The ’60s and ’70s had a particular style when it came to holiday treats! Some of these recipes might seem quirky by today’s standards, but they capture something special about Easter celebrations from decades past.
Blueberry Cobbler
This Southern-style cobbler brings back the simple baking traditions of the ’60s and ’70s when fruit desserts with flaky toppings were standard at every family gathering. Fresh blueberries bubble up through a biscuit crust that gets golden and crispy on top, creating that classic texture everyone remembers from their childhood Easter tables.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Cobbler
Strawberry Dump Cake
Dump cakes became hugely popular in the ’70s because busy home cooks could throw together an impressive dessert without measuring or mixing. This version layers strawberries, cream cheese, and buttery topping in one pan and bakes into a gooey, crowd-pleasing treat that’s ready in under an hour with barely any prep work.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Dump Cake
Frozen Lemonade Pie
Frozen pies were a go-to dessert in the ’60s and ’70s because they could be made days ahead and pulled from the freezer when company arrived. This no-bake version needs just four ingredients and five minutes of your time, delivering that tangy-sweet lemonade flavor that defined summer desserts back then.
Get the Recipe: Frozen Lemonade Pie
Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake
Swiss roll cakes were the showstopper desserts of mid-century entertaining, appearing at Easter brunches and spring celebrations throughout the ’60s and ’70s. This version features a light sponge cake rolled around creamy raspberry filling, and the recipe includes a foolproof technique so your cake won’t crack.
Get the Recipe: Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake
Peach Upside Down Cake
Upside-down cakes were everywhere in the ’70s, and the peach version brought summer orchard flavors to the Easter table. Caramelized peach slices sit on top of a tender cake that soaks up all those fruity juices, creating the sticky-sweet dessert that defined retro baking.
Get the Recipe: Peach Upside Down Cake
Blueberry Lemon Cake
Layer cakes topped with coconut and fresh fruit were the centerpiece of every ’60s and ’70s spring celebration. This version balances tart lemon with sweet blueberries and gets finished with creamy frosting and toasted coconut for that classic pastel-era presentation.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Lemon Cake
Apricot Upside Down Cake
Apricots were a staple canned fruit in grandma’s pantry during the ’60s and ’70s, making this upside-down cake a regular appearance at holiday meals. The fruit caramelizes into a gooey topping over buttery cake, bringing back those memories of simple desserts that tasted amazing without any fancy techniques.
Get the Recipe: Apricot Upside Down Cake
Chocolate Lush
Layered desserts like this one were the height of sophistication at ’70s potlucks and Easter gatherings. This no-bake version stacks an Oreo crust with peanut butter cheesecake, chocolate pudding, and Cool Whip for a rich four-layer treat that looks impressive but comes together easily.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Lush
Watergate Salad
This pistachio pudding “salad” became famous in the early ’70s and showed up at every holiday table for decades. With just five ingredients mixed together in minutes, it’s one of those retro recipes that works perfectly as a make-ahead dish for Easter or any spring gathering.
Get the Recipe: Watergate Salad
Lime Jello Salad
Jello salads in pastel colors were practically required at ’60s and ’70s holiday meals, especially Easter when the green color fit right in with the spring theme. This version is quick to put together and sets into that jiggly, nostalgic dessert that defined an entire era of home cooking.
Get the Recipe: Lime Jello Salad
Banana Pudding Cake
Southern banana pudding was already a classic by the ’60s, and the icebox cake version made it even easier for busy hosts. This no-bake recipe layers vanilla wafers, pudding, and bananas into a make-ahead dessert that needs just six ingredients and gets better as it sits in the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pudding Cake
Apple Dump Cake
Dump cakes hit their peak popularity in the ’70s when convenience cooking ruled, and this apple version delivers all the flavors of traditional pie without any crust-making. Fresh apples get topped with cake mix and butter, then bake into a cozy one-pan dessert with cinnamon throughout.
Get the Recipe: Apple Dump Cake
Peanut Butter Pie
No-bake pies were essential in the ’60s and ’70s because they kept kitchens cool and came together fast. This peanut butter version uses just six ingredients to create a creamy, rich dessert that’s been passed down through generations of family recipe boxes.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Pie
Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Lemon loaves and tea cakes were standard offerings at ’60s and ’70s coffee klatches and spring brunches. This copycat version recreates that moist, tangy cake with a sweet glaze that makes it perfect for Easter morning or afternoon coffee.
Get the Recipe: Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cake
Skillet cakes and one-pan desserts were practical favorites in the ’70s when cleanup mattered as much as taste. This version bakes up gooey and rich with swirled peanut butter on top, using pantry staples and a cast iron pan for that retro, homestyle feel.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cake
Lemon Meringue Cookies
Taking classic pie flavors and turning them into cookies was a popular trend in ’70s baking magazines. These bite-sized treats feature shortbread, tangy lemon filling, and toasted meringue for an elegant take on the traditional lemon meringue pie that graced so many Easter tables.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Meringue Cookies
Pineapple Crescent Rolls
Crescent rolls became a weeknight staple in the ’70s, and filling them with canned pineapple was a fast way to create a special breakfast or dessert. These golden pastries come together quickly and bring that tropical-meets-retro vibe that defined convenience baking back then.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Crescent Rolls
Strawberry Upside Down Cake
While pineapple upside-down cake ruled the ’60s, strawberry versions started showing up in the ’70s when fresh berries became more available year-round. Caramelized strawberries top a vanilla cake that’s surprisingly easy to make but looks like you spent all day in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Upside Down Cake
Bisquick Blueberry Muffins
Bisquick was the secret weapon of ’60s and ’70s home bakers who needed fast results without sacrificing quality. These blueberry muffins come together in 30 minutes and bake up golden with juicy berries throughout, perfect for Easter brunch or any spring morning.
Get the Recipe: Bisquick Blueberry Muffins
Apple Galette
Rustic galettes were called “free-form pies” in vintage cookbooks and gave home bakers an easier alternative to perfect lattice work. This apple version uses a flaky crust folded around spiced apples for an old-school dessert that’s meant to look casual and can be topped with ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Apple Galette
Blueberry Upside Down Cake
Upside-down cakes were a vintage baking staple, and the blueberry version brought a springtime twist to the traditional pineapple recipe. Blueberries caramelize on the bottom and then get flipped to create a beautiful purple-topped cake that tastes like Easter in the ’70s.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Upside Down Cake