Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Recipes Christmas Desserts 25 Christmas Treats You'd Only Find On Grandma's Dessert Table By Mack Swenson Mack Swenson Mack Swenson is the Southern Living apprentice for the 2023-2024 school year. She is a house plant enthusiast and budding lifestyle writer. Her passion for content creation began in early high school, and she has since been published in collegiate publications and Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation magazine. She is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Southern Living team. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on November 22, 2023 Close Photo: Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Nothing hits the spot during the holiday season like one of Grandma's tried-and-true Christmas dessert recipes. After all, there’s a reason these goodies have stood the test of time. Some of these treats date as far back as the 1700s, while others were developed during the penny-pinching of the Great Depression or the liveliness of the 1950s. Regardless of the era you or your grandparents grew up in, these recipes will remind you of the long history of festivities this time of year. Bring Grandma’s timeless wisdom to your holiday table with this assortment of cookies, candies, and Christmas spirit. 01 of 25 Mrs. Floyd's Divinity Southern Living This classic candy's name isn't a coincidence. Pecans add an extra crunch and touch of festivity to this divine treat. Get The Recipe 02 of 25 Classic Peanut Brittle Charles Walton Peanut brittle is basically a requirement during the holiday season, though we wouldn't blame you if you made this recipe year-round. Get The Recipe 03 of 25 Strawberry-Pretzel Jello Salad Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Simple to make and hard to get wrong, strawberry-jello salad is sure to please all ages of holiday guests. Consider your nostalgia appeased. Get The Recipe 04 of 25 Hello Dolly Bars Courtney West No matter what you call this dessert, the combination of graham cracker, pecan, chocolate, and coconut flavors will tantalize your tastebuds. Get The Recipe 05 of 25 Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley This recipe — once called Million Dollar Fudge —hails from an era when politicians' wives were often asked to share recipes, and we're sure glad Mrs. Eisenhower did. Get The Recipe 06 of 25 Bourbon Balls Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Small bite, big flavor — this old-fashioned holiday treat brings centuries of baking wisdom to your tastebuds. Get The Recipe 07 of 25 Cranberry Fluff Salad Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Smooth, creamy fluff topped with crunchy pecans — that's how you finish off Christmas dinner the right way. Get The Recipe 08 of 25 Potato Candy Emily Laurae Originating in the South during the Great Depression, this treat is designed to make the most of inexpensive ingredients. Get The Recipe 09 of 25 Saltine Cracker Toffee Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Cracker Toffee (or Cracker Candy, Pine Bark, Toffee Bark, Faux Toffee, Saltine Sweeties, Fooler Toffee, Christmas Crack, or whatever you call it!) features layered saltines with toffee, chocolate, and toasty pecans Get The Recipe 10 of 25 Tea Cakes Southern Living This simple, no-fuss cookie has been a staple in centuries' worth of cooking books — and for good reason. Get The Recipe 11 of 25 Lemon Thumbprint Cookies Southern Living Raspberry jam pairs beautifully with lemony cookies in these festive treats. They're also super simple and fun to decorate. Get The Recipe 12 of 25 Coconut Balls Micah A. Leal Similar to traditional Martha Washingtons, these coconut balls are an easy, homemade upgrade to your favorite coconut-almond candy. Get The Recipe 13 of 25 Cherry Winks Joy Howard These tender, fruit cake-like cookies have stood the test of time. Maraschino cherries add a pop of color and balance the cookies' sweetness. Get The Recipe 14 of 25 Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Nothing says Christmas like a freshly-baked pan of gingerbread — the actual bread, not the cookies or decorating kits. Get The Recipe 15 of 25 Cheesecake Cookies Caitlin Bensel Mix up your Christmas flavor palette with these adorable cheesecake confections. But be careful — they tend to disappear if left unsupervised. Get The Recipe 16 of 25 Easy Peanut Butter Cookies Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living With just four ingredients and a total time of 35 minutes, these peanut butter cookies are the easiest and sweet treat we can think of. Get The Recipe 17 of 25 Toasted Oatmeal Cookies Hector Manuel Sanchez Hailing from the November 1992 issue of Southern Living, these cookies utilize a brilliant technique that enhances flavor without extra effort. Get The Recipe 18 of 25 Transparent Pie with Whipped Crème Fraîche and Sugared Cranberries Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox The original transparent pie is a delicious Kentucky classic, but we added some embellishments for extra festivity. Get The Recipe 19 of 25 Millionaire Candy Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford This classic boxed candy is available in grocery stores across the South, but you'll want to invest in this easy homemade version. Get The Recipe 20 of 25 Slice-and-Bake Sugar Cookie Bites Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Ah, the classic sugar cookies — infinitely customizable and perfect for gifting or enjoying at home. Allow these melt-in-your-mouth goodies to brighten your holiday season. Get The Recipe 21 of 25 Santa's Kitchen-Sink Cookies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis While we love just the pretzel pieces, chocolate chips, and marshmallows included in this kitchen sink cookie recipe, you can add all the sweet or salty mix-ins you desire. Get The Recipe 22 of 25 Old-Fashioned Pecan Logs Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner These vintage confections were popularized by Southern-favorite convenience store Stuckey's, but making your own is simple thanks to melted caramel candies. Get The Recipe 23 of 25 Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines Emily Laurae/Southern Living Pecan pralines represent Southern ingenuity paired with old-world European tradition. Simultaneously crunchy, creamy, and sweet, this recipe is one for the history books. Get The Recipe 24 of 25 Christmas Fudge Micah A Leal This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk and butter to transform semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate into a sweetened and milky ganache, leaving you with the perfect fudge texture. Get The Recipe 25 of 25 Chocolate-Pecan Tassies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This twist on a traditional Southern cookie takes only 35 minutes and yields 20 mini pies, making it an excellent option for feeding large families or for gifting. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit