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  4. Spiced Christmas Desserts That Taste Just Like Grandma's

Spiced Christmas Desserts That Taste Just Like Grandma's

Southern Living May 2021 Cover
By Southern Living Editors Updated April 05, 2022
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Molasses Crinkles Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

There's nothing quite like Christmastime to bring us back to the smells and sounds of Grandma's kitchen. From the ring of her old-school crank timer (why buy anything digital when you've got the original?) to the aroma of freshly-baked delights wafting from her oven, nothing could keep us out of grandma's kitchen come baking season. With a crack of her cookie jar, you'd find something sweet just begging you to spoil dinner.On chilly December days, our favorite finds were full of holiday flavor–special treats you were only lucky enough to taste before the annual holiday party or after Christmas dinner. Classic spices, like gingerbread, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg, filled these signature recipes with Yuletide spirit. These days, you can bring that same holiday cheer to your kitchen with the right spiced cookie, cake, trifle, or pie. Here we've rounded up our best spiced desserts to bring a taste of Grandma's baking into your kitchen this holiday.

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Butterscotch-Spice Trifle

Butterscotch-Spice Trifle
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Butterscotch-Spice Trifle

Nothing says Christmastime quite like a trifle, and this holiday showstopper layers on the spices.

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Spiced Pecan Pie Bars

Spiced Pecan Pie Bars
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Spiced Pecan Pie Bars

Swap out the Pecan Pie. Ground cinnamon and ginger give these portable bars a spiced twist.

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Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake

Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake

Toffee, almond candy bars, and a spiced cream cheese frosting combine to bring new life to a box of spice cake mix.

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Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans

Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans

This simple pumpkin Bundt is literally dripping with seasonal sweets.

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Old-Fashioned Shoofly Pie

Shoofly Pie
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Shoofly Pie

Molasses mingles with the richness of shortbread in this desperation pie that couldn't be easier to make.

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Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Who says pumpkin spice recipes are only for autumn? This recipe's similarities to a classic snickerdoodle will surprise you, but its pumpkin flavor makes it a standout.

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Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Cinnamon Coffee Cake

A slice of this cinnamon-filled cake is fitting for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, and any time in between.

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Classic Gingerbread

Brown Sugar-and-Ginger Whipped Cream
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Classic Gingerbread

An upgrade from your classic cookies, this old-fashioned gingerbread cake is tender and rich.

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Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People

Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People

Gather the kids before you decorate these spice cookies. Frosting together is half the fun.

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Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies

Whether you're using them to top your holiday white cake or taking them to your next cookie swap, these Gingerbread Cookies give you the option to think beyond the gingerbread man with cookie cutouts like a reindeer or car.

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Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream

Gingerbread Latte Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream

Creamy and slightly boozy, this seasonal spice cake offers a whole new way for Christmas guests to enjoy their eggnog.

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Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake

Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake

Recipe: Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake

Warm up your kitchen with this slow cooker dessert. Serve alongside a post-dinner cup of coffee of generous helping of ice cream, and this sweet combination takes the cake.

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Molasses Crinkles

Molasses Crinkles Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Molasses Crinkles

Loaded with Christmas spices, like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, you couldn't fit more holiday spirit into these cookies if you tried.

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    1 of 13 Butterscotch-Spice Trifle
    2 of 13 Spiced Pecan Pie Bars
    3 of 13 Pumpkin Spice-Heath Cake
    4 of 13 Pumpkin-Spice Bundt with Brown Sugar Icing and Candied Pecans
    5 of 13 Old-Fashioned Shoofly Pie
    6 of 13 Pumpkin Spice Cookies
    7 of 13 Cinnamon Coffee Cake
    8 of 13 Classic Gingerbread
    9 of 13 Spicy Molasses Gingerbread People
    10 of 13 Gingerbread Cookies
    11 of 13 Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream
    12 of 13 Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake
    13 of 13 Molasses Crinkles

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    Spiced Christmas Desserts That Taste Just Like Grandma's
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