No Oven Thanksgiving Desserts: 15 Stovetop, Fridge and Slow Cooker Sweets That Save the Day When the Turkey Hogs the Oven

No oven Thanksgiving desserts are the secret every seasoned holiday cook learns the hard way. By noon on Thanksgiving Day the turkey owns the oven, the stuffing and the green bean casserole are waiting in line, and suddenly there is nowhere left to bake a single pie. The fix is simple: make dessert somewhere else. Every recipe below chills in the fridge, simmers on the stovetop or bubbles away in the slow cooker, so you can finish the sweets a day ahead or while the bird roasts. You will find warm apple crisp, creamy puddings, silky icebox pies, a cranberry pear crumble, salted pretzel bark and a big bowl of banana pudding. Each one comes with a short shopping list and easy steps, so the oven stays free and the dessert table still looks full..

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp, the King of No Oven Thanksgiving Desserts

This is the dessert that ends the oven traffic jam for good. Sliced apples, cinnamon and a buttery oat topping go into the slow cooker in the morning, and by the time the turkey comes out to rest the whole house smells like a bakery. Leave the lid slightly cracked for the last half hour so the crumble firms up. Before you start, skim these USDA slow cooker safety tips for the right fill level and timing. Spoon it warm into bowls with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch the line form..

You will need: 6 large apples peeled and sliced, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup cold butter, pinch of salt, vanilla ice cream to serve.

How to make it: 1. Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch and spread in a greased 6-quart slow cooker. 2. Rub oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and butter together into clumps and scatter over the apples. 3. Lay a paper towel under the lid and cook on high 2 hours or low 4 hours until apples are tender. 4. Uncover for the last 30 minutes, then serve warm with ice cream.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Cups

All the creamy pumpkin pie flavor, none of the water bath, cracking or oven time. Whipped cream cheese, pumpkin puree and warm spices get folded into whipped cream and spooned over graham cracker crumbs in little glasses or jars. They set up in the fridge overnight, they travel well if you are a guest, and every person gets their own perfect portion. Make them the night before and Thanksgiving morning becomes one less thing to worry about. A pinch of cinnamon on top makes them some of the prettiest no oven Thanksgiving desserts on the table.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 4 tbsp melted butter, 8 oz cream cheese softened, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup heavy cream, extra whipped cream for topping.

How to make it: 1. Mix crumbs with melted butter and press a spoonful into 8 small glasses or jars. 2. Beat cream cheese until smooth, then beat in pumpkin, powdered sugar, spice and vanilla. 3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold it into the pumpkin mixture. 4. Pipe or spoon into the glasses, chill at least 4 hours, and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of crumbs.

Stovetop Cranberry Pear Crumble

Tart cranberries and soft, honeyed pears bubble together in a wide skillet until jammy, then get a crunchy topping that is toasted separately in a dry pan. It tastes exactly like a baked crumble, but it is ready in about 25 minutes on one burner. The color alone makes it one of the prettiest no oven Thanksgiving desserts you can set out, deep ruby against golden oats. Serve it straight from the skillet with whipped cream, or spoon leftovers over yogurt the next morning.

You will need: 4 ripe pears peeled and diced, 2 cups fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water, 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 3 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp maple syrup, whipped cream.

How to make it: 1. Simmer pears, cranberries, half the brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a skillet for 10 to 12 minutes until the berries pop. 2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 minute until glossy. 3. In another pan toast oats and pecans in butter, then add remaining sugar and maple syrup and stir until crisp. 4. Scatter the topping over the fruit and serve warm.

Pecan Pie Bars, the No Oven Thanksgiving Desserts Answer to Pie

Pecan pie is the dessert most families refuse to skip, and this version keeps the gooey caramel filling and toasted nuts without ever turning on the oven. A brown butter and brown sugar mixture simmers until thick, gets tossed with pecans and is spread over a graham cracker crust, then the pan chills until firm. Cut them into small squares because they are rich. They also hold beautifully for three days in the fridge, which makes them perfect for anyone planning no oven Thanksgiving desserts early in the week.

You will need: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup corn syrup, pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans.

How to make it: 1. Mix crumbs, melted butter and sugar and press into a lined 8×8 pan; chill. 2. In a saucepan melt butter with brown sugar, cream, corn syrup and salt and boil gently for 3 minutes, stirring. 3. Off the heat stir in vanilla and pecans. 4. Spread over the crust and refrigerate at least 3 hours before cutting into squares.

Chocolate Eclair Icebox Cake

This old church supper favorite is a lifesaver when the oven is booked. Layers of graham crackers soak up vanilla pudding lightened with whipped cream, and a shiny chocolate glaze goes on top. After a night in the fridge the crackers turn soft and cake-like, so every slice tastes like a cream-filled eclair. It feeds a crowd from one 9×13 dish, costs very little and somehow always disappears faster than the pies. Kids love helping layer it, and it is the easiest of all no oven Thanksgiving desserts to double.

