31 Retro Desserts Your Relatives Will Ask for by Name This Holiday Season

Holiday dessert tables can feel repetitive when the same few sweets show up every year. This collection brings together old-school pies, cobblers, puddings, fried treats, and frozen desserts, along with newer spins on familiar flavors. Apple, banana, lemon, chocolate, and berry recipes give the list a mix of fruit-forward bakes and richer party sweets. Choose a classic centerpiece or add a few smaller treats for a varied holiday spread.

A close-up of a slice of layered tiramisu with cream, cake layers, and a lemon wedge garnish on top. — Lemon Tiramisu. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Caramel Apple Fudge

A stack of green and brown swirled fudge cubes. The top cube has a bite taken out of it. — Caramel Apple Fudge. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Candy-shop fudge gets an apple-season twist in this batch of 32 pieces for the holiday sweets tray. Caramel Apple Fudge sets with salted caramel and green candy melts, sweetened condensed milk, and green apple flavoring. Its smooth texture and familiar caramel-apple profile nod to old-fashioned fall treats while giving guests something easy to pick up between slices of pie. Cut it into small squares for a cookie tin, dessert board, or edible gift box.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Fudge

Blueberry Cobbler

On a spoon, the bubbling berry center and golden cake top recall a Sunday dessert from an older family cookbook. Blueberry Cobbler pairs fresh blueberries with lemon juice and zest, then covers them with a flour, milk, and vanilla batter. It serves 16, so it can handle a full holiday table without needing individual portions. Add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream when you want a simple finish beside the richer cakes and pies.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Cobbler

Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake

Two familiar dessert traditions meet in one slice of Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake, with a spiced apple center wrapped in creamy filling. It starts with a Biscoff or graham cracker crust and layers cream cheese with apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and an oat topping. The recipe serves eight, making it a neat centerpiece when a standard pie feels too familiar. Chill it well before serving so each piece shows the apple filling.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake

Banana Pudding Brownies

Several squares of chocolate brownies with a yellow and brown marbled pattern are stacked and arranged on parchment paper. — Banana Pudding Brownies. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Chocolate brownie squares meet a banana-pudding swirl in this mash-up of two familiar dessert flavors. Banana Pudding Brownies use boxed brownie mix for the base, with cream cheese, milk, egg, and instant banana pudding mix in the creamy layer. The recipe makes ten portions, and the marbled top gives each square a bakery-style look without a separate frosting step. Slice them for a dessert tray when you want a handheld option alongside traditional pie.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Brownies

Funnel Cake

Fairground sweets bring a familiar carnival note to a holiday gathering, even when the weather keeps everyone indoors. Funnel Cake makes 12 servings from a simple batter of flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla, fried in vegetable oil and finished with powdered sugar. Its lacy shape gives the platter a different look from the usual cookies and slices. Serve it soon after frying, or reheat stored portions to bring back some crispness.
Get the Recipe: Funnel Cake

Baked Alaska

In Baked Alaska, a toasted meringue dome hides cold ice cream for a memorable holiday centerpiece. It combines chocolate sponge, your choice of ice cream, and a sugar meringue made with egg whites and cream of tartar. The dessert serves eight and takes advance freezing before the quick browning step, so the final reveal can happen at the table. Choose an ice cream flavor that suits your guests, then slice through the crisp outside to show the frozen middle.
Get the Recipe: Baked Alaska

Apple Fritters

Close-up of freshly baked apple cookies drizzled with icing, resting on parchment paper with part of a bowl visible to the right. — Apple Fritters. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Crisp edges and soft pieces of apple make these fritters a cozy alternative to another pie. Apple Fritters mix chopped apples into a cinnamon-and-nutmeg batter with flour, eggs, and milk, then finish with powdered sugar. The recipe makes six servings and takes about 30 minutes, so it works for a smaller brunch or a warm dessert after dinner. Offer them while still warm, with coffee or tea for a simple holiday treat.
Get the Recipe: Apple Fritters

