Southern Living
Holidays & Occasions
Christmas
Christmas Recipes
27 Recipes That'll Bring Back Memories of Christmas at Grandma's

27 Recipes That'll Bring Back Memories of Christmas at Grandma's

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

November 12, 2020

Credit: Robbie Caponetto; Prop Styling: Mary Beth Wetzel; Food Styling: Pam Lolley

No one masters the holiday season was as much tradition, flair, and downright deliciousness as a Southern grandmother. It’s simply not up for debate. Who do you call when you’re trying to make cocktail meatballs for a Christmas party? Who knows just how much booze goes into the eggnog? And finally, whose kitchen are you raiding when in need of a sweet tooth fix of homemade sprinkle cookies? Exactly.

We don’t deserve our Southern grandmothers, but we sure would like to appreciate them extra during the holidays with an ode to all the nostalgic recipes they’ve made for decades. From holiday appetizers like cheese straws and ham delights to classic Christmas treats like ambrosia and fudge, these are the best-ever retro Christmas recipes that will remind you of holidays spent at Grandma’s.

Start Slideshow

1 of 27

Classic Eggnog

Credit: Van Chaplin; Styling: Sissy Lamerton

Recipe: Classic Eggnog

Many a Southerner's first time tasting this interesting Christmas concoction occurs nowhere else but at grandma's after supper.

2 of 27

Mamau’s Cheese Straws

Credit: Robbie Caponetto; Prop Styling: Mary Beth Wetzel; Food Styling: Pam Lolley

Recipe: Mamau’s Cheese Straws

A batch of any Southern grandmother's cheese straws don't last long, so grab a handful while you can and enjoy the crispy, cheesy kick.

3 of 27

Slice-and-Bake Sugar Cookie Bites

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Slice-and-Bake Sugar Cookie Bites

She's sure to have a roll of slice-and-bakes ready to go in the freezer, should the need for a Christmas cookie strike.

4 of 27

Cranberry Sauce Meatballs

Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Cranberry Sauce Meatballs

Cocktail meatballs might be the unofficial holiday appetizer sponsor of the last 50 years, and we'll be darned if they don't deserve it. This recipe nixes the usual grape jelly and chili sauce and uses jellied cranberry sauce and hot jalapeño pepper jelly instead.

5 of 27

Smoked-Fish Dip

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Smoked-Fish Dip

The kids would always stick out their tongues at this classic Christmas dip, but it remains a crowd-pleaser nonetheless.

6 of 27

Bisquick Sausage Balls

Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel Food Styling: Ali Ramee Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Recipe: Spicy Bisquick Sausage Balls

Whether your grandmother went traditional or fell into Cajun ways with tons of spice, sausage balls are a staple in any home during the holidays.

7 of 27

Christmas Fudge

Credit: Micah A Leal

Recipe: Christmas Fudge

Mark our words: This recipe is the most perfect rendition of classic Christmas fudge in existence. Box them up and give to family and friends.

8 of 27

Ham Delights

Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Ham Delights

This 13x9 recipe is a quintessential holiday appetizer if we've ever seen one, and the mini baked sandwiches almost always feature the same flavor combo of butter, poppyseeds, Dijon mustard, and Hawaiian rolls. Oh, and more butter.

9 of 27

Brown Butter Cornbread

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Brown Butter Cornbread

The real ones know that browning the butter is the secret to mastering the most old-fashioned Southern cornbread—and she'd never forget to use the cast-iron skillet.

10 of 27

Triple B Milk Punch

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Triple B Milk Punch

A cousin of holiday favorite, eggnog, milk punch goes back even further in history. The "Triple B" name comes from three ingredients used to make this super creamy cocktail: bourbon, brandy, and buttermilk.

11 of 27

Old-School Green Bean Casserole

Credit: VICTOR PROTASIO; PROP STYLING: GINNY BRANCH STELLING; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL

Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole

You can't escape the holiday season without a few casserole dishes of this all-time classic—and we're not mad about it. Call us hostages.

12 of 27

Glazed Ham with Pineapple Chutney

Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Glazed Ham with Pineapple Chutney

Nana did always know how to glaze a ham properly—especially using pineapple, which complements the saltiness in the most scrumptious way.

13 of 27

Santa's Kitchen-Sink Cookies

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Santa's Kitchen-Sink Cookies

Always a favorite around the holidays, these anything-goes cookies explode with festive flavors courtesy ingredients like Christmas M&Ms, pretzels, and marshmallows.

14 of 27

Baked Oysters with Bacon, Greens, and Parmesan

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Baked Oysters with Bacon, Greens, and Parmesan

Raise your hand if appetizer time before the family Christmas dinner consisted of your grandmother having all the men outside shucking oysters? Because, same.

