30 Non Pie Thanksgiving Desserts to Try This Year
Brown butter pumpkin bars as a full scaling recipe, then twenty-nine more pumpkin, pecan, apple and cranberry desserts with the amounts you need: bars and brownies, cakes, cookies, puddings and no-bakes, and warm fruit desserts, most of them made the day before.
- Dessert-table planner for 8 to 20+ guests
- Thanksgiving-week baking timeline
- Gluten-free, dairy-free and no-bake tags
- Printable pumpkin bar recipe
The dessert table without a single pie: pumpkin bars, cranberry upside-down cake, pecan brownies, pudding cups and baked pears.
Half a pie goes untouched while the cookie plate empties: that is the case for non pie Thanksgiving desserts. Same pumpkin, pecan, apple and cranberry flavors, delivered as bars, cakes, cookies and puddings that slice cleanly, travel well and mostly get made the day before. The pumpkin bars are the full recipe on the card; the other twenty-nine come with their amounts.
In this post:
- Why these work better than a second pie
- How many desserts a table needs
- Featured recipe: brown butter pumpkin bars, 8×8 to three pans
- Six bars and brownies, six cakes
- Six cookies and handhelds, six puddings and no-bakes
- Six fruit and lighter desserts
- The baking timeline, storage, troubleshooting and 14 FAQs
Why Skip the Second Pie
Thirty desserts with the amounts, not thirty names
Every idea below lists the quantities, the pan and the time, so you can pick three and shop from this page. The featured pumpkin bars are the full recipe on the card.
Everything pie does, without the crust
Pumpkin, pecan, apple, cranberry and sweet potato, delivered as bars, cakes, cookies, puddings and crisps. The flavors of the holiday, none of the blind baking.
Most of it is made the day before
Bars, cakes, cheesecake bars, puddings and cookie dough all keep overnight or longer; the timeline below puts the whole dessert table on one page.
Something for every guest
Gluten-free, dairy-free, no-bake and lighter options are tagged, and the planner tells you how many desserts a table needs so nobody goes without and nothing goes to waste.
How Many Desserts to Make
| Guests | Desserts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guests8 to 10 guests | Desserts2 desserts | NotesOne showpiece (a cake or the pumpkin bars) plus one handheld |
| Guests12 to 16 guests | Desserts3 desserts | NotesAdd a chilled one: cheesecake bars, pudding cups or a trifle |
| Guests20 or more | Desserts4 to 5 desserts | NotesTwo make-ahead pans, one no-bake, one fruit, one cookie plate |
| GuestsPortions | Desserts1½ servings per guest | NotesPeople take a sliver of two things rather than one slice |
| GuestsMix of textures | DessertsFudgy, crisp, creamy, fruity | NotesOne from at least three of the five groups below |
| GuestsDietary needs | DessertsOne gluten-free and one dairy-free | NotesTagged below; the flourless cake and the baked pears cover both |
Featured Recipe: Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars
The card is set for a 9×13 pan that makes 24 bars. Tap a size for a small table or a crowd.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Fudgy, spiced pumpkin bars built on browned butter, with a tangy cream cheese frosting: every bit of pumpkin pie flavor, no crust and no slicing anxiety. Tap a pan size and every amount updates with the printable card.
Which pan?
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick)1 cup (2 sticks)2 cups3 cups Bars: unsalted butter, browned
- ¾ cup1½ cups3 cups4½ cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp¼ cup½ cup¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup1 cup2 cups3 cups pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
- 1246 large eggs
- 1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp2 tbsp alcohol-free vanilla
- 1 cup2 cups4 cups6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp¾ tsp1½ tsp2¼ tsp salt
- 4 oz8 oz16 oz24 oz Frosting: cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup½ cup1 cup1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups2½ cups5 cups7½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp1 tbsp alcohol-free vanilla, for the frosting
- a pincha pinch¼ tsp½ tsp pinch of salt and cinnamon, for the top
Pumpkin purée, not pie filling: the can that says 100% pumpkin. Brown butter is the flavor; do not skip the specks. Make ahead: the bars keep 4 days frosted in the fridge and freeze unfrosted for 2 months.
Instructions
Brown the butter
Melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat and keep it bubbling, swirling, 5 to 7 minutes, until the foam goes quiet and brown specks and a nutty smell appear. Pour it, specks and all, into a large bowl and cool 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F and line the pan with parchment, leaving handles.
Mix the wet ingredients
Whisk both sugars into the warm brown butter until glossy. Whisk in the pumpkin, then the eggs and vanilla, until smooth.
Fold in the dry
Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. The batter is thick, like brownie batter; that is right. Overmixing makes them cakey instead of fudgy.
Bake
Spread into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 26 to 30 minutes for a 9×13 (24 to 28 for an 8×8), until the edges pull away slightly and a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Cool completely in the pan, at least 1 hour.
Make the frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar in two additions, then the vanilla and a pinch of salt, until spreadable. If it is loose, chill 15 minutes.
Frost, chill and cut
Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, dust with cinnamon and chill 30 minutes so the frosting sets. Lift out by the parchment and cut into 24 squares with a knife wiped between cuts. Keep refrigerated; serve cool or at room temperature.
Bars and Brownies
The pumpkin bars in progress: browned butter with its specks, pumpkin and spice whisked in, the thick batter spread in the pan.
Sliceable, stackable and the easiest to make ahead:
Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting Featured recipe
The recipe above: 1 cup browned butter, 1 cup pumpkin, 2 eggs, 2 cups flour and warm spices in a 9×13, 28 minutes, frosted with 8 oz of cream cheese. Fudgy, sliceable, and the first pan to empty.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a Gingersnap Crust Make ahead
Press 2 cups crushed gingersnaps + 6 tbsp melted butter into a 9×13, then pour over 24 oz cream cheese beaten with 1 cup sugar, 1 cup pumpkin, 3 eggs and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Bake 350°F 40 to 45 minutes until the center barely wobbles; chill 4 hours. The gingersnap heat against cool filling is the point.
Chocolate Pecan Brownies with a Maple Swirl Freezer friendly
Your favorite 9×13 brownie batter with 1½ cups toasted pecan halves stirred in, then 3 tablespoons of maple syrup drizzled on top and swirled with a skewer before baking. The maple caramelizes into a sticky top. The pecan pie brownie version adds a gooey pecan layer.
Gingerbread Brownies Spiced
Fudgy brownies with ¼ cup molasses, 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp cloves folded into the batter, topped with a thin cream cheese glaze. Dark, chewy and nothing like pumpkin; the step-by-step is in the gingerbread brownies.
Pecan Caramel Bars Vegan
A shortbread base (2 cups flour, ⅔ cup coconut oil or butter, ½ cup sugar) baked 15 minutes, topped with 2 cups pecans in a caramel of 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup maple syrup and ⅓ cup coconut cream, baked 20 more. Pecan pie in bar form, dairy-free as written: the pecan caramel bars.
Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Potluck
Graham crust, a 16 oz cream cheese layer, 3 cups thinly sliced spiced apples, and an oat-brown sugar streusel on top. 9×13, 350°F for 45 minutes, chilled overnight. Travels in the pan; the apple cheesecake bars has the amounts.
Thanksgiving Cakes
Up close: the fudgy pumpkin bar under its swoop of cream cheese frosting.
One showpiece for the center of the table:
Spiced Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze One bowl
3 cups diced apples (mix tart and sweet) folded into a batter of 2 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup oil, 2 eggs, cinnamon, cardamom and a pinch of clove. 9-inch square, 350°F for 40 minutes, then a glaze of ½ cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp cream boiled 1 minute and poured over warm. No mixer needed.
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake Showpiece
Melt 4 tbsp butter with ⅔ cup brown sugar in a 9-inch round pan, scatter 2 cups fresh cranberries over it, and pour a vanilla-orange butter cake batter on top. Bake 350°F 40 to 45 minutes, rest exactly 10 minutes, invert. A jewel-red, jammy top that needs no decorating.
Pumpkin Caramel Layer Cake Showpiece
Two 8-inch pumpkin spice layers (15 oz pumpkin, 1 cup oil, 4 eggs, 2 cups flour) filled and frosted with salted caramel buttercream and a caramel drip. The one for the center of the table; the pumpkin caramel cake walks through the drip.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Orange Gluten-free
8 oz dark chocolate, ¾ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 4 eggs, ½ cup cocoa and the zest of an orange, baked in a 9-inch springform at 350°F for 25 minutes. Dense, truffle-like, naturally gluten-free, and better on day two. Dust with cocoa; serve with whipped cream.
Pumpkin Dump Cake 5 minutes to assemble
A 15 oz can of pumpkin whisked with 12 oz evaporated milk, 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar and spice, a box of yellow cake mix sprinkled dry over the top, 1 cup melted butter drizzled on, pecans, and 50 minutes at 350°F. Pumpkin pie filling with a crunchy cake top and zero crust: the pumpkin dump cake.
Apple Cider Bundt Cake Make ahead
Reduce 2 cups apple cider to ½ cup and use it in a brown sugar bundt batter with 1 cup grated apple; bake 350°F 50 to 55 minutes, brush warm with 2 tbsp cider and roll the top in cinnamon sugar. The apple cider donut as a cake, and it keeps 3 days under a dome.
Puddings, Custards and No-Bake Desserts
Classic Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard Sauce Make ahead
1 pound day-old brioche or challah torn and soaked in a custard of 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream, ⅔ cup sugar and 2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla, with ½ cup dried cranberries. 9×13, 350°F for 45 minutes. The sauce is the same custard thinned with milk and stirred over low heat until it coats a spoon.
Sweet Potato Pudding Cups Make ahead
2 cups mashed baked sweet potato blended with a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 3 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, poured into 8 ramekins and baked in a water bath at 325°F for 35 minutes. Chill; top with whipped cream. The casserole, as an elegant custard.
Pecan Pie Trifle No bake
Layers of cubed pound cake, a quick pecan caramel, vanilla pudding and whipped cream in a glass bowl, chilled 4 hours. Serves 12, assembles in 20 minutes and looks like you tried much harder: the pecan pie trifle.
Pumpkin Lush No bake
A pecan shortbread base, a sweetened cream cheese layer, pumpkin pudding and whipped topping, built in a 9×13 and chilled overnight. Four layers, no oven after the base: the pumpkin lush has the method.
No-Bake Chocolate Tart with a Nut and Date Crust Gluten-free
Pulse 1½ cups pecans or almonds with 1 cup pitted dates and a pinch of salt, press into a 9-inch tart pan, and fill with a ganache of 8 oz dark chocolate melted into 1 cup hot coconut cream. Chill 2 hours; flaky salt on top. Dairy-free, gluten-free and deeply chocolatey.
No-Churn Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Make ahead
2 cups cold heavy cream whipped stiff, folded with a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup pumpkin and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, frozen 6 hours. Scoop it next to the apple cake or the brownies: the no-churn pumpkin ice cream.
Fruit Desserts and Lighter Endings
Warm Cinnamon Baked Pears with Honey and Walnuts Lighter
4 firm ripe pears, halved and cored, cut side up, each with 1 tsp honey, a pinch of cinnamon and ginger and a small knob of butter, roasted at 375°F for 25 minutes; ½ cup toasted walnuts over the top for the last 5. Serve warm with yogurt or a small scoop of ice cream. Looks like effort; takes ten minutes of it.
Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Crumble Classic
6 cups sliced apples tossed with ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon, under a topping of 1 cup oats, ¾ cup flour, ⅔ cup brown sugar and ½ cup cold butter. 350°F for 45 minutes until bubbling at the edges: the apple crisp.
Apple and Pear Crisp Dairy-free
The crisp above with 3 apples and 3 pears and a topping made with coconut oil instead of butter, plus ½ cup chopped pecans in the crumble. Vegan as written: the dairy-free apple and pear crisp.
Cranberry Orange Crumble Bars Make ahead
Press two-thirds of an oat shortbread (2 cups flour, 1½ cups oats, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup butter) into a 9×13, spread with 3 cups cranberries cooked with ¾ cup sugar and the zest and juice of an orange, crumble the rest on top and bake 350°F for 40 minutes. Tart, buttery and bright red.
Caramel Apple Bites Kid favorite
Apple slices on sticks, dipped in a quick caramel and rolled in chopped pecans, mini chocolate chips or crushed pretzels, chilled on parchment. The caramel apple without the dentist visit: the caramel apple bites.
Pecan Pie Cobbler Gooey
A biscuit-style batter poured into a 9×13 with melted butter, topped with 2 cups pecans, brown sugar and 1½ cups boiling water poured over the top (do not stir), baked 350°F for 35 minutes. It makes its own gooey pecan sauce underneath: the pecan pie cobbler.
