Not everyone likes cake, and chances are, you’ll have some kids and allergies to deal with. With that in mind, it’s always a nice idea to have some wedding cake alternatives so everyone can end your special day with something sweet. Personally, I would go for a whole table full of desserts! Picture a buffet loaded with cookies, donuts, cupcakes, and more. The options are endless. So whether you’re just looking for a few little sweet treats or want to go really outside the box, this list of 25 wonderful wedding desserts is sure to inspire you.
Simple and Elegant Wedding Dessert Ideas
1. Petit Fours
Petit fours are adorable, elegant, and dainty little cakes that can be time-consuming to make but are so worth it in the end. These are much easier when you make them in a big batch, using a large sheet tray. You’ll make up one large, layered cake and then chop it down into tiny portions. The trick is to then freeze them down before adding your glaze. I like to double up on my glaze in case you get any stray crumbs the first time around.
2. Wedding Cake Pops
Not only are they a sure-fire dessert fave, but cake pops are also crazy cute and make excellent little parting gifts. These might look complicated, but they’re actually pretty simple to make. You’ll need food glitter to make the brides sparkle, and a baking mold will make the sweetest mini bow ties for the groom!
3. Chocolate Fountain
It’s fun, it’s creamy, and you can never go wrong with sweet things dipped in chocolate. This one is perfect for the kids, so be sure to put out plenty of fun options, like marshmallows, Rice Krispie treats, cookies, and strawberries.
4. Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
I’ve been to a few daytime weddings in the past, and one really stuck with me. It was a beautiful morning ceremony, followed by a brunch-style reception. Needless to say, the crowd went wild at the sight of fluffy pancakes, syrup-soaked French toast, and big, chewy cinnamon rolls. Be sure to make extra because they won’t last long!
5. No-Bake Oreo Cake
Looking for something more fun? You have to try this super simple cookie tower! It uses everything from classic Oreos to peanut butter, red velvet, lemon, watermelon, pumpkin, and berry. Did you know you can get Oreos in so many flavors? It’s playful, colorful, and assured to bring a crowd!
6. Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies
Rustic, outdoor weddings are still insanely popular. What goes better in a beautiful backyard setting than some lovely little hand pies? If you’re going for that shabby chic effect, these are such a terrific option. Strawberry is cute and red and perfect for the lovers in the crowd. But you could just as easily serve a whole slew of these using apples, blueberry, cherry, or peach.
7. Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
Cupcakes are classic, quick, easy to make, and perfect for serving a crowd without ordering a massive cake. I’ve seen many weddings where they had a stunning but modest cake with cupcakes on the side. So clever! Plus, you can get cupcake liners to match the color scheme, so they’ll fit right in.
8. Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’re trying to make some things yourself to save a little money, cookies will be a lifesaver! You can make them pretty far ahead and freeze the dough. They’ll travel like a dream, and they’re perfect even if you leave them out for a few hours. You can make and bake these a couple of days in advance. As long as they’re stored in an airtight container, they’ll be just as chewy come the big day.
9. White Chocolate Champagne Truffles
What better way to celebrate your wedding day than with some champagne-infused truffles? One key thing to note here is that the quality of the chocolate matters. Cheap white chocolate will not melt properly and will seize easily. This will totally ruin the look of your truffles, so splurge a little on something more expensive. Since these are harder to coat and keep neat, I prefer to make them into cake pops. That way, you can more easily remove the excess, and a simple bit of ribbon will hide any minor mistakes.
10. Rice Krispie Treats
These aren’t just for the kids!! Yes, make up a batch and cover them with mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips, or colorful sprinkles. They’ll be a huge hit! Then, try mixing in some freeze-dried raspberries and striping with white chocolate. Or how about a bit of lime zest and dipping the end in rum-infused dark chocolate?
11. Fruit Tarts
Fresh fruit tarts are bright, sweet, and super versatile. Depending on the time of year, you might find that berries are in season, meaning you’ll get a red and blue palette. Or maybe you live in the south and are surrounded by fragrant, juicy peaches? It really doesn’t matter what you put on the top, as long as you make it neat and use a glossy glaze to make them shine.
12. Crinkle Top Brownie Bites
Worried that a batch of fudgy brownies will fall apart and make a mess on your dessert table? I feel you. So, you should try these crazy moist, muffin tin brownie bites instead. The centers are just what you want in a brownie – chewy, fudgy, and chocolatey. However, the edges are firm enough that you can even stack these if you want.
