By Wednesday night the oven is already full — turkey, stuffing, and two casseroles all fighting for the same 350°F slot. Something has to give, and it doesn’t have to be dessert.
No-bake pies and tarts solve that problem completely. Most of these set up in the fridge in three to four hours, which means you can make them a full day ahead and forget about them until it’s time to slice.
This list covers 27 of them, from the pumpkin and pecan flavors everyone expects to cranberry, maple, and dairy-free versions that might become the new favorite at your table.
Pumpkin Favorites, No Oven Required
Pumpkin pie is non-negotiable for most Thanksgiving tables, so here are four ways to get the flavor without turning on the oven.
1. No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
This one splits the difference between pumpkin pie and cheesecake, and somehow tastes like both at once. Cream cheese adds a tang that cuts through the usual pumpkin-spice sweetness.
Beat pumpkin puree, cream cheese, sugar, and warm spices together, then fold in whipped topping and pour the mixture into a graham cracker crust.
The filling firms up as it chills instead of baking, so there’s no risk of a cracked top or an underdone center.
Give it at least four hours in the fridge, though an overnight chill slices the cleanest.
2. No-Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie with Gingersnap Crust
Swap the usual graham crust for crushed gingersnaps and the whole pie picks up a warm, slightly spicy edge that plain pumpkin pie doesn’t have.
Whip heavy cream until it holds soft peaks, then fold it into spiced pumpkin puree so the filling stays light instead of dense.
That extra air is what makes it a mousse rather than a custard, and it’s part of why this version disappears fast at a table full of heavier dishes.
It holds its shape best sliced cold, straight from the fridge rather than after sitting out.
3. No-Bake Maple Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust
Pressing toasted pecans into the crust instead of using them as a topping changes the whole pie — every bite gets that nutty crunch.
Swap some of the brown sugar in the filling for real maple syrup, which adds a deeper, less one-note sweetness than sugar alone.
Toasting the pecans for five minutes before crushing them brings out an aroma a raw crust just doesn’t have.
Press the crust firmly into the pan with the bottom of a measuring cup, so it holds together once you slice into it.
4. No-Bake Pumpkin Spice Icebox Pie with Molasses Cookie Crust
Molasses cookies ground into a crust bring a dark, slightly bitter edge that balances out a very sweet filling.
The filling itself is simple: canned pumpkin, instant vanilla pudding mix, and whipped topping folded together until smooth.
Pudding mix is the shortcut here — it sets the filling firm enough to slice without any gelatin or stovetop step.
This one actually tastes better on day two, once the crust has had time to soften slightly against the filling.
Cheesecake-Style Icebox Pies
Cream cheese filling and a cold set make these feel like dessert-case cheesecake, minus the water bath and the cracked top.
5. No-Bake Brown Butter Pecan Cheesecake Tart
Browning the butter before it goes into the crust adds a nutty, almost caramel note that a plain graham crust can’t match.
The filling is a straightforward cream cheese and whipped cream mix, sweetened just enough to let the brown butter crust stand out.
A layer of toasted pecans pressed into the top, right before it goes into the fridge, gives every slice a bit of crunch.
A 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom makes this one easy to unmold cleanly for serving.
6. No-Bake Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie
Roasted sweet potato mashed into a cheesecake filling turns a side-dish flavor into a dessert nobody saw coming on the table.
Roast and mash the sweet potato ahead of time, then blend it with cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon until completely smooth.
The natural sweetness of roasted sweet potato means less added sugar than a pumpkin version needs, and the color is a deeper, warmer orange.
Roast the sweet potato the day before if your oven is already busy with other Thanksgiving dishes — it only needs to be cool before it goes into the filling.
7. No-Bake Eggnog Cheesecake Pie
Eggnog already tastes like a finished dessert, so turning it into a pie filling takes almost no extra effort.
Mix store-bought eggnog with softened cream cheese and a touch of nutmeg, then set it with a bit of gelatin so it slices cleanly.
A gingersnap or shortbread crust underneath keeps the flavor from turning one-note sweet.
This is the one to make if Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas season blur together at your house.
8. No-Bake Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Tart
A thin layer of cinnamon-cooked apples on top of a cheesecake base covers both pie cravings — apple and cream cheese — in one dessert.
Cook sliced apples briefly with butter, cinnamon, and a little sugar until just softened, then cool them completely before layering.
Cooling the apples matters more than it sounds — warm fruit on a no-bake filling will make the whole tart slide apart when you cut it.
Chocolate and Nut Pies
For the table that wants chocolate more than pumpkin, these four lean into cocoa, caramel, and toasted nuts.
