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26+ Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (That Aren’t Pie)

November 7, 2025 · In: Cake, Fall, Recipes, Seasonal

Don’t get me wrong – I love a pumpkin pie on my Thanksgiving dessert table! But if you’re looking to add variety to your dessert spread, I’ve got you. These are my favorite Thanksgiving cakes, cupcakes, no-bake desserts, and more! Basically all of the classic Thanksgiving and holiday flavors translated into different kinds of desserts that are sure to impress.

26 thanksgiving dessert recipes that arent pie

As a reminder, all of my recipes include make-ahead and storage instructions that you can find at the bottom of each printable recipe.

I hope you find a new favorite dessert to add to your Thanksgiving table this year. Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Easy No-Bake Desserts

easy no bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

The dreamiest mousse-like pumpkin spice cheesecake with buttery Biscoff cookie crust, absolutely no baking necessary!

get the recipe

biscoff no bake cheesecake recipe

No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake

Dreamy mousse-like Biscoff cheesecake filling set on a Biscoff cookie crust and topped with melted Biscoff cookie butter! The spiced caramel flavor of this dessert is incredible.

get the recipe

no bake eggnog cheesecake recipe by sugar and sparrow

No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake

A deliciously festive eggnog cheesecake made without any baking! Rich and creamy no-bake cheesecake filling infused with spiced eggnog on a beautiful Biscoff cookie crust.

get the recipe

4th of july desserts no bake

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

The dreamiest cookies and cream cheesecake made without any baking! Rich and creamy french vanilla filling studded with Oreo cookies on a delicious Oreo crust.

get the recipe

no bake cheesecake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Customizable No-Bake Cheesecake

Set on a buttery graham cracker crust with a rich velvety texture and the perfect tangy flavor. Use your favorite festive toppings to customize it for Thanksgiving (like sugared cranberries or Salted Caramel!)

get the recipe

peppermint oreo truffles coated in chocolate

Peppermint Oreo Truffles

The perfect easy, bite-sized dessert made with just four ingredients: Mint Creme Oreos, cream cheese, melted chocolate, and crushed candy canes! You can also make these with traditional Oreos or any Oreo flavor.

get the recipe

Pumpkin Desserts

pumpkin sheet cake recipe with cream cheese frosting

Easy Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Extra moist, wonderfully spiced pumpkin cake baked in a 9×13 pan and frosted with tangy cream cheese buttercream. A classic Fall dessert!

get the recipe

pumpkin pie layer cake recipe inspired by milk bar

Pumpkin Pie Layer Cake

Pumpkin pie in cake form! Exposed layers of spiced pumpkin cake, pumpkin creme filling, brown sugar buttercream, and crushed pie pieces.

get the recipe

pumpkin chai cake recipe

Spiced Pumpkin Chai Cake

Layers of delicious chai tea-infused pumpkin cake and chai flavored buttercream, decorated with pretty piped pumpkins to look extra festive!

get the recipe

pumpkin cupcakes recipe with cream cheese frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Extra moist, perfectly spiced pumpkin cupcakes with irresistible spiced cream cheese frosting. The BEST pumpkin cupcakes I’ve ever had!

get the recipe

pumpkin layer cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Perfect Pumpkin Layer Cake

A Fall classic. Layers of moist, fluffy Pumpkin cake with just the right amount of spice, filled and frosted with tasty cream cheese buttercream.

get the recipe

pumpkin chocolate chip cookie bars

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

The BEST moist and chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookie bars made with brown butter and warm spices for the ideal fall treat! No dough chilling, quick to make, and perfect for serving a crowd.

get the recipe

Pumpkin Biscoff Cake Recipe

Spiced Pumpkin Biscoff Cake

Deliciously moist pumpkin cake layered with Biscoff cookie butter frosting and crumbled Biscoff cookies throughout.

get the recipe

pumpkin chocolate chip cake by sugar and sparrow

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Deliciously moist pumpkin cake with chocolate chips baked into each layer, paired with spiced cream cheese buttercream and decadent chocolate ganache.

get the recipe

Holiday Inspired Cake Flavors

cranberry orange cake by sugar and sparrow

Cranberry Orange Cake

Layers of light and zesty orange cake with fresh, whole cranberries folded in. Topped with orange flavored buttercream to give it extra zing.

