These church cookbook holiday recipes are the easy, old fashioned dishes that filled every Thanksgiving potluck and Christmas supper: cheesy funeral potatoes, ham balls, Jell-O salads, homemade rolls and bake sale pies.
I gathered 30 of the classics, many of them my own versions, so you can bring the church supper table home for the holidays.
The Church Cookbooks I Still Have
I still have church cookbooks from my mom and my grandpa, the spiral-bound kind with every recipe signed by the lady who brought it to the potluck. The holiday pages are the most worn, splattered with cranberry and butter from years of Thanksgiving and Christmas cooking.
If you love these books too, my classic recipes from old church cookbooks and church potluck recipes have even more. For the rest of the season, see my old fashioned Christmas dinner, traditional Christmas appetizers and traditional Christmas cakes.
Holiday Casseroles, Sides and Ham
Thin potato slices bake in a homemade cream sauce seasoned with garlic powder and smoked paprika, the kind of dish that shows up in every church cookbook's vegetable section. Cook the sauce until it thickens slightly before you pour it over the potatoes.
Hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup and sharp cheddar under a buttery cornflake topping. They got their name from church funeral dinners, and they're just as welcome at Christmas. Thaw the hash browns first so the casserole bakes evenly.
Jiffy corn muffin mix, creamed corn, sour cream and eggs bake into a sweet, spoonable side in an 8x8 dish. Melt the butter in the baking dish in the oven, pour the batter right over it and don't stir.
Canned sweet potatoes are mashed with brown sugar, butter and cinnamon and topped with marshmallows or a pecan streusel. Canned sweet potatoes can be thinner than fresh, so stir in the optional 2 tablespoons of flour for a firmer casserole.
Homemade bread stuffing with onion, celery and fresh sage, parsley and rosemary, baked in a dish instead of the bird. Dry the bread cubes in a 250°F oven for 40 to 60 minutes first so they soak up the broth without going mushy.
The classic potluck version with cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions, made with fresh green beans. Save half the fried onions for the last 5 to 10 minutes so they stay crisp on top.
A fully cooked ham is warmed under foil, then brushed with a honey, brown sugar and Dijon glaze and baked uncovered until it's sticky and caramelized. Brush on the glaze generously before it goes back in the oven.
This is the Cheez Whiz broccoli rice casserole that shows up at holiday potlucks, and the author's mom has made it for holidays for years. Frozen broccoli, instant rice and cream of mushroom soup make it easy. Don't thaw the broccoli before you mix it in.
Yellow squash and sweet onion are mixed with cream of celery soup, cheddar and an egg, then baked under buttered Ritz crackers. You can assemble it without the topping and freeze it for up to 3 months.
For many families, scalloped oysters are a Thanksgiving and Christmas tradition. Oysters are layered with buttered cracker and bread crumbs and a cream sauce, then baked. Never use more than two layers of oysters, or the middle won't cook evenly.
Ham balls are a Midwest church supper classic: ground ham, sausage and beef mixed with graham cracker crumbs and buttermilk, then baked under a sweet brown sugar glaze. Make them large so they hold together while they bake.
Jell-O and Holiday Salads
Fresh cranberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges and marshmallows folded into whipped topping. Chop the cranberries with the sugar the night before and let them sit 8 to 24 hours so they lose their bite.
Canned whole berry cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple and dry raspberry Jello stirred into Cool Whip with mini marshmallows. Chill it for at least 2 to 3 hours, or overnight, so it sets.
A salty pretzel crust, a sweet cream cheese layer and strawberry Jello on top, and it's red and white for Christmas. Spread the cream cheese layer all the way to the edges to seal in the crust before the Jello goes on.
Apples, celery, grapes and walnuts in a light mayonnaise dressing. Toss the apples with lemon juice first so they don't turn brown, then chill for at least an hour.
Pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows and maraschino cherries in Cool Whip and sour cream. Drain the fruit really well so the salad stays thick.
Pistachio pudding mix, crushed pineapple with its juice, marshmallows and Cool Whip, and it's naturally green for Christmas. Top it with maraschino cherries right before serving.
The author's family served this layered Jello salad at every Christmas dinner: lime on the bottom, a cream cheese and pineapple middle and cherry on top. Let each layer set before you add the next, and keep an eye on it while it chills.
Frog eye salad gets its name from the tiny acini de pepe pasta, tossed in a cooked pineapple custard with fruit, marshmallows and coconut. It's a family gathering staple. Leftovers keep 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
Breads and Party Tray Favorites
Soft, buttery dinner rolls made with instant yeast and kneaded in a stand mixer. Knead for the full 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding flour a tablespoon at a time if it's sticky.
Canned biscuit pieces tossed in cinnamon sugar and baked in a bundt pan with a brown sugar butter sauce, perfect for Christmas morning. Grease the bundt pan generously so it turns out clean.
Sharp cheddar, mayonnaise and diced pimentos with a little Worcestershire and cayenne, ready for crackers or celery on the party tray. Chill it for at least an hour so the flavors come together.
Frozen meatballs simmer in cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix and beef broth, the kind of slow cooker dish every church potluck has. Stir in the sour cream during the last hour.
Classic deviled eggs with mayonnaise, yellow mustard and a splash of apple cider vinegar, finished with paprika. Cool the eggs completely before you peel them.
This cranberry nut bread came from the author's mom's old Betty Crocker cookbook. It's an orange-scented quick bread full of fresh cranberries and nuts, and it makes a nice gift. Use fresh orange zest and real orange juice.
Bake Sale Pies and Sweets
Canned pumpkin, heavy cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a blind-baked crust. Chill the crust for 30 minutes and pre-bake it for 7 to 8 minutes so the bottom doesn't get soggy.
Pecan pie made with brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavor. Bake until the center is set but still slightly jiggly, then cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Soft peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar with a Hershey's Kiss pressed into the middle, a cookie tray classic. Press the Kisses in as soon as the cookies come out of the oven.
Chess pie is a Southern pantry pie made with eggs, butter, sugar, buttermilk and a little cornmeal. Don't leave out the lemon, because it keeps the pie from being too sweet.
Melted butterscotch chips and peanut butter coat crunchy chow mein noodles and peanuts, then set on wax paper. No oven needed. You can leave out the peanuts and double the noodles.
Church Cookbook Holiday Recipe FAQs
What makes a recipe a church cookbook recipe?
Church cookbooks were put together by church members, usually to raise money, and each recipe was signed by the person who shared it. They're full of dishes that feed a crowd and travel well to a potluck: casseroles, Jell-O salads, ham, rolls and pies.
Which holiday dishes can I make ahead?
Jell-O salads, cranberry salads and pretzel salad need to be made ahead so they can set. Squash casserole can be assembled and frozen without its cracker topping, and pies and quick breads can be baked a day early.
How do I keep potluck casseroles warm?
Bake them right before you leave and wrap the dish in foil and a thick towel. Meatballs can travel and stay warm in the slow cooker.
How much should I bring to a holiday potluck?
Plan on one 9x13 casserole or one pie feeding about 10 to 12 people when there are lots of other dishes on the table.
More Old Fashioned Holiday Recipes
- Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Classic Potluck Recipes from Grandma's Cookbook
- Vintage Gelatin Mold Recipes
- Old Fashioned Pie Recipes
- Vintage Holiday Punch Recipes
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