9. No-Bake Salted Chocolate Pecan Tart
This one takes the flavor of pecan pie and pairs it with dark chocolate ganache instead of the usual corn syrup filling.
Melt chocolate with heavy cream to make a simple ganache, pour it into a crust, and press toasted pecans into the top while it’s still soft.
A light sprinkle of flaky salt right before serving keeps the sweetness from overwhelming the chocolate.
Let the ganache set in the fridge for at least two hours before slicing, or it won’t hold its shape.
10. No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Icebox Pie
Chopped peanut butter cups folded into a peanut butter and cream cheese filling make this feel more like a dessert bar than a traditional pie.
A chocolate cookie crust underneath echoes the chocolate in the peanut butter cups instead of competing with it.
Kids tend to ask for this one by name once they’ve had it, which makes it a safe pick for a mixed-age table.
Freeze a few extra peanut butter cups and chop them straight from frozen — they hold their shape better than ones chopped at room temperature.
11. No-Bake Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
A filling built on chocolate-hazelnut spread needs almost no extra sweetener, since the spread is already rich on its own.
Melt the spread together with a little cream and softened butter, pour it into a crushed hazelnut crust, and chill until firm.
A scatter of whole toasted hazelnuts around the edge signals what’s inside before anyone takes a bite.
Two hours in the fridge is usually enough to set it, but a full night makes for noticeably cleaner slices.
12. No-Bake Browned Butter Walnut Fudge Pie
Browning the butter before it goes into a fudge filling adds a toasted, slightly nutty depth that plain melted butter doesn’t give you.
Combine the browned butter with melted chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and chopped walnuts, then pour it into a cookie crust to set.
The texture lands somewhere between fudge and a dense mousse, which is part of why a thin slice goes a long way after a big meal.
Keep slices small — this one is rich enough that most guests won’t finish a full wedge.
Cranberry and Orchard Fruit Tarts
Cranberries and fall fruit cut through all the rich, creamy pies above, and these four put them front and center.
13. No-Bake Cranberry Orange Curd Tart
Cooked-down cranberries blended with orange zest and curd make a tart that’s as much about the fall produce aisle as it is about dessert.
Simmer fresh cranberries with sugar and orange juice until they burst, then blend the mixture smooth and fold it into a quick curd base.
The color alone — a deep ruby red against a pale crust — makes this one stand out next to the usual brown and orange pies.
14. No-Bake Apple Cider Icebox Pie
Reducing apple cider down on the stovetop concentrates the flavor into something closer to apple candy than plain juice.
Whisk the reduced cider into a pudding-style filling with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg, then pour it over a graham crust to set.
This tastes like the first sip of hot cider at a fall festival, just cold and sliceable.
The reduction step takes about 20 minutes on the stove, which is the only part of this recipe that isn’t hands-off.
15. No-Bake Pear and Ginger Tart with Gingersnap Crust
Ripe pears sliced thin and fanned over a ginger-spiced filling give this tart a lighter, less sugary finish than most Thanksgiving desserts.
A crushed gingersnap crust underneath repeats the ginger flavor without needing extra spice added to the filling itself.
Brush the pear slices with a little lemon juice before arranging them, so they stay pale instead of browning before serving.
Firm, slightly underripe pears hold their shape better than soft ones once they’re sliced thin and fanned out.
16. No-Bake Cranberry Fluff Tart
Cranberry fluff salad has been showing up on Thanksgiving tables for decades — this turns it into an actual dessert instead of a side dish.
Fold chopped fresh cranberries, crushed pineapple, and mini marshmallows into sweetened whipped cream, then spoon it into a shortbread crust.
It’s tart, sweet, and a little chewy all at once, which makes it feel completely different from everything else on this list.
Make it the morning you plan to serve it — the marshmallows soften too much if it sits more than a day.
Mini Tarts for a Crowd
Individual tartlets solve the serving-size problem at a big table and let guests try more than one flavor without committing to a full slice.
17. Mini No-Bake Pumpkin Tartlets
Pressing crust into a muffin tin instead of a pie plate turns classic pumpkin filling into a grab-and-go portion.
Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, press in a graham crust, and fill each with the same spiced pumpkin mixture used for a full pie.
A dozen tartlets chill in about half the time a full pie needs, since the filling is spread thinner.
They stack and freeze well, so making them a few days ahead and pulling them out the morning of Thanksgiving is an easy option.
18. Mini No-Bake Pecan Pie Bites
A caramel-pecan filling set into a small shell gives all the flavor of pecan pie in two bites instead of a whole slice.
Combine caramel sauce, chopped pecans, and a little cream, then spoon the mixture into mini cookie-crust shells and chill.
These travel well in a covered container, which makes them an easy choice to bring to someone else’s Thanksgiving table.
