy white chocolate maple pecan cookies are calling your name. These fall cookies are loaded up with toasted pecans, pools of white chocolate, and a dash of maple extract for the ultimate salty-sweet treat.
  • Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies: Take yourself back to your childhood with these homemade oatmeal creme pies! These soft and chewy oatmeal sandwich cookies taste just like the Little Debbie’s original!
  • Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Icing: These might be my favorite cookies on the blog and you KNOW they’re going to be on the Thanksgiving table this year.

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  • Brown Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: If a really good hug could be a cookie, it would be a brown butter oatmeal raisin cookie. It’s soft, tender, warm, cozy, and perfectly sweet. In other words: YOU NEED THESE COOKIES.
  • Marshmallow Stuffed Molasses Cookies: Introducing Santa’s new fav cookie: marshmallow stuffed molasses cookies AKA a soft and chewy spiced molasses cookies stuffed with a gooey, toasty marshmallow. Everyone will love these festive cookies all holiday season long.
  • Chocolate Caramel Shortbread: Every Christmas cookie box needs a buttery shortbread. Specifically a tender shortbread bar drizzled with caramel and chocolate. It’s decadent, salty-sweet, chocolatey and perfect for sharing with friends and family this holiday season!

Thanksgiving Brownies and Bars

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  • Maple Chai Blondies: These chewy maple chai blondies are spiced to perfection and topped with a salty-sweet maple glaze that you’ll want to drizzle over everything. Made in just one bowl (no mixer required!) this chai blondie recipe is the ultimate easy treat to celebrate cozy fall flavors!
  • Zingy Ginger Molasses Blondies: Celebrate gingerbread season with these fun and festive ginger molasses blondies. Topped with cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of white chocolate for the ultimate holiday blondie recipe!

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  • Pecan Pie Brownies: Add a little chocolate into your classic Thanksgiving dessert spread with these pecan pie brownies. They’re fudgy, nutty, and the perfect decadent treat to whip up for the holidays.
  • While Chocolate Maple Nut Blondies: Introducing the best thing we’ve made all year: maple white chocolate pecan blondies. This salty-sweet maple treat is chewy, soft and super easy to make!

Thanksgiving Sweet Breads

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  • Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns: These soft and buttery cinnamon rolls finished off with an ooey-gooey caramel pecan praline topping are the ultimate holiday breakfast treat. I mean…you can’t have a bad day when it starts with caramel pecan sticky buns!
  • Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls: These pillowy soft pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls with a perfectly spiced pumpkin filling are what Fall dreams are made of.
  • Rum Raisin Bread Pudding: Looking for a way to use up those day old croissants or stale brioche? Introducing rum raisin bread pudding: a boozy, buttery, flavorful sweet treat perfect for filling up your belly all fall and winter long!

We hope you enjoy ALL the Thanksgiving desserts this year!

XXX

23 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes That Aren't Pie (2024)

FAQs

What is the most eaten dessert on Thanksgiving? ›

In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust.

What was the first Thanksgiving dessert? ›

Pumpkin Pie

According to some accounts, early English settlers in North America improvised by hollowing out pumpkins, filling the shells with milk, honey and spices to make a custard, then roasting the gourds whole in hot ashes.

What are the three most popular pies eaten on Thanksgiving? ›

Thanksgiving pies are a traditional part of Americans' modern-day feast, with harvest flavors dominating the country's favorite pies. Pumpkin pie is Americans' top choice for a Thanksgiving pie — with pecan pie, apple pie, and sweet potato pie right behind it.

Why are pies eaten at Thanksgiving? ›

The first Thanksgiving was held between the Wampanoag Tribe and Plymouth Colonists in New England. It was a joint celebration of a successful harvest, and it is said that a variety of pumpkin pies would have been served on this day alongside the celebratory feast.

What is the most addictive dessert? ›

Addictive Desserts
  • Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies. ...
  • Art's Southern-Style Chocolate Gravy. ...
  • Apple Pie by Grandma Ople. ...
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. ...
  • This Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake Tastes Just Like Your Favorite Morning Treat. ...
  • Seven Layer Cookie Bars Recipe.

What is the oldest Thanksgiving tradition? ›

Americans model their holiday on a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the English colonists known as Pilgrims. Canadians trace their earliest thanksgiving celebration to 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher gave thanks for its safe passage.

What are 3 foods that were eaten at the first Thanksgiving? ›

But according to the two only remaining historical records of the first Thanksgiving menu, that meal consisted of freshly killed deer, assorted wildfowl, cod, bass, and flint, and a native variety of corn harvested by the Native Americans, which was eaten as corn bread and porridge.

What dessert did the Pilgrims have? ›

Pumpkin Pie

Pilgrims liked pumpkins. According to accounts, they used to hollow them out, fill them with milk and honey to make a custard, and then roast the orange orbs in hot ashes.

What is America's favorite Thanksgiving dessert? ›

While pumpkin pie reigns supreme in the majority of American households, sweet potato pie is still the quintessential Thanksgiving dessert in the South.

Which president refused to recognize Thanksgiving? ›

While Thanksgiving technically isn't a religious holiday, the “giving thanks” part of it struck Jefferson as being far too religious for his tastes. As our nation's third president, he stirred controversy by refusing to recognize Thanksgiving.

What state eats the most turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

Of all the states, residents of California consume the most turkey per person, but California is not one of the five. Missouri is. It's number five. The top turkey producing state is Minnesota, followed by North Carolina, Arkansas and Virginia.

Why do we eat cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving? ›

Due to the importance of cranberries in the 1500s and their abundance, it is believed that the pilgrims and the American Indians would have eaten them at the first Thanksgiving.

Why do we have pumpkins on Thanksgiving? ›

The very first Thanksgiving was held in New England between the Wampanoag Tribe and Plymouth Colonists. It was a way to celebrate the successful harvest. It's said that pumpkin was served at this celebratory dinner, but no one knows if it was a pie-like dessert or a pumpkin dish, but pumpkins were definitely involved!

What is the most popular dessert turkey? ›

1. Turkish Baklava. This is the most famous traditional Turkish dessert that people around the world know and enjoy.

What is the most unpopular Thanksgiving food? ›

The Most Disliked Traditional Thanksgiving Foods
  • Ham — 25.57%
  • Coleslaw — 25.57%
  • Pumpkin Pie — 24.28%
  • Mashed Potatoes — 18.66%
  • Macaroni and Cheese — 17.47%
  • Carrots — 16.98%
  • Apple Pie — 16.29%
  • Corn — 15.50%
Nov 21, 2023

What do most people eat on Thanksgiving? ›

Millions of people across the United States will sit down to a traditional Thanksgiving meal, including turkey, potatoes, squash, corn, and cranberries.

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