Top 12 Mexican Desserts

La Gran Fama is a historic confectionery from Puebla, founded in the 19th century and known for its handcrafted traditional Mexican sweets made according to long-preserved local recipes. The shop began as the first specialized producer of camotes, sweet treats made from sweet potato, and gradually expanded its selection to more than 300 varieties of cookies, tortitas, macarrones, and other classic regional confections. Located in the old part of Puebla, near important sites linked to the Mexican Revolution, it carries strong cultural and historical significance. All products are made by hand, using local ingredients and techniques that highlight the authentic flavors of Puebla’s confectionery heritage. The shop’s original façade and elegant, old-world interior add to its charm, evoking the atmosphere of traditional European patisseries. With its long history, wide assortment, and consistent quality, La Gran Fama is considered a culinary landmark of Puebla and an essential stop for anyone seeking to experience the city’s sweet traditions.Expand

Carlota de limón is a refreshing Mexican no-bake dessert consisting of alternating layers of crumbled Maria cookies and cream made from lime juice and milk. The cream should be frozen to the point where it almost reaches the consistency of ice cream. This flavorful dessert is traditionally served during Easter and Christmas seasons.Expand

Bionico is a popular Mexican street food item in the form of a fruit cocktail, originating from Guadalajara. Chopped fruits such as papaya, strawberries, cantaloupe, apples, and bananas are topped with a sweet cream mixture, granola, pecans, raisins, and desiccated coconut. The dish was invented in the early 1990s as a healthy breakfast meal. As its popularity grew, the dessert spread throughout Mexico and even to some parts of the United States. Today, bionico is mostly served by street vendors or it can be bought at numerous juice bars and ice cream shops.Expand

Marranito or puerquito is a traditional pan dulce (sweet bread) variety. These pan dulce cookie-like small cakes are shaped into pigs and flavored with ginger. They're made with a combination of flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, butter, salt, sugar, molasses, buttermilk, and eggs. The marranitos are baked until golden brown, and it's recommended to accompany them with milk or hot chocolate when served.Expand

Platáno frito is a simple side dish made by frying ripe plantains in oil until they become golden brown. The dish is usually served for lunch, accompanying numerous main dishes, often along with cooked rice. The plantains can be additionally topped with Mexican crumbly cheese, sour cream, or condensed milk if they are served as a dessert. Although fried plantains are prepared throughout Mexico, they are very popular in the coastal areas, but also in other Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Cuba.Expand

Cocadas are sweet coconut treats originating from the state of Colima, Mexico. Traditionally, the concoction is made by combining grated coconut, sugar, eggs, and water, although some modern versions incorporate flavorings such as cloves, vanilla, or almond extract. The dessert is also very popular throughout Latin America, in countries such as Peru and Colombia. Sometimes, cooks like to add food coloring to cocadas in order to symbolize the flag colors of a specific country, making the soft and chewy dessert both patriotic and tasty. Cocadas can be found throughout the streets and beaches of Latin America, usually sold out of baskets or in batches from big, aluminum trays.Expand

Coyotas are traditional Mexican cookies that were invented in Hermosillo, Sonora in the 19th century. They are made from flour dough and filled with piloncillo – unrefined Mexican sugar. The name coyotas is literally translated to a female coyote, but it is also a Sonoran colloquial term for a female of mixed Indian and Spanish heritage. Coyotas are said to taste the best when paired with coffee or tea, and can be topped with a scoop of ice cream or dipped in milk like a cookie. Variations abound, so in addition to piloncillo, coyotas can be filled with caramel, dates, guava, figs, peaches, or pineapples.Expand

Jamoncillo is a type of Mexican fudge made with caramelized milk. It has a light brown color and a soft, fudgy texture. The basic version incorporates milk and sugar, but the additions often include nuts and various flavorings. The preparation is simple and involves heating the milk and sugar mixture until it is thick and caramelized. It can be made with butter, condensed or evaporated milk, while the flavorings often include vanilla and sometimes cinnamon. Jamoncillo needs to set for several hours, and before serving, it is cut into small squares. It is sometimes decorated with nuts. This fudgy treat is traditional for several Mexican states, and it is available as an artisanal confectionery or a classic homemade treat. Expand

Aromatic capirotada is the Mexican version of bread pudding, consisting of old bread, chunks of nuts and fruits, cinnamon, brown sugar, sweet syrup, and cheese on top. The combination of these ingredients is traditionally baked in an oven. Fruits might include coconuts, apples, bananas, raisins, and dates, while nuts range from peanuts to pine nuts. Capirotada was originally a savory dish in pre-colonial Spain, when it was mostly associated with the Jewish people and the Moors. Over time, the dish made its way to the New World, where it became the tasty dessert that we know today. It is closely associated with Lent, being a great way to use up all of the leftovers before fasting. Capirotada is traditionally consumed on Fridays and Holy Days, and numerous Mexican people associate it with the Passion of Christ – the bread symbolizes Christ's body, the syrup is for blood, raisins are for nails, while the cheese symbolizes the Holy Shroud.Expand

Chongos Zamoranos is a Mexican dessert prepared with raw milk, egg yolks, and rennet tablets. The dish is ready when the milk curdles and develops a rubbery, sponge-like consistency, and it is then flavored with cinnamon and sugar. This dessert is traditionally prepared in earthenware clay pots (cazuelas), and it is served by topping the curds with sugar syrup that has separated in the pot. The word chongos in the name of the dessert means curds. Chongos Zamoranos is so popular in Mexico that it can even be bought in cans. It is believed that this dessert was invented in the colonial-era convents in the town of Zamora, hence the name. Nowadays, there are many presentations of chongos Zamoranos with different flavors, and people sometimes add liquor, coloring, or dried fruits into the dessert.Expand

Chamoyada is a sweet, sour, spicy, and salty frozen treat that originates in Mexico and is especially popular in the central and western regions of the country. It is a type of icy beverage or dessert that blends fruit sorbet, shaved ice, or slush with chamoy, a tangy sauce made from pickled fruit, chili, salt, and lime. The result is a layered and vibrant concoction that captures the bold flavors of Mexican street food culture, often served in cups or tall glasses with a straw and spoon. Its roots trace back to the rise of chamoy itself, which was introduced to Mexico in the mid-20th century and adapted from Asian pickling and seasoning techniques brought by Japanese immigrants. Over time, chamoy became a staple condiment for snacks like fruit, chips, and candy, and eventually found its way into frozen drinks. The idea of combining the sauce with ice and fruit likely grew from local paleterías and street vendors, who experimented with different ways to highlight chamoy’s intense flavors during hot weather. Preparing a chamoyada involves assembling layers of shaved ice or fruit-flavored slush, usually mango, tamarind, or pineapple, and drizzling each layer with generous amounts of chamoy and chili powder. Diced fresh fruit, particularly mango, is often mixed in, and the drink is finished with a tamarind candy straw or a topping of pickled fruit. The balance of heat, acidity, and sweetness is essential, and every component is meant to contrast and complement the others. Variations are common, with some versions including a splash of lime juice, chunks of spicy dried fruit, or even a scoop of sorbet to intensify the fruity base. It is widely enjoyed throughout Mexico as a street food staple, particularly in summer, and has spread to Mexican communities abroad, especially in the United States. It is most often eaten as a standalone refreshment, though it can also accompany savory snacks or spicy antojitos, offering a cooling counterpoint to rich, hearty foods.Expand