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These 36 Southern Grandma Desserts Are Too Good to Keep Secret

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Nothing beats the sweet, nostalgic magic of southern grandma desserts. We’re talking about the kind of treats that showed up at every church potluck, holiday table, or lazy Sunday afternoon—made with love, butter, and maybe a secret ingredient or two. These are the desserts that taste like hugs and hold decades of family tradition in every bite. Get ready to drool over the best-kept recipes from the heart of the South.

Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake

A slice of hummingbird cake on a serving spoon.
Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.


 

Cream cheese-frosted hummingbird cake is a simple and incredibly moist cake that uses pineapple and bananas for a tropical twist.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake

Southern Recipe For A Buttermilk Pie

A buttermilk pie that has been cut into slices.
Southern Recipe For A Buttermilk Pie. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

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Treat yourself to the creamy delight of Southern Buttermilk Pie. It’s a classic with a touch of cinnamon – pure yumminess!
Get the Recipe: Southern Recipe For A Buttermilk Pie

Peach Cake With Cinnamon Streusel

A cake pan of baked peach coffee cake.
Peach Cake With Cinnamon Streusel. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Peach cake is a scrumptious way to use your fresh peaches and as a bonus, there’s more streusel than cake! Great for brunch or Dessert.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cake With Cinnamon Streusel

Buttermilk Cake With Praline Topping

A square of cake with a bite taken out.
Buttermilk Cake With Praline Topping. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Try this buttermilk cake that is moist and topped with a delicious brown sugar praline topping for a simple and easy recipe.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Cake With Praline Topping

Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Praline Recipe

A rack of cooled praline pecans.
Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Praline Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Pralines are a Southern classic! Homemade caramel cross between a candy. and a cook. A heavenly treat that just takes 10 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Praline Recipe

Peach Cobbler Cake Recipe

A blue baking pan with peach cobbler cake covered with ice cream.
Peach Cobbler Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

No mixer is needed for this simple peach cake. Melted butter in the baking dish creates a fabulous crust.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cobbler Cake Recipe

Southern Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch

A baking dish of banana pudding with a serving spoon.
Southern Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This classic Southern banana pudding recipe is made with layers of crunchy Nila Vanilla wafers, freshly sliced bananas, and from-scratch creamy vanilla pudding.
Get the Recipe: Southern Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch

Roasted Candied Pecans

Roasted pecans in a skillet with the sugar and spices.
Roasted Candied Pecans. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This recipe for candied pecans makes for slightly sweet roasted nuts that are just what you need for your next get together. A quick and easy snack you’ll love.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Candied Pecans

Fresh Peach Pound Cake

A sliced peach pound cake
Fresh Peach Pound Cake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This fresh peach Old Fashioned Southern Pound Cake Recipe is deliciously moist! Topped with a simple peach glaze for the best summer dessert.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

A sliced sweet potato pie topped with whipped cream.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie is a beloved dessert, similar to pumpkin pie but even better. Serve it all year long, not just during the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Simple Apple Cinnamon Cake

Cinnamon apple cake on a platter with a slice being removed.
Simple Apple Cinnamon Cake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This Apple Cinnamon Cake is a one pan spice cake that is so moist and easy to assemble with more apples than batter that everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: Simple Apple Cinnamon Cake

From Scratch Chocolate Mud Cake With Marshmallow Frosting

A piece of cake with a bite taken out.
From Scratch Chocolate Mud Cake With Marshmallow Frosting. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This rich, decadent cake recipe has a moist chocolate cake base topped with gooey marshmallows and a homemade butter frosting.
Get the Recipe: From Scratch Chocolate Mud Cake With Marshmallow Frosting

Augusta National Moist And Buttery Pound Cake Recipe

Close-up of sliced pound cake dusted with powdered sugar, garnished with fresh blueberries and mint leaves on a white plate. A green cloth and a book with an image of a U.S. state map are partially visible in the background.

This easy Augusta National Moist and Buttery Pound Cake Recip has a creamy soft, dense texture perfect for soaking up fresh, juicy strawberries.
Get the Recipe: Augusta National Moist And Buttery Pound Cake Recipe

Pecan Sticky Buns With Sweet Potatoes

A platter of sticky buns next to some cups.
Pecan Sticky Buns With Sweet Potatoes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Sweet potatoes make a soft and tender cinnamon roll that is coated with a caramelized honey pecan glaze for an old fashioned sticky bun.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Sticky Buns With Sweet Potatoes

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever

A round southern cake with creamy white frosting and chopped nuts sprinkled around the edge, with one slice cut and slightly separated from the rest of the cake.
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest.

This Carrot Cake recipe is moist with a tender bite. Covered with thick cream cheese frosting and spiced to perfection, makes it the best!
Get the Recipe: The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever

Sweet Potato Pie Made With Condensed Milk

A classic thanksgiving pie with a golden crust, topped with eight dollops of whipped cream, sits on a black tray. Two slices have been cut and slightly separated from the rest, with two forks placed nearby.
Sweet Potato Pie Made With Condensed Milk. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Sweet Potato Pie with condensed milk, orange zest, and cinnamon makes for a creamy, flavorful dessert. Perfect for holidays or any time of year.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie Made With Condensed Milk

Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust

A black bowl of peach cobbler next to a cup of coffee.
Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This peach cobbler with pie crust is packed with sweet peaches, brown sugar, and warm spices and then baked until mouthwatering perfection.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust

Sweetly Southern Coca-Cola Cake With Marshmallows

A glass baking dish filled with chocolate sheet cake topped with rich chocolate frosting and chopped pecans, with a cake server nearby on a gray surface.
Sweetly Southern Coca-Cola Cake With Marshmallows. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This chocolate Coca-Cola cake is made with the iconic soda, mini marshmallows, and unsweetened cocoa powder for extra rich chocolate flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sweetly Southern Coca-Cola Cake With Marshmallows

Vintage Banana Split Cake With Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

A bundt cake topped with white and caramel glaze, drizzled with chocolate, and sprinkled with chopped pecans, sits on a white plate—the perfect treat for a bit of baking therapy.
Vintage Banana Split Cake With Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

A moist banana split bundt cake with pineapple, maraschino cherries, and pecans, topped with pineapple cream cheese frosting.
Get the Recipe: Vintage Banana Split Cake With Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

Southern Style Chocolate Chip Biscuits Recipe

Chocolate covered biscuits on a plate with a fork.
Southern Style Chocolate Chip Biscuits Recipe. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Fluffy Chocolate Chip Biscuits made with butter and buttermilk then dipped in a chocolate glaze. A perfect treat for breakfast or dessert.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Chocolate Chip Biscuits Recipe

Coconut Custard Pie: A Southern Classic

A coconut cream pie with a flaky golden crust, partially sliced, sits on a black dish. Perfect for thanksgiving pie recipes, it’s served with a small bowl of whipped cream nearby on a dark countertop.
Coconut Custard Pie: A Southern Classic. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Creamy coconut custard pie made with coconut milk, egg yolks, and a golden crust. Baked and topped with toasted coconut for a perfect finish.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Custard Pie: A Southern Classic

Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe From Scratch

Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe From Scratch. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Buttery cream cheese pound cake with vanilla and lemon zest. Soft, dense, and delicious—ideal for sharing or freezing for later.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe From Scratch

Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake

A close-up of a sliced bundt cake with a light glaze. The southern dessert is golden brown with a moist, dense interior. One piece is cut and raised on a cake server, revealing the soft cake texture inside. The background includes a white surface and blurred utensils.
Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Kentucky Butter Cake is a Southern staple thanks to its tender crumb that’s soaked in a sweet butter sauce while still warm.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake

Really, Really Good Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

A spoon full of homemade rice pudding.
Really, Really Good Old Fashioned Rice Pudding. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This comforting and creamy rice pudding is more like a rich vanilla custard that’s topped with next level bourbon-soaked raisins.
Get the Recipe: Really, Really Good Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies (Soft And Chewy)

Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies (Soft And Chewy). Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Whip up these Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with oats, brown sugar, and a sweet glaze—just like the ones you loved as a kid.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies (Soft And Chewy)

Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd

Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Light and fluffy Angel Food Cake made with egg whites, vanilla, and powdered sugar. A simple, airy dessert that’s like a slice of heaven.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd

Hummingbird Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Hummingbird Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Hummingbird Sheet Cake combines ripe bananas, pineapple, and cinnamon with a rich cream cheese frosting and crunchy pecans.
Get the Recipe: Hummingbird Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pecan Praline Cheesecake With Caramel Sauce

Pecan Praline Cheesecake With Caramel Sauce. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This Praline Cheesecake with caramel sauce has everything you crave—a crunchy pecan crust, creamy cheesecake, and rich, homemade caramel.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Praline Cheesecake With Caramel Sauce

Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust

Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This peach cobbler with pie crust is packed with sweet peaches, brown sugar, and warm spices and then baked until mouthwatering perfection.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust

Moist Texas Sheet Cake With Pecans

Moist Texas Sheet Cake With Pecans. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Texas Sheet Cake with cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, and pecans. A simple recipe that’s big on flavor and texture.
Get the Recipe: Moist Texas Sheet Cake With Pecans

An Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe With Homemade Biscuits

A white baking dish filled with freshly baked berry cobbler topped with six golden brown biscuits. The dish is placed on a cooling rack. Two spoons and stacked bowls, one pink and one green, sit in the background on a light-colored surface with a gray cloth—reminiscent of vintage recipes.
An Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe With Homemade Biscuits. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This Blackberry cobbler has a syrupy blackberry filling topped with golden brown créme fraiche biscuits made from scratch.
Get the Recipe: An Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe With Homemade Biscuits

Moist Butter Pecan Pound Cake With Glaze

Moist Butter Pecan Pound Cake With Glaze. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This buttery Butter Pecan Pound Cake with brown butter frosting and pecans is a rich, comforting dessert perfect for any occasion.
Get the Recipe: Moist Butter Pecan Pound Cake With Glaze

Light And Fluffy Southern Caramel Cake Recipe

Light And Fluffy Southern Caramel Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Soft butter cake with ground pecans, topped with creamy caramel cream cheese frosting. A Southern classic that’s rich, moist, and perfect for sharing.
Get the Recipe: Light And Fluffy Southern Caramel Cake Recipe

Juicy Peach Cobbler Cake Made From Scratch

Juicy Peach Cobbler Cake Made From Scratch. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This Peach Cobbler Cake has all the fresh peach flavor and juicy peaches you love from cobbler, but with a tender cake top.
Get the Recipe: Juicy Peach Cobbler Cake Made From Scratch

Bakery-Style Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Bakery-Style Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This super moist and tender lemon poppy seed cake has a buttery, pound cake-like texture with a sweet lemon glaze popping with citrus flavor.
Get the Recipe: Bakery-Style Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding With Meringue

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding With Meringue. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This warm banana pudding is a deliciously creamy dessert made with fresh bananas and a rich custard.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding With Meringue

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