get the recipe

chocolate caramel pecan pie cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cake with Salted Caramel

Layers of decadent chocolate cake, pecan pie filling, and homemade salted caramel, all wrapped up in tasty brown sugar buttercream.

get the recipe

chocolate orange layer cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Chocolate Orange Cake

Layers of deliciously moist, citrus-infused chocolate cake and decadent chocolate-orange buttercream. The perfect cozy take on chocolate cake!

get the recipe

spiced vanilla chai cake

Spiced Vanilla Chai Cake

Layers of soft, moist vanilla chai cake that’s perfectly flavored with chai tea and a homemade chai spice mix, paired with vanilla chai buttercream.

get the recipe

chai cupcake recipe

Chai Cupcakes

Soft and moist chai cupcakes that are perfectly flavored with chai tea and a homemade chai spice mix, topped with chai buttercream.

get the recipe

chai bundt cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Spiced Chai Bundt Cake

My favorite moist, deliciously spiced chai cake recipe, baked bundt cake style and topped with chai spiced glaze.

get the recipe

gingerbread latte sheet cake for christmas

Gingerbread Latte Sheet Cake

Spiced gingerbread sheet cake that’s extra soft and moist, frosted with coffee buttercream to mimic a gingerbread latte in cake form.

get the recipe

rafaello cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Rafaello Cake

Inspired by Ferrero Rafaello truffles, this cake is layers of delicious almond cake, coconut cream filling, toasted almonds, and white chocolate coconut buttercream. It’s even rolled in shredded coconut like the real deal.

get the recipe

sugared cranberry cupcakes for the holidays

Sugared Cranberry Cupcakes

Delicious vanilla cupcakes with a cranberry swirl baked inside, topped with white chocolate buttercream and sugared cranberries. The perfect festive cupcakes for the holidays!

get the recipe

Apple & Spice Cakes

sugar and sparrow apple spice cake

Apple Spice Cake

Layers of deliciously moist apple cake with warm spices and cinnamon-vanilla buttercream to amplify all the flavors.

get the recipe

apple spice sheet cake thanksgiving dessert recipe

Apple Spice Sheet Cake

My favorite spiced apple cake topped with cinnamon-vanilla buttercream, baked in a 9×13-inch pan to feed a crowd.

get the recipe

apple crisp cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Apple Crisp Cake

Layers of extra moist spiced apple cake, apple pie filling, baked crumble topping, and cinnamon-vanilla buttercream. Apple crisp in cake form!

get the recipe

salted caramel apple cake

Salted Caramel Apple Cake

Moist apple spice cake paired with salted caramel buttercream, topped with a salted caramel, chopped almonds, and a caramel apple.

get the recipe

spice cake recipe with brown butter cream cheese frosting

Spice Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Tender and moist spice cake made paired with brown butter cream cheese buttercream to take it beyond delicious!

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carrot cake recipe with cream cheese buttercream

Classic Carrot Cake

My favorite carrot cake recipe for many reasons: it’s extra moist, has the most incredible spice flavor, is so easy to throw together, and irrestible with cream cheese frosting.

get the recipe

I hope you find the perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving spread! If you make one of these, let me know how it went in the comments and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me a photo. I love to see what you create with my recipes. Happy holidays to you and yours!

By: Whitney · In: Cake, Fall, Recipes, Seasonal · Tagged: thanksgiving, thanksgiving cake recipes, thanksgiving desserts

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Comments

  1. Michael J Robinsmith says

    November 15, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    Followed all the way through everything looking for the Black Velvet cake. Looks amazing. Also that pumpkin spice cake sounds so good

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 16, 2022 at 3:08 pm

      Thanks so much, Michael! If you are having a hard time finding the Black Velvet Cake it’s right here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/black-velvet-cake-recipe/

      Reply
  2. Razwana amin says

    December 22, 2021 at 10:46 am

    Hi can I have ur receive for vanilla sponge cake please

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 22, 2021 at 11:27 am

      Hi there! My vanilla cake recipe is here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-cake-recipe Enjoy!

      Reply

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PUMPKIN CUPCAKES 🧡 topped with spiced cream cheese PUMPKIN CUPCAKES 🧡 topped with spiced cream cheese frosting to give every bite the most heavenly pumpkin spice flavor! The perfect cupcakes to kick off your fall baking 🍂

Comment RECIPE and I’ll send it right to you!

