Beyond the realm of savory dishes, Chinese cuisine boasts an incredible array of sweet treats that are both delicious and visually stunning.
While it’s challenging to narrow down a definitive list of the best Chinese desserts, I’ve curated 33 mouth-watering options that showcase a mix of familiar and unique ingredients, along with some innovative cooking techniques. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, these recipes offer something for everyone and are definitely worth trying.
Almond Jelly
Notably one of the most beloved and uncomplicated Chinese desserts, almond jelly has gained widespread popularity globally. Composed with almond-flavored gelatin and a medley of fruits immersed in a sweet syrup, it serves as a refreshing palate cleanser. The simplicity of this treat lies in its straightforward preparation process, requiring just a few basic ingredients: milk, ground almonds, water, and either gelatin or agar-agar.
Its ease of preparation makes it an ideal option for those seeking a hassle-free dessert experience.
Steamed Asian Pears with Rock Sugar (冰糖雪梨)
Often considered a staple in traditional Chinese medicine, this sweet dessert is not only delicious but also packed with potential health benefits. Typically made with Chinese white pears, which have a crunchy texture similar to apples, combined with the antioxidant-rich Goji berries and the natural sweetness of Chinese dates. The key to unlocking its full flavor lies in cooking the ingredients together, whether steamed or boiled, allowing the juices to meld and intensify their flavor profile.
A must-try dessert for anyone looking to satisfy their sweet tooth while exploring new flavors.
Soy Milk Pudding
Among the numerous desserts made from plant-based ingredients, soy milk pudding stands out as an exceptionally soft and silky delight. Achieving this texture is primarily due to the combination of soy milk and soybean flour. Adding gelatin or agar-agar takes it to a new level of velvety smoothness. When served straight out of the refrigerator, it presents itself as a cool and refreshing treat that’s perfect for hot summer days.
Chinese Red Bean Paste Buns
By understanding the unique flavor profile of red bean paste (Hong Dou Sha / 红豆沙), we can appreciate its widespread popularity in Chinese cuisine as a filling ingredient. This traditional sweet paste is crafted from adzuki beans, sugar, and fat, allowing it to be served either chunky or smooth, depending on personal preference. As an authentic Chinese dessert, steamed buns filled with this sweet treat are often enjoyed for breakfast.
Liu Sha Bao (Salted Duck Eggs Custard Buns 流沙包)
Taking a break from the usual recipe, Liu Sha Bao are steamed buns that offer a sweet twist on traditional dim sum offerings. While custard buns can be found on many menus, these Cantonese treats have a unique charm worth exploring. The light and airy dough provides a gentle contrast to the rich and savory salted duck eggs custard filling inside. Interestingly, Liu Sha means ‘quicksand’ in Chinese, which aptly describes the soft and slightly grainy texture that oozes out when you take a bite.
Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just looking for something new to try, these buns are definitely worth considering.
Chinese Pumpkin Cakes (南瓜饼 Nan Gua Bing)
Honking good sticky rice pumpkin cakes, also known as pumpkin pancakes, are an absolute delight! Not only do they offer a fun and sweet snack option, but their unique texture sets them apart from other bun recipes. Unlike the steamed dough buns mentioned earlier, these babies are deep-fried, resulting in a crispy exterior that gives way to a tender interior. The sweetness level is just right, although feel free to add an extra touch of honey or maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter treat.
Fried Milk
Virtually irresistible, fried milk is a rich and creamy snack that I could honestly devour all day. When comparing them to mozzarella sticks, it’s clear they’re actually a heated blend of coconut milk, milk, cornstarch, and sugar – an unconventional combination that surprisingly works together in perfect harmony.
While the traditional Chinese snack isn’t coated with breadcrumbs, modern versions often incorporate this crispy element, adding a delightful textural contrast that elevates the overall experience.
Almond Cookies
Just as chocolate chip cookies will always hold a special place in my heart, it’s lovely to occasionally venture into new flavors. That’s exactly what these almond cookies offer – an exciting alternative that’s well worth trying. With their perfectly balanced texture, they’re crisp on the edges, crumbly in the middle, and bursting with sweet and buttery goodness all around.
Chocolate Chinese Five-Spice Cake
Needless to say, the combination of spices commonly found in savory recipes can be surprisingly versatile when paired with sweet ingredients like chocolate. In fact, clove, fennel, cinnamon, star anise, and pepper are a quintessential blend that works beautifully in baked goods. This five-spiced chocolate cake is a great example of how these aromatic spices can add depth and warmth to traditional desserts.
Furthermore, the heat from the pepper and spice blend will help counterbalance the richness of the chocolate, making it perfect for those who prefer a less intense treat.
Tapioca Thousand Layer Cake
Beneath its sweet and chewy exterior lies a dish steeped in tradition and requiring patience. This southern Chinese treat is easily identifiable by its layered appearance, which is achieved through a meticulous cooking process that involves steaming each layer individually for approximately four minutes before adding the next. Due to this time-consuming preparation method, it’s best suited for special occasions.
