Food and Recipes Recipes Our Most Popular Recipes of 2021 By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna is a Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and assigns content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on December 3, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman From sides to mains to desserts and even our most popular cocktail of all time, if you're looking for a new recipe to try, this list of our top recipes of 2021 is a great place to start. It's no surprise that there are plenty of classic recipes on this list, accompanied by a few new favorites. However, one thing that most of these recipes have in common is that they're fairly easy to pull together but still deliver plenty of crowd-pleasing flavor. Out of the thousands of recipes on SouthernLiving.com, these were the ones that were searched for, clicked on, and cooked the most by our readers in 2021. 01 of 20 Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob This recipe is here to prove that corn can be just as delicious when cooked in the oven instead of on the grill. 02 of 20 Texas Ranch Water Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Texas Ranch Water After we debuted the Ranch Water recipe on our site this year, it quickly became everyone's favorite summer drink and our most popular cocktail recipe of all time. 03 of 20 Old-School Squash Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole The best way to enjoy squash is in casserole form with plenty of cheese. 04 of 20 Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole This recipe has all of the components of an ideal weeknight dinner. It starts with a pound of ground beef, comes together quickly, and can also be made ahead. 05 of 20 Hummingbird Cake Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Hummingbird Cake Since it was submitted to Southern Living in 1978, the Hummingbird Cake has continued to gain popularity and was our most popular dessert recipe in 2021. 06 of 20 Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs Our Test Kitchen turns to smoked paprika to give these ribs a slow-cooked flavor, no smoke required. 07 of 20 Fresh Peach Cobbler Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Fresh Peach Cobbler This summer classic comes together in just four steps with 9 ingredients. 08 of 20 Southern-Style Collard Greens Photo: Jim Franco Recipe: Southern-Style Collard Greens Low and slow is the best way to achieve flavorful collard greens. 09 of 20 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Food Styling: Angella Sellers and Vanessa McNiel Rocchio; Prop Styling: Melanie J. Clarke and Sissy Lamerton Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Making mac and cheese from scratch doesn't require much more hands-on time than boxed varieties. 10 of 20 Southern Buttermilk Pie Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Southern Buttermilk Pie No matter the occasion, this old-fashioned dessert still deserves a spot on the menu. Plus, it couldn't be easier to pull together. 11 of 20 King Ranch Chicken Casserole William Dickey Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Casserole To make this casserole even easier, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken from the deli. 12 of 20 Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies Southern Living Recipes: Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies Put on the map by former First Lady Laura Bush, this recipe yields 24 Texas-sized cookies with plenty of mix-ins. 13 of 20 Pineapple Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Pineapple Casserole For many Southerners, it's not a holiday meal if Pineapple Casserole doesn't make an appearance. 14 of 20 Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge Southern Living Recipe: Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge A short list of baking staples come together to make this quicker take on regular fudge. It's great to keep on hand for unexpected company or to package up for a sweet gift. 15 of 20 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya It's possible to serve up plenty of Creole flavor, even on busy weeknights, with this 25-minute Jambalaya recipe. 16 of 20 Buttermilk Biscuits Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits Allow us to help you master the art of making homemade biscuits, just make sure to follow the directions. When we say stir 15 times, we mean exactly 15. 17 of 20 Million Dollar Pound Cake Recipe: Million Dollar Pound Cake Reviewers agree that this pound cake is the best of all time. 18 of 20 Baked Beans Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Baked Beans We give canned beans a much-needed upgrade in this potluck-ready dish that's easy to make and transport to any backyard cookout. 19 of 20 Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Jennifer Causey Recipe: Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole You'll love that this breakfast casserole comes together in just 15 minutes, and your family will love the opportunity to eat tater tots for breakfast. 20 of 20 Creamed Chipped Beef & Toast Southern Living Recipe: Creamed Chipped Beef & Toast Just like Grandma used to make, it's clear that Southerners are still fond of this 5-ingredient dish. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit