Top 30+ Best Japanese Desserts From Matcha to Mochi, and Beyond

These are the best Japanese desserts to make at home when you can't make it to Tokyo! From matcha to mochi, I have gathered the most popular Japanese dessert recipes in one place.

This collection of recipes was first posted on the blog in 2023. I am a huge fan of Japanese desserts (see below my experience trying many of them in Japan), so I’ve been updating this article regularly with new recipes to keep my readers inspired!

Katalin's Experience with Trying Japanese Desserts in Japan

Desserts from Japan are out of this world! I have loved visiting Japan and trying the cuisine, and in particular, the desserts (obviously). It has been a huge inspiration to me, and I really enjoy being able to bring them home to you.

Japanese desserts are really advanced, and they’ve perfected both their own traditional desserts and hybrids with classic European and other international patisserie. It’s not just mochi shops; you can find almost any kind of dessert in Japan! You’ll find desserts using Japanese flavors like matcha, black sesame, red bean curd, and yuzu, but in Italian ice creams and famous French pastries like these delicious eclairs.

Then there’s the texture! Enjoying a Japanese fluffy pancake is a truly unique experience, as is the Japanese cotton cheesecake. Finally, the presentation is extremely high-end. Dessert shops in Japan often look more like designer jewelry shops! People go just to look and take pictures; you’ll often find a queue outside. If you want to try desserts that taste incredible and will look Instagram-perfect, you must go to Japan. The picture below shows a matcha tiramisu presentation I had in Kyoto; how original is this cute wooden box?

Keep reading my list of the best Japanese desserts to try at home.

Best Japanese Desserts

1. Jiggly Japanese Cheesecake

If you haven't tried a Japanese fluffy cheesecake, you are missing out. Some refer to it as Japanese cotton cheesecake due to its unique texture, which is unbelievably fluffy, airy, and souffle-like. The ingredients are all very basic, but the technique for this traditional Japanese dessert (also called Japanese souffle cheesecake) is important, so be sure to read my step-by-step guidelines to get it right.

2. Matcha Brownies

Surely any Matcha lover will adore this Japanese dessert. Fudgy, gooey brownies with the iconic crinkly, crispy top and the best Japanese green tea taste? Sign me up. For anyone new to matcha, it is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves, and it has a slightly bitter taste, which works unbelievably well with chocolate. The best matcha dessert for brownie lovers.

3. Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts

Japanese cheese tarts are a deliciously rich, sweet, and savory treat that will be an unexpected delight for your taste buds. A pâte sablée (sweet shortcrust pastry) tart shell is filled with an unbelievably smooth and special combination of dairy and cheese products that make a unique Japanese dessert you will love.

4. White Chocolate Matcha Cookies

Matcha and white chocolate is a flavor pairing made in Heaven. The slight bitterness of matcha and the sweet cookie dough and white chocolate chips complement each other so perfectly. Matcha or green tea cookies are a vivid green color from matcha powder, and you won't believe how good they taste.

Cookies are popular Japanese desserts to serve as snacks with a glass of milk or to take around to a friend's house. Especially if someone hasn't tried matcha before, matcha cookies are a great place to start.

5. Mochi Donuts

Pon-de-ring, as they are known in Japan, are bubble-shaped ring donuts with a unique and delicious bouncy and chewy texture and colorful, glossy chocolate ganache glazing. My recipe for mochi donuts uses tapioca flour for a super fluffy and light texture, and I always recommend making a double batch as they disappear so quickly!

6. Matcha Tiramisu

Here is a Japanese twist on one of the classic Italian desserts. Fluffy ladyfingers are layered with a creamy mascarpone filling flavored with green tea and a touch of matcha tea powder on top to finish. It's a soft and creamy showstopper that guests will love. You can use store-bought ladyfingers or use my easy recipe to make your own homemade ladyfingers.

7. Black Sesame Tart With Yuzu Curd

Arguably, this is probably my favorite tartlet at the moment. The sweet shortcrust tart shell is enriched with black sesame seeds and then filled with tangy and creamy yuzu curd. Garnish with a decorative chocolate shard decoration that is, surprisingly, a lot easier to make than you might think!

8. Miso Butter Cookies

Japanese miso cookies have this irresistible crisp, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth texture that you simply have to try. What's more, they only need 7 pantry ingredients that you probably already have!

Be warned, though, that these Japanese cookies are dangerously addictive! The light and crisp texture and sweet and salty taste will make you reach back for more every time.

9. Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

This might become your new favorite way to caffeinate in hot weather. There is nothing quite like homemade ice cream, and this matcha dessert is unbelievably tasty and refreshing. You can adjust the amount of matcha powder in the matcha ice cream to suit you, and it just tastes divine with a dollop of whipped cream as a tasty Japanese dessert. Try it and see!

10. Fluffy Japanese Soufflé Pancakes

You could make these light and fluffy Japanese pancakes for brunch or serve them as dessert after a meal with fluffy whipped cream; the choice is yours! Surely, we all love a multitasker. The key to light and fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes is the whipped egg whites, and this easy recipe takes you through it step by step.

11. Matcha Red Bean Mochi

Sweet red bean paste is a staple ingredient in Japanese desserts (and Korean desserts, too) and makes a delicious red bean filling. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made with glutinous rice flour with a wonderful sticky consistency, and they are very easy Japanese desserts to make, so if you have a craving, you can enjoy them just minutes later!

12. Japanese Strawberry Swiss Roll

A Japanese roll cake is a light and airy, not-too-sweet dessert that you will certainly love. Adding a small amount of gelatine to the cream filling helps it to keep its shape, and you can change things up and add different fruits if you prefer. You might have seen a pretty Japanese cake roll in Japanese bakeries before, and now you can make your own!

13. Easy Dango Recipe

How beautiful are these Japanese Dango? These popular Japanese desserts are a common site in Japanese bakeries and are very easy to make. Hanami Dango contains just a few ingredients and basic steps, and the result is sweet and chewy treats that look as good as they taste. Honestly, I love these cute Japanese treats.

14. Japanese Purin

If you like panna cotta or crème caramel, you'll love Japanese pudding (sometimes known as Japanese flan or Japanese custard). It's a gently cooked custard dessert with a thin layer of deep caramel sauce on top with the silkiest, smoothest texture imaginable.

15. Japanese "Sweet Potato" Dessert

Sweet potato Japanese dessert is commonly served in the Fall and uses naturally sweet and delicious "satsumaimo" (Japanese sweet potatoes). First, mash sweet potato and then mix with cream, butter, and sugar. Then, shape these small cake-like desserts into miniature sweet potatoes before brushing them with an egg wash and toasting or baking.

Use black sesame seeds as a pretty garnish that also adds a tiny bit of crunch. Simply put, it's irresistible.

16. Japanese Custard Filled Cream Buns

Whilst there might be a few steps involved in making Japanese cream-filled buns, it is undeniably well worth the effort! The milk bread dough uses a water roux or ‘dough starter’ known as ‘Tangzhong,’ and this is what creates the ultra-soft texture. As is always the case with baking - precision is key, and it is so important to pay attention to all the details in the recipe. Consequently, you will be rewarded!

17. Japanese Strawberry Cake

Make a Japanese bakery-style strawberry cake for a party and wait for the compliments to roll in. The beaten egg white and minimal flour in the batter creates a super fluffy texture, and the layers are brushed with syrup before being smothered in a not-so-sweet frosting to bring out the flavor of the fruit. Consequently, you’ll feel like you’re biting into a cloud.

18. Coffee Jelly

Have you heard of coffee jelly? It's a deliciously simple treat and the ideal energizing indulgence due to its sweetness and caffeine boost. Found in supermarkets, convenience stores, coffee shops, bakeries, and dessert shops all across Japan, it's one of the most popular Japanese desserts to make. For an iced latte-like experience, add a touch of heavy cream.

19. Matcha Cream Cheese Pound Cake

You simply won't believe how tender this matcha cake is! Firstly, there is cream cheese in the batter itself, which makes the sponge unbelievably soft. But then, the matcha gives it a delicious green tea taste, too. What's more, it can be kept at room temperature and transports really well, so it works well as a make-ahead dessert.

