The best Asian desserts to make yourself at home. From mochi and matcha to mooncakes, pick something from this Asian dessert recipe list, and thank me later!
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- The Best Asian Desserts
- 1. Jiggly Japanese Cheesecake
- 2. Mochi Donuts
- 3. Matcha Brownies
- 4. Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts
- 5. White Chocolate Matcha Cookies
- 6. Black Sesame Tart With Yuzu Curd
- 7. Matcha Tiramisu
- 8. Hong Kong Banana Mochi Rolls
- 9. Chocolate Fudge Mooncakes
- 10. Hong Kong Style Milk Tea and Coffee Cream Puffs
- 11. Taiwanese Milk Butter Buns
- 12. Sesame Miso Cookies
- 13. Japanese Honeydew Bread
- 14. Thai Tea Crème Brûlée
- 15. Black Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 16. Fluffy Korean Twisted Donuts (Kkwabaegi)
- 17. Chocolate Dumplings with Strawberry Dipping Sauce
- 18. Vietnamese Avocado Mousse Ice Cream (Kem Bo)
- 19. Thai Fried Bananas (Kluai Khaek)
- 20. Fa Gao (Chinese Prosperity Cake)
- 21. Glutinous Rice Ball with Crushed Peanuts
- 22. Purple Sweet Potato Cakes
- 23. Ube Ice Cream
- 24. Coconut Laddoo (Truffles)
- 25. Korean Honey-Glazed Rice Cakes
- 26. Matcha Bingsu (Green Tea Shaved Ice Dessert)
- 27. Bánh Tiêu Vietnamese Donut
- 28. Taho (Filipino Sweet Tofu Dessert)
- 29. Mango Sticky Rice
- 30. Mochi Brownies
- 31. Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste
- Asian Desserts FAQs
- Related Asian Desserts
- 31 Delicious Unique Asian Desserts That Anyone Can Easily Make At Home
Eating food from different countries and cultures is one of my favorite things. Whether you have been to Asia or still planning some trips, try some of these Asian desserts recipes and get a real taste of what's in store.
The Best Asian Desserts
1. Jiggly Japanese Cheesecake
If you haven't experienced a Japanese fluffy cheesecake, you're missing out. Often known as a Japanese cotton cheesecake, it has a unique texture that is unbelievably fluffy, airy, and soufflé-like. While the ingredients are simple, mastering the technique is crucial for this traditional Japanese dessert, so be sure to follow my step-by-step guidelines to achieve the perfect result.
2. Mochi Donuts
Japanese Pon-de-ring, or bubble-shaped ring donuts, are celebrated for their unique bouncy, chewy texture and vibrant appearance. In my mochi donut recipe, tapioca flour creates a super fluffy, light texture. I highly recommend doubling the batch, as these delightful treats vanish quickly! Mochi donuts work equally well as a dessert, grab-and-go snack, or as a sweet breakfast idea.
3. Matcha Brownies
Matcha dessert enthusiasts will certainly fall in love with this Japanese dessert. Imagine fudgy, gooey brownies with the iconic crinkly, crispy top infused with the finest Japanese green tea flavor. For those unfamiliar with matcha, it's a finely ground powder made from specially processed green tea leaves, offering a slight bitterness that pairs incredibly well with white chocolate.
4. Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts
These Japanese cheese tarts are a perfect blend of richness, sweetness, and savory notes. Encased in a pâte sablée (sweet shortcrust pastry) tart shell, these tarts contain an incredibly smooth and special fusion of dairy and cheese products, creating a uniquely delicious Japanese treat that will surely leave you wanting one more.
5. White Chocolate Matcha Cookies
You will love the heavenly pairing of matcha and white chocolate in this dessert, where the slight bitterness of matcha perfectly brings out the sweetness of cookie dough and white chocolate. These matcha or green tea cookies boast a vivid green hue from the matcha powder as well as a delicious taste. For those new to matcha, these cookies serve as an excellent introduction to this unique flavor.
6. Black Sesame Tart With Yuzu Curd
Undoubtedly my current favorite tartlet, this dessert features a sweet shortcrust tart shell enriched with black sesame seeds and filled with tangy, creamy yuzu curd. Top it off with an elegantly crafted chocolate shard decoration that makes it look like you bought it in a fancy Japanese bakery. What's more, it is surprisingly easy to make.
7. Matcha Tiramisu
Try a Japanese-inspired rendition of a traditional Italian dessert: fluffy homemade ladyfingers layered with a luscious mascarpone filling infused with green tea, topped with a sprinkle of matcha tea powder. This soft and creamy creation is a delightful showstopper sure to impress your guests. You have the option to use store-bought ladyfingers or follow my easy recipe to craft homemade ones.
8. Hong Kong Banana Mochi Rolls
A favorite with kids, these Hong Kong-style mochi rolls are soft, chewy, and flavored with real bananas. They're incredibly easy to make, boasting a delightful texture and just the right amount of sweetness. What's more, they are a great way to use up leftover overripe bananas.