One batch of mini shells usually makes about two dozen bites, which is plenty for a dessert table that already has several other options.
19. Mini No-Bake Cranberry Cheesecake Tartlets
A spoonful of cranberry sauce swirled into cheesecake filling turns leftover sauce into the topping for an entirely different dessert.
Fill mini graham shells with sweetened cream cheese filling, then swirl in a spoonful of cranberry sauce with a toothpick before chilling.
The swirl pattern comes out a little different on every tartlet, so no two look exactly alike on the serving tray.
Classic Icebox and Pudding Pies
These lean on pudding and whipped topping the way church-potluck pies always have, and they’re worth keeping around for a reason.
20. No-Bake Butterscotch Icebox Pie
Butterscotch doesn’t show up often at Thanksgiving, which is exactly why it stands out next to a table of pumpkin and pecan.
Whisk butterscotch pudding mix with milk until it thickens, fold in whipped topping, and pour it into a shortbread crust to set.
A drizzle of extra butterscotch sauce over the top right before serving makes it look more finished without any added work.
This one can sit in the fridge for a full two days before serving without losing any texture.
21. No-Bake Banana Pudding Icebox Pie with Vanilla Wafer Crust
Crushed vanilla wafers pressed into a crust instead of layered loose turns banana pudding into a proper slice-able pie.
Layer sliced bananas between vanilla pudding and whipped topping, then chill until the wafer crust softens just slightly.
Slice this one close to serving time — bananas left to sit too long start to brown and lose their texture.
A few whole wafers crushed over the top add back the crunch the crust loses as it chills.
22. No-Bake Coconut Cream Pie with Toasted Coconut
Toasting the coconut before it goes on top is a small step that changes the whole pie from sweet to genuinely flavorful.
Whisk coconut milk into a vanilla pudding base, pour it into a graham crust, and top with cream and a layer of toasted coconut flakes.
Toasting takes about five minutes in a dry skillet, stirred constantly so the flakes brown evenly instead of burning in spots.
23. No-Bake Key Lime Pie
After a table full of warm, heavy flavors, a tart, cold slice of key lime pie resets the palate in a way nothing else on this list does.
Whisk key lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and a little sour cream, then pour the mixture into a graham crust and chill until firm.
Real key limes are tiny and tedious to juice, so bottled key lime juice works just as well here and saves most of the effort.
Dairy-Free and Lighter Picks
For guests avoiding dairy, or anyone who wants something lighter after a big meal, these four skip the cream cheese and whipped topping entirely.
24. No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Date-Nut Crust
A crust made from blended dates and walnuts holds together without any butter, and it tastes closer to a dessert bar than a typical pie crust.
Blend pumpkin puree with coconut cream, maple syrup, and warm spices, then pour it over the pressed date-nut crust and chill until firm.
The dates add a natural caramel sweetness, so the filling needs less added sugar than a traditional version.
A food processor does the heavy lifting on the crust — pulse the dates and walnuts until they just start to clump together.
25. No-Bake Coconut Milk Sweet Potato Pie
Full-fat coconut milk stands in for cream here, and it adds a subtle richness that still works with the deep flavor of roasted sweet potato.
Blend roasted sweet potato with coconut milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon until smooth, then set the filling with a bit of agar or a gelatin substitute.
It’s dense in the best way, closer to a custard than a mousse, and nobody at the table will guess it’s dairy-free unless you mention it.
26. No-Bake Cashew Cream Apple Tart
Soaked and blended cashews make a filling that’s completely dairy-free but still rich enough to pass as cream cheese at first bite.
Soak raw cashews for a few hours, then blend them smooth with maple syrup and vanilla before spreading the mixture over a nut-and-date crust.
Top with thin apple slices arranged in a spiral, which also happens to be the fastest way to make a no-bake tart look intentional.
Soaking the cashews overnight makes blending them smooth much easier the next day.
27. No-Bake Maple Walnut Tart
Maple syrup and toasted walnuts need almost nothing else to taste like fall, which makes this the simplest tart on the whole list.
Whisk maple syrup with coconut oil and a pinch of salt, stir in chopped toasted walnuts, and pour the mixture into a walnut-crumb crust to set.
It firms up less like a custard and more like a soft praline, so a small slice goes further than it looks like it will.
Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving dessert doesn’t need to compete with the turkey for oven space, and these 27 options prove that chilling something can carry just as much flavor as baking it.
Pick two or three that fit your table — one creamy, one fruity, one dairy-free if you’re hosting a mixed group — and you’ll end up with more range than most all-baked dessert tables manage anyway.
Whatever you choose, make it the day before. It’s one less thing standing between you and Thursday morning.