Historic Recipes Archives - Our Heritage of Health

Piece of gingerbread cake on a china plate on a table with measuring spoons, an antique cookbook, winter greenery, a spice grater, and a little glazed pitcher.

Eggless Buttermilk Gingerbread Recipe from 1871

As I was looking through an old 19th century cookbook I came across a recipe for a soft gingerbread cake that didn't call for any …

A piece of waffle with butter and maple syrup and a bit of waffle on a fork all on a red china plate with a brown striped cloth underneath and a plate piled high with waffles in the background along with eggs, a whisk, and measuring spoons.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Waffle Recipe from 1858

Light and fluffy waffles are one of my favorite breakfast foods, but until recently they aren't something that I would have necessarily associated with 19th …

Piece of sour cream gingerbread cake dusted with powdered sugar on a red china plate on a table with a pan of gingerbread in the background along with an antique cookbook, some cloves and spoons and winter greenery, berries, and pinecones.

Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Gingerbread Cake Recipe from 1852

If I had to choose one baking recipe that seems to exemplify the 19th century I think I would have to choose gingerbread. From cookbooks …

Slice of pumpkin pie on a blue china plate with more of the pie in a baking dish behind it and an antique cookbook, a small gourd, eggs, a spoon, and nutmegs on the table.

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Recipe from 1861

Pumpkin pie is a traditional, old-fashioned dessert that many people associate with holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, unlike recipes such as mincemeat pie …

Slice of buttermilk cake with strawberry sauce on a red china plate on top of a green cloth and strawberries scattered on the table and a bowl of strawberry sauce in the background.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Cake Recipe from 1870

I first came across this recipe for an old-fashioned buttermilk cake when I was searching for a pound cake recipe to try. I was looking …

Cup of hot chocolate on a saucer with a spoon, chocolate pieces, nutmegs, a spice grater and measuring spoons on a table.

Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate Recipe from the 19th Century

As I've looked through old cookbooks from the 19th century, one of the things that always stood out to me was the lack of recipes …

Slice of marlborough pudding on a red decorative plate with apples and the rest of the pie on a table with nutmegs and a spice grater.

Apple and Lemon Marlborough Pudding Recipe from 1858

Marlborough pudding is a bit of an unusual dessert by modern standards. While the word "pudding" may evoke thoughts of modern, creamy vanilla or chocolate …

Dried tomatoes on plate with green checked cloth and small pear-shaped tomatoes scattered around.

Sweetened and Dried Tomato Fig Recipe from 1845

This recipe for sweetened, dried tomato figs is an unusual way to preserve tomatoes that I've seen mentioned in several old 19th century cookbooks . …

Plate of gingerbread cookies shaped like snowflakes with white icing on a table with a rolling pin, cookie cutter, measuring spoons, pine boughs, red berries, and an antique cookbook.

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cookie Recipe from 1868

Gingerbread is one of the most classic old-fashioned desserts, and it's been around in some form or another for centuries. This old-fashioned gingerbread cookie recipe …

Loaf of sourdough bread on a plate with a slice cut off.

Easy Homemade Sourdough Bread Recipe from 1869

If you're not used to baking homemade bread, making sourdough bread might sound a bit intimidating at first, but once you get used to it, …

Plum pudding on a red plate with a sprig of holly in the top and a slice of plum pudding on a plate beside it and pine needles and red berries scattered around.

Old-Fashioned Plum Pudding

Made famous by Dickens' A Christmas Carol, old-fashioned plum pudding is one of those quintessential holiday desserts that will forever be associated with the Christmas …

Slice of fruitcake with icing on top on a red china plate.

Traditional 19th Century Fruitcake Recipe

This traditional 19th century fruitcake recipe is a rich and buttery spice cake with plenty of fruit and citrus to give it nice a festive …

Slice of Election Cake on a china plate with icing drizzled over it.

Old Hartford Election Cake

One old-fashioned tradition that I think should make a comeback in our modern day is the tradition of making a big fancy cake on Election …

Slice of sour milk gingerbread with icing on a china plate with pink and purple flowers.

Sour Milk Gingerbread Recipe from 1869

Since I've become a raw milk convert I finally have a source of true sour milk to use in old recipes. What was left of the …

Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe from 1833

I recently roasted a whole free-range chicken, and this time I did something I had never done before - I saved the carcass and used it …

Old-Fashioned Mincemeat Pie Recipe from 1798

Up until just recently, I had always thought the idea of mincemeat pie sounded pretty unappetizing. I had never actually tried it until this year, but …

Boston baked beans in bean pot with blue plate with baked beans on the side.

Authentic Boston Baked Beans

Boston baked beans are a delicious old-fashioned New England tradition, but most store-bought baked beans today are full of all sorts of questionable ingredients. Instead …