Southeast Asian Desserts

Vietnamese chè dishes include any traditional sweet soup, beverage, pudding, or any other custard-like dessert that is made with a base of either water or coconut cream and served either hot or cold. Other ingredients for making ch... READ MORE

This traditional Thai rice pudding is a favorite way to finish any Thai meal. The dish is prepared with glutinous rice that is first steamed, then doused in sweetened coconut milk. Lastly, the rice is served sided with slices of fresh mango. This ... READ MORE

Sorbetes is a popular Filipino ice cream flavored with ingredients such as mango, chocolate, cheese, coconut, and purple yam (ube). Traditionally, it is produced from carabao milk and served in tiny scoops on sugar cones. Some Filipinos l... READ MORE

Falling in the group of popular lumpia snacks, turon is the famous Filipino treat made with saba plantains and jackfruit. The fruit is sliced lengthwise, dusted in brown sugar, enclosed in thin wheat wrappers, then fried until go... READ MORE

Leche flan is a Filipino dessert that is essentially a caramel custard consisting of milk, sugar, and eggs, with the addition of vanilla flavoring. Traditionally, it's oval-shaped due to the use of tin molds called llaneras. It is recomme... READ MORE

Taho is a sweet Filipino dessert which consists of fresh soft tofu doused in arnibal syrup and sprinkled with plump sago pearls. Similar desserts can be found in numerous Asian countries, and most of them call for the usage of th... READ MORE

Fried bananas or plantains are a common everyday snack eaten throughout Indonesia. They come in numerous versions in which the fruit is simply fried in shallow oil, but more often sliced banana pieces are coated in batter before they are fried unt... READ MORE

This sweet turnover pancake comes under various names throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore. Regardless of the location, it can be prepared either in a thin and crispy variety or as a thick and soft pancake. Traditional fillings ty... READ MORE

These traditional, small-sized Indonesian pancakes are usually prepared with rice flour and coconut milk. The pancakes are incredibly versatile, they come in sweet and savory versions, and can be adapted with wheat flour and various toppings such ... READ MORE

The refreshing halo-halo (lit. mix-mix) is a summer dessert or a snack of mixed fruit and beans, topped with finely crushed ice and either milk or ice cream. Some of the most common halo-halo ingredients include bananas, jackfruit, coconut, sweet ... READ MORE

In its simplest form, bibingka is a simple Filipino cake that consists of rice flour and water. It was initially prepared in clay pots that were lined with banana leaves, which would impart a distinctive, smoky flavor to the dish. Bibinka is belie... READ MORE

Ruam mit is a popular Thai dessert made with ingredients such as coconut milk, sugar, tapioca pearls, corn, lotus root, sweet potatoes, beans, and jackfruit. Each bowl typically includes starchy noodles that are flavored and colored with various i... READ MORE

Pichi-pichi is a Filipino dessert consisting of three key ingredients: grated cassava, sugar, and water. The concoction is steamed until it develops a firm, glutinous texture, and it is then rolled in desiccated coconut. The dessert is especially ... READ MORE

Bánh trôi is the name of a traditional Vietnamese dessert which consists of delicious tiny balls of glutinous rice wrapped around a sweet filling. The sticky and elastic dough for bánh trôi is made with a mixture of plain... READ MORE

The lightly sweetened puto are popular Filipino steamed rice cakes traditionally consisting of finely ground soaked rice that is steamed in round containers and served sliced. The popularity of these versatile cakes has caused the develop... READ MORE

Wajik or wajid is a traditional sticky rice cake originating from Java. It's usually made with a combination of glutinous rice, palm sugar, coconut milk, pandan leaves, and salt. The glutinous rice is soaked, washed, steamed, and cooked in a skill... READ MORE

This traditional Vietnamese dessert consists of chewy layers that are typically made with puréed mung beans, tapioca starch, rice flour, and coconut milk or water. Traditionally, each cake has a pale yellow layer made with mung beans and a ... READ MORE

These Indonesian rice balls are prepared with glutinous rice flour shell that is wrapped around a palm sugar filling. The outer shell is usually colored green, traditionally with the help of pandan or dracaena leaves, while the whole cake is coate... READ MORE

Usually sold by street vendors, this steamed cake is prepared with glutinous rice flour that is flavored and colored with pandan leaves. The mixture is traditionally steamed in bamboo tubes, while the center of the cake is filled with palm sugar. ... READ MORE

This traditional Vietnamese dessert originated in Hải Dương. It combines mung beans, vegetable oil or pork fat, sugar, and flavorings to create a cake with a fudge-like consistency and a smooth texture. It is believed that the cake first appeared ... READ MORE

