Vintage Recipes from the 1910s Worth Trying Today (2024)

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Vintage Recipes from the 1910s Worth Trying Today (1)Caroline StankoUpdated: Jan. 05, 2022

    The 1910s featured the first phone call, Babe Ruth's Major League debut and some delicious recipes. Get a taste of America's pastime with vintage recipes for cookies, fudge, salads and more.

    Family-Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

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    Taste of Home

    My mother got this recipe in about 1910 when she was a housekeeper and cook for the local physician. The doctor's wife was an excellent cook and taught my mother of lot of her cooking techniques. The cookies soon became a favorite in our home and, when I got married and had a family of my own, they were a favorite throughout the years. My five children also enjoy baking these cookies for their own families—it's a real family tradition.

    Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

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    Taste of Home

    One of the nice things about this easy pudding is you don't have to stand and stir it. It's a must for my family year-round! I also make it into a pie with a graham cracker crust that our grandchildren love. —Amber Sampson, Somonauk, Illinois

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    I marinate mushrooms and artichokes in fresh tarragon, thyme and seasonings so they turn out tart, tangy and irresistible. —Marcia Doyle, Pompano, Florida

    Chocolate Chunk Walnut Blondies

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    Put a stack of these beauties out at a potluck and you'll find only crumbs on your platter when it's time to head home. Everyone will be asking who made those scrumptious blondies, so be sure to bring copies of the recipe! —Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor

    Quick Clam Chowder

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    Not only is this soup a quick fix, but it's oh-so-tasty. Dressing up canned soups allows you to enjoy the comfort of clam chowder with a fraction of the work. —Judy Jungwirth, Athol, South Dakota

    Fancy Baked Potatoes

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    Taste of Home

    I can't count the times I've turned to this tried-and-true recipe when company is coming. The potato filling is creamy and rich tasting, plus the servings are attractive. But the best part is you can spare yourself the hassle of mashing potatoes at the last minute. —Audrey Thibodeau, Gilbert, Arizona

    Zippy Breaded Pork Chops

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    Need a perky update for baked breaded pork chops? These chops with ranch dressing and a light breading will bring a delightful zing to your dinner table. —Ann Ingalls, Gladstone, Missouri

    Moist Chocolate Cake

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    This moist chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania

    Celebration Punch

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    This pretty fruit punch has just the right amount of sweetness. The ice ring keeps it cool for hours without diluting the flavor.—Marci Carl, Northern Cambria, Pennsylvania

    Ham Salad

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    I first made this ham salad recipe for a shower, and everyone raved about it. Now when I go to a potluck, I take it—along with copies of the recipe. —Patricia Reed, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

    Party Potatoes Au Gratin

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    Hearty helpings of these cheesy spuds will please hungry folks in a hurry. The rich, creamy sauce makes this recipe of my mother's the one folks request most. The potatoes are just as delicious the next day, reheat in the microwave with a little added milk.—Debbie Carlson, San Diego, California

    Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls

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    Taste of Home

    Friends and family are always happy to receive these tasty peanut butter popcorn balls. I love making them as well as eating them! —Betty Claycomb, Alverton, Pennsylvania

    Apricot Cream Biscuits

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    Taste of Home

    Melt-in-your-mouth good when warm, these shortcut biscuits with a hint of orange prove that the right mix really can offer homemade taste. —Betty Saint Turner, Attalla, Alabama

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    I love recipes that you can just throw into the slow cooker and let it do all the work. This easy chicken dinner is one of my favorites. —Christina Petri, Alexandria, Minnesota

    Three-Chocolate Fudge

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    I make this fudge at Christmastime to give to friends and neighbors. That tradition started years ago when I made more candy than my husband, three sons and I could eat, so we shared it. It's a tasty tradition I'm glad to continue. —Betty Grantham, Hanceville, Alabama

    Spinach and Turkey Pinwheels

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    Need an awesome snack for game day? My kids love these easy four-ingredient turkey pinwheels. Go ahead and make them the day before—they won’t get soggy! —Amy Van Hemert, Ottumwa, Iowa

    Baked Stuffed Apples

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    Taste of Home

    My husband loves the smell of these stuffed apples while they're baking in the oven. He often tells me it wouldn't be a true holiday celebration without them. — Tre Balchowsky, Sausalito, California

    Christmas Morning Popovers

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    Popovers have been a Christmas morning tradition in my family for 30 years. I get up early to make the popovers, then wake the family to begin opening gifts. When the popovers are ready, I serve them with lots of butter and assorted jams. My father-in-law began the tradition. —Sue A. Jurack

    Coquilles St. Jacques for 1

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    Taste of Home

    Buttery scallops in rich, creamy sauce would be tough to share. Good thing you don’t have to. —Betsy Esley, Lake Alfred, Florida

    Oatmeal Molasses Crisps

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    Taste of Home

    When I found this recipe in an Amish cookbook, I had to try it. It’s traditional in regions with Amish populations—Pennsylvania, Ohio and the Upper Midwest. Now it’s a staple for our family and the folks at our church fellowship, too. —Jori Schellenberger, Everett, Washington

    Creamy Lemon Almond Pastries

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    I love lemon filled doughnuts when I can find them. This recipe brings the concept to a new level by placing the filling into a baked beignet and enhancing it with a bit of almond flavoring and toasted almonds. The result? Sunshine in a bite. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

    Layered Orange Sponge Cake

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    This recipe's been handed down in my family for 40 years, from a relative who was a French baker. It's light, delicate and delicious, just like a great cake should be. —Joyce Speerbrecher, Grafton, Wisconsin

    Fried Mashed Potato Balls

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    The key to this recipe is to start with mashed potatoes that are firm from chilling. Serve the fried mashed potato balls with sour cream or ranch salad dressing on the side. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Three-Cheese Fondue

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    I got this easy recipe from my daughter, who lives in France. It’s become my go-to fondue, and I make it often for our family.—Betty A. Mangas, Toledo, Ohio

    Quick Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

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    Taste of Home

    These cookies freeze well, so it's easy to keep some on hand for last-minute munching. In summer, I often make them larger to use for ice cream sandwiches. —Mary Rempel, Altona, Manitoba

    Originally Published: October 22, 2018

    Vintage Recipes from the 1910s Worth Trying Today (27)

    Caroline Stanko

    Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.

