24 of Nana’s Favorite Dessert Recipes

Can't-Miss Coconut Custard Pie

This soft coconut custard pie has a mild coconut flavor. Who wouldn't love a generous slice topped with a dollop of whipped cream? —Betty Swain, Bear, Delaware

Chocolate Pound Cake

You'll find that this cake goes well with ice cream, but it's also delicate enough to serve in small pieces with tea. —Ann Perry, Sierra Vista, Arizona

Vanilla Cream Puff Dessert

Inspired by classic cream puffs, this recipe is a wonderful treat. I've served it at Cub Scout banquets, birthday parties and holidays. I'm a regular baker, and this dessert is one of my all-time favorites. —Denise Wahl, Homer Glen, Illinois

Apple Dumplings with Sauce

This warm and comforting apple dumplings recipe is incredible by itself or served with ice cream. You can decorate each dumpling by cutting 1-inch leaves and a 1/2-inch stem from the leftover dough. —Robin Lendon, Cincinnati, Ohio

Pretty Peach Tart

When ripe peaches finally arrive at local fruit stands, this is the first recipe I reach for. The tart is perfection—a delightful way to celebrate spring's arrival! You can make the tart with other varieties of fruit, too. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Now that I've retired from teaching, I have more time to bake. This buttermilk pound cake is the one I make most often. It is a truly southern recipe, and one I think can't be topped—once people taste it, they won't go back to their other recipes with buttermilk. —Gracie Hanchey, De Ridder, Louisiana

Memaw's Banana Pudding

Creamy and rich, this homemade banana pudding recipe is so easy. Layer it in a trifle bowl for a pretty presentation. —Ruth Kizer, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Lemon Chiffon Cake

This moist, airy lemon chiffon cake was my dad's favorite. Mom revamped the original recipe to include lemons. I'm not much of a baker, but whenever I make this dessert my family is thrilled! —Trisha Kammers, Clarkston, Washington

Apricot-Blackberry Pie

Blackberries became my favorite fruit after I harvested them from my grandfather’s yard in Greece. I mix them with apricots to make the pie of my dreams. —Simone Bazos, Baltimore, Maryland

Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding Torte

This recipe is a busy mom's twist on a favorite dessert—tiramisu. The dish is simple to assemble and perfect to make the day before you want to serve it. The hardest thing about this recipe is waiting for it to chill so you can eat it! —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, Maryland

Contest-Winning Raspberry Cream Pie

This recipe is delicious with either fresh-picked or frozen raspberries. That means you can make it year-round. One bite of raspberry pie will instantly turn winter to summer. —Julie Price, Nashville, Tennessee

Grandma's Carrot Cake

My grandma was very special to me. She had a big country kitchen that was full of wonderful aromas any time we visited. This was one of her prized cake recipes, and it continues to be a favorite from generation to generation. —Denise Strasz, Detroit, Michigan

Michigan Cherry Pie

This tart Michigan cherry pie is delicious with the streusel topping but even better crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Diane Selich, Vassar, Michigan

Blackout Peach Bread Pudding

I bake several times a week so my kids have homemade desserts. We lost power in a storm, so I used the grill to invent “blackout” pudding. —Augustina Zaccardi, Eastchester, New York

Chocolate Eclair Delight

It's amazing how the layers of this eclair torte soften overnight into a cakelike texture. Just before serving this dessert, I like to dust the top with cocoa. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario

Cherry Dew Dumplings

I’ve never seen a recipe like this one, where filled crescent dough and Mountain Dew are baked together. It’s such a treat. I have to confess, sometimes we eat it for breakfast. —Heidi Swope, Toledo, Ohio

Orange Cream Chiffon Cake

Light and luscious, this sponge cake is bursting with orange flavor. It’s the perfect dessert to serve after a filling meal, or with afternoon tea or coffee.—Faith Sommers, Bangor, California

Apple Dumpling Roll-Ups

A family friend gave me a simple way to make apple dumplings without lots of steps. I love the sticky cinnamon topping. —Jenny Leighty, West Salem, Ohio

Apple-Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

A layer of sweetened cream cheese topped with a tart fruit filling makes this pie popular with family, friends and co-workers. It won the blue ribbon at a local fair. —Donna Rettew, Jonestown, Pennsylvania

Fluffy Lemon Squares

A few handy convenience items hurry along the prep for these creamy bars with a vanilla wafer crust. They get their sweet-tart flavor from lemon gelatin, sherbet and pudding mix. They're not only fun to make with my grandchildren, but they're delicious, too. —Joyce Speerbrecher, Grafton, Wisconsin

Cherry & Spice Rice Pudding

I live in Traverse City, the Cherry Capital of the World. What better way to celebrate our wonderful orchards than by using plump, tart dried cherries in my favorite desserts? This slow-cooked rice pudding recipe always turns out wonderful. —Deb Perry, Traverse City, Michigan

Real Deal Apple Pie

Everyone should know how to make apple pie in the classic style—the real deal. This recipe is a perfect example of why this American icon has been a hit in this country for hundreds of years. It gets its stunning height from 3 pounds of apples. So stock up; you'll need them. —Margo Ferrick, Westford, Massachusetts