26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (2024)

What’s old is new again! While experimenting in the kitchen is fun, there is something about old-school, tried and true recipes that have our heart. Old-fashioned recipes have the ability to transport our taste buds to simpler times. From pound cake to banana pudding, biscuits to clam chowder, they’re made with simple ingredients and always a family favorite. Travel back in time and try one of these 26 treasured old-school recipes.

SHERRY WILKINS

CABOT, AR

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (2)

Sherry’s Old-Fashioned Homemade Banana Pudding

“If you don’t care for the taste of boxed banana pudding then this recipe is for you. It is the way my mother always made it. I love to eat it while it is still warm.” – Sherry

LINDA GRIFFITH

AUGUSTA, GA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (4)

“This recipe was handed down from my husband’s family. It’s a family favorite and you can see from the directions that it is kind of hard to put into a recipe.” – Linda

ELAINE BOVENDER

WILMINGTON, NC

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (6)

My Granny’s Old-Fashioned Biscuits

“When I was young and learning how to cook, this was another one of those things that I could never seem to get right. On a visit with my Tennessee grandmother, I was talking to her about my problem with biscuits. She walked me step by step through the art of biscuit making. The result is these wonderful, tasty biscuits that come out great as long as I follow these specific guidelines that Granny told me.” – Elaine

AMY WALLACE

FOREST, VA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (8)

Old Virginia Apple Cobbler

“Taken from my late Aunt Dorothy’s personal cookbooks. She was 92 at her parting and these recipes have entertained her Bridge Club and church folks for decades!” – Amy

MEGAN WOOD

TAMPA, FL

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (10)

True Old-Fashioned Swedish Meatballs

“This is my Nanny’s handed-down family recipe. Her father was from Sweden. This recipe has been in my family for years.” – Megan

DIANE ATHERTON

PINE MOUNTAIN, GA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (12)

Old-Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes

“This is the way my mother served sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving and Christmas before she discovered the well known Sweet Potato Souffle recipe. As much as I love the souffle recipe, I still love these potatoes in this wonderful syrup. Hope you enjoy!” – Diane

Old-Fashioned Molasses Cake

“This was a personal favorite of my dads! He loved this cake.” – Vanessa

CINDY SMITH BRYSON

THE BEAUTIFUL GULF COAST OF, FL

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (16)

Old-Fashioned Soft and Buttery Yeast Rolls

“These rolls are relatively easy to make with no bread machine required. They never fail to make huge, tall, soft, fluffy and buttery rolls.” – Cindy

JENNIFER J

SEATTLE, WA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (18)

Old School Butter Pound Cake

“I am not really a dessert type of girl, BUT there are two cakes that I can eat all day. Yes, butter pound cake is one of them. This recipe will deliver a rich and moist cake. I am sure your taste buds will thank you. I am sure you will leave your approval stamp on this recipe!” – Jennifer

PATRICIA HANSON

THE VILLAGES, FL

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (20)

Heirloom Minestrone Soup

“This is a wonderful soup recipe. I have been making this for 40 years and my family loves it. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and piping hot crusty bread.” – Patricia

JANETTE SUBER

SALE CITY, GA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (22)

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Bread

“This is by far the best pumpkin bread recipe I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. It was passed to me by my aunt who said it was her great-grandmother’s recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.” – Janette

NATHANIEL LUTZ

GEORGETOWN, TX

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Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

“Very good buttermilk biscuits!” – Nathaniel

JOLAYNE COOPER

AMERICUS, GA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (26)

Oatmeal Cake

“This is one of my favorite cakes from when I was little. In fact, I always asked for this cake for my birthday because I loved it so much. It is simple but delicious. I have tried other oatmeal cakes, but none measure up to my mom’s.” – Jolayne

MARY KAY NUGENT

HAMILTON, OH

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (28)

Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

“Creamy, delicious, simple, and easy… what more could you want. If you are looking for a coconut pie recipe from scratch that you don’t have to slave over then this one is for you. Betcha can’t eat just one piece!” – Mary Kay

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26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (30)

Old Fashioned Sausage Gravy

“Old Fashioned Sausage Gravy is a Southern staple usually served with a buttermilk biscuit. This creamy gravy can be whipped up in minutes.” – Debbie

CYNTHIA RIVERS MARTINEZ

DOTHAN, AL

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (32)

Dang Good Pie

“This recipe is my Great Aunt Birla’s. She is my momma’s daddy’s sister.” – Cynthia

DIANNE WARD

ABERDEEN, WA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (34)

Milwaukee Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

“I was born in Milwaukee and my mother was of German/Czech heritage so my fondest memories are of things like this.” – Dianne

DAVE T.

