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ALLRECIPES / DIANA CHISTURGA
Recreate the memories of your grandmother's kitchen with these tried-and-true Southern desserts. Regional favorites like peaches, rhubarb, and Hubbard squash are baked into pies, cobblers, coffee cake, and more. You'll find classic Southern desserts that every grandmother can make—apple pie, of course—but a few Southern grandmothers have shared some of their more unique recipes here, too. These Southern desserts are grandma-approved and sure to be family favorites for another generation or two.
01
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Grandma's Chew Bread
Linda T
The name may be unusual, but one bite of these cookie bars will show why they're a Southern favorite. The chewy treats are sweetened with brown sugar and vanilla; each bite is studded with crunchy pecans. It's a bit like a pecan pie met a blondie, and it's every bit as delicious as you'd hope.
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02
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Great Grandma's Peach Cobbler
melissa
"This was my great grandma's recipe from the 40's and earlier. It's so easy to make," shares st1100pilot. "I remember this being my favorite dessert from when I was a child. This is delicious when hot and served with ice cream or I enjoy it cold by itself."
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03
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Meemaw's Pecan Pie
Chef Mo
This pie recipe is similar to the one on the classic Karo syrup bottle, but there are a few notable differences (including a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients).
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04
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Southern Possum Pie
ALLRECIPES / DIANA CHISTURGA
"This possum pie is such a wonderful summer dessert as it's light but decadent in flavor," says tawns. "This is an old recipe passed down by my grandmother from Tennessee."
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05
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Grandma Moyer's Rhubarb and Strawberry Coffee Cake
Teresa T-Rex ecker
You'll never brunch the same way again once you slice into this decadent coffee cake. "This was my Grandma Moyer's recipe. It has been missing since at least the mid 80's. I found it stuck the middle of an old book I got after my mom passed away," says BobbieRocks. "Everyone in the family has been trying to recreate this delicious coffee cake for years. It is moist and very flavorful."
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06
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Grandmother's Old Fashioned Butter Roll
Cindy
Everything is better with a little butter. These soft and sweet rolls are coated with butter, sugar, and nutmeg before getting rolled into wow-worthy treats.
- The 9 Best Cast Iron Skillets for Every Cook
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07
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Grandma's Coconut Cake
Allrecipes
Culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin says her grandma's favorite coconut cake recipe is "incredibly moist and sweet with a delightful coconut taste that's not overwhelming."
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08
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Grandma's Blueberry Buckle
Deb C
Is it a cake? Or is it a crumble? Neither, it's a buckle! No matter how you classify it, you're guaranteed to love this grandmother-approved family recipe for blueberry buckle. It's perfect for using up fresh berries during the summer months.
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09
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Grandma's Sweet Hubbard Squash Custard Pie
john sims
If sweet potatoes and pumpkins had a baby, that would be the Hubbard squash. This pie dresses up the creamy vegetable into a sweet pie with brown sugar, heavy cream, rich spices, and a pat of butter.
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10
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Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie
Kim's Cooking Now
You weren't raised with a Southern grandmother unless you got in trouble at least once for using soap on her cast iron skillet. This ultra versatile cookware is used in this recipe to create a flaky, golden brown crust layered up with spiced Granny Smith apples.
- Will Soap Really Ruin My Cast Iron?
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11
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Grandmother's Pound Cake
wannabe chefette
“This recipe is over 100 years old and is the original kind of pound cake: it contains 1 pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour and contains no salt, baking powder or flavoring,” says WholeGrainWoman. But she suggests adding a dash of vanilla or almond extracts for an extra layer of flavor.
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12
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Grandma Bev's Rhubarb Dessert (Rhubarb Crisp)
Fiori
Topped with a buttery, sweet crust, this grandma-approved dessert is filled with a nutmeg-spiced rhubarb blend and baked until a crunchy crust forms. CookingComputerGreek describes this recipe from her grandma, "She always had this waiting for my mother when we visited."
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13
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Nana's Apple Crisp
GLORIA LEE
Apples, butter, and a handful of pantry staples whip up to create this irresistible crisp. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to offset the Southern summer heat. Grandmother wouldn't dare leave the ice cream off.
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14
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Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie
Dianne
Tangy and cool, lemon meringue pie is the ideal Southern treat. "This is a very fun recipe to follow, because Grandma makes it sweet and simple," says Emilie S. "This pie is thickened with cornstarch and flour in addition to egg yolks, and contains no milk."
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15
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Grandma Ruth's Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies
tjump2014
Grandma's kitchen is always full of sugar and spice, and these snickerdoodles are no exception. Just the right balance of soft and chewy, each bite is brightened with plenty of heady cinnamon.
- 25 Cinnamon Cookies You Need in Your Life
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16
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Grandma's Apple Dumplings
CHER
In this beloved grandmother recipe, sweet pieces of apple are wrapped in tender pastry dough and then served drizzled with an orange-vanilla sauce. Reviewer Jill says, "This was a very easy and tasty recipe. It turned out perfect."
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17
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More Inspiration
Allrecipes/Qi AI
- My Mom’s 60-Year-Old Strawberry Cake Recipe Is So Good, My Daughter Has It Framed In Her Kitchen
- The Cake Recipe My Grandma Made for All Our Family Togethers
- My Aunt Judy’s Ridiculously Easy 5-Ingredient Brownie Recipe
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