You will need: 1 box graham crackers, 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding, 3 cups cold milk, 2 cups whipped cream or whipped topping, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp butter.

How to make it: 1. Whisk pudding mix with milk for 2 minutes, then fold in the whipped cream. 2. Line a 9×13 dish with graham crackers, spread half the pudding, add another cracker layer, the rest of the pudding and a final cracker layer. 3. Melt chocolate chips with cream and butter and spread over the top. 4. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

Stovetop Salted Caramel Pudding, One of the Cosiest No Oven Thanksgiving Desserts

Homemade caramel pudding tastes like the inside of a caramel candy turned into silk. Brown sugar and butter cook down in a saucepan, milk and egg yolks go in, and a few minutes of whisking gives you a pudding that no boxed mix can match. A tiny pinch of flaky salt on top makes the flavor pop. Pour it into small glasses the day before and the fridge does the rest, leaving your stove free for gravy on the big day.

You will need: 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 egg yolks, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, whipped cream and flaky salt to serve.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook 2 minutes until bubbling and fragrant. 2. Whisk cornstarch, salt, milk, cream and yolks together and slowly whisk into the pan. 3. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until thick and bubbling, about 6 minutes, then stir in vanilla. 4. Pour into cups, press plastic wrap on top and chill 4 hours. Top with cream and salt.

Slow Cooker Bread Pudding

Day-old bread, eggs, milk and cinnamon turn into a custardy, golden dessert that tastes like French toast and Christmas morning rolled into one. The slow cooker keeps it gentle, so the center stays soft while the edges get a little caramelized. Raisins or dried cranberries are optional, but a drizzle of warm vanilla sauce is not. Start it right after the turkey goes in and it will be ready exactly when everyone is pushing back from the table, already full and somehow still asking for dessert. Warm, cozy and hands-off, it is the comfort food of no oven Thanksgiving desserts.

You will need: 8 cups cubed day-old bread or brioche, 4 eggs, 2 1/2 cups milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, vanilla sauce or caramel to serve.

How to make it: 1. Grease a 6-quart slow cooker and add the bread and cranberries. 2. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and butter and pour over, pressing the bread down to soak. 3. Cook on low 3 to 4 hours until set in the center. 4. Spoon into bowls warm and drizzle with vanilla sauce or caramel.

Sweet Potato Pie Mousse Cups

Sweet potato pie is a Southern Thanksgiving treasure, and these cups capture that velvety, spiced flavor in a lighter, fluffier form. Mashed sweet potato is whipped with cream cheese, brown sugar and nutmeg, then folded into whipped cream and layered over gingersnap crumbs. They look elegant on a buffet, take about 20 minutes to put together and need nothing more than a few hours in the fridge. If anyone at your table has been asking for sweet potato pie, these no oven Thanksgiving desserts will make them very happy.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato (microwaved), 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnaps, chopped toasted pecans.

How to make it: 1. Microwave sweet potatoes until soft, cool and mash smooth. 2. Beat with cream cheese, brown sugar, spices and vanilla until fluffy. 3. Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold most of it into the sweet potato mixture. 4. Layer gingersnap crumbs and mousse in cups, top with remaining cream and pecans, and chill 3 hours.

No-Bake French Silk Pie

Chocolate lovers deserve a seat at the Thanksgiving dessert table too. This French silk pie uses a press-in cookie crust and a whipped chocolate filling that sets in the fridge into something airy, rich and smooth as velvet. Instead of raw eggs, it relies on melted chocolate, cream cheese and whipped cream for its famous mousse texture. Pile on whipped cream and chocolate shavings and it looks like it came straight from a diner pie case, even though, like all no oven Thanksgiving desserts here, it never saw an oven.

You will need: 24 chocolate sandwich cookies crushed, 5 tbsp melted butter, 6 oz semisweet chocolate melted and cooled, 8 oz cream cheese softened, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped cream and chocolate shavings to top.

How to make it: 1. Mix cookie crumbs with butter, press into a 9-inch pie plate and freeze 15 minutes. 2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy, then beat in the cooled chocolate. 3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold it in gently. 4. Spread into the crust, chill 6 hours and top with whipped cream and shavings.

Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding With Cinnamon

Grandma kept a pot of rice pudding going on cold November afternoons, and it still feels like a hug in a bowl. Short grain rice simmers slowly in milk with a vanilla bean or extract until each grain is tender and the pot turns thick and creamy. Serve it warm with cinnamon on top, or chill it overnight and spoon it cold with a little fruit. It is cheap, gentle and loved by every generation at the table, which makes it one of the quietest heroes among no oven Thanksgiving desserts.

