30 Recipes From the 1800s That Have Stood the Test of Time

My Grandma’s Shoofly Pie

Shoofly pie, a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, is made with a wholesome combination of molasses, hot water, and baking soda. It’s topped with a three-ingredient brown sugar topping that’s impossible to beat.

Mahogany Cake

“[Mahohany cake] is technically the first ‘chocolate cake’ on record and, according to Anne Byrn’s book ‘American Cake,’ it can be traced all the way back to the 1800s. It even appeared in popular cookbooks like Sarah Tyson Rorer’s ‘The Philadelphia Cookbook,’ which was published in 1886. But it’s the way that it’s made that paved the way for the modern red velvet cake.” —Victoria Soliz

Thomas Jefferson’s Ice Cream Recipe

Thomas Jefferson is the first American credited with writing down an ice cream recipe. He popularized the dessert by serving it in the White House during his presidency, between 1801 and 1809.

Homemade Ketchup

An American scientist named James Mease is credited with inventing tomato-based ketchup in 1812. His formula was tweaked over the years and in 1876 the famous company, Heinz, debuted its beloved bottled ketchup.

Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington—which likely gets its name from Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington—is beef tenderloin coated with paté and mushrooms, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked until the pastry is a beautiful golden brown.

Grandma Beatrice’s Prize Butter Tarts

“This glorious recipe travelled from Scotland to Canada with my great-grandmother in the mid-1800s. It was passed to me by my beloved grandmother Bea, who taught me everything she knew about cooking and about life.” —Debutante

Panettone

Panettone, which was first recorded in the Italian-Milanese dictionary in 1839, is a yeast-leavened bread made with raisins, candied fruit peels, almonds, and brandy. Chef John’s recipe takes three days to make, but it’s well worth the wait.

Sherry Cobbler

“Probably invented in the 1830s when the ‘frozen water trade’ was just hitting its stride. A very refreshing summer drink when the berries are in season.” —Lorem Ipsum

Hearty Hoppin’ John Stew

A Hoppin’ John recipe appeared in “The Carolina Housewife” by Sarah Rutledge in 1847, and this is thought to be the first written reference to the hearty dish. Eat it on New Year’s Day for good luck all year long.

Rocky Road Candies

You might associate Rocky Road with ice cream, but the chocolate-nut-marshmallow combination actually started as a confection in 1850s Australia. The ingredients were often less-than-fresh upon arrival from Europe, so they were mixed together to make a more delicious dessert. Its name references the perilous journey required to transport it.

Classic Fish and Chips

The first fish and chip shop was likely opened by Joseph Malin, a young Jewish immigrant, in London in the 1860s.

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

‘Syracuse salt potatoes are a regional specialty of Syracuse, New York, a.k.a. ‘Salt City.’ Salt potatoes date to the 1800s, and were invented by local salt mine workers who created a simple and inexpensive lunch by boiling small potatoes in brine.” —kaspmary

Jericallas (Mexican Baked Custards)

“Jericallas is a dessert from the Mexican city of Guadalajara. According to legend, it was invented by nuns in an orphanage in the 19th century.” —CeceliaR

Panzanella

Panzanella originated in the Italian countryside, serving as a delicious way to use up excess veggies and old bread. It was famously served to King Vittorio in 1865.

Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska was invented in 1867 at Delmonico’s in New York City, then became incredibly popular after Alaska was granted statehood in 1959.

Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate ganache is a glaze, frosting, filling, or sauce. Ganache was reportedly created in 1869 by Parisian playwright and confectioner Paul Siraudin, who is said to have named it after a popular Vaudevillian comedy called “Les Ganaches.”

Pioneer Cut Dumplings from the 1800s

‘With just four ingredients, pioneers made both dumplings and noodles. This original recipe continues to be passed down through generations in our family.” —BARB MAXWELL

Tom Collins Cocktail

Though the recipe likely originated in London, the cocktail’s name probably comes from a practical joke that took New York and Philadelphia by storm in the 1870s.

It went like this: Someone would ask their friend, “Do you know Tom Collins?” When the friend said they did not know Tom Collins, the prankster would say that the nonexistent man was going from bar to bar telling lies about him.

The joke was so widespread it was dubbed The Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1874.

Tarte Tatin

A tarte Tatin is a pastry in which fruit slices (usually apples) are caramelized in butter and sugar before baking. It originated in France—apparently by mistake—at the Hôtel Tatin in the 1880s. 

Lobster Thermidor

Lobster thermidor is a French dish consisting of diced lobster meat stuffed into a lobster shell, topped with a buttery wine sauce, sprinkled with cheese, and broiled. The iconic dish gets its name from a popular 1891 play called “Thermidor” by Victorien Sardou.

Waldorf Salad

A Waldorf salad is a fruit and nut salad that features a mayonnaise dressing. It was created in 1896 by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d’hôtel at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria. It doesn’t traditionally contain meat, but chicken is often added to make it a complete meal. 

Lane Cake

Emma Rylander Lane of Clayton, Alabama is credited with inventing the Lane cake in the 1890s. She won first prize with it at the county fair in Columbus, Georgia, then published the recipe in her very own cookbook under the title “Prize Cake” in 1898.

Lancashire Hot Pot

Lancashire Hot Pot, a hearty casserole made with seasoned potatoes and sliced leg of lamb, dates back to the mid-1800s.

Victoria Sponge Cake

“Victoria sponge cake was a favorite layer cake of Queen Victoria and has become a classic British cake served at afternoon tea and other celebrations. It’s filled with strawberry jam and vanilla whipped cream. Dust powdered sugar over the top if you’d like.” —Carolina Victoria

Norwegian Lefse

“Much like my Gram’s recipe for Tatty Scones (Scottish). She wrote it out in the late 1800s…still good. Great use of leftover mashed potatoes.” —Ken Turnbull

Manhattan Cocktail

This five-ingredient cocktail, made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, ice cubes, and a maraschino cherry, dates back to the late 1800s.

Vintage Lemonade

“In the 1800s this is how people made lemonade—you can do it too! It’s not that difficult, and tastes wonderful!” —Aunt Suzie

Funnel Cakes

Commonly served at carnivals and amusement parks, funnel cakes (as we know them today) originated in Pennsylvania in the late 1800s.

Eggs Benedict

Most experts agree eggs Benedict was invented in New York City in the late 1800s (either at Delmonico’s or the Waldorf Hotel).  

Simple Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is an iconic Russian dish that consists of beef in a creamy sauce. According to legend, it was created by chefs who worked for the Stroganov family in the 1800s.