23 Homemade Snacks We Ate on Sunday Afternoons Back Then

Sunday afternoons often came with simple snacks that brought comfort and routine to the day. These 23 homemade snacks remind us how small bites could set the tone for slowing down. They are straightforward, practical, and built around familiar methods that made them easy to prepare. Each one carries a sense of nostalgia that makes looking back as satisfying as the food itself.

Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

Overhead view of a baking sheet of peanut butter oatmeal balls. — Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Peanut butter oatmeal balls mix together in minutes and set without baking, making them an easy snack to prepare ahead. They are shaped into small bites that store well in the fridge. Simple snacks like these echo the kinds of quick fixes once kept ready for family afternoons at home. Having them on hand makes it easy to reach for something that feels both familiar and comforting.
Get the Recipe: Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

Mini Apple Pies

A group of baked mini lattice‑topped apple pies arranged on a baking tin and a plate. — Mini Apple Pies. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Mini apple pies are baked in small portions with a spiced fruit filling and a golden crust. They come together in under an hour and cool quickly for serving. These pies echo the kind of homemade snacks served in individual portions for family gatherings on Sunday afternoons. Their size makes them easy to share without needing a knife or fork.
Get the Recipe: Mini Apple Pies

Salted Bourbon Caramel Shortbread Cookies

Salted bourbon caramel shortbread cookies are baked with buttery bases and topped with soft caramel. The recipe layers simple ingredients into something rich yet manageable. Cookies like these recall homemade snacks made with care and shared during slower afternoons. Their caramel layer gives them a lasting sweetness that feels like a treat from the past.
Get the Recipe: Salted Bourbon Caramel Shortbread Cookies

Maple Hazelnut Homemade Granola

Granola on a tray next to servings of granola and fresh fruit. — Maple Hazelnut Homemade Granola. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Maple hazelnut granola is slow-baked until clusters form, giving a crunchy texture that keeps well in jars. It uses oats, nuts, and maple for natural sweetness. Snacks like granola were once served in bowls on Sunday afternoons, often with milk or yogurt. Its long-lasting crunch makes it just as handy today for a quick bite.
Get the Recipe: Maple Hazelnut Homemade Granola

25-Minute Clementine Drop Biscuits

Golden clementine drop biscuits on a cooling rack. — 25-Minute Clementine Drop Biscuits. Photo credit: Ruthybelle Recipes.

Clementine drop biscuits require no rolling or kneading and are ready in about 25 minutes. Their golden tops and tender centers make them a practical snack to pair with spreads or jam. These biscuits feel like the kind of quick homemade snack made to enjoy with tea or milk on Sunday afternoons. The fresh citrus note gives them a lightness that makes each bite feel special in its own time.
Get the Recipe: 25-Minute Clementine Drop Biscuits

Blackberry Crumble Pie

Blackberry crumble pie layers juicy berries inside a flaky crust and tops them with a buttery crumb. It takes about an hour in the oven to come together. Pies like this were often saved for special homemade snacks, sliced generously on Sunday afternoons. The mix of fruit and topping makes it both rustic and comforting in every slice.
Get the Recipe: Blackberry Crumble Pie

Spiced Pear Cobbler

A spoonful of oatmeal with diced apples hovers above a white bowl filled with creamy oatmeal. A green pear and a cinnamon stick tempt in the background, hinting at cheat day desserts that delight without breaking rules. — Spiced Pear Cobbler. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Spiced pear cobbler bakes fresh fruit under a biscuit topping, filling the kitchen with aroma as it cooks. It takes under an hour to prepare and bake. Cobblers like this were once classic homemade snacks, often served with a spoon straight from the dish on Sunday afternoons. Each serving feels warm and familiar, like something passed down through time.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Pear Cobbler

Strawberry Shortcake with Brown Sugar Biscuits

Strawberry shortcake with brown sugar biscuits comes together with tender biscuits baked in under 30 minutes, fresh berries, and cream. The rich biscuit base gives a deeper sweetness that matches the bright strawberries layered on top. It feels like the kind of homemade snack that once came out on slower afternoons when families gathered around the table. Bringing it back today captures that same comfort with a touch of nostalgia in every bite.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake with Brown Sugar Biscuits

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Horizontal overhead shot of a platter of chocolate chocolate chip cookies. — Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Double chocolate chip cookies mix cocoa into the dough and fold in chocolate chips before baking. They need no chilling, so they can be baked as soon as the dough is made. Homemade snacks like these cookies often brought families together around the kitchen table. Their rich flavor makes them feel like a treat meant for sharing.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry rhubarb crisp bakes with fruit beneath a crumbly topping that turns golden in the oven. It is ready in under an hour and scoops easily for serving. Crisps like this were once familiar homemade snacks that brought bright flavors to the end of a Sunday meal. The mix of sweet and tart makes it memorable every time it’s made.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

