31 Best Grandma Desserts That Taste Like Pure Nostalgia
Bake up something your grandma would approve of.
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It's always fun to try the latest dessert trends, but there's something extra special about those old-fashioned recipes that Grandma used to make. Maybe it was the way she baked gingersnap cookies with just the right amount of spice, or how she'd unveil a perfectly set Jell-O mold at your family gathering. Whatever your memory may be, these nostalgic Grandma desserts have a way of taking you right back. And there's no better time than now to revisit the comforting, retro desserts you know and love—whether you're baking for the holidays or whipping something up for a church potluck.
Of course, this list includes a few of Ree Drummond's own childhood treats and recipes passed down from her mom, Gerre, and her mother-in-law, Nan. For instance, there's the chocolate sheet cake she makes for almost every occasion and the apple dumplings that Ree says comes from "my mom's trusty recipe binder from which I have pried more than a handful of delicious recipes over the years." Other Grandma-approved desserts include comforting cobblers, Jell-O recipes, and cakes made from scratch. They're all timeless and they're all made with love!
Gingersnaps
Your house will smell warm and spiced thanks to these simple, scrumptious cookies. They're chewy and crisp, just like the kind you might remember from holidays at Grandma's house.
Get Ree's Gingersnaps recipe.
Apple Dumplings
This recipe is incredibly comforting, but you'd be surprised how easy it is to make! That's all thanks to some supermarket shortcuts like canned crescent roll dough and citrusy soda. It's no wonder Ree calls it "the best dessert of all time."
Get Ree's Apple Dumplings recipe.
Jell-O Mold
No trip to Grandma's would be complete without a ring of jiggly Jell-O. With a layer of creamy coconut and a topping of bright berries, you're sure to get the ultimate old-fashioned experience.
Get the Jell-O Mold recipe.
Perfect Pound Cake
You might remember those 7-Up cakes from the 1970's that are simple, moist, flavorful, and downright perfect. Well, this pound cake is exactly that!
Get Ree's Perfect Pound Cake recipe.
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies are both chewy and tender with just the right amount of icing on top! Pack them up for your next bake sale and they're sure to be a hit.
Get the Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe.
Ambrosia Salad
It might be called a "salad," but don't be fooled! This dessert is made with fluffy marshmallows, crunchy coconut flakes, and plenty of sweet, juicy fruit.
Get the Ambrosia Salad recipe.
Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce
Ree's mom used to make this warm-from-the-oven peach crisp. It's delicious on it's own but even better when topped with the comforting maple cream sauce.
Get Ree's Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
When it comes to making classic chocolate chip cookies, grandma knows best! And since Ree is going to be a grandma herself, you know these cookies are going to be good.
Get Ree's Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Homemade Apple Pie
Made with melt-in-your-mouth apples and a flaky double pie crust, this towering dessert is sure to impress the whole family. It's one dessert you'll want to make again and again.
Get the Homemade Apple Pie recipe.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This sweet treat dates back to the 1960s, but it's just as fun to make today! The layers of salty pretzel crust, cream cheese filling, and strawberry Jell-O topping are a timeless hit.
Get the Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These are the cookies you don't think you want until you have one—and then maybe three more. They're soft, chewy, and just nostalgic enough to bring you back to those after-school kitchen-counter moments. Raisins and all!
Get Ree's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe.
Cherry Delight
This one lived in the Pyrex with the snap-on lid in the back of Grandma's fridge. It's cold, creamy, and unapologetically topped with cherry pie filling from a can. (And somehow, that's the best part!)
Get Ree's Cherry Delight recipe.
Chocolate Pie
Here's one of the Drummond family's favorite desserts, and for good reason! The filling is smooth enough to silence a room. Slice it thin or don't, but don't even think about skipping the whipped cream.
Get Ree's Chocolate Pie recipe.
Sigrid's Carrot Cake
Ree's mom's friend Sigrid knew what she was doing. This cake is shockingly moist, perfectly spiced, and slathered with thick cream cheese frosting. It's the recipe you write on an index card and keep forever.
Strawberry Cobbler
It bubbles. It browns. It smells like something's really happening in the oven. This cobbler is pure joy with a flaky, golden top and jammy strawberries underneath. Serve warm, but don't stress if it’s room temperature. Grandma never did!
Get the Strawberry Cobbler recipe.
Coconut Cream Pie
This pie has a way of disappearing fast. Cool custard, toasted coconut, flaky crust—yum! Grandma probably had three versions of it and all of them were wonderful.
Get the Coconut Cream Pie recipe.
Red Velvet Sheet Cake
The color got everyone's attention, but Grandma baked it for the frosting. It came out of the oven during birthdays, baby showers, and random Tuesdays she felt like baking.
Get Ree's Red Velvet Sheet Cake recipe.
Almond-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
She made these small on purpose so you could have three and still be "just having a taste." There was always flour on the counter and jam on the edge of the plate.
Get Ree's Almond-Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies recipe.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Not every grandma made it, but the ones who did were a little bit glamorous. It came out dense and dramatic, usually for someone's anniversary or a ladies' lunch.
Get Ree's Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe.
Banana Cream Pie
This classic cream pie probably sat in the fridge with a piece missing because someone already got to it with a spoon. Sliced bananas, soft custard, and an all-butter crust you only make if you've done it a hundred times.
Get the Banana Cream Pie recipe.
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