Sorry Americans, but your desserts just don't compare to these 34 European sweets. These desserts are timeless, flawless, and seriously irresistible. They are out of this world delicious and sure to please anyone who takes just one bite. Give these easy European dessert recipes a try and you will see why they are just so much better than American desserts.
Mille Feuille
Mille Feuille means "a thousand leaves" in French, and it gets its name from the compacted layers of puff pastry that form this incredibly French dessert. Puff pastry normally rises as it bakes, but here we weigh it down so that it forms crisp, thin pieces of delicious buttery pastry instead.
Go to the recipe: Mille Feuille
Fraisier Cake
Elegant Fraisier cake is often seen in Patisserie windows and revered as a famous French pastry dessert. Buttery, fluffy sponge layers, decadent vanilla bean créme mousseline, and fresh strawberries are all you need.
Go to the recipe: Fraisier cake
Macarons
Macaron is a classic European dessert that is hugely popular worldwide because it looks so pretty and tastes so good! You can make macarons in so many flavors; they are also very versatile and make great gifts or petit fours after dinner.
Go to the recipe: Macarons
Palmiers
These deliciously sweet and buttery French Palmiers cookies are perfectly light, crispy, and crunchy perfection with each bite! Made with just a package of store-bought puff pastry and a bit of sugar, this 2-ingredient easy recipe comes together in just 40 minutes!
Go to the recipe: Palmiers
Pistachio Financiers
These easy-to-make Pistachio Financiers are delicious teacakes that come loaded with pistachio flavor. From the pistachio flour in the batter all the way to the chopped roasted pistachios on top, the strong nutty flavor and the subtle green color make this the perfect recipe to enjoy all year round.
Go to the recipe: Pistachio Financiers
Homemade Ladyfingers
Slightly crisp on the outside yet soft and airy on the inside, Ladyfingers (or savoiardi) is one of my favorite European desserts and an absolute must for making tiramisu. They originate from Savoy, which is now part of France, but the story goes that they were presented to the King of France as a gift in the 15th century and went down in history as an official 'court biscuit.'
Go to the recipe: Homemade Ladyfingers
Rum Baba
Rum baba (baba au rum), this classic yeast French bundt cake soaked in delicious rum syrup, decorated with a light vanilla bean whipped mascarpone frosting is the ultimate brioche-like boozy dessert!
Go to the recipe: Rum baba
Sacher Torte Cake
Austrian Sacher Torte Cake is a Viennese specialty, and it's a European cake recipe that defines elegance. Two layers of chocolate sponge cakes, a fine layer of apricot jam, and a smooth chocolate glaze make this dessert a must-try European cake, one of the best European chocolate desserts for sure.
Go to the recipe: Sacher Torte Cake
Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria Sponge Cake is a classic British cake named after the famous British queen, so it is certainly one of the most famous European cakes. Bake moist layers of sponge cake and sandwich them together with strawberry jam and lashings of whipped cream. I decorate my Victoria sponge cake with more piped whipped cream and fresh fruit, and it looks so decadent and regal.
Go to the recipe: Victoria Sponge Cake
Croquembouche
Croquembouche is a very famous sight in French patisserie windows. Have you ever seen a tower of profiteroles wrapped in a delicate cobweb of spun sugar? It's certainly a showstopper! A beautiful and impressive croquembouche is traditionally served at weddings as a grand centerpiece; it isn't hard to see why.
Go to the recipe: Croquembouche
Basque Burnt Cheesecake
I love Spanish food. This Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe comes together in just five minutes and only uses five simple ingredients, yet it has such an unbelievable texture and taste. Basque Burnt Cheesecake, or San Sebastian Cheesecake, is the easiest cheesecake of all; honestly, it's a must-try! There is no water bath, but the result is still the creamiest, most amazing custard-like texture with a caramelized top.
Go to the recipe: Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Paris-Brest
Imagine a ring of choux pastry filled with hazelnut praline crème mousseline filling. Certainly, it sounds delicious, one of my favorite French desserts! This classic French Paris-Brest recipe has it all. Crispy pâte à choux, silky, nutty creme mousseline filling, extra praline paste, and roasted hazelnuts make Paris-Brest one of the most impressive European desserts of all! This fancy-looking dish is a great dessert for a dinner party as it feeds a crowd and looks so impressive.
Go to the recipe: Paris-Brest
Ricotta pie
This easy Sicilian Ricotta pie with a hint of lemon is one of the creamiest, most delicious European desserts you will ever make! Classic Ricotta Pie is traditionally a Spring dessert associated with Easter, but I think you can enjoy it at any time of year. The fresh lemon flavor, creamy filling, and crispy pie crust is the most amazing flavor and texture combination.
