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15 Best Southern Dessert Recipes

If you're looking for some delicious new recipes, we have you covered.
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Is there anything more decadent than an old-school Southern dessert? From Coca-Cola cake to banana pudding to pecan pie, there's no shortage of delicious treats in the Southern part of the United States.

Whether you're craving a visit to the South or you just want some new recipes for your repertoire, we have you covered. These Southern dessert recipes are sure to please every palate.

And for what to eat before dessert, check out 22 Meals to Melt Belly Fat in 2022.

Banana Pudding

Low-calorie banana pudding
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Head to a hole-in-the-wall barbecue restaurant in the South, and you'll likely find banana pudding on the menu. It's the perfect ending to a Southern meal.

Get our recipe for Banana Pudding

Coca-Cola Cake

biting into a slice of coca cola cake on a grey plate
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

Cake that's made with Coke? Yep, it's a Southern thing! And don't knock it until you try it.

Get our recipe for Coca-Cola Cake

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Healthy blueberry-peach cobbler
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Looking for a dessert that's as sweet as a Georgia peach? You can't go wrong with our cobbler recipe, which adds blueberries for extra flavor.

Get our recipe for a Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Grilled Strawberry Shortcake

Vegetarian strawberry shortcake with balsamic
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Strawberry shortcake is delicious on its own, but if you want to kick things up, throw this dessert on the grill. Perfection.

Get our recipe for Grilled Strawberry Shortcake

Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Florida is a Southern state, and there's no more quintessential Floridian treat than key lime pie. It's a summertime sweet you won't be able to resist.

Get our recipe for Key Lime Pie

RELATED: Easy, healthy, 350-calorie recipe ideas you can make at home.

Coconut Cream Pie

triple coconut cream pie on a white table with a slice missing
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Not into key lime pie? Try this coconut cream pie recipe instead.

Get our recipe for Healthier Coconut Cream Pie

Apple Pie

slice of apple pie topped with ice cream
Shutterstock

We can't mention Southern pies without the classic apple, a staple at any Southern cookout. Our recipe uses a crumb-based topping, rather than a double crust.

Get our recipe for Apple Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

whole sweet potato pie
Shutterstock

Another pie recipe? What can we say—the South knows how much you can do with a pie crust and some creative filling ideas. Sweet potatoes are North Carolina's state vegetable, but you'll find this delicacy all over the U.S. South.

Get the recipe from What's Gaby Cooking

Red Velvet Cake

Red velvet cake slice
Shutterstock

As legend has it, red velvet cake originated in New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. But you'll also find it in plenty of Southern bakeries; it pairs especially well with the classic Southern soda, Cheerwine.

Get the recipe from My Name Is Yeh

Hummingbird Cake

hummingbird cake slice on plate
Courtesy of Sallys Baking Addiction

Not into red velvet? Give hummingbird cake a try! This delectable treat features bananas and pineapple for a dessert that's unlike anything you've had before.

Get the recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

Lane Cake

whole lane cake on cake stand
Courtesy of Tori Avey

Between all of these pies and cake recipes, the South certainly knows how to create a dessert spread. Lane cake, which originated in Alabama, features white cake layered with raisins and a bourbon filling, finished off with white frosting. If you don't mind raisins in your dessert, this is one decadent treat.

Get the recipe from Tori Avey

Bananas Foster

Bananas foster
Shutterstock

We can't have a list of Southern desserts without this New Orleans treat!

Get the recipe from One Dish Kitchen

Pecan Pie

pecan pie
Shutterstock

And, we're back with more pies! Pecan pie is a staple on Southern Thanksgiving tables, though it's just as delicious year-round.

Get the recipe from The Healthy Foodie

Mississippi Mud Pie

mississippi mud pie
Shutterstock

S'mores lovers will love this gooey, chocolatey treat. With plenty of chocolate and whipped cream to go around, this Southern dessert is perfect for anyone with a serious sweet tooth.

Get the recipe from Diethood

Custard Pie

whole custard pie
Shutterstock

Forget crème brûlée. In the South, it's all about custard pie, made with eggs, vanilla, and cream for an unforgettably rich treat.

Get the recipe from Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking

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Meghan De Maria
Meghan De Maria is a senior editor at Eat This, Not That!, specializing in food, product, and restaurant coverage. Read more about Meghan