CADES COVE, TN

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (36)

Apple Butter Pie

“Very old Appalachian pie recipe from the days then everybody made apple butter and sugar was scarce. It’s very simple to make, not a lot of ingredients because most of the sweetener and spices are already in your apple butter. This is a not too sweet, rich delicious pie that will bring you back to the days of your forefathers.” – Dave

FAMILY FAVORITES

NOT FAR FROM GREEN BAY, WI

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (38)

Virginia’s Molasses Cookies- Recipe 100 Years Old

“My grandmother, Virginia, was a culinary instructor until her passing at over 100 years. This recipe was one of her signatures and remains a family favorite four generations later.” – Family Favorites

MARTHA PRICE

SAN JOSE, CA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (40)

Old Fashioned Potato Loaf

“My grandmother used to make this when I was a little girl when my siblings and I would spend the weekend. We loved it! Grandma is 100-years-old now and is unable to cook anymore, so it is my pleasure and honor to cook this and her other favorites for her when I visit!” – Martha

LEILA ROCKWELL

SUBLIMITY, OR

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (42)

The Old Fashion Potato Candy

“My mother used to make this for us in the middle 1900’s and to us it was the best candy we had.” – Leila

KATHLEEN HAGOOD

GORMAN, TX

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (44)

Grandmother Ada’s Gingerbread-My Father’s Favorite

“I began baking as a child, and this is one of the first things I baked. It was one of my father’s two favorite things in the world. No matter how I did, he always said my gingerbread was wonderful.” – Kathleen

PATTI SMITH

CALHOUN, GA

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (46)

Ghee’s Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

“My mother (my kids called her Ghee) was a from-scratch baker. To save time, I use a frozen pie crust. This was one of her favorite pies to prepare for all of us.” – Patti

LINDA DALTON

COCONUT CREEK, FL

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (48)

Ye Olde Daddy’s Clam Chowder

“This is a family favorite that conjures up memories of my father and summers as a kid visiting relatives on the Coney Island Boardwalk. After a full day of activities, we’d sip red chowder from paper cups, then I’d conk out in the back seat of my parent’s Studebaker on the ride home to Long Island.” – Linda

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26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (50)

Old Fashioned Sugar Pie Recipe

“Butter, sugar, and brown sugar cook in a flaky crust to form a caramel-like pie. This Old Fashioned Sugar Pie Recipe is simple yet decadent.” – Paula

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26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (52)

Old Fashioned Blue Ribbon Pound Cake

“Tall, buttery, moist, dense… This pound cake is classic and very close to an original pound cake recipe.” – Paula

26 Treasured Old-School Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How much do you have to change a recipe to claim it as your own? ›

The general rule [...] is that three major [emphasis added] changes are required to make a recipe "yours." However, even if you make such changes, it is a professional courtesy to acknowledge the source of or inspiration for the recipe.

When you were going to try a new recipe what is the first thing you want to do? ›

Explanation: The first thing you want to do when trying a new recipe is to read through the recipe from beginning to end. This will give you an understanding of the steps and ingredients required. It's important to have a clear idea of what the recipe entails before you start.

What are the reasons for adapting and changing recipes? ›

Recipes often need to be adjusted to meet the needs of different situations. The most common reason to adjust recipes is to change the number of individual portions that the recipe produces. For example, a standard recipe might be written to prepare 25 portions.

Why do the ingredients and the time come before the instructions? ›

The idea is that you prepare all the ingredients and have them in front of you before you start cooking. Oftentimes cooking process requires precise timing and parallel execution and you will not have a time to search for an ingredient, measure it, or prep (dice, wash etc).

