Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: 17 Dishes From the 1827 Table That Helped Start the Holiday

Old fashioned Thanksgiving recipes have a surprising backstory. Thanksgiving almost stayed a local holiday, until magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb, spent 17 years writing to five presidents. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday. Years earlier, in her 1827 novel Northwood, she described the perfect Thanksgiving table: roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, chicken pie, pumpkin pie, pickles, cakes and preserves. Here is that 1800s dinner rebuilt for your kitchen today. Set the table..

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Roast Turkey Like 1827

Thanksgiving almost stayed a local holiday. One magazine editor wrote to five presidents for 17 years, and the dinner she described in 1827 is still on our tables. The roast turkey was the center of it all, and the old method is simple: butter, salt, a hot oven and patient basting..

You will need: 1 turkey (12 to 14 lb, thawed), 1/2 cup butter (soft), 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 onion and 1 apple (quartered), 2 cups broth.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F and pat the turkey dry. 2. Mix the butter with sage, thyme, salt and pepper and rub it all over the bird. 3. Put the onion and apple inside and set the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan with the broth. 4. Roast 30 minutes, then lower to 325 F. 5. Roast about 2 1/2 to 3 hours more, basting every 30 minutes, until the thigh reaches 165 F. 6. Rest 30 minutes before carving.

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Pan Gravy

In Northwood, the turkey comes to the table with rich gravy, and in the 1800s nothing from the bird was wasted. The neck and giblets simmered into a broth while the turkey roasted, then the broth was whisked into the pan drippings. It is still the best gravy you will ever make. Start the broth in the morning so it is ready when the turkey comes out. Lumps or no lumps at your house?

You will need: Turkey neck and giblets (no liver), 1 onion (quartered), 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 6 cups water, pan drippings, 1/4 cup flour, salt and pepper, a pinch of sage.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the neck, giblets, onion, carrot, celery and water for 2 hours while the turkey roasts. 2. Strain the broth. 3. Pour off all but 1/4 cup fat from the roasting pan. 4. Whisk in the flour over medium heat for 2 minutes. 5. Whisk in 3 to 4 cups of broth and scrape up the browned bits. 6. Simmer 10 minutes, season with salt, pepper and sage, and strain.

Savory Bread Stuffing

Hale’s Thanksgiving turkey was filled with a savory stuffing, and the 1800s version was simple: stale bread, butter, onion and plenty of sage and thyme from the kitchen garden. Bake it in a dish for crisp edges, or stuff the bird the old way. Either way, it tastes like Thanksgiving. Stuffing or dressing: what does your family call it?

You will need: 1 loaf day-old white bread (cubed, about 12 cups), 1/2 cup butter, 1 large onion (diced), 2 celery stalks (diced), 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 eggs, 2 cups turkey or chicken broth, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9×13 dish. 2. Cook the onion and celery in the butter 8 minutes. 3. Toss with the bread, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. 4. Whisk the eggs and broth and pour over, tossing until moist. 5. Spread in the dish and cover with foil. 6. Bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake 15 minutes more until golden.

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Chicken Pie, the 1800s Must-Have

In Northwood, a chicken pie sits right next to the turkey, and in the 1800s no proper Thanksgiving was complete without one. Tender chicken in a creamy gravy is baked under a flaky top crust, often with a lattice. It is cozy, filling and perfect for using a second bird. Make the filling a day ahead and bake it on the morning. Would you add a chicken pie to your table?

You will need: 4 cups cooked chicken (chunks), 1/4 cup butter, 1 small onion (diced), 1/3 cup flour, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup milk, 1 cup peas and carrots, 1/2 tsp thyme, salt and pepper, 2 rounds pie dough, 1 egg (beaten).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Cook the onion in the butter, stir in the flour, then whisk in the broth and milk until thick. 3. Add the chicken, vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper. 4. Line a deep pie dish with one crust and add the filling. 5. Top with the second crust or a lattice and brush with egg. 6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Pumpkin Pie With Molasses

Pumpkin pie is one of the dishes Hale described in Northwood, and the old way used molasses alongside sugar for a darker, deeper flavor. Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg were the favorite spices. This version tastes like a pie from grandma’s grandmother’s kitchen. Bake it the day before so it sets and slices cleanly. Whipped cream or plain?

You will need: 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk or half-and-half, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. 2. Whisk the pumpkin, sugar, molasses, eggs, milk, spices and salt. 3. Pour into the crust. 4. Bake 15 minutes. 5. Lower to 350 F and bake 40 to 45 minutes more, until the center barely jiggles. 6. Cool completely before slicing.

