The evolution of volcanism at the latest stages of continental rifting and its transition to the post-rift stage are poorly known. A Cretaceous rifting episode characterized the Songliao Basin (NE China) between 150 and 105–100 Ma. The transition to the post-rifting stage was marked by an increase in the subsidence rate due to thermal contraction. Here we present new major, trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data on the volcanic rocks sampled in wells located in the Songliao Basin. These rocks are representative of two major eruptive cycles: K₁yc¹ (115–106 Ma, syn-rift stage) and K₁yc³ (105–102 Ma, transition to the post-rift stage). The K₁yc¹ and K₁yc³ rocks were erupted during the late phases of the Songliao rifting and have been found in the two members of the Yingcheng Formation. The K₁yc¹ rocks consist of trachybasalts, basaltic trachyandesites, and rhyolites. The K₁yc³ rocks show a homogeneous rhyolitic composition. Both the K₁yc¹ and K₁yc³ rocks display an alkaline, Within-Plate affinity. The trace element patterns and the isotopic composition of the K₁yc¹ mafic rocks indicate that they are the product of the fractional crystallization from a parent magma with an OIB signature. The felsic rocks from K₁yc¹ and K₁yc³ have similar major and trace element patterns and originate from fractional crystallization of the K₁yc¹ trachybasalt and assimilation of upper crust material. The bimodal K₁yc¹ volcanism is related to fractionation processes producing low amounts of magmas with intermediate compositions. The lack of mafic eruption in K₁yc³ is due to the reduction of porosity of the crustal rocks and a transition from ‘hot’ to ‘cold’ crust related to the thermal subsidence from syn-rift to post-rift stage. The late stage of the Songliao rifting volcanism coincides with a shift from a roll-backing phase of the Paleo-Pacific slab to its passive sinking in the asthenosphere.