9. Chocolate Fudge Mooncakes
If you've been to a Chinese bakery during harvest time, you will have seen mooncakes. These traditional Chinese pastries are offered as gifts to friends and family, and it isn't hard to see why they are such a popular delicacy. This chocolate fudge mooncake is a non-traditional twist on a classic Asian dessert, but kids especially will love it.
10. Hong Kong Style Milk Tea and Coffee Cream Puffs
Here's another fun twist on a famous Hong Kong drink, turning yuenyeung (Hong Kong-style milk tea and coffee) into cream puffs! Crispy choux pastry is filled with tea and coffee-infused pastry cream to make a delicious Asian dessert. It's rich, creamy, irresistible, and full of surprises.
11. Taiwanese Milk Butter Buns
Discover a Taiwanese bakery favorite: pillowy milk buns filled with sweet, creamy milk butter. Follow this step-by-step recipe to make deliciously twisted buns with a crumb topping, where every bite combines the richness of milk butter with the crispy contrast of the crunchy crumb topping. These Taiwanese buns are so irresistible you might find it nearly impossible to stop at just one.
12. Sesame Miso Cookies
Miso is the ultimate in umami flavor, and adding it to desserts gives an unmistakable, undeniably delicious taste. This cookie recipe was inspired by traditional Asian cookies, and each bite has a savory, sweet crunch with hints of caramel and sesame that is pure heaven.
13. Japanese Honeydew Bread
Try this delicious Japanese treat that is so filled with melon flavor that you won't believe it. It's a sweet yeasted bread dough wrapped around melon custard that is then topped with a different dough that's infused with melon syrup. The whole thing is baked together in a disk, and the result is soft on the inside but with a crunchy crust. Simply put, it's a must-try.
14. Thai Tea Crème Brûlée
If you love the authentic Thai tea served in Thai restaurants you simply have to make this dessert. It's a silky smooth custard version of Thai tea in a beautiful rust orange that is super aromatic with hints of vanilla. In conclusion, you have all the flavors of Thai tea enveloped in a rich and silky smooth custard.
15. Black Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies
You will love the smoky, earthy flavor of black sesame seeds in this cookie recipe. It gives them such an edge and certainly makes them stand out on a dessert table! Melted chocolate chips ooze into the chewy sesame cookies and certainly make every bite a piece of pure heaven.
16. Fluffy Korean Twisted Donuts (Kkwabaegi)
Kkwabaegi, or Korean twisted donut, is a highly popular pastry in Korea. It's crafted by twisting dough into a spiral shape and deep-frying it until golden brown. Sounds amazing, right? These tasty Asian desserts can be enjoyed plain or with sweet coatings like sugar, cinnamon, or other toppings. Honestly, you simply won't believe how fluffy they are!
17. Chocolate Dumplings with Strawberry Dipping Sauce
I love strawberry and chocolate together, and these chocolate lava dumplings are a luxurious Asian dessert that promises an instant, velvety, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Each bite has a sensational melted chocolate explosion that is perfectly complemented by a fruity strawberry sauce. Simply put, it's an ideal flavor combination.
18. Vietnamese Avocado Mousse Ice Cream (Kem Bo)
Make a homemade version of Kem bo, a popular street food snack from Danang, a city in Vietnam. You'll love the rich and creamy flavors in this dessert made from avocado, coconut milk ice cream, and crunchy coconut flakes. What's more, it's so easy to put together, too.
19. Thai Fried Bananas (Kluai Khaek)
Crispy battered bananas served warm with a scoop of ice cream? Sign me up! This tasty Thai dessert is another very popular dish sold by street vendors all over cities, and it's enjoyed by millions. Simply make the easy batter, dip in your bananas, and fry until crispy and golden. Serve dusted in powdered sugar, and enjoy.
20. Fa Gao (Chinese Prosperity Cake)
You have to try this dessert, traditionally served around the Lunar New Year and at other holidays and special occasions like ceremonial events and weddings. Prosperity cake or fortune cake recipes differ from region to region, but this version is made from rice, which gives it a very nice, chewy texture.
21. Glutinous Rice Ball with Crushed Peanuts
Tang Bu Shuai is a famous dessert from Hong Kong with the most amazing texture. The glutinous rice balls are chewy and delicious and traditionally served around the Chinese New Year in a bowl of fragrant ginger brown sugar syrup and topped with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut. I would definitely want to eat the whole bowl!
22. Purple Sweet Potato Cakes
Try a bite of this popular Chinese sweet treat, and you'll surely be hooked. They are naturally sweet, crispy, and toasty on the outside yet soft and glutinous on the inside. Certainly irresistible! And the vibrant purple color is just so pretty.
