23 Mexican Desserts You’ll Love (+ Easy Recipes)

On the hunt for some authentic Mexican desserts for your next fiesta?

From fried ice cream and caramel flan cake to the traditional churro and sopapilla, these tasty treats will satisfy every taste bud.

In fact, you haven’t truly lived until you try the classic tres leches. This heavenly cake is creamy, ultra-light, and practically melts in your mouth.

Without further ado, here’s a collection of my favorite Mexican desserts! These favorites are sure to delight!

1. Churros

Kicking off this collection is a classic Mexican dessert: the churro. It’s a family favorite and for good reason.

Deep-fried dough sticks are coated in cinnamon sugar and dipped in chocolate or caramel. Who can say no to that?

It’s sweet & crunchy on the outside, and moist & tender on the inside. No wonder the churro is beloved all over the world.

The best part is with this simple recipe, you can enjoy this delicious, sweet treat in just minutes.

2. Fried Ice Cream

Vanilla ice cream is already glorious, but when you fry it? Hallelujah!

And with this mess-free recipe, there’s no need for a deep-fryer.

Instead of coating the ice cream and then deep-frying it, you’ll only fry the cornflakes. Then, you’ll roll the ice cream in the fried cornflakes, giving it that deep-fried effect. 

Drizzle chocolate or caramel syrup all over your fried ice cream for a sinful Mexican dessert your whole family will love.

3. Dulce de Leche

Sure, you know about churros and tres leches cake, but are you familiar with dulce de leche? It’s only the sweetest, most luscious Mexican dessert ever.

Dulce de leche is sweetened milk, and it is phenomenal. This Mexican treat is a lot like caramel sauce, but much sweeter, thicker, and more delicious.

Use dulce de leche on your favorite Mexican desserts to make them extra special and perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

4. Caramel Flan

Sweet and melt-in-you-mouth custard oozing with caramel sauce – say hello to caramel flan.

If you’ve never made this classic dessert before, this simple recipe is an excellent way to start. It’s simple and only calls for five basic ingredients.

With some sugar, eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla, you’ll have the most indulgent Mexican dessert for the family to enjoy.

5. Tres Leches Cake 

Tres leches, which literally means, “three milks,” is an incredibly moist and milky cake. It’s one of my favorite Mexican dessert recipes, for sure.

It’s a poke cake that’s drizzled with three kinds of milk. The cake absorbs the milks’ flavors, making it so sweet and decadent.

This cake is rather heavy, so it’s good to top it with light & airy whipped cream to balance things out. Or, you can also chase it with a shot of tequila!

6. Sweet Mexican Corn Cake 

Mexican sweet corn cake is moist and sweet, and a perfect way to end any Mexican meal.

What’s so special about a Mexican corn cake? Well, for starters, it uses three different forms of corn: corn flour, corn meal, and actual corn.

So from that alone, you already know how much this cake is bursting with corn flavor!

Whether you top this delicious Mexican dessert with caramel, ice cream, or powdered sugar, it’ll taste incredible.

7. Sopapillas 

Sopapillas are fluffy, puffy, and delicious dough squares deep-fried to perfection.

Sopapilla doughs have a consistency similar to that of the Indian fry bread. Sometimes people also fill the inside with taco meat for a savory snack.

For dessert, they fill it with berries and cream. 

For this recipe, all you need is powdered sugar and honey. These additions may seem simple, but they make a ginormous impact.

8. Mexican Buñuelos

A bunuelo is a delicious Mexican dessert that’s crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. And they taste amazing.

It’s like a cross between a donut and a churro, so if you’re a fan of those desserts, then bunuelos are a must-try!

They’re often served during the holiday season, but with this recipe, you can make bunuelos any time, any day.

Bunuelos come in two shapes. In this recipe, we’re shaping the bunuelos like a donut: round with a hollowed center.

Coat your bunuelos with cinnamon sugar or dip them in Mexican hot chocolate. for a delicious dessert or afternoon snack.

9. Impossible Choco Flan Cake

This flan cake recipe is both easy and magical. It consists of a chocolate cake layer, a layer of vanilla flan, and cajeta (caramel) on top.

As it bakes, the layers magically reverse with the flan on top and the cake on the bottom. It’s a decadent dessert the whole family will love.

And while it’s a super easy recipe, this flan cake is perfect for special occasions, such as birthdays and Cinco de Mayo.

10. Mexican Wedding Cakes 

There’s no need to attend a wedding to enjoy these Mexican wedding cakes! Make them at home any day you want.

Also called polvorones, snowballs, and butter balls, Mexican wedding cakes are actually cookies. They’re sweet, tender, buttery, nutty… I can go on and on.

And while they look and taste sophisticated, this delicious Mexican dessert is a cinch to make.

11. Rice Pudding 

Also known as Arroz Con Leche, Mexican rice pudding is a simple dessert that only calls for four ingredients. Wow!

Luscious, sweet, and decadent – this Mexican treat is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whether you serve it warm or cold, it’ll taste delicious.

