Hosting a Cookout? Don’t Skip These 35 Southern Desserts

If you’re throwing a cookout, you’ve got to save room for dessert—especially the Southern kind. We’re talking pies, cobblers, cakes, and all the sweet, nostalgic goodness that brings everyone back to the table. These authentic Southern desserts aren’t just delicious, they’re a whole vibe. Trust me, your guests will thank you later!

Vintage Banana Split Cake With Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

A moist banana split bundt cake with pineapple, maraschino cherries, and pecans, topped with pineapple cream cheese frosting.
Get the Recipe: Vintage Banana Split Cake With Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

Hummingbird Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Hummingbird Sheet Cake combines ripe bananas, pineapple, and cinnamon with a rich cream cheese frosting and crunchy pecans.
Get the Recipe: Hummingbird Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Juicy Peach Cobbler Cake Made From Scratch

This Peach Cobbler Cake has all the fresh peach flavor and juicy peaches you love from cobbler, but with a tender cake top.
Get the Recipe: Juicy Peach Cobbler Cake Made From Scratch

Bakery-Style Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This super moist and tender lemon poppy seed cake has a buttery, pound cake-like texture with a sweet lemon glaze popping with citrus flavor.
Get the Recipe: Bakery-Style Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Moist Texas Sheet Cake With Pecans

Texas Sheet Cake with cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, and pecans. A simple recipe that’s big on flavor and texture.
Get the Recipe: Moist Texas Sheet Cake With Pecans

Moist Butter Pecan Pound Cake With Glaze

This buttery Butter Pecan Pound Cake with brown butter frosting and pecans is a rich, comforting dessert perfect for any occasion.
Get the Recipe: Moist Butter Pecan Pound Cake With Glaze

Pecan Praline Cheesecake With Caramel Sauce

This Praline Cheesecake with caramel sauce has everything you crave—a crunchy pecan crust, creamy cheesecake, and rich, homemade caramel.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Praline Cheesecake With Caramel Sauce

Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake

A close-up of a sliced bundt cake with a light glaze. The southern dessert is golden brown with a moist, dense interior. One piece is cut and raised on a cake server, revealing the soft cake texture inside. The background includes a white surface and blurred utensils. — Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Kentucky Butter Cake is a Southern staple thanks to its tender crumb that’s soaked in a sweet butter sauce while still warm.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Kentucky Butter Cake

A Foolproof Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Made With Condensed Milk

A sweet potato pie next to a bowl of whipped cream. — A Foolproof Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Made With Condensed Milk. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

Sweet Potato Pie with condensed milk, orange zest, and cinnamon makes for a creamy, flavorful dessert. Perfect for holidays or any time of year.
Get the Recipe: A Foolproof Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Made With Condensed Milk

Sweetly Southern Coca-Cola Cake With Marshmallows

This chocolate Coca-Cola cake is made with the iconic soda, mini marshmallows, and unsweetened cocoa powder for extra rich chocolate flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sweetly Southern Coca-Cola Cake With Marshmallows

Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding With Meringue

This warm banana pudding is a deliciously creamy dessert made with fresh bananas and a rich custard.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding With Meringue

Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd

Light and fluffy Angel Food Cake made with egg whites, vanilla, and powdered sugar. A simple, airy dessert that’s like a slice of heaven.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd

Coconut Custard Pie: A Southern Classic

Creamy coconut custard pie made with coconut milk, egg yolks, and a golden crust. Baked and topped with toasted coconut for a perfect finish.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Custard Pie: A Southern Classic

Light And Fluffy Southern Caramel Cake Recipe

Soft butter cake with ground pecans, topped with creamy caramel cream cheese frosting. A Southern classic that’s rich, moist, and perfect for sharing.
Get the Recipe: Light And Fluffy Southern Caramel Cake Recipe

An Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe With Homemade Biscuits

A white baking dish filled with freshly baked berry cobbler topped with six golden brown biscuits. The dish is placed on a cooling rack. Two spoons and stacked bowls, one pink and one green, sit in the background on a light-colored surface with a gray cloth—reminiscent of vintage recipes. — An Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe With Homemade Biscuits. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This Blackberry cobbler has a syrupy blackberry filling topped with golden brown créme fraiche biscuits made from scratch.
Get the Recipe: An Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe With Homemade Biscuits

Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe From Scratch

When talking about old fashioned southern desserts, we can’t miss out on the classic pound cake, made even better with cream cheese.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe From Scratch

Really, Really Good Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

A spoon full of homemade rice pudding. — Really, Really Good Old Fashioned Rice Pudding. Photo credit: Easy Southern Desserts.

