If you love a little adventure with your fork, you're in the right place. This collection of 36 non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts is all about breaking free from pumpkin and pecan pie, without losing that cozy, holiday magic we crave every November.
These creative Thanksgiving dessert ideas combine Southern charm with a modern twist – think pecan praline cheesecakes, caramel-drizzled apple cakes, and even a silky bourbon ice cream that might just steal the show from the turkey.
Whether you're hosting a crowd or keeping it small and sweet, these desserts are festive, make-ahead friendly, and guaranteed to turn heads at your holiday table. Because honestly? Life's too short to eat the same pie every year.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love these Unique Thanksgiving Desserts
- Southern-Inspired Cakes and Bundts
- Cheesecakes and Creamy Creations
- Apple and Fruit-Based Favorites
- For Chocolate and Candy Lovers
- Chilled and Frozen Treats
- Make-Ahead and No-Bake Desserts
- Fun and Festive Desserts
- Recipe FAQs
- Expert Tips for Creating a Memorable Thanksgiving Dessert Table
- More Thanksgiving Desserts and Sweet Inspirations
- Join the Conversation
Why You'll Love these Unique Thanksgiving Desserts
- Full of cozy fall flavors; without the same old pies
- Perfect mix of Southern classics and creative showstoppers
- Great for make-ahead planning or potluck sharing
- Options for every guest, vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free included
Southern-Inspired Cakes and Bundts
When it comes to Thanksgiving desserts with Southern soul, these cakes take the (butter-covered) crown. From sweet potato to praline, each one feels right at home beside a holiday ham or turkey - no pie crust required.
Southern Pecan Praline Cake – Grits and Pinecones
Southern Pecan Praline Cake is about as southern as you can get and perfect for Thanksgiving dessert. If you like pecans and pralines, you will love this easy-to-make, decadent, and delicious make-ahead cake that starts with a cake mix.
Georgia Cornbread Cake, AKA Pecan Cake – Grits and Pinecones
Georgia Cornbread Cake is a funny name for this simple, quirky, old-fashioned cake, which is much more like a pecan cake or coffee cake. Contrary to its title, Georgia Cornbread Cake doesn’t contain any cornmeal, and I don’t think it tastes or even looks like cornbread. But what I will say is this easy cake is perfect for Thanksgiving!
Sweet Potato Cake with Pecan Praline Icing – Biscuits and Burlap
Sweet Potato Cake with Pecan Praline Icing is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert. Cooking it in an iron skillet makes it even better!
Pumpkin Bundt Cake – Pudge Factor
Are you tired of the same old pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving? If so, you should try this incredible Pumpkin Bundt Cake. It has the same characteristic flavor of a pumpkin pie but will leave your family and guests saying, “WOW”! Even better is that it’s easy to make and can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Southern Hummingbird Mini-Bundtlettes – Pudge Factor
Southern Hummingbird Mini-Bundtlettes are bite-sized bundt cakes made with a slightly modified classic Hummingbird Cake recipe. Think carrot cake with bananas replacing the carrots, and you’ll have an idea of the taste and texture of this amazing Thanksgiving cake.
Moist Maple Sweet Potato Walnut Butter Cake – The Delicious Crescent
This Moist Maple Sweet Potato Walnut Butter Cake certainly packs a nutritional punch by utilizing some of the most nutritious and flavorful plant foods - sweet potatoes, walnuts, and maple syrup. What a delicious and sweet way to share some love with your loved ones and sneak in some veggies along the way!
Cheesecakes and Creamy Creations
If you've never seen a room go quiet faster than when the first bite of cheesecake hits the table, prepare yourself. These luscious, creamy desserts - from Pecan Pie Cheesecake to Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake - are a guaranteed standing ovation for your Thanksgiving finale
Pecan Pie Cheesecake with a Pecan Graham Cracker Crust – Grits and Pinecones
This easy Pecan Pie Cheesecake Recipe is the ultimate Southern holiday dessert mash-up, a creamy, velvety cheesecake baked on a buttery pecan graham cracker crust and topped with gooey pecan pie filling.
