There’s no shame in having a sweet tooth, especially when you use it as an excuse to explore food from other cultures. Desserts are approachable, beloved, and exciting, and there’s a whole world of them to discover. Here are some of the world’s sweet treats you may not have heard of or tried yet, along with a recipe so you can taste it for yourself.
1. Gulab Jamun
Gulab jamun are like Indian donut holes. The dough is made with a fresh cheese-like dairy product, then deep fried and soaked in copious amounts of spiced sugar syrup.
Recipe: Swasthi’s Recipes
2. Pasteis de Nata
Pasteis de nata are Portugal’s egg and sugar-packed bombs. The three-bite treats have a flaky crust filled with custard that gets a signature, deep brown spotted caramelization on top.
Recipe: Leite’s Culinaria
3. Alfajores
Alfajores are enjoyed in many South American countries. They’ve got two tender shortbread-like cookies between a filling — usually dulce de leche — with a coating of coconut on the outside.
Recipe: A Cozy Kitchen
4. Bienenstich
In German, the name of this cake translates to bee sting cake. It’s made with a layer of whipped cream filling in the center, plus a substantial honey and almond top that crisps in the oven.
Recipe: King Arthur Flour
5. Turkish Delight
Turkish delight is the collective name for these fruity, jellied candied. They come in seemingly infinite varieties, including many with hazelnuts, rosewater, coconut, and spiced fillings.
Recipe: Amira’s Pantry
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6. Pavlova
Pavlova is a show-stopping dessert popular in New Zealand and Australia. It’s made with a crisp-on-the-outside, chewy-in-the-middle meringue that’s topped with piles of whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Recipe: Natasha’s Kitchen
7. Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is a light, chilled dessert from Italy. It’s made with milk or cream which is thickened with gelatin and flavored with vanilla. The texture is like a silky just-barely-holding-together Jell-O. (It’s just one of the many delicious foods to try in Italy.)
Recipe: Food & Wine
8. Mango Sticky Rice
Though mango sticky rice is deceptively simple, it’s one of the most flavorful and popular desserts in Thailand thanks to their heavenly local mangoes. The rice is cooked with coconut milk, and the whole thing gets a drizzle of thick, sweet coconut sauce.
Recipe: Rachel Cooks Thai
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9. Nanaimo Bars
Nanaimo bars, named after a city in Canada, are a popular no-bake bar cookie. They have a chocolatey layer with graham cracker, coconut, and almonds, a creamy custard-flavored frosting, and a layer of chocolate on top.
Recipe: Cooking Classy
10. Tarte Tatin
Tarte tatin is France’s version of an apple pie. Halved apples are cooked in caramel sauce in a pan, arranged neatly, and then baked with puff pastry on top. Once it’s done, it’s flipped out onto a platter so the beautiful golden apples are on top.
Recipe: Smitten Kitchen
11. Banoffee Pie
This British pie with a silly name is made with bananas, dulce de leche, and whipped cream in a graham cracker-like crust. Extras like toffee bits or chocolate are optional but delicious.
Recipe: Sally’s Baking Recipes
12. Baklava
Baklava is a popular treat in the eastern Mediterranean region that’s made with countless layers of paper-thin phyllo dough and chopped nuts. Once baked and crispy, spiced honey syrup is poured over the entire thing.
Recipe: The Mediterranean Dish
13. Coconut Drops
Coconut drops are a Jamaican candy-like treat. They’re made by boiling chopped fresh coconut meat with water, sugar, and often spices like ginger. Once it’s caramelized, the mixture is dropped onto baking sheets to cool into a praline-like candy.
Recipe: That Girl Cooks Healthy
14. Brigadeiro
Similar to a chocolate truffle, brigageiros make an appearance at almost every Brazilian party or gathering. Sweetened condensed milk and chocolate form a fudge-like center than gets rolled in sprinkles or flavorings like nuts and coconut.
Recipe: Pies & Tacos
15. Malva Pudding
Malva pudding is a spongey and moist cake made with apricots in South Africa. A creamy, sweet sauce is always poured on the warm cake and allowed to soak in for maximum gooeyness.
Recipe: Immaculate Bites
16. Knafeh
This Middle Eastern dessert will have you looking at cheese pulls in a whole new light. Shredded phyllo dough sandwiches a layer of fresh cheese. Once baked, it get soaked in sugar syrup with rosewater and pistachios.
Recipe: Bake With Zoha
17. Lamingtons
Tiny cakes called lamingtons are a hit in Australia. They’re made with vanilla sponge cake cut into cubes, then coated in chocolate and coconut for a very distinct texture.
Recipe: Eat, Little Bird
18. Halo-Halo
Staying cool in the hot Philippine sun is easier with halo-halo. It’s made with shaved ice covered in sweetened milk, with all kinds of colorful and interesting toppings, from bright green jellies to fruits and cereal.
Recipe: The Spruce Eats
19. Japanese Cheesecake
Japanese style cheesecake is not at all like the New York style Americans are used to. It’s light and fluffy like a souffle, and it has a very satisfying jiggle when you shake it. You’ll often see it branded on top with the bakery’s logo.
Recipe: Just One Cookbook
20. Sachertorte
Sachertorte is one of Austria’s most famous desserts, and it dates back to the early 1800s. It’s got chocolate cake with a layer of apricot jam and a shiny chocolate glaze over the top.
Recipe: Sacher Hotel
21. Sesame Balls
Sesame balls are a popular sweet snack in China. They’re made with chewy rice flour wrapped around a filling of sweet lotus seed paste or red bean paste. Deep frying them with sesame seeds on the outside gives them a crunchy coating.
Recipe: The Woks of Life
22. Sticky Toffee Pudding
This is a pudding in the sense that all British desserts are called puddings; It’s really a cake made with dates that’s coated in a rich caramel toffee sauce.
Recipe: Brown Eyed Baker
23. Paczki
Paczki are Polish donuts served on Fat Tuesday. They’re richer than typical donuts because they’re intended to use up the household’s supply of butter and sugar before Catholic fasting for Lent begins. Traditionally, they get a prune or rose filling.
Recipe: Jo Cooks
24. Princess Cake
This Swedish dessert is every little girl’s dream cake. It’s got a layers of sponge cake, pastry cream, and jam; a dome of whipped cream; and the whole thing is covered in light green marzipan with a rose on top.
Recipe: King Arthur Flour
25. Churros
Spanish churros are long, curved tubes or loops of deep-fried dough. They’re often served alongside a cup of dipping chocolate, which is like thick hot cocoa on steroids. Though Americans think of them as a dessert, they’re often eaten during the morning or as a snack.
Recipe: Spanish Sabores
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