This comforting and creamy rice pudding is more like a rich vanilla custard that’s topped with next level bourbon-soaked raisins.
Get the Recipe: Really, Really Good Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies (Soft And Chewy)

Whip up these Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with oats, brown sugar, and a sweet glaze—just like the ones you loved as a kid.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies (Soft And Chewy)

Old Fashioned Apple Custard Pie Recipe

Buttery crust, tart apples, and a creamy custard filling make this Apple Custard Pie the perfect not-too-sweet comfort dessert.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Apple Custard Pie Recipe

Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust

This peach cobbler with pie crust is packed with sweet peaches, brown sugar, and warm spices and then baked until mouthwatering perfection.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Peach Cobbler With Pie Crust

Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake

A slice of hummingbird cake on a serving spoon. — Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Cream cheese-frosted hummingbird cake is a simple and incredibly moist cake that uses pineapple and bananas for a tropical twist.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese-Frosted Hummingbird Cake

Peach Cake With Cinnamon Streusel

A cake pan of baked peach coffee cake. — Peach Cake With Cinnamon Streusel. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Peach cake is a scrumptious way to use your fresh peaches and as a bonus, there’s more streusel than cake! Great for brunch or Dessert.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cake With Cinnamon Streusel

Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Praline Recipe

Pecan pralines on a cooling rack. — Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Praline Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Pralines are a Southern classic! Homemade caramel cross between a candy. and a cook. A heavenly treat that just takes 10 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Southern Pecan Praline Recipe

Southern Recipe For A Buttermilk Pie

A buttermilk pie that has been cut into slices. — Southern Recipe For A Buttermilk Pie. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Treat yourself to the creamy delight of Southern Buttermilk Pie. It’s a classic with a touch of cinnamon – pure yumminess!
Get the Recipe: Southern Recipe For A Buttermilk Pie

Banana Pudding Recipe With Cream Cheese (With Mascarpone Option!)

A baking dish of banana pudding with a serving spoon. — Banana Pudding Recipe With Cream Cheese (With Mascarpone Option!). Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This banana pudding recipe with cream cheese (or Marscapone!) is even better than the classic. The yummiest, easiest homemade pudding recipe!
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Recipe With Cream Cheese (With Mascarpone Option!)

Peach Cobbler Cake Recipe

A blue baking pan with peach cobbler cake covered with ice cream. — Peach Cobbler Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

No mixer is needed for this simple peach cake. Melted butter in the baking dish creates a fabulous crust.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cobbler Cake Recipe

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

A sliced sweet potato pie topped with whipped cream. — Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie is a beloved dessert, similar to pumpkin pie but even better. Serve it all year long, not just during the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Buttermilk Cake With Praline Topping

A square of cake with a bite taken out. — Buttermilk Cake With Praline Topping. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Try this buttermilk cake that is moist and topped with a delicious brown sugar praline topping for a simple and easy recipe.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Cake With Praline Topping

From Scratch Chocolate Mud Cake With Marshmallow Frosting

A piece of cake with a bite taken out. — From Scratch Chocolate Mud Cake With Marshmallow Frosting. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This rich, decadent cake recipe has a moist chocolate cake base topped with gooey marshmallows and a homemade butter frosting.
Get the Recipe: From Scratch Chocolate Mud Cake With Marshmallow Frosting

Augusta National Moist And Buttery Pound Cake Recipe

This easy Augusta National Moist and Buttery Pound Cake Recip has a creamy soft, dense texture perfect for soaking up fresh, juicy strawberries.
Get the Recipe: Augusta National Moist And Buttery Pound Cake Recipe

Peach Blueberry Cake

Peach Blueberry Cake is my new favorite classic dessert! Fresh peaches and blueberries are baked into a delicious buttery cake.
Get the Recipe: Peach Blueberry Cake

Carrot Cake Cobbler

Carrot Cake Cobbler is the ultimate Southern dessert with cake on the top and hot caramel sauce on the bottom! Serve warm with ice cream!
Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Cobbler

Rich And Nutty Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

Learn how to make pecan pie without corn syrup. Simple, easy, and incredibly tasty! This recipe uses maple syrup instead of highly processed corn syrup.
Get the Recipe: Rich And Nutty Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake yields a decadent chocolate flavor that is tender and soft with melty pockets of chocolate chips.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever

This Carrot Cake recipe is moist with a tender bite. Covered with thick cream cheese frosting and spiced to perfection, makes it the best!
Get the Recipe: The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever