Wedding Dessert Ideas that Aren’t Cake

When it comes to serving something sweet of your wedding day, the options go well beyond traditional cake. Here are some of our favorite desserts — that aren’t cake — for your wedding day.

Petit Fours

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Petit Fours are one of the most elegant, elevated non-cake dessert options for your wedding. Translating directly to small oven in French, Petit Fours are bite sized, meticulously crafted confectionaries that fall into one of four distinct categories: glacé (glazed, such as miniature cakes or pastries covered in fondant, chocolate or icing), sec (dry, as in cookies and macarons), salé (salted, or savory appetizers), and frais (fresh, as in perishable items such as éclairs and madelines). Petit Fours allow for unique variety on your dessert table and provide a sophisticated alternative to the traditional wedding cake!

Cookies

Maybe you’re not a cake couple, but cookies do the trick! With so many possibilities for fun, delicious cookie flavors, your guests won’t even think about missing that traditional cake on your wedding day. The options are endless, from perfectly decorated sugar cookies, classic chocolate chip, spicy snicker doodle, and sticky peanut butter, to loaded candy cookies, cookies with a variety of sweet and syrupy fillings, and even stacked cookie cakes.

Ice Cream

Ice cream catering is a fun, delicious alternative to the classic wedding cake. Creamy, decadent and with flavor options aplenty, ice cream is refreshing and cool on those long, hot summer days. There’s no wrong season for ice cream, though! You can enjoy this sweet treat any time of the year. Customize it with a topping bar filled with flavored syrups, candies, cones, and sprinkles, or even a mini-fridge full of classic sodas to make the perfect float.

Candy Bar

Got a sweet tooth, but not for those highly indulgent, rich dessert options? Maybe you’re a candy fan! Candy bars are becoming increasingly popular at the modern wedding, for their aesthetic and variety! Best displayed in glass jars with small scoops for serving, candy is bold, colorful and full of flavor and texture choices. Provide your guests with small paper bags to collect their candy and trigger that nostalgia for the small-town-candy-shop feel. Some caterers even provide the opportunity for guests to make their own customized chocolate bar, right at your venue! This could be a unique party favor for your guests to take home and remember your special night by.

Donuts

Donuts are a cakey-textured dessert option without the cake. A delicious, doughy dessert sure to please, donuts are a fantastic and youthful option.

Some couples are opting for the donut wall, with donuts displayed hung on small pegs attached to a large board or “wall.” This is a vibrant display option to show off the colorful glazes and decorations on your donuts. Other couples are opting for the donut cake, with donuts stacked to resemble the traditional wedding cake while still giving it a fresh, fun twist. The options are endless for those donut-loving couples!

Pastries

Do you love breakfast pastries? Cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants, fruity turnovers, Danish? Maybe a succulent pastry spread is what you need to set your wedding apart from the rest. Indulgent, full of variety, and with flavor profiles that suit every palette, a good pastry spread is sure to please any guest. Pick your favorite pastries and provide your guests with the unique dessert display of your dreams!

Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Maybe you love cake but you just want to stand out on your big day. The commandeering, momentous wedding cake just isn’t for you. Cupcakes and cake pops are cute alternatives! Cupcakes give you the same flavor profile as cake but in smaller portion sizes, allowing for a greater variety of flavor choices to be provided to guests.

Cake pops are slightly creamier in texture, and dipped in an indulgent and colorful chocolate or icing coating. The smooth exterior can be decorated with sprinkles, icing, edible glitter, and so much more. These are delicious and fun bite-sized bits that give you cake without committing you to the full cake.

Rice Crispies

Rice crispy treats are youthful dessert choices that allow room for unique customization to any couple’s tastes. From classic marshmallow, to honey and peanut butter, to delicious sugary cereals substituting the generic rice puffs, rice crispies have something for everyone! Serve them as bars, balls, or even in the classic cake shape. There’s nothing you can’t do with a good rice crispy!

Culturally Inspired

Maybe your family has a beautiful and distinct culture from which you have learned and adopted unique and special traditions. A few delicious dessert options that stray from the traditional cake choice include churros, cannoli, and beignets.

Churros and beignets both are delicious fried dough coated in sugary toppings for a classic combination that can’t go wrong. Cannoli are crispy fried dough sleeves filled to the brim with delicious, ricotta-based cream. While these are just a few options for culturally inspired desserts for your wedding day, the choices are limitless. Look to your own cultures to find the perfect dessert idea for your special day!

Cake is a classic option at any wedding. For those couples looking to think outside the box and awe their guests with delicious, unique and flavorful dessert ideas, we hope this list inspires you in choosing the right idea for your most special day!