Rau câu is a Vietnamese jelly cake made with agar (gelatinous seaweed), coconut milk, condensed milk, and flavorings such as coconut, banana, chocolate, mocha, and vanilla. The texture is similar to that of panna cotta. Due to the u... READ MORE

Butsi balls are the Filipino version of traditional Chinese jian dui sweets. They are made with glutinous rice flour that is formed in small round shapes and stuffed with a variety of sweet fillings such as sweetened mung bean, creamy lot... READ MORE

This small-sized Thai dessert, which is often referred to as a pancake, pudding, or a cake, is created with a batter that combines rice flour and coconut milk. The dessert is baked in large iron pans that have small, round indentations, and it is ... READ MORE

Kue lapis is a layered steamed cake widely enjoyed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, known for its vibrant colors, soft, chewy texture, and delicate coconut-infused flavor. The name comes from the Malay a... READ MORE

Gulaman is the Filipino term for agar-agar or kanten, a gum extracted from algae, but the name also refers to a broad category of Filipino dishes which are made with the same ingredient. Sharing similar characteristics with gelat... READ MORE

Cendol is a traditional Southeast Asian dessert that appears in numerous variations throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. In its basic form, the dessert consists of thin strips of jelly noodles that a... READ MORE

Buko pie is a traditional dessert which consists of a flaky pie crust combined with creamy coconut filling. It is prepared with buko, the young coconut flesh which is cooked alongside plain or condensed milk, cream, and sugar until it tra... READ MORE

Khao lam or kralan is a unique Southeast Asian dessert consisting of sweet sticky rice, either white or red, steamed in bamboo tubes, popular in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. The simplest, original version included only rice mixe... READ MORE

Es teler is a refreshing combination that usually consists of jackfruit, avocado, coconut, condensed milk, syrup, and shaved or crushed ice, but the variations may include other ingredients such as flavored jelly and different types of fruit. This... READ MORE

Dadar gulung is a traditional dessert consisting of a thin rice flour crêpe that is filled with grated coconut. Pancake batter is traditionally infused with pandan leaves which add flavor and impart a vibrant green color to the pancakes, but... READ MORE

Nata de coco is a unique Filipino specialty that is made with fermented coconut water and usually eaten as a dessert. After days of fermentation, it transforms into a jelly-like substance with a soft, chewy, and gelatinous texture. Plain nata de c... READ MORE

Lapis legit, also known as Indonesian spekkoek, is a rich, multi-layered spice cake that is one of Indonesia’s most famous and luxurious desserts. Inspired by Dutch spekkoek during the colonial period, lapis leg... READ MORE

Champorado is a thick Filipino rice pudding. Originally prepared with chocolate, nowadays it is usually made with cooked glutinous rice blended with sugar and cocoa powder. The origins of the dish derive from a Mexican chocolate-based drink known ... READ MORE

Bánh flan is the Vietnamese version of crème caramel. Tender and soft, covered with a layer of sugary caramel, the French crème caramel is a timeless and classic dessert. The Vietnamese variety was directly influenced... READ MORE

Also known as grass jelly, chao kuai is a traditional dessert typically served with crushed ice and sprinkled with brown sugar. This refreshing dessert is made with a jelly base which is prepared by cooking the leaves and stalks of Mesona chinesis... READ MORE

Ube halaya is a famous Filipino dessert made with purple yam. It is easily prepared by cooking mashed purple yams in plain milk, coconut milk, or condensed milk alongside sugar and vanilla essence. When set, it results in a slightly sweet treat th... READ MORE

Although undoubtedly French in origin, the decadent sans rival (lit. without rival) is a classic Filipino dessert and an all-time favorite that truly lives up to its name. It is made with layers of dacquoise; a crispy, baked nut meringue ... READ MORE

Serimuka is a kuih variety that consists of two separate layers. The bottom is made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, while the top layer is a vibrant green coconut milk custard that is flavored and colored with pandan leaves. The desser... READ MORE

Kutsinta is a sweet Filipino delicacy made with glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, and lye water. The mixture is steamed in small round molds and it is traditionally served topped with coconut flakes. These chewy cakes are usually infused with foo... READ MORE

Foi thong is a Thai dessert made by drizzling egg yolks (usually duck egg yolks) through a narrow funnel into a sugary syrup in order to create long and sweet golden strings. Pandan leaves are typically used in the syrup to give it a special flavo... READ MORE

This versatile Indonesian dessert is made with boiled and mashed cassava. The cassava base is then sweetened and often enriched with coconut and natural or food colorings in order to create decorative sweets. The rustic version combines mashed cas... READ MORE