13. Pumpkin Pie
Is your wedding in the fall? Are the trees turning and the days becoming chilly? Then I think it’s your duty to provide your guests with some spicy pumpkin pie! Velvety smooth and perfectly seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, this will be a welcome surprise to your guests. In fact, why not go all out and have a table full of pies? Apple, cherry, peach, chocolate… the list goes on!
14. 5-Ingredient Chewy Coconut Macaroons
Coconut macaroons are lovely and light, a little bit sticky, and deliciously chewy. They’re also a cinch to whip up and store like a dream. Drizzle them with dark chocolate for a bit of contrast, and watch them fly off the plate.
15. S’mores Popcorn Balls
This recipe can be ready to go in less than ten minutes. Once the marshmallows have melted, it’s just a matter of mixing in the extras. A straightforward way to make this recipe would be to press it into a sheet pan and slice it up when it sets. Another great option would be to make them nice and big and serve with a cute paper straw in cellophane.
16. Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies Recipe
There’s a joke in here somewhere about your wedding night, but I’ll leave that to your imagination! Instead, I’ll just say that these are such a fun cookie sandwich! This recipe is pretty classic, using chocolate in the cookie with a lovely white filling. But there are so many other options! I think the Meyer lemon and the red velvet look particularly tempting.
17. Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Is it really all that complicated to make chocolate-covered strawberries? No. If you’re making them for a crowd on a day when they may sit on a table for a while before anyone comes in, there are a few things to keep in mind. Unless you want the chocolate to melt, turn soft, and start to seep, you’ll need to either temper it (trust me, it’s not worth your time) or buy these Ghirardelli melting wafers. They have great flavor, melt beautifully, and will keep their “snap” even if you have to leave them out for a while.
18. The Best White Cake Recipe
I understand wanting to have a beautiful cake at your wedding. But given how expensive they are, why not just make a simple, elegant, white cake on your own? If you’re making a white cake, it needs to be the best! This one is buttery, moist, and firm enough to be stacked. Win-win!
19. Gourmet S’mores – Four Ways
Just imagine the look on everyone’s faces when they see a platter of gourmet s’mores coming their way. But how do you make them for a crowd without a group of (probably) intoxicated people stumbling around a fire? Sheets trays and an oven! As long as you have everything prepped – fruit sliced and chocolate in pieces – just line a sheet tray with crackers and top them with chocolate and marshmallows. Once everything is golden and soft, top with your extras and serve!
20. Mini-Decadent Chocolate Ganache Bundt Cakes
It’s hard to describe just how much joy it will bring you, so you’ll just have to trust me! I mean, look at that picture and tell me those aren’t the cutest little cakes you’ve ever seen! Chocolate on chocolate will always be a winner, and you could easily fill the hole with whipped cream or fresh fruit.
21. Mini-Chocolate Chess Pie
Remember I said you should have a table full of pies? Well, I didn’t just mean big slabs full of fruit! These little pies are the perfect size for your guests to enjoy without having to slice into something big and potentially messy. If you want them a little more polished, go ahead and buy some mini pie shells from the freezer section!
22. Mexican Wedding Cookies
If it’s in the name, they must be the ideal wedding cookie, right? These are so light and buttery, and I just know you’ll need to make extra. They do have ground almonds inside, so be sure to check your guest’s allergies. Other than that, they are super-rich, and the powdered sugar coating is just the right amount of sweet and messy. They don’t need anything extra, but I don’t think anyone would mind if you wanted to add some mini-chocolate chips!
23. Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows
This might just be the easiest, prettiest, and most affordable recipe on the list! A bag of jumbo marshmallows is super cheap, after all, and if you use some colorful paper straws, you don’t even need to add any sprinkles. Paper straws come in all kinds of colors and patterns, from bright and vibrant to rose gold and silver. You can easily match these to your color scheme and make your desserts pop. Plus, they’re biodegradable!
24. Vanilla Cupcakes
If you’re going to get a small cake and bulk out the table with cupcakes, it’s a good idea to have both chocolate and vanilla. That way, more people can get what they want. If you have vanilla cupcakes, you can have more frosting flavors. What makes this recipe so unique? It’s all in how you make them. Instead of creaming butter and sugar, you’ll whip the sugar with the eggs until it doubles or triples in volume. This adds so much air and guarantees a moist crumb.
25. Crepe Cake Recipe
If you want to go outside the box with something light, sweet, and a tad unusual, why not try making a crepe cake? Full disclosure: making the crepes can be time-consuming, so be sure to make them ahead of the big day! When you have them ready and cooled, it’s as easy as sticking them with layers of whipped cream or chocolate ganache. The whole cake needs to set up in the fridge, and it can be served with chocolate sauce, caramel, and fresh fruit. Click on a star to rate it!
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