Grandma's Best Christmas Recipes

serving of Grandma's Hash Brown Casserole on a white plate

Baking sugar cookies, avoiding the annual fruitcake, and grabbing a helping of hashbrown casserole are just some of the memories you might have of Grandma's holiday dishes. Relive your nostalgia with this round-up of our favorite Christmas recipes made by grandmothers. From rich Yorkshire pudding to spiced carrot cake, they're sure to be a hit at your lunch or dinner.

01 of 14

Grandma's Old Fashioned Cake Donuts

broken up cake donuts
Jennifer Cuatt

Having a special celebratory breakfast on Christmas always makes it a more memorable holiday. This recipe was shared by Michael Yeo who says, "This is a recipe handed down from my Grandma Thayer. My family tradition is to make these old-fashioned cake donuts Christmas morning." If you want more depth from the recipe, stir in some allspice and cinnamon when you add the nutmeg.

02 of 14

Grandma's Cocktail Meatballs

cocktail meatballs in red sauce over rice
Tammy Lynn

Having a small slow cooker full of these meatballs makes for an easy appetizer that guests can help themselves to. The beef meatballs in this recipe, contributed by phosmane, get their flavor from a package of dry onion soup mix. They then simmer in a combination of apple jelly, ketchup, and red wine. If you want to offset the sweet notes a little, add a dash of Sriracha hot sauce.

03 of 14

Grandma's Hash Brown Casserole

serving of Grandma's Hash Brown Casserole on a white plate

Creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-satisfying, hash brown casserole is a classic grandmother dish around the holidays. Besides chopping the onion, all that's required is for you to mix the ingredients together and stick it in the oven. Have a vegetarian in the family? Substitute cream of mushroom or celery for the chicken soup and the dish will be veggie-friendly.

04 of 14

Grandma's Gingersnap Cookies

gingersnap cookies in a white dish
Kristina Florez

A wintertime classic, gingersnap cookies are a must-have for Christmas gatherings. This melt-in-your-mouth recipe by Marie Ayers relies on a mixture of dark molasses, cinnamon, and (of course) ground ginger for a rich flavor.

05 of 14

Grandma's Corn Bread Dressing

plate of cranberry sauce and Grandma's Corn Bread Dressing with gravy
SusanR

A staple for holiday dinners and potlucks, this cornbread dressing has Southern and savory notes that are sure to satisfy. The ingredients list for Amy's recipe is simple, relying mainly on the cornbread along with onions, celery, and sage, for the depth of flavor.

06 of 14

Grandma's Ham

229866 Grandmas Ham

"This is an easy, delicious ham that my grandma has made every year for Christmas," Fawn says. "I got to make it for the first time last year for my family, and it is always wonderful and beautiful." Rubbed with brown sugar and studded with cherries and pineapple slices on toothpicks, this sweet ham cooks in ginger ale.

07 of 14

Grandma's Carrot Cake

slice of carrot cake on a plate
Autumneyes

A relatively labor-intensive dessert, due to chopping nuts and grating veggies, carrot cakes are just fine if limited to special occasions only. The recipe contributor, heybejay, says "This recipe has been a favorite in our family for three generations." Rich ingredients like crushed pineapple and flaked coconut help keep the cake moist, while a buttermilk glaze at the end takes the dish to another level.

08 of 14

Grandma Leach's Fruitcake

fruitcake in a bundt pan
vivee

Whether you love it or love to hate it, fruitcake is a Christmas requirement. This recipe doesn't rely on traditional eggs, but instead uses applesauce and oil to ensure a moist cake. With purely five-star reviews so far, it's sure to be a hit at your next holiday party.

09 of 14

Grandma Edna's Christmas Cabbage

cabbage in a casserole dish
Ron Giles

While cabbage might not be the first on your list of Christmas foods, this buttery and comforting casserole may change that. The recipe by AMI13 claims to have converted cabbage haters to lovers, so even if you have a picky eater it's worth a try.

10 of 14

Grandma Me's Clove-Studded Leg of Lamb

sliced Roasted Orange Leg of Lamb on a wooden board
Valerie Mersereau

Spiced with whole cloves and sweetened with apricot nectar, this bone-in leg of lamb tastes worthy of a Christmas feast. "My grandmother's tender lamb melts in your mouth and the gravy is great on mashed potatoes or rice," recipe submitter Frann R. says.

11 of 14

Grandma's Yorkshire Pudding

yorkshire pudding on a white plate

Deliciously decadent, Yorkshire pudding is a wonderful quick bread addition to your holiday spread. In this recipe by IBELLIBIE, reviewers described the baked goods as "perfectly golden" and "easy to make." This dish goes well with roast beef or pork since it requires the drippings for coating the pan, but you can substitute butter if animal fats aren't available.

12 of 14

Grandma's Corn Pudding

a white ceramic casserole dish of baked corn casserole with appealingly brown crusted edges
Debi Clark Bickmore

Eggs, butter, milk, cream-style corn, and cornstarch contribute to this corn pudding's custardy consistency. As reviewer Judi Leaming says, it's "definitely the real old-time corn pudding."

13 of 14

Grandmother's Punch

pink punch in glass water cooler
MrsFisher0729

"My grandmother found this recipe and makes it every year at Christmas. It is a family favorite, and kids love it," Angie V. says. Ginger beer gives this fruity punch a subtly spicy, fizzy kick.

14 of 14

Grandma Hasz's Christmas Cutouts

Christmas cookies on a cooling rack
Lizzy Smith

Decorating cookies with Grandma is among the most cherished Christmas memories for many people. Make a recipe of these easy cutout cookies by smithgangMom and create them in any fun shape you'd like. Whip up a few batches of colored Sugar Cookie Icing and you'll be ready to set up a station for festive decorating.

Was this page helpful?

You’ll Also Love