You will need: 3/4 cup short grain or arborio rice, 5 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp butter, ground cinnamon to dust, raisins optional.

How to make it: 1. Combine rice, milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. 2. Cook over low heat, stirring often, 35 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender and creamy. 3. Remove the cinnamon stick, stir in vanilla, butter and raisins. 4. Serve warm with a dusting of cinnamon or chill overnight.

Cranberry Fluff Salad

Every Midwest Thanksgiving has that one bowl of pink fluff, and everyone secretly goes back for seconds. Fresh cranberries get chopped and sweetened overnight, then folded with crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, walnuts and whipped cream. Is it a side or a dessert? Families have argued about it for decades, and the answer is that it belongs wherever there is room on the plate. It is tangy, sweet, crunchy and creamy all at once, and among no oven Thanksgiving desserts it needs the least work of all, with zero cooking.

You will need: 12 oz fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 cups mini marshmallows, 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple well drained, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 2 cups heavy cream whipped with 2 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Pulse cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped, stir in sugar and marshmallows, cover and chill overnight. 2. Next day stir in the drained pineapple, walnuts and salt. 3. Fold in the whipped cream until evenly pink. 4. Chill 1 hour more and serve cold in a glass bowl.

Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake

This one feels like a magic trick. A simple chocolate batter goes into the slow cooker, then you pour hot water and cocoa over the top, and while it cooks the sauce sinks to the bottom and the cake rises above it. Scoop it out and you get soft cake sitting in a pool of warm fudge. It is a fun change from all the pumpkin and apple, and kids think it is the best thing on the table. A scoop of ice cream on top turns it into pure chaos in the best way, and proof that no oven Thanksgiving desserts can still be chocolate cake.

You will need: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar divided, 1/2 cup cocoa powder divided, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups hot water, chocolate chips, vanilla ice cream.

How to make it: 1. Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt, then stir in milk, butter and vanilla and spread in a greased slow cooker. 2. Mix remaining sugar, brown sugar and cocoa and sprinkle over the batter with a handful of chocolate chips. 3. Pour hot water over the top; do not stir. 4. Cook on high 2 hours until the top is set, then serve warm with ice cream.

Salted Chocolate Pretzel Bark

Chocolate bark is the candy dish treat that vanishes first at every family gathering, and it is ready in minutes without a single baking pan. Dark chocolate is melted gently on the stovetop, spread thin on parchment and loaded with crunchy pretzels, toasted pecans and a pinch of flaky salt, then the fridge does the rest. Snap it into rough shards early in the week; it keeps in an airtight tin and doubles as a host gift. Set a plate out next to the coffee and these no oven Thanksgiving desserts may outshine the pie.

You will need: 12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate chopped, 4 oz white chocolate (optional, for swirls), 1 1/2 cups mini pretzels lightly crushed, 1/2 cup toasted pecans chopped, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, flaky sea salt.

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. 3. Spread it about 1/4 inch thick, drizzle with melted white chocolate and swirl with a toothpick. 4. Scatter pretzels, pecans, cranberries and salt on top, press lightly, chill 30 minutes and break into pieces.

Southern Banana Pudding, the Most Requested of All No Oven Thanksgiving Desserts

Southern banana pudding is the crowd pleaser that never needs an oven, and layering it in a trifle bowl or little jars makes it look like the star of the dessert table. Layers of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas and creamy pudding soften together overnight until the cookies turn cake-like. If your family wants even more choices, our list of Thanksgiving desserts that are not pie has plenty more ideas to round out the spread. This one feeds at least twelve, and like the best no oven Thanksgiving desserts it always comes back to the kitchen empty.

You will need: 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding, 3 cups cold milk, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups heavy cream whipped, 1 box vanilla wafers, 5 ripe bananas sliced, extra whipped cream for topping.

How to make it: 1. Whisk pudding mix, milk and condensed milk for 2 minutes and chill 5 minutes to thicken. 2. Fold in half the whipped cream. 3. In a trifle bowl or jars layer wafers, bananas and pudding, repeating three times. 4. Top with remaining whipped cream and a few crushed wafers and chill at least 6 hours.

Skillet Cinnamon Apples With Whipped Cream, the Easiest No Oven Thanksgiving Desserts Finale

When the meal is over and nobody can face a heavy slice of pie, warm cinnamon apples are the perfect finish. Thick apple slices cook in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until tender and glazed, and the whole kitchen smells like an orchard bakery. Spoon them over vanilla ice cream, pile them on pound cake or serve them with a cloud of whipped cream. They take 15 minutes, use one pan and taste like the filling of the best apple pie you have ever had.

You will need: 5 firm apples such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith cut into thick slices, 3 tbsp butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp vanilla, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the apples. 2. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until just tender. 3. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and vanilla and cook 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. 4. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.