Do like cake more than pie? Do you need other options besides pie on your Thanksgiving dessert table? Here are our favorites.
Pumpkin Custard Cake is one of my absolute favs. My birthday is in October and growing up, I often requested this as my birthday cake. It has a pumpkin custard layer through the center with a cake crust on the bottom and a crumble top.
For a little bit of Great British Bake Off flair at Thanksgiving try our Raspberry Tart aka Bakewell Tart. It is delicious with an old world feel. Perfect for Thanksgiving.
My mother in law gave us a cookbook she had made for us all for Christmas soon after I joined the family. It is a treasured possession. I’ve had that book for 25 years and I am still exploring it and trying new recipes from it. I recently found this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cake with candied Pecans. Her version had pecans chopped up and added to the batter before baking in a 9×13 dish and dusted with powdered sugar. I made a few changes and this cake is SO good! Perfect for Thanksgiving. My sister even told me we should call it “Thanksgiving Cake.”
Sweet Potato Souffle is basically a crustless sweet potato pie with a crumb top. SO. GOOD. We love this for dessert, although once a year, on Thanksgiving, I use it as a side dish.
This cake is SO good and perfect for Thanksgiving! Through in the ingredients into your slow cooker and it will be hot and ready for dessert without any extra effort from you. Definitely try out Crockpot Gingerbread Pudding Cake!
If you would like to go back to American roots, then you must make Apple Pandowdy! According to History, Abigail Adams used to make this dessert for guests to the white house.
Maybe you want a cherry pie, but you don’t want to make a cherry pie. These Cherry Pie Bars are based off of Grandma’s cherry pie. It has the wonderful flavors of her pie, without having to make her pie. Added bonus is that the bars version has a lot more savings.
Apple Caramel Pecan Cake is really special. No need for frosting. It is topped with a thick caramel that seeps into the cake and some chopped pecans. Just make sure to have some ice cream for the side.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares is a mash-up of our Pumpkin Cream Pie and Strawberries & Cream Bars. Not only is it delicious, but only the crust needs to bake for 10 minutes. This can be prepared days ahead and be ready to go in the refrigerator. Very yummy AND convenient.
My mother in law would always make Apple Pie Slices for Thanksgiving. It kind of is a pie, but not a traditional one, so I am sneaking it in here. It is a large slab pie. Big family tradition for us.
If you are looking for something very authentically Thanksgiving then try Indian Pudding! It is not super sweet and does not taste like most of our desserts today. However, this is a fun one to add to the Thanksgiving menu.
Pumpkin Cream Poke Cake is a light and fluffy cake that is filled with pumpkin mousse and topped with whipped cream. So. Good.
Peach Upside Down Cake might not seem like a good fit for Thanksgiving, BUT the peaches are cooked in a cinnamon caramel and OH BOY, does it work! We hope many will try this one.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding is a recipe many friends have requested from me, and I know that several of them have made it for Thanksgiving. An excellent addition!
Spiced Apple Cake with Carmel Sauce is a dessert my husband grew up on. I love the vintage feel of it so much. It has been in his family for at least a few generations. The caramel sauce makes it feel extra fancy and special.
Pumpkin Bars are SO delicious that you wouldn’t expect them to be as fast or easy as they are. If you truly like cake more than pie than I highly recommend this sheet cake to help you get your pumpkin fix.
Pear Cardamom Crisp has ALL the flavors of Fall that you love PLUS some other flavors you didn’t know that you needed! WE LOVE this Pear Crisp!
This year we will adding Peaches & Cream Croissant Pudding to go along with the pie. This is so decadent and yummy with great autumnal flavors.
There you go! Those are our top choices. Here are some very serious Honorable Mentions.