Many of our dearest memories are tied to time-honored traditions that we share with our family during the Christmas season. It’s all about spending time together, whether you’re singing carols with your neighbors, 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 perhaps more than anything else, 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.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Ever so subtly reminiscent of German Chocolate Cake and red velvet cake as we know it today, Mahogany Cake is instead paired with Ermine frosting, as would have been traditional in the hey-day of Mahogany Cake’s popularity.
Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly
Gooey, buttery, and supremely sweet, chess pie has been a staple of the Southern dessert table for a couple hundred years. Classic chess pie calls for butter, sugar, and eggs, but bakers differ when it comes to the thickening agent: Some prefer flour, while others prefer cornmeal, but ours uses both.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Buttermilk cake is a sweet and tangy treat that proves buttermilk is a Southerner’s best kept baking secret.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Sally McKay; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser
Fresh chopped Granny Smith Apples and applesauce make for an especially moist and tender cake base, and apple brandy (yes, brandy!) takes the flavor to the next level, and the result is packed with flavor and warmth from classic fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Inspired by old-fashioned Southern chocolate gravy and biscuits, this dessert version is even more delicious and easy to make for the holidays. Chocolate gravy pie is made with a creamy, rich chocolate custard baked in a flaky, buttery pie crust.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Saltine cracker toffee is a favorite holiday sweet for many Southerners, featuring layered saltines with a toffee mixture, melted chocolate, and toasty pecans.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Along with rum and brown sugar, a hefty dose of warming spices make this bread pudding absolutely irresistible come December.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Trust us, the homemade version is so much better than the boxed stuff—and not difficult to make. Enjoy it alone, or turn it into a layered trifle with whipped cream and toppings.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Modjeskas are caramel-covered marshmallows. They’re sometimes dipped, sometimes rolled, but always buttery and delicious. In each bite, you’ll get luscious, airy marshmallow that is framed with a sweet and soft caramel.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Shortbread never looked so good or tasted so festive as it does in this holiday-ready recipe.
Molly Bolton
Nothing says “welcome to the neighborhood” quite like freshly baked, homemade cake. “New Neighbor Cake” is based on a traditional buttermilk farmhouse cake. A combination of ingredients like buttermilk, sour cream, and brown sugar make this cake incredibly moist and flavorful.
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton
When you’re in need of a delicious cake that is easy to make, look no further than this chocolate mayonnaise cake—a favorite retro recipe in the South. The deeply flavored chocolate cake layers, enhanced with coffee, are perfectly paired with a smooth and decadent chocolate frosting.
Photographer: James Ransom; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
If you love chess pie, try these bite-size versions, the recipe for which begins with store-bought pie crusts.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This simple cookie recipe makes a batch that’s just like the ones you used to make with Grandma growing up.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
These easy and tasty cookies add holiday spirit to the dessert table.
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke
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.
Hannah Zimmerman
Thinly sliced apples create rich, moist layers of fruit within this cake.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
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.
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
Thanks to a super creamy finishing touch (buttermilk really is something!), these classic Southern candies stand out from your basic recipe.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Emily Laurae/Southern Living
One of the most nostalgic of Southern confections, potato candy is a real-deal vintage recipe worth making at least once.
Alison Miksch
Ambrosia makes for a delicious take on the classic Christmas dessert.
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.
Hector Manuel Sanchez
“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.
Hector Manuel Sanchez
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!
Jennifer Causey
We pulled this colorful, gelatinous recipe from our November 1982 issue. The more maraschino cherries, the better, right?
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
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.
Antonis Achilleos
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.
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.
Alison Miksch
This Christmas pie is spiced, boozy, and filled with robust ingredients like green tomatoes, apples, pecans, and cranberries.
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.”
Emily Laurae
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.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
These well-loved cookies are like a delicious cross between miniature pecan pies and shortbread cookies.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Originating in Germany and Scandinavia in the 16th century, Spritz cookies are crumbly, simple, and iconic in homemade Christmas cookie boxes down South.
Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle
Iain Bagwell
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.
Molded Cranberry Salad
Hector M Sanchez
‘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.
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist Audrey Davis
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.
PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
Few desserts are as beautifully old-fashioned as a bundt cake, and this one makes the most of festive eggnog flavors.
Photographer: Frederick Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
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.
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.
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.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Ever heard of a Battenberg cake? If not, ask your elders. This holiday-ready sweet is just beautiful to slice into.
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.
Southern Living
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.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
This snowy white version has vanilla from top to bottom—vanilla sponge cake, vanilla buttercream, vanilla custard—even vanilla bean meringue mushrooms. It a delicious work of art that will steal the show at your holiday parties and dinners.