You can also find the link in my bio (or google ‘Sugar and Sparrow Pumpkin Cupcakes’) 

#pumpkinspice #pumpkincake #pumpkinseason #falldesserts #creamcheesefrosting
OATMEAL CREME PIE CAKE 🙌🏼 I’m always thinking abou OATMEAL CREME PIE CAKE 🙌🏼 I’m always thinking about this cake during back-to-school season because Oatmeal Creme Pies take me right back to my elementary school days! It’s layers of tender brown sugar oatmeal cake with the gooiest homemade marshmallow filling and tastes just like the real deal in cake form – perfect party cake for an Oatmeal Creme Pie lover! 

Full recipe linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/oatmeal-creme-pie-cake/ 
 
#oatmealcremepie #vintagecake #layercake #partycake #cakedecorating
NO-BAKE BISCOFF CHEESECAKE ✨this is the perfect EA NO-BAKE BISCOFF CHEESECAKE ✨this is the perfect EASY no-bake dessert for Fall and I cannot get over the incredible spiced caramel flavor!! I added Biscoff cookie butter to my favorite no-bake cheesecake base, piled it onto a Biscoff cookie crust, then topped it with a melted cookie butter drip + tons of crunchy cookie crumbs.  
 
🤎Full recipe linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/no-bake-biscoff-cheesecake/ 
 
BISCOFF CRUST: 
1 8.8oz package Biscoff cookies (250g) 
1/3 Cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted 
 
FILLING: 
16 Oz (452g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese, room temp 
1/4 Cup (50g) powdered sugar 
3/4 Cup (210g) creamy Biscoff cookie butter 
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
1 Cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold 
 
INSTRUCTIONS: 
1. Combine the Biscoff crust ingredients until the mixture resembles wet sand, then press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.  
2. In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, cookie butter, cinnamon, and vanilla and mix until smooth.  
3. In a separate medium bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mixture until no streaks remain. 
4. Add the filling on top of the Biscoff crust, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. 
5. Once set, top with melted cookie butter and crushed Biscoff cookies. 
 
#biscoff #biscoffcheesecake #nobakecheesecake #biscoffcake #nobake 
A mini pumpkin spice latte cake to celebrate my SI A mini pumpkin spice latte cake to celebrate my SIL 🥳 two 6-inch layers of spiced pumpkin cake with the most delicious coffee buttercream + a little vintage piping for good measure ☕️ making a birthday cake for my family and friends will always be my favorite love language!!

👩🏽‍🍳 Recipes: perfect pumpkin layer cake + coffee buttercream (both found at sugarandsparrow.com) or you can find a dedicated PSL cake recipe in my book! 
✨ Piping Tips: @wiltoncakes tip 3 for the writing + tip 4B for the borders
☕️ Garnish: chocolate covered espresso beans

#pumpkincake #birthdaycake #pumpkinspicelatte #minicake #cakedecorating
BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 🤎🧈 brown butter BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 🤎🧈 brown butter is the KEY to making cream cheese frosting even better! You get the tang of cream cheese but with rich, nutty caramelized notes of brown butter and it’s HEAVENLY on any Fall cake 🙌🏼 I paired with my carrot cake recipe here but it’s also incredible with spice cake, pumpkin cake, chocolate cake, and more! 

Full recipe + all my favorite cake pairing suggestions in my bio and here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/brown-butter-cream-cheese-frosting/

BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 
YIELD: 3.5 Cups  
 
INGREDIENTS 
1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter 
8 Oz (226g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese, room temperature NOT the spread 
4 Cups (480g) powdered sugar 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
pinch of salt, or to taste 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
1. Brown the butter: Add the butter into a large frying pan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes while stirring constantly. First it will foam, then bubble as little white particles of milk solids separate, then the white specks will caramelize and turn medium-brown and smell deliciously nutty. Remove from heat, transfer to a glass container, and cool until it re-solidifies and is the consistency of softened butter (about 45 minutes in fridge).  
2. Add the cooled brown butter into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the cream cheese. Mix on medium-high until fluffy and light in color, 5 min, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. 
3. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after mixing in each addition. Add the vanilla and salt and continue mixing on low speed until smooth and uniform. 
 
#brownbutter #creamcheesefrosting #creamcheese #buttercream #cakedecorating

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