There's a reason these heirloom recipes have been passed down the generations. Check out these ageless family recipes from readers just like you.
25 Unforgettable Recipes That Have Been Handed Down Through Generations
Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
The recipe for these four-ingredient homemade buttermilk biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina
1/25
2/25
Bavarian Pot Roast
Total Time
2 hours 45 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Since all my grandparents were German, it's no wonder that so many Bavarian recipes have been handed down to me. Because the Midwest has such a large German population, I feel this recipe represents the area well. —Susan Robertson, Hamilton, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
4 ounces cooked beef: 281 calories, 16g fat (5g saturated fat), 88mg cholesterol, 633mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 0 fiber), 27g protein.
3/25
Apfelkuchen
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My husband’s German family calls this Oma’s apfelkuchen, which translates to "Grandma’s apple cake." They’ve been sharing the recipe for more than 150 years. I use Granny Smith apples, but any variety works. —Amy Kirchen, Loveland, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 422 calories, 23g fat (14g saturated fat), 148mg cholesterol, 177mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate (28g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
4/25
How to Grill Ribs
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I first marinate each rack of ribs, then add a zesty rub before grilling them. They always turn out moist and flavorful. —Iola Egle, Bella Vista, Arkansas
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 647 calories, 41g fat (13g saturated fat), 123mg cholesterol, 2345mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (29g sugars, 1g fiber), 37g protein.
5/25
Green Tomato Pie
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When frost nips our garden, I quickly gather all the green tomatoes still on the vine and make this old family favorite. It's been handed down from my grandmother, and now my granddaughters are asking for the recipe.—Violet Thompson, Port Ludlow, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 433 calories, 16g fat (7g saturated fat), 14mg cholesterol, 242mg sodium, 71g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
6/25
Grandma Pietz's Cranberry Cake Pudding
Total Time
50 min
Servings
15 servings (2 cups sauce)
From the Recipe Creator:
For generations, our family has handed down this cake recipe starring cranberries. Simple and unusual, it remains a treasured family heirloom. —Lisa Potter, Camp Douglas, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece with 2 tablespoons sauce: 311 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated fat), 26mg cholesterol, 125mg sodium, 64g carbohydrate (50g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
7/25
Butternut Goulash
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
8 servings (2-1/2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
We make this treasured family goulash recipe using squash from our own backyard. The chili powder and cayenne really warm you up! —Allison Wilmarth, Forest City, Pennsylvania
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/4 cups: 196 calories, 8g fat (4g saturated fat), 44mg cholesterol, 450mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 5g fiber), 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 fat.
8/25
Triple Ginger Cookies
Total Time
35 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My dad loved ginger cookies. I tinkered with the recipe my grandma handed down by using fresh, ground and crystallized ginger for more pizazz. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 97 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 64mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.
9/25
Lemon Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Total Time
40 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I won a baking contest at Purdue University with this recipe for lemon bars with cream cheese frosting. I think you’ll love the dreamy topping. —Michael Hunter, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
1 bar: 243 calories, 11g fat (7g saturated fat), 59mg cholesterol, 145mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.
10/25
Wine-Braised Chicken with Pearl Onions
Total Time
7 hours 10 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a family favorite handed down from my grandmother in London. She made it for every family gathering. It was always the first food to go on the table and the first one to disappear. —Wayne Barnes, Montgomery, Alabama
Nutrition Facts:
2 chicken thighs with about 1/3 cup sauce (calculated without rice): 444 calories, 22g fat (6g saturated fat), 157mg cholesterol, 990mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 44g protein.
11/25
Baked Elephant Ears
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother-in-law handed down this recipe from her mother. These are a special treat—even better, I think, than those at a carnival or festival. —Delores Baeten, Downers Grove, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
1 elephant ear: 109 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 76mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat.
12/25
Sloppy Ottos
Total Time
25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My version of sloppy joes comes from an old family recipe. Make these sandwiches even more German by stacking everything on a pretzel bun. —Jason Koren, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 sandwich: 494 calories, 24g fat (7g saturated fat), 46mg cholesterol, 1042mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 20g protein.
