Our 25 Most Beloved Recipes from Your Mom's Kitchen

A 5-star favorite, this zucchini bread has been taste-tested by more than 10,000 home cooks. Ellen says, "My Mother loved this bread, so did the neighbors and myself as well!"

Mom slipped a secret ingredient into these cookies to make them extra soft and tender, and 1,000+ reviewers are glad she did.

"This is the recipe my family has used for 30 years and always gets rave reviews," home cook SJMARQ says. With just 10 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cook time, this easy peanut brittle could easily become a favorite in your family, as well.

Home cooks have sworn off store-bought mix after making these light, fluffy pancakes. "I have made these for years as a special treat, and I hope you enjoy them as much as my family has," says recipe contributor Cinnken.

"These are the best ginger snaps I've ever had. Made these with my kids, age four, and they had so much fun," home cook Mia Weaver says. 

More than 1,000 home cooks have rated this take on orange chicken, many of them raving that their kids couldn't get enough. "My 12-year-old son gave this a 1,000 star," reviewer Wiser1 says.

"This is my mother's recipe I grew up with. It is very tasty and is great with biscuits and sausage," recipe contributor Nancy Smith says. If you want to add anything to this five-ingredient gravy, home cook chellebelle has a suggestion: "This needs to be made with bacon grease (or sausage drippings), then it will taste like Mom's!"

"Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken from the supermarket helps with the ease of preparation of this fabulous comfort-style dinner," recipe contributor Pam says. "Fresh vegetables gives this a very special added flavor and is worth the effort."

"I have six children, and it is all I can do to keep them from nibbling on it while I'm mixing it up," recipe contributor Renee Chase says of this creamy macaroni salad, which mixes mayonnaise with condensed milk, sugar, and vinegar for a surprising tart sweetness.

Simmering pork spareribs with soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, lime juice, and parsley "ensures that the meat will remain moist and juicy, and that the flavors will fully penetrate the meat," THELMALU99 says. "This is how my Brazilian mom prepares pork ribs."

"This is the way my mother always made her scalloped potatoes," home cook Jane Boswell-Purdy says. "The measurements are taken from other recipes because she always just winged it, but the method is the same. The key is to heat the milk first!

"My mom and I would often make this yummy and easy peach crisp using her home-canned peaches when I was little," recipe contributor Stephanie says. With fresh peaches and pantry-friendly ingredients, this summery dessert takes just 15 minutes to prep.

Garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed saltine crackers give these pork chops a savory, crunchy coating. Some home cooks swapped saltines with Ritz crackers or club crackers. 

Anyone can make Mom proud with this chicken pot pie, which home cooks laud as beginner friendly.

"My mom made these for us after school in the fall with the apples we'd pick and buy from a fruit farm," recipe contributor ABBY9 says. "Warm, crisp, and sweet, a perfect fall treat."

"My mom makes the best waffles, and I thought I'd share the recipe with the world!" recipe contributor Love says. It's become a go-to recipe for home cooks like Heather, who says, "These are the best waffles ever. It's the only recipe I use now. Quick, easy, and delicious."

"This is the recipe that my mom made when I was small. It is still one of my favorites," home cook LISAPAV says. "Some friends add a little green onion to the recipe." You can also add red onion for bite.

With just four ingredients and five minutes of prep time, this baked macaroni checks the right boxes for busy moms. You can take a cue from home cooks and jazz it up with sour cream, sharp Cheddar, and Parmesan, but the recipe is perfectly kid-friendly as written.

"This was passed down from my mother. I don't know where she got it, but it was always a special request at brunches," home cook Shirley Smith says. "Serve with maple syrup or apple butter."

Further proof that you can't beat Mom's homemade breakfasts, this recipe averages a 5-star rating. Ground ginger, dried sage, and cayenne punch it up.

A reliable pie crust recipe will go a long way . "The very first thing I learned how to cook!" recipe contributor Debra Shapiro says. "This freezes beautifully; no well-equipped home is without a ball of pie dough in the freezer." 

"Mom's recipe for success includes pouring white wine over the partially baked chicken," recipe contributor CHRISTYJ says. "I've used sherry in a pinch!" A coating made from garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, grated Parmesan, bread crumbs, and parsley contributes to the recipe's 5-star flavor.

This simple recipe from home cook Jodeen Brown's mom yields light, fluffy biscuits with a crispy outer layer.

"This is the pumpkin pie that my mother has made for years. It is a rich pie with just the right amount of spices," home cook Jim Wright says. Other home cooks agree! 

"My Mom has cooked this recipe for as long as I remember. Now that I live on my own, I can't wait to go back home over the holidays to have this excellent dish," home cook Mike Hearne says of this 5-star recipe. "Mom would probably be upset that I gave it away, but it is so delicious that I think everyone should have a chance to experience it."