Easy Asian Dessert Recipes You Wish You Tried Sooner

deleciousfood | June 7, 2024 | Asian Food | No Comments

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Can we all agree that the dessert world is spiraling out of control lately? From overflowing, boozy milkshakes topped with the contents of an entire candy store to matcha ice cream wrapped in 24-karat golf greens, there’s seemingly no end to crazy and outrageous desserts. So when it’s time to take a step back from the trendy, show-stopping desserts, turn to the classics. And for me? This includes Asian desserts.

Asian desserts don’t really get the praise or recognition they deserve. They’ve all stood the test of time for one reason or another – whether it’s halo-halo, a Filipino shaved ice dessert that’s growing in popularity and features layers and layers of gelatin, coconut, sweet beans and ube ice cream (among other ingredients). ), or the undeniably classic Japanese dessert, manure. Truly, there is something for everyone in the world of Asian desserts (many of which are also perfect for summer!).

We’ve rounded up ahead of time the Asian dessert recipes that you should make ASAP, because once you do, you’ll end up with your new favorite treat.

A version of this article was originally published in September 2019.

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Mango Float

Mango is the star of this creamy, no-bake Filipino dessert, which is essentially a frozen cake made with mangoes, sweet whipped cream, and graham crackers. This is the best dessert to eat on a hot summer day.

Get the recipe from Cook With Dana.

Ban Ja’Neuk (Cambodian rice ball dessert)

This Khmer dessert from Cambodia, ban ja’ neuk, is surprisingly easy to make. It features soft coconut rice balls served in sweetened coconut milk and topped with sesame seeds and shredded coconut. If you love boba, you will love this recipe.

Get the recipe from Pete Eats.

Ube wrinkles

Ube, a type of purple yam grown in the Philippines, has an earthy, sweet flavor and bold purple color that make these crinkle cookies a standout. You will need ube halaya (ube jam) and ube extract to make this recipe, which you can find online.

Get the recipe from Kawaling Pinoy.

Korean hotteok

These Korean dessert pancakes are stuffed with a special treat: a gooey filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, and peanuts.

Get the recipe for Beyond Kimchi.

Banh bao chi

Banh bao chi are Vietnamese snowballs, and what makes them so special – besides their sweet, irresistible taste – is all the varied textures: a soft center, a chewy outer layer, and a crunchy coconut exterior.

Get the recipe from Scruff & Steph.

Coffee-Cream Agar Jelly

Light and refreshing, agar agar jelly is a popular dessert in Thailand and widely used in Thai cuisine. Coconut and mango are popular jelly flavors, but this coffee dessert might beat them both. Vegan and no-bake, this coffee and cream agar jelly dessert is sure to give you a midday boost.

Get the recipe from Hot Thai Kitchen.

Thai mango sweet sticky rice

A traditional Thai dessert made with rice, fresh mango and coconut milk, Mango Sticky Rice is a favorite among many. For Joyous Apron, in particular, this is one of her all-time favorite desserts, and once you make her recipe, you’ll be hooked, too.

Get the recipe from Joyous Apron.

Mango sago

Originally from Hong Kong but also popular in Taiwan, mango sago is a tangy, creamy and sweet dessert made with mangoes, tapioca pearls and milk.

Get the recipe from Omnivore’s Cookbook.

Mochi Ice Cream

We’re sure you’ve had mochi ice cream — that soft, chewy frozen Japanese dessert now sold in the aisles of Whole Foods and in the ice cream sections of various grocery stores. But have you ever tried making mochi ice cream? The recipe from Just One Cookbook may seem complicated and will take you about an hour to prepare, but it will be totally worth it the second you bite into one.

Get the recipe from Just One Cookbook.

Touran

Turon is basically banana lumpia. And if you’ve never heard of lumpia, lumpia can simply be described as Filipino spring rolls. In short, bananas are rolled in lumpia wrappers, fried and – in the case of Pinch of Yum – liberally drizzled with a coconut caramel sauce.

Get the recipe from Pinch of Yum.

Biko

Biko is a glutinous rice cake dessert popular in the Philippines. Made with rice, coconut milk and brown sugar, biko is best described by The Little Epicurean: “sweet, fragrant and a little over-the-top.”

Get the recipe from Le Petit Epicurien.

Ginger curd

A popular Cantonese dessert, ginger curd may sound unappealing, but give this silky, slippery dessert a chance. To make it, you simply pour hot milk over ginger juice, and Red House Spice does a great job of showing you exactly how to make the dessert in just seven minutes.

Get the recipe from Red House Spice.

Ma lai go steamed Chinese cake

That’s right, this brown sugar vanilla cake commonly found on dim sum carts in China and Hong Kong is steamed, not baked. So, before you try to make ma lai, get a steam and electric mix.

Get the recipe from The Woks of Life.

chinese donuts

If you’ve ever been to a Chinese food buffet, you’ve seen these light, airy, fluffy sugar-coated donuts. This was probably my favorite part of the whole experience (even when I felt too full to continue, there was always room for at least two donuts). Well, we’re about to prep your entire week, because you can make these from scratch in less than an hour, following the recipe from Handle the Heat. Oh, and go buy an extra bottle of canola oil for frying – you’ll need it.

Get the recipe from Handle the Heat.

Taiyaki

Considered the epitome of Japanese street food, fish-shaped Taiyaki is an incredibly popular dessert, especially during festivals. Stuffed with red bean paste, Taiyaki can be served either as a wafer or as a fluffy pancake. Yes, you’ll need a special pan for this, but luckily Amazon sells them for just $22.99.

Get the recipe from Chef Iso.

Purine

Purin is a Japanese custard pudding similar to flan, and the Chopstick Chronicles recipe only takes 35 minutes to make.

Get the recipe from Chopstick Chronicles.

Inuts

Inutak, a Filipino delicacy, is a sticky rice cake topped with coconut cream and purple yam. It also goes well with ube ice cream!

Get the recipe from Mama’s Guide Recipes.

To light up

Commonly found at a Filipino New Year celebration, palitaw are sticky rice pancakes or balls (or whatever shape the family chooses) rolled in a generous amount of coconut shavings and sprinkled with sugar and toasted sesame seeds.

Get the recipe from Pilipinas Recipes.

Nian Gao

For a vegan Asian dessert, turn to nian gao, a sweet rice cake traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year.

Get the recipe from Radiant Rachels.

Hello Hello

Filipinos love, love, love Hello Hello. Shaved ice sundae, halo-halo is typically topped with sweet beans, gelatin, coconut, and various fruits, such as mango and jackfruit; and topped with evaporated milk and ice cream, like ube.