    Vintage Recipes from the 1910s Worth Trying Today (2024)

    FAQs

    What was the most popular food in the 1910s? ›

    Ordinary people ate food that was far more mundane. Red flannel hash — it's corned beef hash with extra vegetables — was popular, and so were sandwiches of every variety. More expensive fare might include a hot turkey sandwich or half of a broiled guinea hen.

    How was food cooked 100 years ago? ›

    Most American homes did not have stoves until well into the 19th century, so cooking was done in an open hearth, using heavy iron pots and pans suspended from iron hooks and bars or placed on three-legged trivets to lift them above the fires. Pots and pans were made mostly of heavy cast iron.

    How did people cook in the 1900s? ›

    People cooked nutritious stews on an open hearth or wood stove. Prior to industrialization and the development of commercial food processing, typical American families prepared simple meals, from scratch, at home. In the early 1900s, there were no fast food chains or frozen TV dinners.

    How do people come up with original recipes? ›

    Many recipe developers find ideas:
    1. In cookbooks or magazines.
    2. Through recipes on other food blogs.
    3. From family recipes.
    4. At local restaurants or bakeries.
    5. While traveling.
    6. From new ingredients or seasonal produce at a farmers market.
    7. On Pinterest.
    8. While watching cooking shows.
    Jun 9, 2022

    What was the most popular dessert in the 1910s? ›

    1910s: Sponge Cake

    Light and airy, sponge cake was a popular treat in early America. It was often paired with a fruit flavor, such as strawberry, orange or lemon.

    What did kids eat in 1910? ›

    School lunch in 1910 was a far cry from what it is today. Volunteer programs were the predominant source of school lunch subsidized school lunches. However, cities were starting to develop programs that would offer 3-cent meals. These meals were typically simple fare, such as soup, bread, and milk.

    What is the oldest cooked food? ›

    The burned food remnants – the oldest ever found – were recovered from the Shanidar Cave site, a Neanderthal dwelling 500 miles north of Baghdad in the Zagros Mountains. Thought to be about 70,000 years old, they were discovered in one of many ancient hearths in the caves.

    What did humans eat 3000 years ago? ›

    Studies show that the city dwellers ate a variety of meats, dairy, grains and other plants. The shards yielded traces of proteins found in barley, wheat and peas, along with several animal meats and milks.

    What did humans eat 10,000 years ago? ›

    • Plants - These included tubers, seeds, nuts, wild-grown barley that was pounded into flour, legumes, and flowers. ...
    • Animals - Because they were more readily available, lean small game animals were the main animals eaten. ...
    • Seafood - The diet included shellfish and other smaller fish.

    What food was popular in the early 1900s? ›

    It was an exciting time for food, too. In the first decade of the new century, brownies were invented, Necco wafers came into being and the first patent was issued for instant coffee. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hot fudge sundaes were created then, too.

    What was the first thing ever cooked? ›

    A recent study found what could be the earliest known evidence of ancient cooking: the leftovers of a fish dinner from 780,000 years ago. Cooking helped change our ancestors. It helped fuel our evolution and gave us bigger brains.

    Who is the first recipe? ›

    The earliest known written recipes date to 1730 BC and were recorded on cuneiform tablets found in Mesopotamia. Other early written recipes date from approximately 1600 BC and come from an Akkadian tablet from southern Babylonia. There are also works in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting the preparation of food.

    When did humans start cooking for flavor? ›

    The oldest evidence (via heated fish teeth from a deep cave) of controlled use of fire to cook food by archaic humans was dated to ~780,000 years ago. Anthropologists think that widespread cooking fires began about 250,000 years ago when hearths first appeared.

    How to create a unique recipe? ›

    Here's what I find useful:
    1. Try cooking techniques you've never tried before. Make them up if you have to!
    2. Try ingredients or genres of food you've never tried before. ...
    3. Eat at restaurants that inspire you. ...
    4. Try recreating recipes from chefs that inspire you. ...
    5. Cook with a friend.
    Feb 18, 2021

    What was popular in the 1910s? ›

    The 1910's were filled with all types of arts, from music to film. In this century music became very popular. This century is also the time when the film industry shifted from New York to Hollywood. Cubism a new style of painting became the style of the century.

    What did rich people eat in 1910? ›

    1910s: Roast Beef And Franconia Potatoes, Oysters, Strawberry Sponge Cake. The 1910s saw the peak of an oyster craze that permeated American food culture for years. In the early 20th century, oyster prices were half the price of beef.

    What food did people eat in 1912? ›

    The last dinner on board the Titanic for first-class travelers before it sank on the morning of April 15, 1912, featured salmon with a mousseline sauce, filet mignon lili, lamb in a mint sauce, roast duckling with applesauce, sirloin of beef, roast squab and more.

    What was a common food in the 1900s? ›

    Homes without refrigeration utilized dry and canned goods extensively (canned shrimp, chicken, tuna, peas, and mushrooms were popular items). During WWI food supplies became scarce as the country fed the soldiers and parts of Europe.

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