A stack of three lemon bars on a plate with more lemon bars in the background. — Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Lemon bars bake with a buttery crust and a tangy citrus filling, then cool before cutting into squares. They take about an hour from start to finish. Snacks like these bars were once set out on platters for Sunday visits and afternoon talks. Their sharp citrus flavor balances the sweetness in a way that keeps them unforgettable.
Get the Recipe: Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust

Peach Crumble Bars

Peach crumble bars are layered with a shortbread base, juicy fruit filling, and a crumb topping. They bake in a single pan and cut easily once cooled. Snacks like these were the type of dessert squares passed around in kitchens on quiet Sundays. Their sweet fruit layers make them taste as welcoming as they look.
Get the Recipe: Peach Crumble Bars

No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

A stack of peanut butter oatmeal bars on a piece of paper. — No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Peanut butter oatmeal bars are mixed together and pressed into a pan, setting without baking in about 10 minutes. The texture is soft but holds firm enough to cut into squares. Bars like these were the kind of homemade snacks kept ready for Sunday afternoons when something easy was needed. They are simple to make yet still feel like a treat worth sharing.
Get the Recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Cranberry Clementine Quick Bread

Cranberry clementine quick bread bakes in just over an hour and is filled with tart fruit and citrus flavor. It slices easily, making it perfect to set out when everyone stops by on a quiet afternoon. This kind of bread recalls homemade snacks that were baked to share and cut into while still slightly warm. The way it brightens up the table makes it memorable in a simple, lasting way.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Clementine Quick Bread

Cranberry Orange Poppy Seed Bread

Cranberry orange poppy seed bread mixes fruit and seeds into a batter that bakes into a moist loaf in just over an hour. It slices easily and pairs well with tea or coffee. Quick breads like this were once part of the homemade snacks passed around on calm Sunday afternoons. Its bright flavor keeps it refreshing no matter the season.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Orange Poppy Seed Bread

Spiced Shortbread Cookies

Spiced shortbread cookies mix butter with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices before baking. They keep well in tins, making them easy to serve later. These cookies reflect the homemade snacks that families often kept ready to enjoy with tea or cocoa on quiet afternoons. Their spiced notes make them especially fitting when the seasons start to change.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Shortbread Cookies

Butter Pecan Cookies

Butter pecan cookies bake up soft with a crunch of nuts in every bite. The dough is simple to prepare and ready for the oven in minutes. Snacks like these echo those once baked in batches and shared fresh from the oven on a quiet afternoon. Their nutty sweetness lingers in a way that feels familiar and timeless.
Get the Recipe: Butter Pecan Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Lemon sugar cookies bake with crisp edges and soft centers, with bright citrus in every bite. They require simple ingredients and about 20 minutes in the oven. Snacks like these cookies were once the kind that neighbors would bring over or kids would snack on after outdoor play. Their light flavor makes them easy to keep reaching for without thinking twice.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Sugar Cookies

Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies bake with chewy oats, tart berries, and rich chocolate pieces. The dough comes together quickly and bakes in just minutes. These cookies carry the spirit of homemade snacks often set out on plates during family gatherings. Their balance of flavors makes them the kind of cookie people return to again and again.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Snickerdoodle Recipe

Overhead shot of a plate with three cookies next to a wire rack filled with cooling cookies. — Snickerdoodle Recipe. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Snickerdoodles are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, creating a crisp outside and soft inside. The recipe comes together quickly, often from pantry staples already at hand. Cookies like these remind us of homemade snacks passed around with milk or coffee on lazy Sundays. The light spice makes them the kind of cookie that never fades from memory.
Get the Recipe: Snickerdoodle Recipe

White Chocolate Fudge

Four pieces of almond-topped white fudge rest on a cooling rack, with almond pieces scattered around. This treat is sinfully good, perfect for those who love indulgent chocolate recipes. — White Chocolate Fudge. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

White chocolate fudge sets in the fridge after melting together just three ingredients. It can be cut into squares in under half an hour of active work. Homemade snacks like this fudge were often prepared ahead so they’d be ready to serve on Sunday afternoons. Its smooth texture makes each small piece feel like a simple treat worth remembering.
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Fudge

Cinnamon Twists

Twisted pastries in a white pitcher with more delicious snacks on a cooling rack and plate in the background. The pitcher is placed on a red fabric, making these kids' treats even more inviting. — Cinnamon Twists. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Cinnamon twists use layered dough baked until crisp with sugar and spice. They are ready in under an hour and are easy to pull apart by hand. Homemade snacks like these were often made to share during family afternoons, served warm from the oven. Their simple shape makes them just as fun to eat as they are to bake.
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Twists

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apple cinnamon rolls start with dough that is rolled, filled with spiced apples, and baked until golden. A cream cheese glaze brings everything together once they cool slightly. These rolls recall the kind of homemade snacks baked when there was time to linger in the kitchen on weekends. Their aroma alone can bring back the feeling of slow Sunday afternoons.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Rolls