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15 Southern Desserts Everyone in the Universe Should Make (and Eat)

It’s officially time to start working on our fall bods (aka re-acquainting ourselves with the wonders of butter and sugar). And no one does decadent desserts better than Southerners. Here are 15 of our favorite treats from below the Mason-Dixon Line. BYO porch swing, lemonade and gingham tablecloth.

16 Mug Desserts You Can Make in the Microwave


Skillet Peach Cobbler

Ditch the rolling pin and have this on the table in less than an hour. 

southern desserts hummingbird
Sally’s Baking Addiction

Hummingbird Cake

It’s like banana bread and carrot cake had a delicious, cream cheese-frosted baby.

Get the recipe

Brown Butter Chess Pie

The Southern predecessor to Momofuku’s famous Crack Pie, this is the stuff that sweet, gooey dreams are made of.

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Peaches? Check. Bourbon? Check. Ability to be packed in a picnic basket? Check. Southern dessert trifecta unlocked.

Ten-minute Strawberry Cobbler For One

Because sometimes you just can’t wait. Or share. Or wash dishes. We get it. 

Banana Pudding

We’re not sure who came up with the idea of layering vanilla pudding, bananas, whipped cream and Nilla wafers, but whoever they are, we want to give them a hug.

Mini Pecan Pies

Everyone should know how to make the bite-sized version of this Southern classic, which is just as perfect at Thanksgiving as it is at the end of a summer barbecue. 

Sweet Potato Chess Pie

Ease your way into PSL season.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

The tartness of the rhubarb brings out the sweetness of the summer berries. Ice cream: not optional. 

Caramel Cake

This yellow layer cake might look simple, but the rich caramel frosting gives it a surprisingly complex flavor. 

Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls

If breakfast for dinner is a thing, then so is dessert for breakfast. Right?

Bananas Foster Cake

As delicious as it is Instagrammable.

Blueberry Buckle

We’re suckers for any dessert with a funny name (slump! crumble!). Think of this as the moistest, crumbliest coffee cake you’ve ever had.

Pecan Praline Cake

We’ll eat anything topped with pralines, a creamy combo of syrup and pecans made famous in Louisiana. But when it’s sprinkled on a cake, even better.