Southern Pecan Praline Cheesecake – Grits and Pinecones
Southern Pecan Praline Cheesecake is everything a cheesecake should be, including a delicious and decadent pecan praline topping. It’s the stuff dessert dreams are made of.
Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake – Lemon Blossoms
This Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake is so delicious! An amazing combination of creamy pumpkin spiced cheesecake with a rich graham cracker and pecan crust. This Cheesecake combines all the fall flavors into one delicious and super creamy bite!
Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake with Pecan Crisp Topping – The Unlikely Baker
Imagine - crunchy, buttery crust. Cinnamon apple layer. Creamy, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake. Crispy pecan oat topping. Salted caramel drizzle. There is no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with this salted caramel apple cheesecake!
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Praline Sauce – The Gingered Whisk
This pumpkin cheesecake is the ultimate fuss-free dessert-it’s almost foolproof, doesn’t require a finicky water bath, and hardly ever cracks. And it doesn’t matter if it does crack due to some strange happenings because you are topping it with a gorgeous brown sugar pecan sauce. It’s Thanksgiving dessert heaven.
Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing – Grits and Pinecones
If you like carrot cake, you will love this recipe! Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing is chock full of pineapple, carrots, raisins, and pecans because I’m a Southern girl. If this isn’t enough to get your attention, it’s topped with a quick, easy, decadent, luscious, and velvety smooth cream cheese icing.
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake – Dinner at the Zoo
This Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake is rich, decadent, and incredibly delicious – you must make this! It would be the perfect ending to your Thanksgiving meal.
Apple and Fruit-Based Favorites
Fall's finest flavors, dressed up for the holiday spotlight. These apple and cranberry desserts are bright, beautiful, and bursting with tart-sweet comfort. Bonus: they're just as delicious for breakfast the next morning (ask me how I know).
Caramel Apple Cake – Preppy Kitchen
Apple cakes are a Thanksgiving favorite, and this year I stepped up my game and made a little apple dipped in caramel sitting on top. I even broke my cardinal rule of not using fondant! Browned buttercream infused with Fall spices is completely addictive, by the way. If you don’t do anything else, whip up a batch and slather it on everything!
Apple Tart À La Mode – Pudge Factor
Apple Tart à la Mode is both simple to make and elegant to serve. Put it together ahead of time and bake it during dinner. Top with vanilla ice cream and bourbon caramel sauce for an unforgettable dessert.
Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze – Grits and Pinecones
Where have you been all my life, Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze? If you never had this delicious cake and wonder what I am talking about. Check out my recipe and find out how to make this amazingly simple and wonderfully delicious apple cake. Oh, and don’t forget the yummy caramel glaze!
Cranberry Cake with Hard Sauce – Grits and Pinecones
A beautiful and festive Southern dessert, Easy Cranberry Cake with Hard Sauce, will make a unique, sweet ending for your Thanksgiving meal. Full of fresh tart cranberries, this cake has it all.
Ultimate Cranberry Upside Down Cake – Grits and Pinecones
This exceptionally moist Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, topped with luscious deep garnet cranberries, combines fresh fruit, orange juice, brown sugar, and cornmeal with a box cake mix and takes only minutes to prepare.
Cinnamon Caramel Apple Pecan Pie – Veggies Don’t Bite
Cinnamon-flavored caramel marries an apple pie and takes up residence in a cute mason jar. Plant-based gluten and refined sugar-free love for Thanksgiving.
Homemade Apple Dumplings – Grits and Pinecones
The BEST Apple Dumpling dessert recipe is perfection, with whole cinnamon-laced apples wrapped in a homemade flakey pie crust and then baked in a decadent sauce.
For Chocolate and Candy Lovers
For those who believe dessert isn't dessert without chocolate - this one's for you. Rich cakes, candy-inspired creations, and bite-sized truffles to keep even the most devoted chocoholics happy. Warning: these disappear fast.
Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut Cake – Garden in the Kitchen
This Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut Cake is insanely flavorful, rich, super moist, and not overly sweet, with crunchy hazelnut bites and a hint of espresso!
Butterfinger Cake Recipe – Living Sweet Moments
This delicious Butterfinger Cake Recipe dessert is made from scratch and features a moist chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and butterfingers.
The Best Pumpkin Truffles – Sizzling Eats
Pumpkin Truffles are a delicious, bite-sized Thanksgiving dessert that your kids will love. A rich and creamy pumpkin filling is nestled inside a semi-sweet chocolate outer layer. This easy dessert recipe can be made ahead of time to make it an excellent choice for parties and potlucks.
Paleo Pumpkin Pie Flan with Coconut Whipped Cream – This Seasons Table
Are you looking for an alternative to the same old pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving? Check out these amazing Pumpkin Flans – paleo with no dairy or refined sugar!
Chilled and Frozen Treats
A little unexpected, a lot irresistible. These make-ahead frozen desserts are the cool surprise your Thanksgiving table didn't know it needed - Bourbon Ice Cream, Praline Pecan Ice Cream, and yes, maybe even a scoop of Gingerbread Ice Cream if you're ready to roll into Christmas early.
No-Churn Cranberry Ice Cream – Grits and Pinecones
Sweet, tart, creamy, and stunningly pink, this no-churn cranberry ice cream is the show-stopping holiday dessert you didn’t know you needed. It’s rich, velvety, and full of fresh cranberry flavor, yet it takes just minutes to prep and no fancy equipment.
Bourbon Ice Cream – Grits and Pinecones
If you love bourbon and homemade vanilla ice cream, you will love this decadent recipe for adults-only Bourbon Ice Cream. It makes a perfect adults-only Thanksgiving dessert.
Praline Pecan Ice Cream – Grits and Pinecones
A festive and decadent holiday dessert, luscious Praline Pecan Ice Cream will make a sweet ending to any meal! Sometimes, it's called Pralines and Cream Ice Cream, or even simply Praline Ice Cream, but no matter what you call it, the combination of pralines and cream is the perfect balance of richness and sweetness.
Thanksgiving Fudge – Cook, Clean, Repeat
This easy Thanksgiving fudge recipe is perfect for sharing during the holidays. It's a sweet treat everyone will love, with lots of perfectly fall flavors included. There's pumpkin, shortbread cookies, and even cranberries!
Gingerbread Ice Cream – Grits and Pinecones
Homemade Gingerbread Ice Cream is a delightful dessert that perfectly captures the essence of the holidays. With its warm spices and rich molasses flavor, it's ideal for winter and sure to become a treat the whole family will love. And the best part is that it’s no-churn and no-cook.
Make-Ahead and No-Bake Desserts
Because Thanksgiving should be about family, not fuss. These easy, no-bake desserts come together in minutes and can chill in the fridge while you're basting the bird or setting the table. Stress-free sweetness? Yes, please.
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake – Spend with Pennies
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake is a dreamy dessert with layers of cheesecake, spiced pumpkin, and whipped topping all nestled in a graham crust. It is so creamy and delicious; it will become your new Thanksgiving dessert go-to!
Vanilla Panna Cotta – Grits and Pinecones
Easy to make, silky smooth, creamy Vanilla Panna Cotta, topped with sliced fresh strawberries, is the ultimate decadent dessert. A classic Italian dish, this recipe is made with sweetened heavy cream, a bit of sour cream, and thickened with unflavored gelatin.
Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse – Flavor and Savor
A rich and creamy no-bake dessert mousse made with canned pumpkin and Greek yogurt and sweetened with maple syrup. Top with whipped cream and caramel sauce for a decadent Thanksgiving dessert.