Old-Fashioned Lemon Custard Pie

Sweet pies filled the Thanksgiving tables of the 1800s, and lemon custard pie was a bright, tangy favorite next to all the spice. It is simple: eggs, sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest baked in a flaky crust until just set. A lattice top makes it look like an antique. Do you like your desserts sweet or tart?

You will need: 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust plus strips for a lattice, 4 eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 lemons (zest and 1/2 cup juice), 1 tbsp flour, a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth. 3. Whisk in the butter, lemon zest, juice, flour and salt. 4. Pour into the crust. 5. Arrange pastry strips on top in a lattice. 6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until set and lightly golden, then cool.

Apple Pie From the Fall Cellar

In the 1800s, apples were stored in the cellar all winter, so apple pie was on nearly every Thanksgiving table. Tart apples, sugar, cinnamon and a little nutmeg are all you need, with a lattice crust on top. It is a simple pie that never goes out of style. Looking for more? See old fashioned apple desserts grandma baked. Ice cream or cheddar on the side?

You will need: 2 rounds pie dough, 6 cups sliced tart apples, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp butter (cut small), 1 egg (beaten).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. 2. Toss the apples with sugar, flour, spices and lemon juice. 3. Line a pie dish with one crust and fill with apples. 4. Dot with butter and top with a lattice. 5. Brush with egg. 6. Bake 15 minutes, lower to 350 F and bake 35 to 40 minutes more until bubbling.

Indian Pudding, the New England Classic

Indian pudding is one of the oldest New England desserts, made from cornmeal, milk and molasses and baked low and slow until it turns dark and spoonable. It was a cozy favorite on 1800s Thanksgiving tables. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top. It is one of those old fashioned Thanksgiving recipes almost nobody makes anymore. Would you try it?

You will need: 4 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, vanilla ice cream to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 300 F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. 2. Heat 3 cups of milk until steaming and slowly whisk in the cornmeal. 3. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes until thick. 4. Stir in the molasses, sugar, butter, spices and salt, then whisk in the eggs. 5. Pour into the dish and pour the last cup of cold milk on top without stirring. 6. Bake 2 hours until set, and serve warm with ice cream.

Pound Cake With Preserves

Hale’s table had cakes and preserves, and among old fashioned Thanksgiving recipes, pound cake was the cake every 1800s kitchen knew by heart. It was named for its recipe: a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Serve thick slices with homemade fruit preserves. It keeps for days, so bake it early in the week. Plain or with lemon?

You will need: 1 cup butter (soft), 1 3/4 cups sugar, 5 eggs, 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 lemon (zest), fruit preserves to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325 F and grease a loaf pan. 2. Beat the butter and sugar 5 minutes until very fluffy. 3. Beat in the eggs one at a time. 4. Fold in the flour, salt, vanilla and zest. 5. Pour into the pan. 6. Bake 65 to 75 minutes until a skewer comes out clean, cool and serve with preserves.

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Election Cake

Election cake is a big yeast-raised fruit cake that New Englanders baked for gatherings in the 1700s and 1800s. It is soft like bread, full of raisins and spices, and finished with a thin sugar glaze. Our version is alcohol-free, with orange juice for the fruit soak. It is a fun piece of food history for your holiday table. Have you ever heard of it?

You will need: 1 packet instant yeast, 1 cup warm milk, 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup butter (soft), 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 cups raisins and currants soaked in 1/2 cup orange juice. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk.

How to make it: 1. Mix the yeast, milk and 1 cup flour and rest 30 minutes. 2. Beat the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, spices and salt. 3. Mix in the yeast mixture, the rest of the flour and the drained fruit. 4. Spoon into a greased tube pan and rise 1 1/2 hours. 5. Bake at 350 F for 45 to 50 minutes. 6. Cool and drizzle with the glaze.

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Molasses Gingerbread

Among old fashioned Thanksgiving recipes, gingerbread usually meant a soft, dark cake, not cookies, and it was a favorite in every farmhouse kitchen. Molasses, ginger and cinnamon give it a deep, warm flavor that smells like the holidays. Bake it in a square pan and cut it into squares. A dollop of whipped cream makes it perfect. Cake or cookies when you hear gingerbread?

You will need: 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup butter (soft), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup molasses, 1 cup hot water, whipped cream to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×9 inch pan. 2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. 3. Beat the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg and molasses. 4. Add the dry ingredients, then stir in the hot water until smooth. 5. Pour into the pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes. 6. Cool slightly and serve warm with whipped cream.