The Thanksgiving-Week Dessert Timeline
| When | Do this | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WhenThe weekend before | Do thisBake and freeze: brownies, pumpkin bars (unfrosted), cookie dough balls, the bundt | NotesAll freeze 2 months |
| WhenMonday | Do thisPecan clusters, truffles, caramel apple bites | NotesAirtight tins; the clusters keep 2 weeks |
| WhenTuesday | Do thisCheesecake bars, apple cheesecake bars, cranberry bars, flourless cake | NotesAll better after a night in the fridge |
| WhenWednesday | Do thisFrost the pumpkin bars, bake the apple cake and the upside-down cake, assemble the trifle and the lush, make the ice cream | NotesCover; the cakes keep under a dome |
| WhenThursday morning | Do thisBread pudding and pudding cups into the oven before the turkey | NotesReheat the bread pudding at 300°F while dinner is cleared |
| WhenAfter dinner | Do thisBaked pears, apple crisp or the cobbler into the oven as people sit down | NotesDessert comes out warm an hour later |
Storage and Leftovers
| What | How long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WhatPumpkin bars, frosted | How long4 days, fridge | NotesUnfrosted: 2 months frozen |
| WhatCakes | How long3 days under a dome | NotesFrosted layer cake in the fridge; bring to room temperature |
| WhatCheesecake bars and puddings | How long5 days, fridge | NotesFreeze cheesecake bars up to 1 month |
| WhatCookies and clusters | How long1 week in a tin | NotesDough balls: 3 months frozen, bake from frozen plus 2 minutes |
| WhatCrisps and cobblers | How long3 days, fridge | NotesRe-crisp 15 minutes at 350°F |
| WhatBread pudding | How long3 days, fridge | NotesReheat covered at 300°F; sauce separately |
| WhatIce cream | How long2 weeks, freezer | NotesPress plastic wrap on the surface |
More for the Table
After dinner: the bars, the cake, the trifle, the cookie plate and a tray of baked pears, with coffee and cider.
More for the dessert table, and the rest of the Thanksgiving menu:
- More roundups: make-ahead Thanksgiving desserts, no-bake Thanksgiving desserts and 25 cheap Thanksgiving desserts
- Individual portions: caramel apple jars
- Lighter: low-sugar Thanksgiving desserts
- If you do want one pie: Libby’s pumpkin pie, made silky
- Before dessert: smoked turkey with a maple BBQ rub
- Appetizers: 25 Thanksgiving dips and appetizers
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ProblemPumpkin bars cakey, not fudgy | Likely causeOvermixed, or a full can of pumpkin | FixFold just until combined; 1 cup pumpkin for a 9×13 |
| ProblemBars sink in the middle | Likely causeUnderbaked | FixToothpick with moist crumbs, not wet batter; cool fully before frosting |
| ProblemCream cheese frosting runny | Likely causeSoft cream cheese and butter | FixChill the frosting 15 minutes; use block cream cheese, not the tub |
| ProblemCheesecake bars cracked | Likely causeOverbaked or cooled too fast | FixPull at a wobble; cool on the counter 1 hour before the fridge |
| ProblemUpside-down cake stuck | Likely causeRested too long before inverting | FixExactly 10 minutes, then flip; warm the pan bottom 1 minute if needed |
| ProblemCrisp topping soggy | Likely causeTopping on hot fruit, or covered while warm | FixCold butter in the topping; cool uncovered |
| ProblemBread pudding dry | Likely causeNot enough custard, or baked too long | FixThe bread should be fully soaked before baking; pull when the center just sets |
| ProblemCaramel grainy | Likely causeStirred while boiling | FixSwirl the pan instead; a spoon of corn syrup prevents crystals |
Nutrition (approximate, per pumpkin bar)
Estimates for one of 24 frosted bars. All 30 desserts are alcohol-free as written; gluten-free and dairy-free options are tagged.
Non Pie Thanksgiving Desserts: FAQs
What can I serve for Thanksgiving dessert instead of pie?
Bars and brownies, a single showpiece cake, cookies and handhelds, chilled puddings or a trifle, and a warm fruit crisp or baked pears. The 30 ideas above are grouped that way; for most tables, one pan of pumpkin bars, one cake and one cold dessert covers everyone.