Bing Tanghulu Candied Hawthorn Stick 冰糖葫蘆
Relying on traditional Chinese recipes, Tanghulu is essentially an adaptation of candied apples. Rather than using common apples, it features hawthorn berries that are delicately dipped in a hot sugar syrup, resulting in a sweet and crunchy treat. Recognizing the versatility of this technique, you can experiment with other fruits to create unique variations, such as strawberries which offer a delightful twist on the classic recipe.
Chinese Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake
Hailing from Asia, jujube fruits have gained popularity worldwide for their unique flavor and texture. If you’re a fan of sticky toffee pudding, you’ll love date cake, but did you know that there’s another fruit that’s almost identical in taste? Jujube is a small, chewy fruit with an apple-like flavor profile, making it a great alternative to dates. The problem is, they can be quite hard to find in the US, especially fresh.
However, dried jujubes are widely available online or at local Asian markets, making them worth searching for.
Sachima
Savoring the sweetness of sachima, a snack made from egg noodles transformed by deep-frying into crispy perfection. This unusual combination may seem unappetizing at first, but the result is truly delightful. The addition of a sweet syrup, flavored with various extracts, brings a new level of depth to this treat. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll undoubtedly be hooked and craving more, making it a snack that’s hard to resist.
Chinese Walnut Cookies
Pleasing the taste buds and satisfying your cravings, these walnut cookies are a delightful treat that will bring a smile to your face with their crispy texture and crunchy walnuts. They have just the right amount of sweetness, making it easy to indulge in one (or two) without feeling overwhelmed. What’s more, they’re relatively low in calories compared to other sweet treats, so you can enjoy them guilt-free. Go to Recipe
Jian Dui (Sesame Seed Balls)
Flourishing in Asian cuisine, sesame seed balls are a beloved treat that combines soft and chewy textures with sweet fillings. These delightful dim sum desserts typically feature red bean paste or black sesame as their filling, both of which I’ve had the pleasure of trying and can confidently say were incredibly delicious! For this recipe, we’re taking a creative twist by incorporating sweet potato into the dough, resulting in a lovely orange hue that adds an extra layer of visual appeal.
Mung Bean Cake
Years ago, mung bean cake (dvougao) was a staple Chinese dessert eaten during the sweltering summer months. This traditional treat is made from an ingredient you might have already guessed – yes, it’s mung beans! What sets it apart from other sweet Chinese pastries is its filling, which is similar to that of many other desserts in this category. When compared to moon cakes, mung bean cakes appear almost identical due to their use of traditional moon cake molds.
However, there’s one crucial difference: moon cakes are typically baked with a thin layer of pastry, whereas mung bean cakes are usually consumed immediately without any baking required.
Water Chestnut Cake
Flaky, golden pastry pockets filled with a sweet and crunchy mixture of water chestnuts, water chestnut flour, sugar, and water are a staple in Cantonese dim sum cuisine. The name itself hints at the combination of ingredients used in this classic dish. When served at special occasions or gatherings, these delicate treats are typically sliced and lightly fried to perfection, but they can also be enjoyed chilled during the warmer months.
One of the standout features of this dessert is its intriguing texture, with a gelatinous base giving way to delightful pops of crispy goodness.
Winter Melon Puff (Wife Biscuit or Sweet Heart Cake 老婆饼)
Rounding out the diverse range of traditional Chinese pastries is the delightful ‘Wife Cake’, characterised by its numerous flaky layers and delectable winter melon and almond filling. A fundamental aspect of this pastry’s uniqueness lies in its use of winter melon, a type of squash that can be prepared in various ways to suit different tastes – whether sweet or savory.Go to Recipe
Fa Gao – Fortune Cakes
Historically, fa gao (fortune cake) has been a beloved dessert during Chinese New Year celebrations. This dense and slightly gummy-like cake is often referred to as both ‘prosperity cake’ and ‘lucky cake’, symbolizing the desire for good fortune in the year ahead. Typically miniature in size and steamed, the high heat used in cooking causes the surface of fa gao to crack into four distinct segments.
Tangyuan (Sweet Rice Balls with Peanut Butter Filling)
You’re in luck because this steamed bun recipe is essentially the same as our popular tangyuan recipe, but with a delicious twist – it’s infused with a rich and creamy peanut butter filling. Unlike store-bought peanut butter, we’ll be making a homemade paste that will melt into a velvety smooth lava when heated. This treat is sure to satisfy your cravings for something sweet and familiar.
Fortune Cookies
Very few people are aware that fortune cookies, often mistakenly attributed to China, actually have a Japanese origin. Despite their widespread popularity as a symbol of Chinese-American cuisine, these delicate treats have a fascinating history that spans the globe. In fact, there’s an even darker version of the traditional fortune cookie that originated in Japan and made its way to America in the late 1800s.
Laura Hauser is a food writer and editor passionate about authentic, approachable home cooking.