23. Ube Ice Cream
Have you tried Ube or purple yam? Ube is a popular tropical flavor with a hint of vanilla and nutty undertones, and Ube ice cream is an especially delicious treat loved in The Philippines. This no-churn ice cream is so easy to make, and you don't need an ice cream machine or any fancy equipment at all.
24. Coconut Laddoo (Truffles)
This recipe for Indian coconut laddoo is incredibly easy. Made with only two ingredients (desiccated coconut and condensed milk), there's no need for frying, baking, or cooking, and they come together in just 30 minutes. You can customize them with flavors like almond extract, rose water, or even cardamom powder, and garnishing them is a great activity to do with kids! If you're looking for no-bake Asian desserts, certainly try laddoo.
25. Korean Honey-Glazed Rice Cakes
If you love the combination of sweet and savory, you will surely love this Korean dessert. Garae Tteok are thick traditional rice cakes coated in sticky honey syrup with the most amazing soft and chewy texture. Furthermore, it's also one of those easy Asian desserts that don't require a lot of ingredients, so you can make it quickly from pantry essentials.
26. Matcha Bingsu (Green Tea Shaved Ice Dessert)
If you need to cool down on a hot day, try Matcha Bingsu, a refreshing Korean treat made from light and fluffy shaved ice flavored with matcha green tea. Shaved ice desserts are hugely popular across Asia, and Korean Bingsu is just one of the varieties enjoyed. It's traditionally paired with red beans and chewy mochi and sweetened with condensed milk for a delightful combination of flavors and textures.
27. Bánh Tiêu Vietnamese Donut
You simply must try Banh Tieu. Slightly sweet, puffy donuts that are deep-fried to golden perfection and then sprinkled with a generous amount of nutty sesame seeds? Simply put, they sound too good to be true! What's more, they taste even better on the side of strong Vietnamese coffee with an extra dish of sweetened condensed milk for dipping.
28. Taho (Filipino Sweet Tofu Dessert)
If you're ever in The Philippines and hear street sellers shouting 'taho!', get your money and go and buy this delicious Asian dessert made from silken tofu, simple syrup, and tapioca pearls. In fact, several Asian countries also have their own version of this sweet tofu snack, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. And I'd love to try them all! But try this recipe now to see for yourself how delicious it is.
29. Mango Sticky Rice
Mango sticky rice is a very popular dessert often found on Thai restaurant menus featuring sweet and sticky rice served with coconut sauce and fresh mango. It's easy to prepare and makes a healthier dessert, so it's definitely one to make during mango season.
30. Mochi Brownies
Chocolatey, fudgy, chewy mochi brownies. These are a perfect blend of chocolate brownies and butter mochi cake. They look just like traditional brownies, but they have a chewy texture when you bite in. They are also gluten-free.
31. Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste
Whilst this Chinese dessert might not be that common, you certainly shouldn't skip it. A sticky and sweet rice cake with red bean paste has become one of my personal favorite Asian dessert recipes! The combination of red bean paste and sticky rice, both commonly used in other Chinese and Asian desserts, makes perfect sense in this unique treat, and the sesame seed coating gives a great nutty flavor and crunch to each bite.
Asian Desserts FAQs
Mooncakes, matcha desserts, sticky rice cakes, mochi ice cream, and Japanese jiggly cheesecake are just a few of the most well-known Asian desserts.
Sesame, Matcha, Miso, Ube, and Mango are all common flavors in Asian desserts.
Related Asian Desserts
31 Delicious Unique Asian Desserts That Anyone Can Easily Make At Home
Top 31 Best Asian Desserts
- Jiggly Japanese Cheesecake
- Mochi Donuts
- Matcha Brownies
- Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts
- White Chocolate Matcha Cookies
- Black Sesame Tart With Yuzu Curd
- Matcha Tiramisu
- Hong Kong Banana Mochi Rolls
- Chocolate Fudge Mooncakes
- Hong Kong Style Milk Tea and Coffee Cream Puffs
- Taiwanese Milk Butter Buns
- Sesame Miso Cookies
- Japanese Honeydew Bread
- Thai Tea Crème Brûlée
- Black Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Fluffy Korean Twisted Donuts (Kkwabaegi)
- Chocolate Dumplings with Strawberry Dipping Sauce
- Vietnamese Avocado Mousse Ice Cream (Kem Bo)
- Thai Fried Bananas (Kluai Khaek)
- Fa Gao (Chinese Prosperity Cake)
- Glutinous Rice Ball with Crushed Peanuts
- Purple Sweet Potato Cakes
- Ube Ice Cream
- Coconut Laddoo (Truffles)
- Sweet & Chewy Honey-Glazed Rice Cakes
- Matcha Bingsu (Green Tea Shaved Ice Dessert)
- Bánh Tiêu Vietnamese Donuts
- Taho (Filipino Sweet Tofu Dessert)
- Mango Sticky Rice
- Mochi Brownies
- Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste
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