13/25
Turkey Sausage Cabbage Rolls
Total Time
7 hours 50 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I practically grew up in my Polish grandmother's kitchen, watching Babci cook and listening to her stories. I made her cabbage roll recipe healthier with whole grains and turkey, but kept the same rich flavors I remember. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
1 cabbage roll with 3 tablespoons sauce: 202 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 49mg cholesterol, 681mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 17g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch.
14/25
Amaretto Cheesecake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Sometimes the best-loved recipes are the most basic. Just ask my family who raves over this classic amaretto cheesecake. It's rich, creamy and versatile to boot! —Barbara Caine, Sussex, New Jersey
Nutrition Facts:
1 slice: 632 calories, 43g fat (27g saturated fat), 199mg cholesterol, 423mg sodium, 48g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 0 fiber), 10g protein.
15/25
Turkey Sausage Bean Soup
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings (2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is from my great-grandmother, though I've added a few ingredients to make it my own. Serve it with a side salad and some artisan bread for a wonderful, hearty family dinner. —Terrel Porter-Smith, Los Osos, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup (calculated without cheese): 168 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 585mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 6g fiber), 11g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 medium-fat meat.
16/25
Strawberry Shortcake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 231 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 22mg cholesterol, 188mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (20g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.
17/25
Cranberry Ketchup
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
1-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe was handed down to me from my mother. It may sound like a strange combination of flavors, but once you try it, you won’t want to go back to regular ketchup. —Jerome Wiese, Bemidji, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1 tablespoon: 35 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 148mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 1g fiber), 0 protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 starch.
18/25
Grandma's Polish Cookies
Total Time
50 min
Servings
20 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
This traditional khruchiki recipe has been handed down through my mother's side from my great-grandmother. As a child, it was my job to loop the end of each cookie through its hole. —Sherine Elise Gilmour, Brooklyn, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 246 calories, 16g fat (7g saturated fat), 65mg cholesterol, 205mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
19/25
Three Potato Salad
Total Time
40 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This pretty salad - made with white, red and sweet potatoes - tastes as good as it looks. The mild dill dressing enhances the tender spuds and onion, especially if you refrigerate it overnight. Even those who don't like sweet potatoes like this salad.
-Nan Cairo, Greenwood, Delaware
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 171 calories, 12g fat (2g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 241mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.
20/25
Lebkuchen
Total Time
50 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
It's tradition for my family to make these German treats together. The recipe came from my great-grandmother's cookbook, and judging from the amount of requests I get, it has certainly stood the test of time. —Esther Kempker, Jefferson City, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1 bar: 187 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 137mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
21/25
Maple Carrot Cupcakes
Total Time
35 min
Servings
1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I come from a line of family cooks and have liked to cook and bake since I was young. Mother and Grandmom were always in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. These carrot cupcakes were Grandmom's specialty, and we always have them at family gatherings. —Lisa Ann Panzino DiNunzio, Vineland, New Jersey
Nutrition Facts:
1 cupcake: 327 calories, 20g fat (6g saturated fat), 68mg cholesterol, 243mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
22/25
Zucchini Hamburger Pie
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This hamburger pie is a family favorite handed down from my dear aunt. It is so hearty that it satisfies the appetite well. And my family has always enjoyed the idea of having pie for supper! —Eloise Swisher, Roseville, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 353 calories, 19g fat (8g saturated fat), 52mg cholesterol, 745mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 11g protein.
23/25
Frosted Spice Cookies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
5-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe has been handed down through many generations of my husband's family. The cookies were always in his grandmother's cookie jar when he'd visit. Today, he enjoys them more than ever—and so do I. —Debbie Hurlbert, Howard, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 149 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 94mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
24/25
Orange Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A delightful orange frosting is the secret to this cake from Kathleen Gingras of Thorold, Ontario. "It is great with a scoop of ice cream," she suggests.
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 242 calories, 9g fat (6g saturated fat), 58mg cholesterol, 254mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.
25/25
Pumpkin Walnut Squares
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother-in-law handed this pumpkin bar recipe down as a surefire way to keep my husband happy during the holidays. It's his favorite childhood dessert. —Melissa Conchieri, Northport, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 419 calories, 19g fat (5g saturated fat), 82mg cholesterol, 446mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 2g fiber), 8g protein.