How many desserts do I need for Thanksgiving?
Two for 8 to 10 guests, three for 12 to 16, and four or five for 20 or more, planning 1½ servings per person because everyone takes a sliver of two things. Mix textures: one fudgy, one creamy, one fruity. The planner table above has the numbers.
Which Thanksgiving desserts can be made ahead?
Almost all of these. Brownies, pumpkin bars and cookie dough freeze for 2 months; cheesecake bars, puddings and the trifle are better after a night in the fridge; cakes keep 3 days under a dome. Only the baked pears, the crisp and the cobbler are best baked the day of, and they go in the oven as people sit down to dinner.
What is the easiest non pie Thanksgiving dessert?
The pumpkin dump cake: a can of pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs and spice in a pan, dry cake mix and melted butter on top, 50 minutes in the oven. Second place is the salted caramel pecan clusters, which take 15 minutes and no oven at all.
Why are my pumpkin bars cakey instead of fudgy?
Too much pumpkin or too much mixing. The featured recipe uses 1 cup of pumpkin for a 9×13 (not the whole can), browned butter instead of oil, and the flour is folded in just until the streaks disappear. Pull them when a toothpick shows moist crumbs.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée?
Not in the bars; pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and makes them wet and overly sweet. Use the can labeled 100% pumpkin. If pie filling is all you have, cut the sugar in the recipe by half and skip the pumpkin pie spice.
What gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts are on this list?
The flourless chocolate cake, the no-bake chocolate tart with the nut and date crust, the baked pears, the pecan clusters, the sweet potato pudding cups and the no-churn ice cream. The crisps work with certified gluten-free oats and a gluten-free flour blend in the topping.
Which desserts are dairy-free?
The vegan pecan caramel bars, the vegan pecan pie cookies, the apple and pear crisp made with coconut oil, the no-bake chocolate tart with coconut cream, and the baked pears with plant butter. Each is tagged above.
Can I freeze the pumpkin bars?
Yes, unfrosted, wrapped well in the pan or cut, for 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then frost. Frosted bars freeze too but the frosting can weep slightly on thawing; they are best eaten within a day.
How do I keep a dessert table from needing the oven on Thanksgiving?
Bake the bars, cakes and cookies in the days before, keep the chilled desserts in the fridge, and reserve the oven for one warm dessert that goes in as dinner is served. The timeline above spreads the baking across the week.
What dessert goes well after a heavy Thanksgiving meal?
Something lighter and a little tart: baked pears with honey, the cranberry upside-down cake, the apple and pear crisp, or the cranberry orange bars. Put a chilled option next to it; people who are full still take ice cream.
Are these desserts halal?
Yes, as written: alcohol-free vanilla throughout, no liqueur in the trifle or the caramels, and no gelatin in the puddings (they set with eggs or cornstarch). Check marshmallows and some whipped toppings for gelatin if you add them.
Can kids help with any of these?
The caramel apple bites, pumpkin truffles, pecan clusters and snickerdoodles are all rolling, dipping and sprinkling jobs. The dump cake is a one-bowl pour that a six-year-old can assemble with supervision at the oven.
What should I serve with the desserts?
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, coffee and hot apple cider or spiced tea. For a crowd, set the desserts out on a grazing table after dinner so people come back for a second sliver; the linked grazing table ideas show the layout.
More Thanksgiving Sweets
The trifle, the cheesecake, the no-bake lasagna, the cupcakes, the table layout and the appetizers.
Caramel Apple Trifle
Built the day before, served cold. See the recipe → ShowpieceSpiced Cheesecake with Salted Caramel
The centerpiece that is not a pie. See the recipe → No BakePecan Pie Lasagna
Four layers, no oven. See the recipe → HandheldThanksgiving Cupcakes, 3 Designs
Turkeys, pumpkins and acorns. See the designs → The Table23 Dessert Grazing Table Ideas
How to lay all of this out. See the ideas → Before Dinner25 Thanksgiving Dips and Appetizers
The other end of the day. See the list →One pan of pumpkin bars, one cake, one cold dessert and something warm from the oven after dinner, most of it baked earlier in the week. That is a dessert table, and not a pie in sight.
Save these non pie Thanksgiving desserts so the planner and the timeline are ready when the guest list is.
