50 Vintage Christmas Desserts We'll Never Stop Making
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
Tradition is something Southerners love to keep around, no matter how much everything else changes, and many of our dearest memories are tied to time-honored traditions we share with our family during the Christmas season. It's all about spending time together, whether you're singing carols with your neighbors, going Black Friday holiday shopping with your mother and sister, volunteering at the soup kitchen on Christmas Eve, or picking out the ugliest Christmas tree on the lot. (Don't get us started on "A Charlie Brown Christmas!") But mostly Southerners love to spend time together in the kitchen.
We're making batches and batches of Christmas cookies, spiced pound cakes that are sometimes soaked in rum, old-fashioned candies like divinity and pralines, and even a congealed salad or two—really, who doesn't love that come-hither jiggle? These vintage desserts bring all the traditional Christmas flavors, and they make an appearance year after year, decade after decade. Because when the kitchen smells like these pecan-studded, cinnamon-swirled, powdered sugar-covered treats, we know it's finally Christmastime in the South.
Buche De Noel
The name of this recipe translates to "yule log." It's flavored with rich chocolate and coffee and topped with candied cherries. Hint: That's how you know this recipe is really, really old-fashioned.
Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
Thanks to a super creamy finishing touch (buttermilk really is something!), these classic Southern candies stand out from your basic recipe.
Fruitcake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Fruitcake is nostalgic but also always popular. For people who think you don't like fruitcake, you've just never had a good one—and this recipe is a good one.
Classic Red Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Molly Bolton/Southern Living
It's not just the colors that are holiday-ready. The combination of tangy cream cheese and the subtle flavors of chocolate in the cake layers feel like a warm holiday hug.
Easy Sugar Cookies
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A classic recipe, sugar cookies are a blank recipe for decorations you want to do—royal icing, sprinkles, sanding sugar, and more.
Old-Fashioned Caramel Cake
Courtney West
Making the caramel frosting requires a lot of patience—and a good bit of time. That's why a caramel cake rarely comes out any time of year but the holidays.
German Chocolate Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
The chocolate cake and coconut-pecan frosting are rich and decadent, which is precisely the type of dessert we want at the holidays.
Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley
These bite-sized bourbon-soaked treats might be the ultimate holiday treat. This recipe is extra fudgy, super nutty, and totally delicious.
Cassandra's "Light" Fruitcake
Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
Fruitcake might be an acquired taste, but this recipe is as close as it gets to universally beloved. It'll turn even the staunchest of fruitcake-hating folks.
Potato Candy
One of the most nostalgic of Southern confections, potato candy is a real-deal vintage recipe worth making at least once.
Ambrosia Pudding Pie
Ambrosia makes for a delicious take on the classic Christmas dessert.
Auntie's Apple Cake
Would you look at that thing? It's practically dripping with cozy, comforting caramel flavor.
Rum Balls
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
It's not a Christmas party in the South without some form of tipsy treat, and rum balls just happen to be Aunt Birdie's favorite. Originally from our December 1993 issue, this boozy confection recipe is Christmas food gift-material.
Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting
"It was the signal that Christmas really was coming when this heavenly smell filled the kitchen," said Susan Houston of Tucker, Georgia. She submitted this family recipe almost 30 years ago, and we just couldn't resist the fluffy (and more crowd-pleasing!) take on holiday fruitcake.
Christmas Butter Mints
Expect this homemade recipe to deliver crisp, buttery richness and a refreshing minty flavor. Use whichever holiday colors you please.
Hot Cranberry Bake
Put that bowl of decorative Christmas cranberries to work! This simple, crisp-like dessert was sent to us by Sue-Sue Harstern of Louisville, Kentucky, over 25 years ago.
Molasses Crinkles
You couldn't fit more Christmas spirit into these cookies if you tried. The recipe is loaded with classic holiday spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Definitely cookie swap-worthy!
Christmas Snow Salad
We pulled this colorful, gelatinous recipe from our November 1982 issue. The more maraschino cherries, the better, right?
Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel
In the South, it's been a long-held tradition to use leftover cornbread for recipes like cornbread pudding and cornbread with sweet milk. This recipe makes it decadent enough to serve at the holiday party or Christmas feast. Tip: Drizzle leftover Whiskey Caramel over pies and ice cream.
Sliced Sweet Potato Pie
This lost pie of the South was once one of the most popular desserts served in states like Alabama and Georgia. This sliced recipe is a classic version, while our Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie recipe will look and taste more akin to your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake
If it's ever appropriate to eat cake at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, it has to be during the holidays. This cinnamon-filled recipe is a crowd-pleaser.
Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Get ready for the most heavenly holiday scent to fill your home when baking this dessert. This might not look like your typical hard-iced gingerbread man cookie, but this traditional recipe will win you over with its perfectly spiced batter, fluffy cake-like texture, and ginger-laced whipped cream topping.
Green Tomato Mincemeat Pie
This Christmas pie is spiced, boozy, and filled with robust ingredients like green tomatoes, apples, pecans, and cranberries.
Pecan Snowball Cookies
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Coated in powdered sugar and studded with buttery pecans, these shortbread "snowballs" definitely make the short list for "most Southern Christmas cookie."
Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies
Dress up easy cream cheese cookies for the holidays by coating the rolls in festive red or green sugar crystals. In true Southern fashion, a pecan makes the perfect garnish.
Christmas Pudding
Originally a British holiday favorite, this festive dessert is known for its density. It's packed with Christmas spices, dried fruit, and brandy—and we gave it a Southern touch by brushing it with a bourbon simple syrup.
Pecan Tassies
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
These well-loved cookies are like a delicious cross between miniature pecan pies and shortbread cookies.
Spritz Cookies
Originating in Germany and Scandinavia in the 16th century, Spritz cookies are crumbly, simple, and iconic in homemade Christmas cookie boxes down South.
Cornflake Wreath Christmas Cookies
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
These easy and tasty cookies add holiday spirit to the dessert table.
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
This simple cookie recipe makes a batch that's just like the ones you used to make with Grandma growing up.
Cracker Toffee
Saltine crackers are layered with toffee and walnuts for a sweet and salty holiday treat.
Acadian Syrup Cake with Roasted Pears and Caramel Sauce
This classic dessert is a spice cake that gets its sweet flavor from cane syrup.
Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle
A trifle makes the ultimate show-stopping holiday centerpiece. Fresh or frozen cranberries lend a traditional Christmas flair, while sprigs of fresh rosemary make for a festive garnish.
Belgian Spice Cookies
These cookies, also known as Speculoos, will be a favorite of guests young and old. Switch up the powdered sugar design to suit your holiday mood.
Molded Cranberry Salad
'Tis true: Once there was a time when Southerners favored their gelatinous cranberry in a mold rather than a can. This delicacy is retro, fruity, and oh-so jiggly.
Rum Babas with Fresh Blackberries
It's not Christmas in the South without something that's been soaked in rum: rum balls, rum cake, rum punch. You get the picture. This rum cake gives a jolt of fresh fruit flavor with a touch of booze.
Peppermint Divinity
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
These airy confections have been showing up at Southern cookie swaps for generations. Akin to meringues, these candies are made with a base of whipped egg whites and then baked into perfection.
Spiked Eggnog Bundt Cake
Few desserts are as beautifully old-fashioned as a bundt cake, and this one makes the most of festive eggnog flavors.
Christmas Tree Brownies
So much better than store-bought, these brownies echo the classic desserts of the season with bright Christmas tree decorations atop each triangle.
Cranberry Christmas Cake
Christmas cakes take lots of different forms and flavor combinations, but the most wonderfully nostalgic is, in our opinion, this one, which is filled with cranberry-studded pizzazz.
White Christmas Pavlovas
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Showstopping is one word to describe these age-old treats, which have gotten a deliciously festive spin thanks to this White Christmas-themed recipe.
Christmas Fudge
If she made it once, she made it a million times. A simple fudge recipe like this one puts us in mind of holidays past; one taste, and you'll think it's just like the batches Grandma used to make.
Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread
Shortbread never looked so good or tasted so festive as it does in this holiday-ready recipe.
Chocolate-Gingerbread Wreath Cookies
Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones
Another take on the classic wreath cookie, this recipe packs a punch with chocolate and gingerbread flavors, making it ultra festive.
Coconut-Pecan Truffles
A favorite holiday treat for years and years, these Coconut-Pecan Truffles up the ante with plenty of bright coconut and warm pecan flavors.
Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding
Along with rum and brown sugar, a hefty dose of warming spices make this bread pudding absolutely irresistible come December.
Battenberg Cake
Ever heard of a Battenberg cake? If not, ask your elders. This holiday-ready sweet is just beautiful to slice into.
Spiced Pecan Pie Bars
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
A classic pecan pie gets a snacking-friendly update with these Spiced Pecan Pie Bars, which incorporate everything you love about the pie without the pie plate.
Mini Chocolate Chess Tarts
If you love chess pie, try these bite-size versions, the recipe for which begins with store-bought pie crusts.
Mrs. Floyd's Divinity
Another recipe for divinity, this one is about as classic as you can get, with a pour of chopped pecans for good measure, and unforgettable texture.
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