Soft Parker House Rolls

Parker House rolls were first made at the Parker House hotel in Boston in the 1800s, and they became a favorite at holiday dinners across America. The soft buttery dough is folded over so each roll has a tender pocket. Brush them with melted butter and flaky salt as they come out of the oven. Make the dough the day before and rise it overnight in the fridge. How many rolls can you eat?

You will need: 4 cups flour, 1 packet instant yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup butter (melted, divided), 1 egg, flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. 2. Add the milk, 1/4 cup butter and the egg and knead 8 minutes. 3. Rise 1 hour. 4. Roll 1/2 inch thick, cut 3-inch rounds, brush with butter and fold each in half. 5. Arrange in a buttered pan and rise 30 minutes. 6. Bake at 375 F for 15 to 18 minutes and brush with butter and flaky salt.

Johnnycake, the Cornmeal Bread of Old

Cornmeal breads like johnnycake are old fashioned Thanksgiving recipes from 1800s New England, everyday food that also earned a spot on the holiday table. Made in a hot cast iron skillet, it is crisp on the outside and soft inside, with a little molasses for sweetness. It is perfect for soaking up gravy. Butter and honey on top, or plain?

You will need: 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp molasses, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1 egg, 3 tbsp butter.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F with the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. 2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. 3. Whisk the molasses, buttermilk and egg. 4. Stir the wet into the dry until just mixed. 5. Pour into the hot buttered skillet. 6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden, and cut into wedges.

Simple 1800s Cranberry Sauce

Of all the old fashioned Thanksgiving recipes, this is the one we still make the same way. Cranberries grow wild in New England, and cooking them with sugar into a sauce for poultry was already common in the 1800s. The old recipe is the same one we use today: cranberries, sugar and water, simmered until they pop. A little orange zest is a nice modern touch. Make it a week ahead. Canned or homemade at your table?

You will need: 1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tsp orange zest (optional), a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. 2. Add the cranberries and salt. 3. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring, until most berries pop. 4. Stir in the orange zest. 5. Pour into a bowl and cool. 6. Chill until firm and serve cold.

Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes: Pickles and Preserves

Northwood describes a table loaded with pickles and preserves, and every 1800s family put up jars all summer for the holidays. A quick refrigerator pickle gives you that same crunchy, tangy bite with no canning. Set out a few small dishes of pickles and fruit preserves to cut through the rich food. Sweet pickles or dill?

You will need: 4 small cucumbers (sliced), 1 small onion (sliced), 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp mustard seed, 1/2 tsp celery seed, fresh dill.

How to make it: 1. Pack the cucumbers, onion and dill into clean jars. 2. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and seeds to a boil. 3. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 4. Pour the hot brine over the vegetables. 5. Cool, cover and refrigerate. 6. Wait at least 24 hours before serving; they keep about 3 weeks.

Plum Pudding, Family Style

Plum puddings were a grand holiday dessert in the 1800s, and despite the name, they are full of raisins and currants, not plums. The pudding is steamed for hours in a covered bowl until dark and rich. This family version uses apple juice instead of brandy. Serve it warm with a pour of custard. Have you ever tasted one?

You will need: 1 1/2 cups raisins and currants, 1/2 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup butter (soft), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 1 tsp mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice, 1 apple (grated), custard to serve.

How to make it: 1. Soak the fruit in the apple juice overnight. 2. Beat the butter and sugar, then the eggs. 3. Stir in the flour, breadcrumbs, spice, apple and fruit. 4. Spoon into a greased 1 1/2 quart bowl and cover tightly with parchment and foil. 5. Steam in a covered pot of simmering water 3 to 4 hours, topping up the water. 6. Turn out and serve warm with custard.

Homemade Ginger Beer, the Kid-Friendly Drink

Ginger beer is one of the drinks Hale named in her Thanksgiving chapter, and the homemade version is a simple, fizzy, non-alcoholic ginger soda. This quick modern method uses fresh ginger syrup and sparkling water, so there is no fermenting. Want the full history? Read the story of Sarah Josepha Hale. Lemon or lime in yours?

You will need: 1 cup fresh ginger (peeled and sliced), 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 2 lemons (juice), 4 cups chilled sparkling water, ice, lemon slices.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the ginger, sugar and water 15 minutes. 2. Cool and strain to make ginger syrup. 3. Stir in the lemon juice. 4. Fill glasses with ice. 5. Add 1/4 cup syrup to each glass. 6. Top with sparkling water, stir and add lemon slices.