20. Creamy Red Bean Popsicles

Red bean popsicles are an incredibly popular Asian dessert with a creamy texture and moderately sweet taste, and this recipe retains some chewy beans inside, which makes them even more delicious! These traditional Japanese sweets are very refreshing, too, which makes them an ideal sweet Japanese treat for hot summer days.

21. Orange Castella Cake

Castella cake is a type of "wagashi," or Japanese confection traditionally served with green tea. It's a sponge cake with a trademark bounciness and can be flavored in all kinds of ways. A top tip is to wrap it in food wrap when it is still warm and place it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. It traps in all the moisture and makes this traditional Japanese dessert unbelievably bouncy and moist. You heard it here first!

22. Mizu Yokan

You simply have to try this Japanese jelly; it is made with just three main ingredients and just completely melts in the mouth. A combination of red bean paste, sugar, and a natural gelatin-like substance called "kanten" is all that you need to make it. Yokan is one of the most popular Japanese desserts, and it certainly looks incredibly elegant when sliced and served in dainty blocks as well.

23. White Chocolate Matcha Mousse Cake

Simply put, the light and airy texture of white chocolate matcha mousse cake is insane! It also looks so pretty and refined with its layers of green tea sponge cake, white chocolate mousse, and a generous dusting of matcha powder on top. Consequently, it would make a great statement dessert for a dinner party.

If you like the idea of this, you'll also love my mango mouse cake.

24. Mochi Ice Cream

Imagine biting into a deliciously sweet and chewy mochi, but the center is ice cream! Certainly, it sounds good to me. Surprisingly, it is a lot easier to make than you think, as the mochi is made in the microwave and simply folded around scoops of ice cream. And what's more, you can use any flavor of ice cream you want or mix and match to keep everyone happy.

25. Candied Sweet Potatoes

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/204913851790355243/

Daigaku Imo, or candied sweet potatoes, are a classic Japanese snack traditionally served in fall and winter. Deep fry them for the most authentic result, or alternatively, you can steam and then shallow-fry. A caramelized syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness, and this wagashi tastes great with a cup of green tea.

26. Dorayaki (Japanese Red Bean Pancake)

These are the famous pancakes I love. Dorayaki is a dessert made from golden brown, honey-flavored pancakes held together with a thick layer of sweet red bean paste (known as “anko.”). But you can get other fillings too, like a classic Crème Pâtissière.

27. Anmitsu (Japanese Kanten Jelly Dessert)

You have to try Anmitsu in the summer! It’s made with kanten jelly topped with various toppings that you can adapt to suit you, including fresh fruit, mochi, red bean paste and green tea ice cream. It’s super refreshing, and the mixture of flavors and textures is amazing.

28. Ichigo Daifuku Mochi

Once you’ve made mochi, you can go one step further and try this modification. The fresh strawberry encased inside offers the most amazing juicy surprise, and of course, it looks stunning. You can even swap out the red bean paste for whipped cream to give a different flavor profile. This Japanese treat is associated with the Hinamatsuri Festival, which is held in March every year.

29. Hello Kitty Macarons

How could I have a list of Japanese desserts and not include a Hello Kitty dessert? Dainty little macarons with a strawberry buttercream filling in that adorable and iconic Hello Kitty shape. The recipe includes a template for piping and a full tutorial on how to make these Japanese treats.

30. Manju

Manju is a traditional Japanese dessert of individually steamed cakes filled with a sweet red bean filling. While it may look similar to mochi, Manju is made of wheat, rice, or another type of flour and has a fluffier, cake-like consistency, whereas mochi is a sticker, chewier rice cake. I definitely recommend you try making both!

31. Cookie Butter Taiyaki - Fish-Shaped Waffle

I love how these look! Taiyaki are fish-shaped waffles often filled with sweetened red beans or other sweet and savory fillings. This recipe uses cookie butter as a filling, which has the perfect taste and texture. You’ll need a special waffle mold, but what a fun thing to make at home!