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 until golden. Besides numerous other varieties, fried bananas also appear under different names such as godoh biu on Bali or gedhang gorèng on Java. They are traditionally sold at street stalls and carts and belong to a group of gorengan dishes—Indonesian deep-fried snacks. The more elaborate version of pisang goreng are served dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon, drizzled with chocolate, or accompanied by jams or ice cream. Similar banana-based dishes are found in other Southeast Asian regions and countries such as Singapore, the Philippines (maruya) and Malaysia (kuih kodok).
Bambalouni are traditional Tunisian doughnuts that are especially popular in the village of Sidi Bou Said. They are made with flour, hot water, yeast, and salt. After the dough has been prepared, it is fried in hot oil until golden brown, and the doughnuts are then sprinkled with sugar on top. It is recommended to serve bambalouni with coffee, either for breakfast or as a snack eaten at the end of the day.
Sfenj are popular Moroccan and Algerian doughnut-like fritters made from sticky unleavened batter, similar to Libyan sfinz and Tunisian bambalouni. The dough is traditionally shaped into rings and deep-fried until it develops a golden, crispy exterior. The interior should be fluffy, tender, and chewy. These fritters are usually served hot when sold by street vendors, and they can be consumed plain or dusted with icing sugar.
Pączki are large, deep-fried doughnuts made from rich yeast dough, heavily stuffed with sweet fruit preserves or sweet cream, and coated in a thick layer of powdered sugar or icing. The foundation of this heavy pastry relies on a highly enriched dough where yeast is dissolved in warm milk and combined with large quantities of egg yolks, butter, sugar, and wheat flour. A crucial additive is a small splash of high-proof grain alcohol or clear rum mixed directly into the batter. The alcohol evaporates rapidly upon contact with the boiling fat, creating a barrier that prevents the pastry from absorbing excess grease during deep-frying. The dough must rise twice to develop a spongy, airy crumb before small portions are rolled into uniform balls and submerged in heavily heated pork lard or vegetable oil. They fry until both sides develop a deep, dark golden-brown exterior, naturally leaving a distinct pale ring around the center where the dough floated above the fat line. After cooling slightly, a metal piping tip is used to inject various thick fillings into the center. While wild rose petal jam and dense plum butter are the most deeply rooted and widely used fillings, modern bakeries often inject them with Bavarian cream, raspberry preserve, chocolate custard, or spiced apple filling. The exterior also depends on the shop, ranging from a simple, heavy dusting of confectioner's sugar to a thick, translucent sugar glaze sprinkled generously with bits of candied orange peel. Procuring and consuming these pastries happens at an intense, rapid pace, most notably during the week preceding Lent. They are often bought by the dozens in large cardboard boxes from local bakeries and eaten at room temperature alongside a cup of hot coffee or strong black tea. Because of their rich, high-calorie nature, a single pastry serves as a standalone meal or snack. The existence of pączki traces back to the Middle Ages, though the earliest iterations were entirely savory, formed from hard dough and stuffed with salted pork fat. It was not until the 18th century, when French baking techniques arrived in Eastern Europe, that the recipe fundamentally transformed into a lighter, sweeter, sponge-like dessert. The entire concept was originally designed as a highly practical method to completely empty household pantries of expensive, perishable fats, sugars, and eggs before a strict fasting period commenced, culminating in the massive consumption event known today as Fat Thursday.
Papanași is a traditional donut-shaped pastry with a small sphere on top. It can be fried or boiled, and it's made by adding unsalted cheese such as brânză de vaci (cow's milk cheese) or urdă to a regular flour and egg dough. The fried papanași are usually donut-shaped and can be served with fruit jams, a dollop of sour cream, or powdered sugar. The boiled ones are smaller, nugget-shaped, and typically coated with a mix of breadcrumbs and sugar. This dessert can be found in most Romanian traditional restaurants or it can be prepared at home.
Nonnevot is a unique pastry originating from Limburg, dating back to at least the 17th century. The dough is prepared with flour, yeast, milk, salt, butter, lard, and brown sugar. It is then deep-fried until it develops a golden-brown color. Although nonnevot has traditionally been associated with the carnival, today it can be bought in many regional bakeries. The unusual name of this pastry means nun's butt, referring to its knotted shape and the knot on the back of a nun's uniform.
Fouskakia are traditional Greek donuts or loukoumades that are prepared on the islands of Skopelos and Alonnisos, in the northwest Aegean Sea. The name of this specialty derives from the Greek word foúska, meaning a bubble, referring to the typically small spherical shape of the fluffy fried pieces of dough which resemble bubbles. These donuts are typically made with a simple batter of flour, water, and yeast, and once deep-fried in oil, they’re usually eaten while still warm. Fouskakia are usually enjoyed drizzled with honey on top and sprinkled with cinnamon or nuts, although they can also be accompanied by scoops of ice cream on the side.
Picarones are a staple of Peruvian street food, the tasty, deep-fried treats that are also often referred to as the "Peruvian doughnuts". The dough is shaped into a ring and fried in hot oil, and picarones are then drizzled with a sweet cane syrup. It is believed that they were first prepared during the Spanish Viceroyalty in Lima and they were probably based on the Spanish buñuelos. The recipe was adapted by the locals who added sweet potatoes and squash to the dough, and a new dish was created. Picarones were later popularized by the nuns of Saint Claire's convent, and today they are especially popular during the religious festivities in October.
Bolas de Berlim are Portuguese donuts that are sliced in half, then filled with sweet and creamy egg-based custard. Fluffy on the exterior and thick and creamy on the interior, these donuts are typically rolled in granulated sugar before being filled with the custard. On the Portuguese coast, vendors sell these tasty balls on numerous beaches, and locals love to consume them while sunbathing. Although bolas de Berlim are typically filled with custard, they can also be ordered sem creme, meaning without the creamy filling.
Quarkbällchen, meaning quark balls, is a traditional snack that is typically made by combining quark, flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, and baking powder. Milk, melted butter, cinnamon, lemon zest, and corn or potato starch are also sometimes added to the combination. The quark mixture is shaped into small balls which are deep-fried until golden brown on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Once done, the fried balls are usually coated in powdered or granulated sugar or a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Thought to hail from Bavaria, this sweet treat is generally enjoyed as an afternoon snack alongside a cup of tea or coffee. Resembling donuts, quarkbällchen are available in bakeries throughout Germany, and they’re often prepared during the festive Christmas season, New Year’s Eve, Fasching (Germany’s carnival season), and Oktoberfest.
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For the “Top 100 Deep-fried Desserts in the World” list until July 15, 2026, 15,197 ratings were recorded, of which 9,268 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
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