Tired of birthday cake and want other birthday party desserts instead?
Whether you’re looking for an easy birthday dessert for a crowd, no-bake summer birthday party desserts, or sweet party snacks, you’ll find something on this list of recipes for your celebration.
These are all fun birthday party snacks and birthday party treats as alternatives to birthday cake!
Ideas for Birthday Party Desserts That Aren’t Birthday Cake
Caramel Apple Salad Dessert
This candy bar “salad” fluff is a refreshing no-bake dessert for a summer birthday party or if you need a last-minute dessert treat.
This sweet treat, with a mix of crunchy from the apple and gooey from chocolate and caramel candy bars, is a family favorite recipe at our house.
It’s an easy recipe you can make in minutes, so you can even make this dessert last minute!
No Bake Birthday “Cake”
OK. I know I said no birthday cakes, but this is really a no-bake birthday cake made from rice crispies… so, it’s really a big rice krispies treat made to look like a cake.
What I love most about this birthday dessert is that you can change up the chocolate drizzle icing colors to match your birthday party theme.
I also added fun marshmallow flowers you can eat when I made this simple recipe.
If you want something that looks like a birthday cake without baking a cake, this is your easy recipe for that!
Chewy Caramel Coconut Brownies
These caramel brownies are so rich, chocolate fudgy, gooey, and delicious that your party guests won’t even miss a traditional birthday cake.
(Plus, this is still easy to stick birthday candles into to sing the Happy Birthday song!)
This is my favorite brownie recipe and is always a hit with party guests! I even have a friend that always checks that I’m making this brownie recipe before she comes to the party.
Layered Mini Desserts In Cups
These layered jello cups are easy desserts ready in minutes.
Add a spoon and guests can just grab and go at your party, which makes them great for a party buffet or dessert table ideas.
Plus, it’s easy to change the colors of the Jell-o and pudding to match your birthday party theme colors.
PARTY TIP: If you’re making these for a summer birthday party or an outdoor birthday party, place the cups in a party tub of ice to keep them chilled.
Chocolate Covered Brownie Bites
If you’re looking for bite-sized desserts or finger food treats for a kids’ party, definitely add these chocolate brownie bites for your birthday party dessert recipes.
I made these for my daughter’s princess pirate party and called them “pirate cannonballs” and, of course, the kids loved them, but adults loved these bite sized sweet treats just as much.
No Cook Banana Pudding
If my daughter could only pick one party dessert to serve, it would be this no bake banana pudding that you don’t cook!
This banana dessert is seriously ready in just minutes if you use pudding packs, Cool Whip, and my mom’s secret ingredient for banana pudding!
Rice Krispie Football Treats
If you’re having a football themed party or a sports theme birthday party, definitely add these football chocolate rice crispy treats.
They’re an easy party snack and look cute on a party dessert table.
Chick Birthday Cupcakes
If you’re looking for birthday cupcake recipes, these easy chickie cupcakes are so cute and everyone raved about them when we made them for our party.
These are so simple that I call these “cheater cupcakes” (you’ll see why on the recipe).
They’re fun for a children’s birthday party, especially if you’re doing an animal party theme, zoo birthday, or a farm themed birthday.
Boxed Cake Mix Cookies
I like to call these cake mix cookies lazy cake cookies because it’s such a simple recipe.
I made these cookies with chocolate cake mix, but you can use any cake mix flavor — from funfetti cookies to lemon cookies & more.
These treats are so tasty that no one will believe they came from a boxed cake mix!
Worms In Dirt Pudding Cups
If I’m short on time and I’m not sure what birthday dessert to make, I always go with worms in dirt.
If you’ve never made it, it’s simply a pudding mixture with cookies on top to look like dirt with some gummy worms sticking out of it.
This simple dessert is always a huge hit with kids.
Get the full worms in dirt recipe here.
PARTY TIP: These “ant house” pudding cups are also a lot of fun for kids’ party snacks and go great with the dirt & worms recipe.
Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoy these easy birthday party desserts!