Can you legally own a recipe? ›

Copyright law protects original works of authorship, and while a recipe may be original, it is not an "original work of authorship." This means that anyone can freely copy and use a recipe without fear of infringement.

Can I sue someone for stealing my recipe? ›

How do you know if your recipes are protected as trade secrets? Ultimately, it is a complex issue that a judge or jury will decide if you ever sue someone for stealing the recipes (“misappropriation of trade secrets” in legal speak).

What is the first thing I should cook? ›

Marshmallows. "The best thing for someone getting into baking to make: marshmallows," says pastry chef Stella Parks of BraveTart.com. "You mix corn syrup, sugar, and water and boil it to about 250 degrees, which makes it firmer.

What are the 7 things needed to be found on a standardized recipe? ›

Here are the main components of a standardized recipe:
  1. Name of the menu item.
  2. Total Yield or Portions and Portion Size created by producing the recipe.
  3. List of all measured ingredients.
  4. Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare, cook, and assemble the recipe.
  5. Plating instructions and garnishes.

What are 3 things you should do before you start cooking? ›

Before you start cooking, here are some simple things you can do to ensure you have a smooth and efficient cook.
  • 1) Give yourself space. ...
  • 2) Get all of your equipment ready for the recipe you're cooking. ...
  • 3) Gather all your ingredients ready on your workbench. ...
  • 5) Secure your chopping board. ...
  • 6) Keep a rubbish bowl nearby.

What problems might arise when converting recipes? ›

One of the most common mistakes when scaling and converting recipes is using the wrong conversion factors. For example, you cannot simply multiply or divide the ingredients by the same factor when you change from cups to grams or from teaspoons to milliliters.

What are three considerations to keep in mind when you modify a recipe to make it healthier? ›

  1. Change/add healthy techniques of preparation.
  2. Change/add healthy cooking methods.
  3. Change an ingredient by reducing it, eliminating it, or replacing it.
  4. Add a new ingredient(s), particularly to build flavor, such as dry rubs, toasted spices, fresh herbs, acids (vinegars/citrus juice), and condiments.

What are the three basic guidelines for adapting recipes to make them healthier? ›

By preparing a recipe in a different way or by substituting ingredients, a recipe can be made healthier. Recipes can be altered to reduce or eliminate fat, salt, and unwanted calories in the form of sugar; alternatively, ingredients can be added to increase fiber, thereby making recipes healthier.

What are the 7 steps of mise en place? ›

Mise en place checklist
  • Ovens are turned on.
  • Work stations are set up.
  • Complete preparation list is ready.
  • All needed ingredients are gathered and stored properly.
  • All ingredients are pre-measured and prepared.
  • All tools and equipments are gathered and in place.
  • You are prepared for work.

What are hidden instructions in recipes? ›

The instructions may have some hidden ingredients (like water, for example), or split the ingredients within the list in an expected way (like using one egg for batter and one for an egg wash). You want to know the lay of the land before you start throwing things in a bowl.

What are the 5 elements in a standard recipe? ›

  1. Yield. The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make.
  2. List of Ingredients & Amounts.
  3. Step By Step Directions for Mixing & Handling.
  4. Equipment (Container Size & Type)
  5. Temperature & Time.

At what point does a recipe become your own? ›

A general rule of thumb is: if you change three or more ingredients in the recipe, and rewrite the recipe instructions in your own voice, you can consider it your own. Even so, stating that the recipe was “adapted from” or “inspired by” the original recipe is a good idea.

What makes a recipe your own? ›

A recipe can usually be considered “original” if you have changed three or more major ingredients, or three or more steps in the recipe process, and have written everything in your own words.

How to not plagiarize a recipe? ›

The cookbook writers should not copy the cooking method or illustrations used as part of the cooking procedure to avoid copyright infringement. They need to use their image, which helps them avoid copyright-related issues, and it even offers protection to their works from getting copied or plagiarized.

How do you call a recipe your own? ›

You just need to make a few changes that are of your own imagination. Love a recipe enough to expand on it? I recommend looking at tweaking one of these areas before you can call it your own. Pro tip: Always make sure you write the recipe directions in your own words along with your other changes.

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