15 of 27

Potato Latkes

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell

Recipe: Potato Latkes

Some Southern households serve this Hanukkah staple like it's going out of business—and one taste will tell you why. Fried potatoes? You can never go wrong.

16 of 27

Our Best Ambrosia Ever

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Our Best Ambrosia Ever

This vintage citrus salad will never leave the recipe box, and we're grateful for riffs like this that make it even more delicious with creamy yogurt, juicy fruit, and crunchy coconut chips.

17 of 27

Croissant Pinwheels

Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

She probably wasn't on the buffalo chicken train back in the day, but might as well be now. Pinwheels seem to be a skill that grandmothers know inherently, especially when filled with a cream cheese-sausage mixture.

18 of 27

All In One Spaghetti

Credit: Photo: William Dickey

Recipe: All In One Spaghetti

Big Southern families meant many mouths to feed on any given Sunday during the holiday season. The solution? A big pot of spaghetti that requires no messy pans and has all the comforting homemade flavor.

19 of 27

Spiced Cranberry Mold

Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Spiced Cranberry Mold

You'll recognize the familiar jiggle of this gelatinous superstar. Wonderfully spiced and dressed up in its holiday red, this cranberry jello salad has headed up countless Christmas tables.

20 of 27

Vanessa's Make-Ahead Beefy Lasagna

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Recipe: Vanessa's Make-Ahead Beefy Lasagna

Having a big casserole dish of lasagna in the freezer is a major holiday power move that sneaky grandmothers have been pulling for decades.

21 of 27

Easy Black-Eyed Peas

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Easy Black-Eyed Peas

Why wait until New Year's to serve up this Southern side dish classic? Exactly. This essential recipe is reminiscent of many old-school ones.

22 of 27

Angel Biscuits

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Angel Biscuits

Like a flaky cross between a buttermilk biscuit and a Parker House roll, angel biscuits are a favorite amongst cooks during the holidays because you can make them up to a week ahead and store in the fridge until ready to bake.

23 of 27

Old-Fashioned Pecan Logs

Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Pecan Logs

Any trip to Stuckey's meant snagging one of these indulgently sweet nougat treats—and the best grandmas knew how to whip up a batch, too.

24 of 27

Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Recipe: Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin

One of the most beloved holiday traditions was to break out your fanciest main course on Christmas Eve, which brings us to this perfected basic: beef tenderloin with a crusty herb coating.

25 of 27

Best Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Best Cornbread Dressing

Don't dare tell your mother or grandmother that cornbread dressing is only for Thanksgiving. Their tender hearts can't take it.

26 of 27

Cassandra’s “Light” Fruitcake

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Recipe: Cassandra’s “Light” Fruitcake

A throwback to end all throwbacks, fruitcake cannot be topped as one of the most divisive Christmas dishes ever. Ask your grandmother what her secret ingredient is and odds are she'll say: more booze.

27 of 27

Mushroom Gravy

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Mushroom Gravy

This is an occasion-worthy gravy that tastes amazing paired with everything from your fancy Christmas dinner main to a night of tree decorating with pork chops.

Replay gallery

Up Next

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

Account

More

27 Recipes That'll Bring Back Memories of Christmas at Grandma's

1 of 27

Classic Eggnog

1 of 27

2 of 27

Mamau’s Cheese Straws

2 of 27

3 of 27

Slice-and-Bake Sugar Cookie Bites

3 of 27

4 of 27

Cranberry Sauce Meatballs

4 of 27

5 of 27

Smoked-Fish Dip

5 of 27

6 of 27

Bisquick Sausage Balls

6 of 27

7 of 27

Christmas Fudge

7 of 27

8 of 27

Ham Delights

8 of 27

9 of 27

Brown Butter Cornbread

9 of 27

10 of 27

Triple B Milk Punch

10 of 27

11 of 27

Old-School Green Bean Casserole

11 of 27

12 of 27

Glazed Ham with Pineapple Chutney

12 of 27

13 of 27

Santa's Kitchen-Sink Cookies

13 of 27

14 of 27

Baked Oysters with Bacon, Greens, and Parmesan

14 of 27

15 of 27

Potato Latkes

15 of 27

16 of 27

Our Best Ambrosia Ever

16 of 27

17 of 27

Croissant Pinwheels

17 of 27

18 of 27

All In One Spaghetti

18 of 27

19 of 27

Spiced Cranberry Mold

19 of 27

20 of 27

Vanessa's Make-Ahead Beefy Lasagna

20 of 27

21 of 27

Easy Black-Eyed Peas

21 of 27

22 of 27

Angel Biscuits

22 of 27

23 of 27

Old-Fashioned Pecan Logs

23 of 27

24 of 27

Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin

24 of 27

25 of 27

Best Cornbread Dressing

25 of 27

26 of 27

Cassandra’s “Light” Fruitcake