17 Retro Holiday Desserts Straight From Grandma's Recipe Box

These Grandma approved treats will bring a touch of comfort to your family and friends.

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Updated December 18, 2025
Theodora Kaloudis
Stack of chocolatecoated cookies on a red plate sprinkled with a topping

Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

If you’re looking for the perfect holiday dessert, the key may just lie in the past. Drawing inspiration from Grandma’s cherished recipe box, we’ve gathered a delightful collection of retro holiday desserts that promise nostalgia in every bite. Tried and true desserts like salty-sweet Ritz Torte, old-school Grasshopper Pie, or a jiggly ​​Blueberry Jell-O Mold, are made with simple ingredients and easy techniques. They are sure to impress at your next holiday gathering.

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  • Retro Mud Hen Bars

    Stack of dessert bars with a meringue top and chocolate chips on a tabletop near a glass of milk

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    “Using a transparent vessel allows you to monitor how the cookie base is baking. If the cookie base looks gooey, it might be underdone. The base should look soft but not gooey when the bars are finished baking.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • 7UP Cake

    7UP bundt cake on a plate at a table setting with a glass of soda and a plate with a serving

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    “Another retro winner! Pound cakes are one of my favorites and this one does not disappoint. The thick crust with the tender, moist fluffy cake inside. The 7UP really provides a nice sweet, lemon lime flavor. The glaze is a nice hit of sweetness to balance out the not-too-sweet cake.” —Anna T, Reader

  • Salted Nut Roll Bars

    Salted nut roll bars cut into squares arranged on a surface

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Alex Huang / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    “This recipe moves quickly so have all of your ingredients measured out before you begin. Doing this will help you assemble the bars while the marshmallows are still warm in step five.” —Amanda Luchtel, Recipe Developer

  • Lila's Blueberry Jell-O Mold

    A blueberry gelatin mold dessert served on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    “The only challenging part of this recipe (or any Jell-O mold recipe, really) is getting it to slide gracefully out of its mold and onto a serving dish. There’s definitely an art to it. I like to go slowly, dunking the mold repeatedly into warm water, a few seconds each time, until it easily releases. Resist the urge to shake your dessert out of its pan, as it’s more likely to break that way. It’ll come out in its own time.” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 17 below

  • Martha Washington Candy

    close up of Martha Washington Candy, one cut open, on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    “Like many of the recipes my grandmother made in my childhood, her candy uses simple ingredients but is packed with flavor and elegant in design. A creamy, buttery mixture of coconut and crunchy pecans is rolled into balls and coated in chocolate. Even though I make them with a few modern adjustments, the nostalgic flavor remains the same.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Mud Pie Trifle

    Three layered chocolate parfaits topped with whipped cream and crumbled toppings placed in glass containers on a white surface

    Simply Recipes / Laura Scherb

    “I like to make this recipe in stemless wine glasses so everyone gets their own little slice of retro-dessert heaven. I use this technique especially when I’m hosting larger parties because I can make the individual servings as large or as small as I like. It’s the perfect way to spread some delicious holiday cheer.” —Laura Scherb, Recipe Developer

  • Ritz Torte

    Slice of ritz torte lifted from a baking pan

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    “Toasted nuts have substantially more flavor and crunch than raw nuts, and I believe no recipe should skip this step. I figured I'd add the Ritz cracker crumbs to the nuts in the oven while I was at it, giving the dessert even more toasty flavor.” —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake

    Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake on a plate, one slice removed, another slice cut

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    “This recipe uses boxed cake mix as a shortcut to produce the easiest-ever pineapple upside down cake. You can prep it in 15 minutes flat while the oven preheats—a total win!” —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

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  • Sour Cream Cake

    Two slices of layered cake on a plate with a fork featuring a creamy glaze or filling for Reese Witherspoon's Sour Cream Cake

    Simply Recipes / Laura Scherb

    “This cake won me over from the first bite. My grandma used to make what she called “butter cake,” a simple white cake recipe with a golden, buttery syrup poured over top. The taste was like nothing I’d had before until I tried this recipe, which elevates the butter syrup to a praline-flavored frosting.” —Laura Scherb, Recipe Developer

  • Million Dollar Pie

    Million Dollar Pie, Forks on the Counter, and a Stack of Plates

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    “In my research, I found that cream cheese is a controversial ingredient. I decided to include it because a little bit of cream cheese is my preferred way of stabilizing homemade whipped cream. It works better as a replacement for store-bought frozen whipped topping, and I also like that the tanginess balances the sweet filling.” —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Biscoff Icebox Cake

    A biscoff ice cream cake served on a red plate, partially sliced with a knife visible

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    “I especially love the combination of the toasty Biscoff biscuits with dark chocolate ice cream, but any variety of ice cream you enjoy will work. Caramel, toffee, and coffee are just a few options that come to mind when I think of the buttery, caramelized notes found in a Biscoff cookie.” —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers

    Stack of chocolatecoated cookies on a red plate sprinkled with a topping

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    “My go-to brand of traditional creamy peanut butter is Jif—it has the perfect balance of sweet and salty with a creamy texture that spreads easily on Ritz Crackers without causing them to break.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

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  • Party Pie

    Granny’s Party Pie slices on dessert plates with forks and beverage glasses

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “No matter which kind of chocolate you use, it’s a pretty decadent pie. Rich, thick, and chocolatey, this s’mores-inspired dessert is sure to make any gathering into a party.” —Jeanette Hurt, Recipe Developer

  • Mint Brownies

    overhead view of Mint Brownies squares

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

    “Brownies from boxed mix work so well here because they maintain a pleasant texture that doesn’t become dry or hard when chilled in the refrigerator. Fudgy-style brownie mix provides a little bit of density to contrast the lighter texture of the cream, but if cakey brownies are more your taste, feel free to swap it!” —Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

  • Lime Icebox Pie

    A slice of lime cracker pie in a dish

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “This recipe couldn’t be any easier (no mixer, oven, or special equipment required!), and it's also ideal for making ahead. The icebox cake needs to chill for at least two hours. It also freezes well, double the recipe, and stash the second in the freezer.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Broken Glass Jell-O

    Squares of a dessert with colorful jelly pieces embedded in a creamy white base, arranged on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    “Plan ahead, as this recipe needs two periods of chilling time. You can split it up over a few days if you like, making the colored gelatin on the first day, the creamy gelatin and assembly on the second day, and serving the dessert the next day.” —Elizabeth Ann Quirino, Recipe Developer

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  • Grasshopper Pie

    Overhead view of grasshopper pie cut into slices with one on a plate.

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    “Make this pie at least three hours ahead of when you plan to serve it. It needs this time in the freezer to completely set and firm up. You can also keep it frozen for a few days, but cover the frozen pie loosely with aluminum foil to protect it.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

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