Go to the recipe: Ricotta pie
Napoleon Cake
You might be mistaken in believing Napoleon Cake is French, but it is actually Russian! Napoleon cake is a classic Russian layer cake made of crunchy puff pastry and silky pastry cream. It was first served in 1912 to honor the 100th anniversary of Russia's victory over Napoleon. It will tower above your dinner table with its many layers of buttery pastry and smooth filling; trust me, this puff pastry dessert is certainly a real showstopper.
Go to the recipe: Napoleon Cake
Galette
A galette is a flat, free-formed French pastry dessert that is so easy to make. To make a galette, first, make a crisp and buttery pie dough and then top it with ingredients like fresh fruit before forming a crust with the edges. Bake the galette and in minutes you will have a crispy, buttery, and fruity French dessert.
Get the recipe: Strawberry Galette
Mini Tiramisu Cups
The Italians scored the jackpot when they invented Tiramisu. And now you can make delicious mini tiramisu cups so you don't have to share! I love Tiramisu so much that I made an easy version with just three ingredients you can whip up in minutes. This simple tiramisu recipe is a great way to enjoy a classic European dessert with zero hassle and using basic pantry ingredients.
Go to the recipe: Mini Tiramisu Cups
Lussekatter
Traditional Swedish saffron buns called Lussekatter (named after Lucia cats) are the ultimate saffron-infused fluffy yeasted brioche to bake before the holidays! These buns are crazy moist and delicious, and primarily made for St. Lucia Day (December 13th) but enjoyed throughout November and December in Sweden.
Go to the recipe: Lussekatter
Mini Strawberry tartlets
Have you ever seen dainty fruit tarts in the windows of French patisseries? These mini strawberry tartlets are not that hard to make and they are very beautiful desserts. Tarts are super versatile and I have an entire range of recipes for them but the most classic tart is a Pâte sablée shortcrust pastry case filled with silky vanilla custard and topped with fresh fruit decoration. Tartes are sometimes brushed with a glaze after baking for a high gloss finish.
Get the recipe: Mini Strawberry tartlets
Floating Island
Floating island is a classic French dessert that resembles an island, hence the name! The dessert is effectively a Crème Anglaise custard with poached meringue floating on top, which sounds complicated but it is a lot easier to make than it sounds.
Get the recipe: Floating island
Panna Cotta
Panna Cotta means "cooked cream" in Italian, and this European dessert is incredibly versatile. It is a molded dessert of sweetened cream thickened and set with gelatin to make the texture stable yet still jiggly. It can be flavored in so many ways, from coffee, coconut, vanilla, or other fruit. This particular Panna cotta recipe is made with coconut milk, so it is, in fact, a dairy-free European dessert.
Go to the recipe: Panna Cotta
Crème brûlée
I bet you love ordering Crème brûlée as a dessert in restaurants, however, did you know that making Crème brûlée at home is in fact shockingly easy? It is one of the most delicious French custard creams that comes together in 5 minutes using 3 simple ingredients: cream, egg yolk, and sugar. This is a no-fail, restaurant-like professional yet easy Crème brûlée recipe that will impress everyone, try it!
Go to the recipe: Crème brûlée
Clafoutis
Cherry Clafoutis, this classic French dessert is the ultimate flan-like recipe that comes together really quickly and easily! It has a custard-like creamy texture and can be made with a great variety of fruits, eg. berries, cherries, apples, etc.
Go to the recipe: Clafoutis
Tiramisu Cookies
These delicious, coffee-flavored tiramisu cookies are the perfect after-dinner treat, dessert table addition, or compliment to your morning cup of coffee. A delightful twist on the classic Italian dessert, this easy tiramisu cookie recipe combines espresso powder and sweet mascarpone frosting topped with cocoa powder. No matter how or where you eat them, it is sure to be something that everyone will love!
Go to the recipe: Tiramisu Cookies
Authentic Italian Tiramisu
Let´s start with the classic one before moving on to more unique creations. This authentic Italian tiramisu offers a luxurious treat that's easy to make with simple ingredients. It even features soft and golden homemade ladyfingers to help you create the best-tasting classic tiramisu. The sponge-like ladyfingers are soaked in coffee and layered with velvety mascarpone cream in one of the best desserts with ladyfingers you’ll ever make.