Ice Cream Sandwich

For the freezer, Ice Cream Sandwich layers vanilla ice cream with frozen raspberries and crushed graham cookies between rectangular ice cream wafers. It serves eight and needs several hours to firm up, so prepare it ahead and slice it when dessert is ready. The berry pieces add color and a tart note that balances a table full of baked sweets, especially when the oven is already busy with holiday dishes.
Get the Recipe: Ice Cream Sandwich

Lemon Cookies

Bright citrus cookies bring a lighter note to a tray otherwise filled with chocolate and spice. Lemon Cookies use lemon zest and juice in a buttery dough, then get a glaze made with confectioners sugar. The recipe yields 36 cookies in about 27 minutes, so there are plenty to share or pack into tins. Their small size makes them easy to add to a holiday assortment, especially beside richer bars, fudge, or cheesecake.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Cookies

Apple Cobbler

Spiced apples under a tender topping make Apple Cobbler fit naturally on a fall and winter dessert table. The filling combines apples with brown sugar, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, then gets covered with a buttermilk batter before baking. It serves eight and takes just over an hour from start to finish. Spoon it into bowls while warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a familiar old-fashioned pairing.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cobbler

Chocolate Croissant

Chocolate and pretzel rolls with powdered sugar. — Chocolate Croissant. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Flaky pastry and a chocolate center make these an easy addition to a holiday breakfast or dessert brunch. Chocolate Croissant uses store-bought puff pastry wrapped around pieces of semi-sweet or dark chocolate, then gets an egg wash and a dusting of brown sugar. The batch serves six and takes about 28 minutes, without the long dough-making process of traditional croissants. Set them out warm with coffee, or include them on a mixed pastry platter.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Croissant

Lemon Bars

Close-up of a lemon bar with a crumbly, light yellow top layer and a thicker, moist filling resting on a shortbread crust. — Lemon Bars. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

A pale lemon layer over a shortbread base gives this tray bake a bright spot among darker holiday desserts. Lemon Bars pair a buttery crust made with flour and powdered sugar with a filling of lemon juice, sugar, and eggs. The full process takes about three hours, including the time needed for the bars to cool and set. Cut them into small squares for a cookie plate or dessert buffet, where their citrus flavor offers a change from spice and chocolate.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Bars

Apple Crisp

Close-up of apple crumble with oats and brown sugar topping. A spoon is partially visible on the left. — Apple Crisp. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

A crunchy oat topping and soft spiced fruit make this a practical choice when pie crust feels like too much work. Apple Crisp layers apples with cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg, then covers them with a mixture of quick oats, flour, and butter. It serves six and takes about 75 minutes, with less shaping than a double-crust pie. Bring it to the table warm in its baking dish, then let everyone add a spoonful of cream or ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Apple Crisp

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

A close-up of a sliced muffin filled with creamy vanilla custard and topped with chocolate glaze. — Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

The classic Boston cream combination becomes easier to pass around when baked as individual cupcakes. Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes pair tender cake with a milk-and-cream pastry filling and a chocolate ganache topping. The recipe takes about 90 minutes and makes six servings, with the pastry cream needing time to chill before assembly. Their single-serving format suits a holiday buffet where guests want a small taste of several desserts.
Get the Recipe: Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Caramelized Fried Banana

A close up of a plate of fried bananas with sauce. — Caramelized Fried Banana. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Without using oven space, Caramelized Fried Banana brings a familiar banana-and-cinnamon flavor to the holiday table. Sliced bananas cook with butter or oil, honey, brown sugar, and cinnamon until the outside turns glossy. It serves two and is ready in about ten minutes, making it easy to scale for a small gathering. Spoon the warm fruit over ice cream, pancakes, or cake for a simple finish to a holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Caramelized Fried Banana