For this pudding, you’ll need milk, sugar, rice, and cinnamon. For a more interesting flavor and texture, you can also add raisins and shredded coconut.

Oh, and to add a little kick, how about some tequila? 

12. Pineapple Empanadas 

Sweet pineapple filling in an empanada? Why not?

I usually enjoy empanadas as a savory snack. So when I first encountered these pineapple empanadas, my mind was blown!

The filling’s sweet tropical flavors and gooey consistency go wonderfully with the crispy and buttery crust.

The best part is, you can make these sweet pockets at home! You’ll be surprised at how easy this recipe is.

13. Mexican Sweet Bread (Conchas) 

Mexican sweet bread or conchas is a classic Mexican food known for its distinct shape.

This shell-shaped bread is sweet and tender, and it’s super popular in Mexican cuisine.

And with this recipe, YOU can make authentic Mexican sweet bread at home.

Usually, conchas are topped with white frosting, but this recipe calls for a chocolate topping. I mean, who doesn’t like chocolate?  

14. Mexican Sweet Corn Cake (Pastel De Elote) 

Okay, you got me. I love Mexican sweet corn cake so much, I’m featuring another recipe! 

You’ll use a bundt pan for this recipe. With a bundt pan, your cake will get those lovely ridges that the cajeta can ooze on. 

Just like the first entry, this recipe will give you a cake that bursts with so much corn flavor.

Whether you top it with cajeta, whipped cream, or powdered sugar, it’ll be super.

15. Buñuelos 

As mentioned earlier, bunuelos come in two shapes, and while we’ve already explored the donut-shaped variety, it’s time to introduce its flattened version.

Also known as elephant ears, this version of the bunuelo is a popular fair food all over the country. 

There’s no need to wait for the next fair to enjoy these fantastic flat bunuelos. Just make them at home. They’re so easy, they come together in minutes!

16. Dulce De Leche Donuts

Dulce de leche is so good, you’ll want to incorporate it in as many dessert recipes as you can. Here’s one for you.

The combination of soft, fluffy donuts, and a sweet dulce de leche filling creates a beautiful harmony in your mouth.

To make them, you only need four ingredients: mini-biscuit dough, dulce de leche, butter, and powdered sugar for dusting.

Quick, easy, and decadent: it’s everything you want in a dessert, and more.

17. Sopapilla Cheesecake

If you’re looking for Mexican dessert recipes that combine cheesecake with crispy fried sopapillas, look no further than sopapilla cheesecake bars. 

These bars feature layers of flaky crescent dough, luscious cheesecake, and sweet cinnamon sugar.

Why settle for just a regular old cheesecake or sopapilla when you can have the best of both worlds?

18. Rumchata Cheesecake

For a sweet treat that’ll take you to dessert bliss, have a slice of this rumchata cheesecake. 

This recipe is a heavenly combination of smooth cream cheese and warm, spicy rumchata liqueur. 

Each bite of this rumchata cheesecake will make you feel like you’re floating on a cloud. It’s the perfect addition to your repertoire of Mexican entrees.

19. Apple Pie Taquitos

This recipe for apple pie taquitos is a fun twist on the American classic.

It takes the familiar flavors of apple pie and rolls them up in a crispy, golden tortilla. 

Each bite is a heavenly blend of warm apple pie filling and a crispy shell. 

Finished off with a generous drizzle of caramel, these delicious apple pie taquitos will have you reaching for seconds (and maybe even thirds!). 

20. Churro Chips

Snack like a champ with these addictive churro chips!

These cinnamon sugar-coated triangles of pure joy are the perfect way to satisfy your sweet cravings in just five minutes flat. 

If you’re looking for a sweet and crunchy pairing for your Mexican entrees, this Mexican dessert won’t disappoint.

21. Apple Pie Enchiladas

Give these delicious apple pie enchiladas a try for a dessert that’s both familiar and new.

This Mexican twist on a classic features warm and cozy apple pie filling wrapped in soft tortillas and baked to perfection. 

Once these enchiladas come out of the oven, they’re drizzled with sweet caramel sauce, taking them to a whole new level of awesomeness.

22. Mexican Hot Chocolate 

Say hello to homemade Mexican hot chocolate.

When it comes to heart-warming, soul-satisfying drinks, you deserve nothing but the best.

The secret to this Mexican hot chocolate is that it’s made with love… and 100% unsweetened cocoa powder.

Mix the cocoa powder with milk, cinnamon, and a bit of chili, and you’ll have a hot, cozy Mexican hot chocolate with a kick. 

For an adult version, spike yours with tequila.

23. Horchata

Last on the list is a popular Mexican dessert drink that’ll add sweetness to any meal.

Horchata is made with rice (or other grains) and milk. Seasoned with sugar and cinnamon and loaded with ice, horchata is sweet, milky, and refreshing.

This drink is one of my absolute favorites, and I hope that with this recipe, it’ll become one of yours, too. Have it with your favorite Mexican food and enjoy!