Go to the recipe: Authentic Italian Tiramisu
Danish Butter Cookies
For a simple yet flavorful dessert or snack that the whole family will love, these buttery and soft Danish butter cookies (also known as Danish biscuits) will not disappoint! Using the same six ingredients from the classic Royal Dansk Danish cookies in the blue tin that many know and love, these sweet treats are perfect for holidays, birthdays, celebrations, or any day you have a sweet tooth!
Go to the recipe: Danish butter cookies
Chocolate Chip Brioche Bread
If you love brioche bread, you will want to try this fluffy chocolate chip brioche bread recipe! This buttery chocolate chip brioche takes the classic French brioche bread to the next level by adding chocolate chips into the mix. Whether you serve it for breakfast, brunch, or a post-dinner dessert, it will be a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Go to the recipe: Chocolate Chip Brioche Bread
Bavarian Cream
Bavarian cream or Crème Bavarois is a classic French dessert made with just six simple ingredients: Milk, sugar, egg, vanilla, gelatin, and heavy cream. This light and creamy treat is super flavorful and perfect for your donuts, cakes, and pastries as a topping or filling. It is so versatile and delicious that you can even enjoy it as a dessert on its own!
Go to the recipe: Bavarian Cream
Beignets
Popular in French cuisine and a staple in the Louisiana city of New Orleans, these homemade beignets are fun to make and hard to resist! Their light, sweet, and pillowy texture make them the perfect treat to enjoy any time of day: For breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert. Top them with sugar, fill them with cream, or dip them in your morning coffee.
Go to the recipe: Beignets
French Puff Pastry
If you have ever wondered how to make traditional French puff pastry from scratch, this will be your ultimate baking guide! Homemade puff pastry (Pâte Feuilletée in French) might seem like a challenge, but the buttery taste and crisp texture are well worth the effort! I will show you how to make melt-in-the-mouth puff pastry in a relatively easy, straightforward way, so you'll never want to buy store-bought again.
Go to the recipe: French Puff Pastry
Choux Au Craquelin
This Crème Brûlée Choux au craquelin (cream puff) is filled with silky vanilla pastry cream (Crème Pâtissière) and topped with a crunchy caramelized sugar layer just like traditional Crème Brûlée! Its delicate texture and delicious flavor will certainly impress everyone. My Crème Brûlée Choux au craquelin is crunchy, creamy, and silky with a wonderful caramelized sugar flavor! Certainly one of the most delicious choux pastries I have ever made!
Go to the recipe: Choux Au Craquelin
Baklava
Baklava is a layered dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is a super popular dessert worldwide, particularly in the Middle East, Turkey, and Greece, with small local adjustments. Baklava is typically made using walnuts, but some popular versions contain pistachios or even other nuts like hazelnuts.
Go to the recipe: Baklava
Chocolate Brioche
For chocolate lovers who also enjoy the tender, fluffy texture of brioche bread, this chocolate brioche gives you the best of both worlds! This easy chocolate brioche recipe takes classic brioche bread and fills it with swirls of creamy chocolate and cocoa powder before topping it with melted butter.
Go to the recipe: Chocolate Brioche
Eclairs
Eclairs are classic French pastries that are widely popular all around the world. Delicious crispy and creamy eclairs filled with chocolate or vanilla pastry cream covered with a chocolate glaze will impress everyone!
Go to the recipe: Eclair
Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
This delicious, easy Italian lemon ricotta cake is by far one of the best lemon desserts you will ever try. Made with fresh lemons, creamy ricotta cheese, and a hint of vanilla extract, it has a gently sweet, citrusy flavor and an irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture that resembles a moist sponge cake. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert with a side of ice cream, it will be hard not to run back for seconds!
Go to the recipe: Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
More from Spatula Desserts
Here are the best potluck desserts that will make you the most popular guest at a party! When friends and family come together to share a meal, it's always nice to contribute. I've gathered together all the best potluck dessert recipes to please a crowd for every occasion.
Go to the recipes: Potluck Desserts
Best French Pastries
My guide to the best French pastries contains the most famous French desserts with recipes and tutorials on how you can make them yourself. I chose these French pastries and desserts because they are the most delicious and famous French pastries, and also the most reliable recipes.
Go to the recipes: French Pastries
Best Ricotta Desserts
These are the best ricotta desserts to make with this deliciously soft and creamy Italian cheese. My list of ricotta dessert recipes has delicious cakes, cookies, and more; you'll be spoilt for choice.
Go to the recipes: Ricotta Desserts
This article was originally published as Best European Desserts at Spatula Desserts.
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