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  1. Midwest Living
  2. Food
  3. Desserts & Baking
  4. Soul Food Desserts

Soul Food Desserts

Hannah Agran Author Headshot
By Hannah Agran Updated January 11, 2023
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My My’s Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Credit: Andy Lyons

Patty Pinner's childhood in Michigan was all the sweeter thanks to the soul her family baked into desserts. Try 9 of her recipes, including oatmeal cookies, sweet potato cheesecake, apple butter pie and bourbon balls.

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My My's Brown Sugar Pound Cake

My My’s Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Patty's grandmother sifted together the flour and baking powder three times before adding them to the batter. We had good results just whisking them together. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets.

Related: Ultimate Cake Recipes

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Sister Chestermae Hayes's Apple Butter Pie

Sister Chestermae Hayes’s Apple Butter Pie
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Imagine a pumpkin pie made with jarred apple butter in place of the usual canned pumpkin. It's the perfect home-baked treat to cap off a cozy autumn supper. Patty suggests sprinkling pecan pieces over the whipped cream or ice cream before serving. We opted for grated fresh nutmeg. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies.

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Aint Sug's Punkin' Puddin'

Aint Sug’s Punkin’ Puddin’
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Baked in a casserole dish, this unusual dessert channels the spirit of marshmallow-topped sweet potato, with the added spice of pumpkin pie. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets.

Related: Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love

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Vertamae Grosvenor's Coconut Custard Meringue Pie

Vertamae Grosvenor’s Coconut Custard Meringue Pie
Credit: Andy Lyons
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A cloud of toasty meringue tops creamy coconut pudding in a recipe from Patty's friend and fellow soul-food queen. Though not difficult, the filling for this pie does require attentive cooking. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies.

Related: Make Your Best Pie Ever

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Aint Helen's Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Aint Helen’s Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Besides tinting the cake a lovely pale orange, sweet potatoes lend a pleasant texture to the rich, creamy filling. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets.

Related: Rich and Creamy Cheesecakes

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Miss LaLou's Bourbon Balls

Miss LaLou’s Bourbon Balls
Credit: Andy Lyons
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Vanilla wafers, cocoa powder and pecans form the base of these boozy, no-bake bonbons that keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets.

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Redemption Hazelnut Pie

Redemption Hazelnut Pie
Credit: Andy Lyons
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This über-sweet pie is essentially a traditional pecan pie made with hazelnuts. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies.

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Apricot Jam Tart

Apricot Jam Tart
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Butter-rich pastry holds a four- ingredient filling of apricot jam, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. For best results, be sure to use cold butter and cream in the lemony pastry. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweety Pies.

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Miss Rosa Lee's Oatmeal Cookies

Miss Rosa Lee’s Oatmeal Cookies
Credit: Andy Lyons
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Nothing fancy here; this is the perfectly chewy lunchbox classic, pebbled with walnuts and plump raisins. A combination of vegetable oil and butter ensures a chewy texture and rich flavor. This recipe comes from Patty Pinner's cookbook Sweets.

Related: The Midwest's Best Cookie Recipes

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    1 of 9 My My's Brown Sugar Pound Cake
    2 of 9 Sister Chestermae Hayes's Apple Butter Pie
    3 of 9 Aint Sug's Punkin' Puddin'
    4 of 9 Vertamae Grosvenor's Coconut Custard Meringue Pie
    5 of 9 Aint Helen's Sweet Potato Cheesecake
    6 of 9 Miss LaLou's Bourbon Balls
    7 of 9 Redemption Hazelnut Pie
    8 of 9 Apricot Jam Tart
    9 of 9 Miss Rosa Lee's Oatmeal Cookies

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