25 Desserts You Have to Try at Least Once
DESSERTS & SWEETS
Desserts are more than just sweets—they’re experiences. From rare cultural treats to over-the-top indulgences, these 25 must-try desserts will take your taste buds on a global adventure. If you haven't had these yet, it's time to start checking them off your list!
1. Basque Burnt Cheesecake (Spain)
Unlike traditional cheesecake, Basque Burnt Cheesecake has a dark caramelized top, creamy custard-like center, and no crust. Its slightly bitter, smoky flavor makes it addictively unique.
2. Mochi Ice Cream (Japan)
This Japanese treat combines chewy rice cake (mochi) with creamy ice cream. The texture contrast is magical, and flavors range from matcha to mango to red bean.
3. Pastel de Nata (Portugal)
These Portuguese egg custard tarts have a flaky, buttery crust and a caramelized, slightly crispy top. Eat them warm with cinnamon and powdered sugar for the full experience.
4. Sticky Toffee Pudding (UK)
A warm, spongy date cake soaked in toffee sauce, usually served with vanilla ice cream or custard. It’s one of the UK’s most comforting and indulgent desserts.
5. Churros con Chocolate (Spain & Mexico)
Crispy, deep-fried churros dusted in cinnamon sugar, dipped in thick, rich hot chocolate. In Spain, the chocolate is so thick you can almost eat it with a spoon.
6. Tres Leches Cake (Latin America)
A light sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk (evaporated, condensed, and whole milk) for an ultra-moist texture. Topped with whipped cream, it’s sweet, milky, and completely irresistible.
7. Dondurma (Turkish Ice Cream)
This Turkish ice cream is chewy, stretchy, and slow-melting thanks to a special ingredient called salep. Street vendors often put on a playful show, making it impossible to grab your cone!
8. Macarons (France)
Delicate, colorful almond meringue cookies filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam. With flavors like pistachio, lavender, and salted caramel, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious.
9. Malva Pudding (South Africa)
A warm, spongey apricot-flavored cake that’s soaked in butter and cream sauce, making it incredibly rich and moist.
10. Halo-Halo (Philippines)
A wild mix of shaved ice, sweet beans, coconut, fruit, jelly, flan, and purple yam ice cream (ube), all topped with evaporated milk. It’s a colorful, chaotic, and deliciously refreshing dessert.
11. Baklava (Middle East & Greece)
Layers of flaky phyllo dough, honey, and nuts come together in this crispy, sticky, and ultra-sweet dessert. A single bite delivers buttery, nutty, and syrupy flavors all at once.
12. Black Sesame Soft Serve (Asia)
This nutty, slightly smoky, and lightly sweet soft-serve ice cream is popular in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. It has a unique grayish-black color and an earthy, creamy taste.
13. Baked Alaska (USA)
A wild dessert featuring ice cream and cake covered in meringue, then torched until golden brown. Some places even light it on fire with rum for dramatic effect.
14. Pavlova (Australia & New Zealand)
A light, crisp meringue shell with a marshmallowy center, topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. It’s airy, sweet, and perfect for summer.
15. Mango Sticky Rice (Thailand)
Juicy, ripe mangoes served with sweet, coconut-infused sticky rice, topped with sesame seeds or coconut cream. The combo of fruity, creamy, and chewy textures is unforgettable.
16. Sacher Torte (Austria)
A rich, chocolate sponge cake with apricot jam and a smooth dark chocolate glaze. It’s one of Austria’s most famous desserts, and it’s best served with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
17. Cendol (Southeast Asia)
A refreshing shaved ice dessert with green pandan-flavored jelly noodles, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup. It’s sweet, creamy, and perfect for cooling down in tropical heat.
18. Cannoli (Italy)
Crunchy, deep-fried pastry tubes stuffed with creamy ricotta, chocolate chips, and citrus zest. The best ones come freshly filled so they stay extra crispy.
19. Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (Argentina)
A decadent cheesecake featuring layers of caramel-like dulce de leche, making it ultra-rich, creamy, and dangerously addictive.
20. Gulab Jamun (India)
Soft, deep-fried milk dumplings soaked in fragrant rose and cardamom syrup. These melt-in-your-mouth bites are pure indulgence.
21. Tarta de Santiago (Spain)
A traditional almond cake from Spain with a light texture and a crispy, golden crust. It’s usually dusted with powdered sugar in the shape of the Santiago cross.
22. Banoffee Pie (UK)
A buttery biscuit crust filled with layers of caramel (toffee), bananas, and whipped cream. It’s rich, gooey, and impossible to resist.
23. Deep-Fried Mars Bar (Scotland)
This outrageously indulgent treat involves coating a Mars chocolate bar in batter and deep-frying it until the chocolate inside turns molten. It’s crispy on the outside, melty on the inside, and sinfully good.
24. Kouign-Amann (France)
A flaky, caramelized pastry that’s like a croissant and crème brûlée had a baby. The buttery layers get crisp on the outside and melt in your mouth.
25. Chocolate Lava Cake (Worldwide)
A classic for a reason. A warm, molten chocolate center oozes out when you cut into it, creating the perfect balance of gooey and cakey goodness.
Which Dessert Will You Try First?
From crispy baklava to molten lava cake, these 25 must-try desserts are worth traveling for. Which one is calling your name? Let us know in the comments!