Peanut Butter Mousse with Whipped Cream – Grits and Pinecones
Indulge in the creamy decadence of this Easy Peanut Butter Mousse Recipe, a dream come true for peanut butter lovers. This simple no-bake recipe is about to become your new favorite dessert and features dreamy, creamy peanut butter mousse garnished with heavenly whipped cream and crushed Oreo cookies.
Pumpkin Coconut Panna Cotta – Spoonabilities
This Fall inspired dessert sounds fancy and complicated to make, but it’s a quick dessert that you can throw together with just a few ingredients. Panna Cotta is creamy, smooth, light, doesn’t need to be baked, and is so easy to make at home. You will impress your friends for sure by serving this delicious dessert for Thanksgiving.
Fun and Festive Desserts
Who says Thanksgiving desserts can't be playful? From Turkey Cupcakes that make the kids giggle to Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs that delight the grown-ups, these creative treats add a little sparkle (and a lot of joy) to your dessert table.
Turkey Cupcakes – My Mini Chefs
These cute Turkey Cupcakes are an easy diy dessert for Thanksgiving with the kids. They are made easily with a box of chocolate cake mix and simple, delicious homemade frosting…plus lots of candy! Enjoy at your Thanksgiving feast!
Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs – A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
Are you looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving? How about these fantastically fun Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs?
Recipe FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to the most common questions about planning your Thanksgiving dessert table – from make-ahead ideas to kid-friendly treats that travel well.
f you want to skip the usual pumpkin and pecan pies, try something creative like my Southern Pecan Praline Cake, Bourbon Ice Cream, or a rich Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. These still taste like fall - just without the same old pies.
Think cakes, cheesecakes, and trifles! Bundt cakes, no-bake mousses, and cheesecakes come together quickly and can be made ahead. They travel well, too, which makes them perfect for potlucks or Friendsgiving.
Almost all of these! Cheesecakes and Bundt cakes actually taste better the next day, and ice cream or panna cotta can be made several days in advance. I always have at least one dessert stashed in the freezer before the big day.
Choose something sturdy and portable, like Georgia Cornbread Cake, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, or Sweet Potato Cake with Praline Icing. Skip anything that melts easily, like mousse or whipped cream-topped desserts.
You can't go wrong with fun, handheld treats like Turkey Cupcakes, Pumpkin Truffles, or Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs. They're festive, easy to eat, and guaranteed to make the little ones smile.
Expert Tips for Creating a Memorable Thanksgiving Dessert Table
- Mix up the textures – something creamy, something crunchy, something fruity
- Balance rich flavors with light bites (like mousse or panna cotta)
- Always include at least one dessert you can make ahead
- And remember: a drizzle of caramel or bourbon sauce covers a multitude of sins
More Thanksgiving Desserts and Sweet Inspirations
Still planning your Thanksgiving menu? You can find all of my Thanksgiving recipes here – from classic sides and desserts to make-ahead casseroles.
Looking Ahead to Christmas Baking and Treats
Still planning your holiday menus? You can find all of my Christmas recipes here – from elegant desserts to festive candies and make-ahead classics.
Join the Conversation
⭐ If you make any of these non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts, please leave a comment and a star rating on the recipe post!
I'd love to know which sweet treat made it to your holiday table, and if your family has a fun or unexpected twist, share it below so we can all give it a try!
G&P Wisdom
"In the South, dessert isn't just the grand finale - it's a love language, a peace offering, and a reason to loosen your belt one more notch."
Thank you for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Wishing you a warm, laughter-filled Thanksgiving surrounded by good food, good company, and something sweet enough to make you smile all weekend long. 🧡
Elaine @ Flavour and Savour
Wow! What a fabulous round up. So many great choices! Thanks so much for including my Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse. Pinned and shared!
Gritsandpinecones
Thanks Elaine, and thank you so much for sharing it. It looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it.
Pam
Sharon, I don’t know how it is I’m just now seeing this, but great round up of desserts! Thank you for including our sweet potato cake.
Gritsandpinecones
Thanks so much Pam. Your cake looks delicious and I love that you baked it in a cast iron skillet. Thanks for sharing!