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Here are my 11 easy Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie, sorted into cakes, bars and no-bake so you can pick one that fits your oven schedule. The four that readers make the most every November are my Pound Cake from Cake Mix, 7 Layer Magic Cookie Bars, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, and Cake Mix Pumpkin Roll.
I’ve been sharing easy family recipes here since 2009, and most of these lean on my favorite holiday shortcut: a box of cake mix. If you still want a pie on the table too, my Thanksgiving pie recipes are in a separate list, and the whole dinner, from the turkey to the leftovers, is on my most popular Thanksgiving recipes page.
Table of Contents
Cakes
Every cake here starts with a box of cake mix except the cobbler, and all of them slice for a crowd. The pound cake and the pumpkin roll are the two readers make the most.
1. Pound Cake from Cake Mix
After cooking a turkey and a ton of side dishes, sometimes it is best to keep dessert simple. That is where this pound cake comes into play. The base uses cake mix, allowing it to come together in no time flat.
2. Pineapple Upside Down Cake Made with Cake Mix
Add a tropical flavor to your Thanksgiving dinner this year with this pineapple upside-down cake. The tasty cake is made with cake mix, making this treat simple and easy to get on the Thanksgiving table.
3. Cake Mix Pumpkin Roll
Thanksgiving dessert wouldn’t be complete without a sweet pumpkin treat. This cake mix pumpkin roll will give traditional pumpkin pie a true run for its money.
4. Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
The richest dessert on this list: a soft pumpkin layer baked over a buttery crust. Cut it into small squares, because a little goes a long way.
5. Pumpkin Dump Cake
Quick and simple doesn’t mean the dessert won’t be super decadent and rich. Just look at this pumpkin dump cake, for example. It’s simple to make and tastes like it took hours to make.
6. Pumpkin Cobbler
I have to admit that I like this pumpkin cobbler even better than a classic pumpkin pie. It is incredibly easy to put together and also looks gorgeous on the Thanksgiving dessert table. You may want to double up on the recipe because this easy holiday dessert will disappear quickly!
Bars and Cupcakes
Handheld desserts travel well and need no slicing at the table. The magic cookie bars are a one-pan recipe and the cupcakes start with spice cake mix.
7. 7 Layer Magic Cookie Bars
These 7-layer Magic Cookie Bars are made with seven delicious layers – a classic cookie recipe that everyone loves any time of year!
8. Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
All the flavors of fall in 2 bites! This is the easiest fall dessert recipe you’ll make this Thanksgiving!
9. Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Crescent rolls aren’t only on the table for dinner. With these sopapilla cheesecake bars, they are part of the dessert, too. The thin layer of crescent rolls gets topped with a cream cheese filling and cinnamon sugar for a perfect bite to close off the holiday meal.
10. Pecan Pie Bars
I do love pecan pie on Thanksgiving, but these flawless pecan pie bars are just as delicious and way easier to make. Once you try these tasty bars, you may never make a whole pecan pie ever again!
No-Bake
One dessert that never touches the oven, for the year the turkey runs long.
11. Oreo Fluff
Who says you can’t have chips and dip for dessert? This Oreo fluff takes the idea of a classic chip and dip dish and puts a sweet spin on the classic dish. Use graham crackers, ice cream cones, fruit, and more to dip into the creamy Oreo fluff. This may become one of your favorite Thanksgiving dessert ideas ever!
Dessert Timing Tips
- Bake the day before: The pound cake, the magic cookie bars, and the pecan pie bars all keep covered at room temperature overnight.
- Chill the roll: The pumpkin roll slices cleanest after a few hours in the fridge, so make it Wednesday.
- Keep one no-bake option: The Oreo fluff comes together in 10 minutes if the oven is still busy with the turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cakes made from a box of cake mix are the easiest swap: pound cake, pineapple upside down cake, pumpkin roll, and pumpkin dump cake all slice for a crowd. Bars like pecan pie bars and 7 layer magic cookie bars travel well, and Oreo fluff needs no oven at all.
Pound cake, magic cookie bars, pecan pie bars, and sopapilla cheesecake bars can be baked the day before and kept covered. The cake mix pumpkin roll is best made a day ahead and chilled so it slices cleanly.
Pumpkin dump cake is the easiest: layer the ingredients in a pan with a box of cake mix and bake, no mixing bowl needed. Oreo fluff is the easiest no-bake option and takes about 10 minutes.
More Easy Thanksgiving Desserts
Quick & Easy Dessert Recipes
Easy Apple Crisp
All Recipes
Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake
Quick & Easy Dessert Recipes
Apple Blondies
Which one are you making first this year? Let me know in the comments!
