Holidays & Entertaining Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner Menus Host an Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Dinner Just Like Grandma Did By Wini Moranville Wini Moranville Facebook Instagram Website Food, wine, and travel writer Wini Moranville is the author of "Everyday French Cooking: Modern French Cuisine Made Simple." Over the past 25 years, she has written hundreds of articles, covering everything from Christmas Cookies to Cognac for Better Homes and Gardens, Bonjour Paris, Relish Magazine, and other national publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 19, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Con Poulos An old-fashioned Thanksgiving menu truly captures the warmth and goodwill of the holiday. Here, you'll find every dish you need to complete your traditional feast, including a nostalgic appetizer and punch, turkey and all the classic trimmings (including our best old-fashioned turkey stuffing for Thanksgiving), and the desserts everyone yearns for on this day. 01 of 15 Smoky Cheese Ball View Recipe Andy Lyons An old-fashioned Thanksgiving should kick off with a delightfully retro starter. A cheese ball could be just the thing. This classic combines smoked cheese and a touch of steak sauce for the promised smoky appeal. This showpiece first made it into the pages of Better Homes and Gardens magazine in 1972 and has been a sought-after recipe since. 02 of 15 Apple Cider Punch View Recipe Tina Rupp When you have images of an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dancing in your head, does a good punch come to mind? It should! This version hits all the right notes in a good sip: It's a little sweet (thanks to apple cider), a little tart (thanks to lemon juice), and a little fizzy (thanks to sparkling wine or sparkling grape juice). 03 of 15 Our Classic Roast Turkey View Recipe Mark Thomas If you're new to the turkey-roasting scene, check out our updated roasting guide. And if you're planning an old-fashioned Thanksgiving menu, a roast turkey is the right starting point. 04 of 15 Perfect Turkey Gravy View Recipe Andy Lyons There's no getting around the gravy; it's a must on any old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner menu. This recipe calls on pan drippings (the truly grandmotherly touch) for extra flavor. 05 of 15 Old-Fashioned Bread Stuffing View Recipe Tina Rupp This is it! The sage-seasoned, celery-studded, onion-enhanced turkey stuffing for Thanksgiving. Get the low-down on how to make dry bread cubes, and this could be one of the easiest parts of your dinner. Note: Looking for an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dressing recipe? This is also it! Dressing and stuffing are basically the same thing. (Though purists say dressing is baked in a dish and stuffing is baked inside the bird.) 06 of 15 Double-Cranberry Sauce View Recipe Adam Albright With both fresh and dried ruby-red cranberries, this recipe gets a double dose of the fruit's sweet-tart appeal. You can store the sauce in the fridge up to two days after the meal so you can brighten Thanksgiving leftovers too. Don't set an old-fashioned Thanksgiving table without the cranberry sauce. 07 of 15 Homemade Green Bean Casserole View Recipe Jason Donnelly When planning a Thanksgiving menu, green bean casseroles are at the top of our list. You can't beat a creamy, cheesy sauce covers and crispy shallots or french-fried onions. You can assemble most of the dish ahead of time so all you have to do before Thanksgiving dinner is make the sauce and pop the casserole into the oven. 08 of 15 Corn Pudding View Recipe Scott Little A classic corn pudding is a staple on an old-fashioned Thanksgiving menu. Made with corn, milk, eggs, butter, and cornmeal, this dis is by far the most traditional in our files. Try it once, and it will be your go-to corn pudding for years to come. 09 of 15 Creamy Brussels Sprouts View Recipe Andy Lyons Brussels sprouts are at their peak in November so a shoo-in for a Thanksgiving menus that features in-season vegetables. A simple creamy sauce and a few crumbles of crisp bacon make this side dish decadent. 10 of 15 Sweet Potato Pie View Recipe Andy Lyons So what kind of pie will you serve for Thanksgiving—pecan, sweet potato, or pumpkin? If you're reading this in a Southern state, you might be partial to this sweet potato recipe. Of course, there's no reason you can't serve all three. If you do, why not crimp each crust differently with these clever ways to embellish piecrust edges. 11 of 15 Classic Dinner Rolls View Recipe Andy Lyons Your old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner menu without homemade rolls. And what could be more traditional than these tender clover-leaf rolls? You'll also appreciate the no-knead ease of the yeast bread recipe. 12 of 15 Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes View Recipe Blaine Moats Candied sweet potatoes are another time-honored dish that often makes their way onto Thanksgiving menus. Here, we've turned the basic idea into easy-to-serve twice-baked potatoes. These are ideal for a small gathering. But if you're serving a crowd, we have plenty of other sweet potato recipes to choose from. 13 of 15 Orange-Apple Waldorf Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons Let's face it, gelatin salads might not be considered "cool" by the under-30 guests (though it does seem to be making a comeback). But if you want to stay true to tradition, a gelatin salad is a key part of an old-fashioned Thanksgiving. And you might be surprised by who goes back for seconds of this creamy, citrusy, apple-studded delight. 14 of 15 Pecan Pie View Recipe Con Poulos Pumpkin pie may be the holiday's most traditional dessert, but pecan pie surely deserves a spot on the Thanksgiving table. There's nothing newfangled about this classic recipe; it's sweet and nutty, just the way everyone likes it. Pass the whipped cream, please! 15 of 15 Best Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Topper View Recipe Tina Rupp If you've promised everyone an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner, you'd better have pumpkin pie. Or there could be a revolt! Our Test Kitchen has worked on a few versions over the decades, and when it comes to a traditional pie, this is the best. Try it with the recipe's Cranberry-Pecan Caramel Topper for a new (but not too new) twist. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit