The Best Recipes from Michigan (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

The Best Recipes from Michigan (1)Katie BandurskiUpdated: Feb. 13, 2024

    We found the best recipes from Michigan—all shared by local home cooks. In this collection, you’ll find recipes that appreciate the flavors and heritage of the Great Lakes State.

    1/22

    Michigan Cherry Japanese-Style Cheesecake

    Michigan is known for its amazing cherries, especially the tart ones, so we have plenty of opportunities to find new ways to try and use them. They became my muse for this recipe—a twist on the traditional American cheesecake recipe. I decided to make use of the extraordinary texture and unique taste found in a Japanese-style cheesecake, which is light and melts in your mouth. —Laura Kurella, Wellston, Michigan

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    2/22

    Cherry Pudding Cake

    A cross between a cake and a cobbler, this cherry dessert is awesome. Add it to your list of trusty potluck recipes, because this one is sure to go fast. —Brenda Parker, Kalamazoo, Michigan

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    3/22

    Taste of Home

    Michigan Cherry Salad

    This recipe reminds me what I love about my home state: picking apples with my children, buying greens at the farmers market and tasting cherries on vacations. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan

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    4/22

    Contest-Winning Fresh Blueberry Pie

    I've been making this blueberry pie recipe for decades since the ingredients for the filling are readily available in Michigan. Nothing says summer like a piece of fresh blueberry pie! —Linda Kernan, Mason, Michigan

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    5/22

    Country Ribs Dinner

    Ribs slow-cooked with carrots, celery, onions and red potatoes are pure comfort food for us. To add a little zip, we sometimes sprinkle in cayenne. —Rose Ingall, Manistee, Michigan

    6/22

    Grilled Sweet Corn

    Since we have plenty of fresh sweet corn available in our area, we use this recipe often in summer. Parsley, chili powder and cumin accent the corn's just-picked flavor. —Connie Lou Hollister, Lake Odessa, Michigan

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    7/22

    Chili Coney Dogs

    From the youngest kids to the oldest adults, everyone in our family loves these hot dogs. Inspired by the classic Coney dog, they’re so easy to throw together in the morning or even the night before. —Michele Harris, Vicksburg, Michigan

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    8/22

    Quick Buttermilk Cornbread

    The tattered recipe card for this buttermilk cornbread proves it's been a family favorite for years. It's my daughter's top request. —Judy Sellgren, Grand Rapids, Michigan

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    9/22

    Juicy Watermelon Salad

    This fruit salad has such a surprising yet fabulous mix of flavors that friends often ask for the recipe. Combine seedless watermelon varieties in yellow, red and pink for a colorful twist. —Heidi Haight, Macomb, Michigan

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    10/22

    Taste of Home

    Shredded Steak Sandwiches

    I received this recipe when I was a newlywed, and it's been a favorite since then. The saucy steak barbecue makes a quick meal served on sliced buns or even over rice, potatoes or buttered noodles. —Lee Deneau, Lansing, Michigan

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    11/22

    Berry Chicken Salad

    Bright berries and creamy goat cheese make this one a winner! —Wendy Ball, Battle Creek, Michigan

    12/22

    Taste of Home

    Apple Cranberry Slab Pie

    My husband loves pie, so I made one with apples, raspberries and cranberries. It’s so good, I bend the rules and let the grandkids have it for breakfast. —Brenda Smith, Curran, Michigan

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    13/22

    Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

    I always loved Brussels sprouts growing up, so I decided as an adult to bring them home to our family table. I've been making them ever since.—Brenda Washnock, Negaunee, Michigan

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    14/22

    Fingerling Potatoes with Fresh Parsley and Chives

    We use seasonings like adobo, Sazon, fresh parsley and minced chives when we grill potatoes. We have even smoked the potatoes in our portable smoker before grilling. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

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    15/22

    Grandma's Carrot Cake

    My grandma was very special to me. She had a big country kitchen that was full of wonderful aromas any time we visited. This was one of her prized cake recipes, and it continues to be a favorite from generation to generation. —Denise Strasz, Detroit, Michigan

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    16/22

    Taste of Home

    Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

    These little cheesecakes make a fun dessert that's just right for cooks who don't have a lot of time for fussy recipes. Plus, you get to eat a whole mini cheesecake yourself! —Kay Keller, Morenci, Michigan

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    17/22

    Taste of Home

    One-Pot Unstuffed Cabbage

    Here is one of my favorite ways to cook and enjoy cabbage. It has all the good flavor of regular cabbage rolls, but it's a lot less bother to make. In fact, it's a one-pot meal! —Mrs. Bernard Snow, Lewiston, Michigan

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    18/22

    Favorite Dutch Apple Pie

    Everything about this Dutch apple pie recipe (especially the crumble!) makes it the top request at our family gatherings. The oat crust reminds me of a cookie, and the tart apple filling just can't be beat during harvest time. —Brenda DuFresne, Midland, Michigan

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    19/22

    Blueberry Romaine Salad

    I love to bring this delicious salad to school gatherings. The homemade dressing couldn't be simpler, so I whip it up in advance and just give it a quick toss with the other ingredients when I get to any event. —Kris Bristol, Charlotte, Michigan

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    20/22

    Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken

    My family adores this recipe. The coating keeps the chicken nice and moist. With the taste enhanced by marinating, the result is delicious. —Stephanie Otten, Byron Center, Michigan

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    21/22

    Taste of Home

    Cherry Bars

    Whip up a pan of these festive bars in just 20 minutes with staple ingredients and cherry pie filling. Between the easy preparation and the pretty colors, they're destined to become a holiday classic. —Jane Kamp, Grand Rapids, Michigan

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    22/22

    Contest-Winning Caramel Apple Crisp

    When my kids and I make apple crisp, we use all sorts of apples to boost the flavor and texture. Add melted caramels, and you’ve got something scrumptious. —Michelle Brooks, Clarkston, Michigan

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    Originally Published: July 15, 2018

    The Best Recipes from Michigan (24)

    Katie Bandurski

    As Senior Shopping Editor, Katie connects Taste of Home readers with the best gifts, deals and home products on the market. An avid foodie and a holiday enthusiast, Katie is an expert at cultivating meaningful moments.When she’s out of the office, you’ll find her exploring Wisconsin, trying out new vegetarian recipes and watching Christmas movies.

    The Best Recipes from Michigan (2024)

    FAQs

    What is Michigan's most famous dish? ›

    It is known for famous Mackinac Island fudge, Coney Island Hot Dogs, and Cornish Pasties, which were introduced by miners who came to the state from Cornwall, England. Tart cherries, Packzi (Polish Filled Donuts), and Superman Ice Cream are more popular foods you might enjoy when visiting Michigan.

    What is the official dish of Michigan? ›

    Guess what? Michigan is NOT on that list. It has neither a state fruit nor a state vegetable. There's no state dish, and (thankfully) we don't have a state meal.

    What is Michigan sauce made of? ›

    Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion in butter until soft. Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir to blend.

    What dessert is Michigan known for? ›

    The famous Bumpy Cake was born here when founder Fred Sanders created this iconic-looking cake in 1913. Originally known as “The Sanders Devil's Food Buttercream Cake,” the name has evolved over the years thanks to loyal customers who lovingly called it “the cake with the bumps,” which caused Mr.

    What is Michigan's famous meat dish? ›

    Coney dogs are basically a kind of chili dog: a traditional Detroit-style they involve a hot dog/sausage, bun, chili, onions, and mustard. You can also get cheese if you want. A Coney with a “dry” meat topping as opposed to chili is called a Flint-style.

    What fruit is Michigan known for? ›

    Michigan is the largest producing region in the world for Montmorency tart cherries. This unique variety is known as “America's Superfruit.”

    What veggie is Michigan known for? ›

    Michigan is the largest producing state of cucumbers for pickling and potatoes for chipping. Michigan also ranks first in the nation in the pr oduction of asparagus for processing and summer and winter squash for processing.

    What vegetable is Michigan known for? ›

    Asparagus

    Michigan ranks #1 in the nation for asparagus production. Unlike asparagus from other states, Michigan asparagus is hand-snapped above the ground (or harvested by hand), resulting in a more tender and flavorful product.

    What did Michigan Native Americans eat? ›

    The American Indians of the Great Lakes would come to the Straits of Mackinac to fish. They also would grow and harvest foods such as corn, squash, rice and sunflowers. In the winter, they would move further south and hunt and trap different animals for meat and pelts.

    What is the original Michigan hot dog? ›

    A Michigan hot dog, Michigan red hot, or simply "Michigan" is a steamed all-beef hot dog on a steamed bun topped with a meaty sauce, generally referred to as "michigan sauce", and is a specialty in and around Plattsburgh, New York.

    What are the Michigan hot dog brands? ›

    There's Michigan-born Ball Park, Flint Township's Koegel, Dearborn's Dearborn, Hamtramck's Kowalski, Eastpointe's Winter's, Dearborn's Greenfield Village, Roseville's National Coney Island, and Warren's Butcher Boy, among others — all old-school brands.

    Is zip sauce a Michigan thing? ›

    Zip Sauce came to life in the 1940s in the kitchen of Lelli's Inn, an Italian restaurant in Detroit. The butter-based steak sauce became so popular among customers that word of it quickly spread, and soon copycat sauces were cropping up in neighboring restaurants.

    What is the state of Michigan famous for? ›

    Michigan is known for fishing, thanks to its 3,288-mile coastline, the longest freshwater coastline in the United States. Forestry is another important industry, as 90 percent of the Upper Peninsula is covered in trees.

    What drink is Michigan known for? ›

    Vernors ginger soda

    The Detroit pharmacist put it in an oak cask, and upon his return in 1866, discovered a delicious drink that's now Michigan's most iconic beverage. A creamy variation, known as a Boston Cooler, combines Vernors Ginger Soda and vanilla ice cream.

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