Strawberry Dump Cake

A close-up of a fruit crumble dessert topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. — Strawberry Dump Cake. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Under a buttery cake topping, Strawberry Dump Cake bakes bubbling berries into an easy, homespun dessert with an old community-cookbook look. It layers diced strawberries with sugar and yellow cake mix, then uses melted butter to help the topping turn golden. The cake serves eight and takes about 55 minutes. Set it out warm with vanilla ice cream, or let it cool for a firmer slice on a holiday dessert table.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Dump Cake

Banana Pudding

Vanilla wafers soften between layers of pudding and banana in this familiar no-bake dessert. Banana Pudding combines banana or vanilla pudding mix with condensed milk, regular milk, vanilla, sliced bananas, and whipped cream. The listed preparation time is about 25 minutes, followed by chilling so the layers can settle. Spoon it into a large serving dish or individual cups for a holiday table where guests may prefer a cool, creamy option.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding

Apple Dump Cake

Close-up of an apple crumble dessert with a golden crust, topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and a spoon placed inside the dish. — Apple Dump Cake. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

A golden cake topping covers spiced apple filling in Apple Dump Cake, giving it the flavors of pie with a shorter ingredient list. It uses canned apple pie filling, yellow cake mix, and cold butter, with a little sugar and salt for seasoning. The dessert serves eight and takes about 55 minutes, with no crust to roll or crimp. Scoop it into bowls while warm, and add vanilla ice cream for a classic apple pairing.
Get the Recipe: Apple Dump Cake

Key Lime Pie

Tart citrus filling gives this pie a refreshing break from the heavier chocolate and caramel options. Key Lime Pie uses a graham cracker crust with egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice for its creamy center. Its long listed time includes the chilling needed for the filling to set, so make it ahead rather than on the day of the meal. A thin slice brings a bright finish to a rich holiday spread.
Get the Recipe: Key Lime Pie

Air Fryer Cream Cheese Brownies

Close-up of several chocolate brownies with cracked tops, some pieces showing a creamy white filling inside. — Air Fryer Cream Cheese Brownies. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

A cream cheese ribbon running through chocolate squares gives Air Fryer Cream Cheese Brownies a nostalgic bakery-case look. Cocoa batter and a sweetened cream cheese mixture cook together in the air fryer. The batch yields 16 pieces in about 35 minutes. Cut them into small squares for a holiday tray, where the tangy center sets them apart from plain brownies and chocolate cookies.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Cream Cheese Brownies

Boston Cream Pie

At the center of Boston Cream Pie, a smooth custard sits between tender cake layers under a chocolate topping. The vanilla cake gets filled with stovetop custard made from milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. It serves ten, with a little over three hours listed for preparation and chilling. Slice it after the layers have set so each piece keeps the filling in place at the holiday table.
Get the Recipe: Boston Cream Pie

Carrot Cake Cookies

A frosted cookie topped with chopped nuts has a bite taken out of it; other similar cookies are visible in the background. — Carrot Cake Cookies. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Carrot cake spices and shredded carrots take a familiar layer-cake flavor into a portable cookie. Carrot Cake Cookies combine oats, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and walnuts with shredded carrots for a soft, textured bite. The batch makes 20 cookies in about 30 minutes, so it can fill a tin or round out a dessert tray. Their warm spice profile pairs naturally with other holiday sweets without needing frosting or a serving fork.
Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Cookies

Apple and Cranberry Pie

A slice of mixed berry pie with a golden crust sits on a plate next to a spoon, with fruit filling spilling out. — Apple and Cranberry Pie. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Tart cranberries cut through the sweetness of apples in this two-fruit pie with a traditional pastry crust. Apple and Cranberry Pie uses fresh or frozen cranberries, sliced apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the filling. It serves eight and takes about 95 minutes, including baking. The deep red fruit makes each slice stand out on a holiday platter, while the familiar apple base keeps the flavor close to classic pie.
Get the Recipe: Apple and Cranberry Pie

Butterscotch Rice Treats

Rectangular rice crispy treats drizzled with white icing are arranged on a wooden surface, with small marshmallows scattered nearby. — Butterscotch Rice Treats. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Crisp cereal squares bring a no-fork option to a holiday dessert spread, with butterscotch adding an old-fashioned candy-shop note. Butterscotch Rice Treats combine rice cereal and mini marshmallows with butterscotch morsels, butter, vanilla, and a white chocolate finish. The recipe makes 12 portions and takes about an hour, including time to set. Cut them into bars for a cookie tin or arrange them beside pies for guests who want a smaller sweet.
Get the Recipe: Butterscotch Rice Treats

Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls

A plate of five sticky buns topped with caramelized nuts and sauce, resting on a red cloth. — Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Soft rolls filled with apples and caramel borrow the familiar flavor of a fairground caramel apple in a shareable baked dessert. Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls use Hawaiian rolls, sliced apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and caramel sauce. The recipe makes 12 portions in about 35 minutes, giving the table a pull-apart option alongside pies and cookies. Serve them warm so the filling stays soft and the caramel is easy to spoon over each piece.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Hawaiian Rolls

Lemon Meringue Pie

Tall meringue over a lemon filling gives this pie a classic profile that stands out among darker holiday desserts. Lemon Meringue Pie has a buttery crust, a citrus custard thickened with cornstarch and egg yolks, and a topping made from egg whites. It serves eight and takes about an hour, before allowing for any needed cooling. Slice it after the filling sets so the layers stay distinct on the plate.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Meringue Pie

Blueberry Cheesecake

A slice of cheesecake topped with glossy blueberry sauce on a white plate, with two black spoons beside it. — Blueberry Cheesecake. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

A berry topping over a creamy filling gives this cheesecake a familiar party-dessert look with a bright fruit finish. Blueberry Cheesecake starts with a graham crumb crust, then layers cream cheese, heavy cream, egg, and vanilla beneath blueberries thickened with lemon and cornstarch. It serves eight and needs several hours, including time to chill. Prepare it ahead so the filling firms before slicing for a holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Cheesecake

Apple Pie

Lattice or full pastry crust makes Apple Pie an instantly recognizable centerpiece for a holiday meal. It fills pie dough with Granny Smith apples, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice, then bakes until the fruit softens. The pie serves eight and takes about 200 minutes from start to finish, including cooling. Let it rest before slicing so the filling settles, then offer whipped cream or ice cream on the side.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie

Ice Cream Cake

Close-up of strawberry shortcake slices topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Layers of cake, cream, and strawberries are visible. — Ice Cream Cake. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Layers of ice cream and berries make this frozen cake a colorful choice when the oven is occupied. Ice Cream Cake stacks graham crackers with vanilla ice cream, strawberry jam, sliced fresh strawberries, and whipped cream. It makes 16 servings and needs several hours in the freezer to firm up, so it can be prepared before guests arrive. Cut chilled slices with a warm knife for a clean cross-section of the layers.
Get the Recipe: Ice Cream Cake

Chess Pie

A close-up of a sliced custard pie dusted with powdered sugar, with two metal spoons resting on top of the pie in a white dish. — Chess Pie. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

With a simple custard filling and pastry shell, Chess Pie holds its old-fashioned place among Southern desserts. It combines sugar, cornmeal, flour, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla in an unbaked crust, with lemon juice adding a light tang. The pie serves eight and takes about 65 minutes. Let it cool before cutting so the center holds its shape, then dust with powdered sugar for a plain finish.
Get the Recipe: Chess Pie

Lemon Tiramisu

Lemon and limoncello give Lemon Tiramisu a citrus twist on the chilled, layered dessert, bringing a change of pace to pies and cakes. Ladyfingers dip in the citrus syrup, then layer with mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. It serves six and needs several hours to chill, so prepare it ahead and keep it cold until dessert. The soft layers and bright flavor contrast with warm fruit bakes.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Tiramisu