Mexico is a country celebrated for its festive culture, flavorful cuisine, and tasty desserts. From creamy custards to crispy treats, Mexican desserts are a feast for the senses, blending indigenous (note the appearance of corn) and European influences. Here are the top 10 most iconic Mexican desserts and what makes them so beloved.
1. Churros
Churros are long, fried dough pastries rolled in sugar and cinnamon, often served with a side of warm chocolate or caramel sauce for dipping. The preparation is similar to choux pastry but with fewer eggs to create a crisp exterior and chewy interior, making them a universal favorite. Originating from Spain, churros have become a quintessential Mexican street food.
Key Ingredients: Flour, water, butter, cinnamon, and sugar.
2. Flan
Flan is a silky caramel custard dessert that melts in your mouth. Its creamy texture and rich caramel topping make it a staple at Mexican celebrations. It’s firmer than a creme bruleé and has a lower fat and egg ratio. The simplicity of its ingredients creates its luxurious taste.
Key Ingredients: Eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla.
3. Tres Leches Cake
This cake is made by folding whipped egg whites into the batter, making for a prefect sponge-like receptor. It’s soaked in three types of milk: evaporated, condensed, and heavy cream. The result is a moist, sweet dessert perfect for any occasion. Tres leches are often topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Key Ingredients: Sponge cake, condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and whipped topping.
4. Pan de Elote (Mexican Corn Cake)
Pan de elote is a sweet corn cake with a moist, pudding-like texture. They can be found in many shapes: wedges sliced from a round cake pan, squares cut from a rectangle/square pan, or slices cut from a loaf pan. Its natural sweetness comes from fresh corn, making it a comforting and nostalgic treat.
Key Ingredients: Corn kernels, condensed milk, butter, and eggs.
5. Capirotada
Capirotada is a Mexican bread pudding typically prepared during Lent. It’s made with layers of toasted bread, raisins, nuts, and some melty cheese (Think—Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Manchego), all soaked in a cinnamon-spiced syrup made from piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar). This dessert is both sweet and savory.
Key Ingredients: Bolillo bread, piloncillo, cinnamon, raisins, nuts, and cheese.
6. Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)
This creamy dessert combines rice, milk, and sugar, flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. It’s a comforting dish often enjoyed warm but equally delicious chilled. The biggest debate is about raisins or no raisins.
Key Ingredients: Rice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and maybe raisins.
7. Cajeta (Goat’s Milk Caramel)
Cajeta is a caramel-like sauce made from goat’s milk, sugar, and cinnamon. It’s used as a topping for desserts like churros or spread over toast. Or, find in made into fudge-like blocks and other candy treats. Its rich, distinct flavor sets it apart from traditional caramel.
Key Ingredients: Goat’s milk, sugar, and cinnamon.
8. Alegrías (Amaranth Candy)
Alegrías, meaning “joys” in Spanish, are sweet treats from Xochimilco, made from popped amaranth seeds bound together with honey or piloncillo (brown sugar). They are often mixed with nuts or dried fruits, then pressed into sheet pans to dry before cutting into bars. They are a healthier and traditional snack.
Key Ingredients: Amaranth seeds, piloncillo, honey, nuts, and dried fruits.
9. Pastel de Elote (Cornbread Cake)
A cousin to pan de elote, pastel de elote is slightly denser and often served as a cake. It celebrates the natural sweetness of corn and is a must-try, especially during September when corn is being harvested by truckloads all over Mexico. They have a delightful, earthy, and traditional flavor. The most authentic shape is made in an angel food cake-type pan.
Key Ingredients: Fresh corn, condensed milk, butter, and eggs.
10. Buñuelos
Buñuelos are crispy, deep-fried disks of dough leavened with baking powder and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, or, at street fairs, they are placed in plastic bags and drizzled with syrup that you shake up to evenly coat before breaking pieces off. Popular during Christmas and other festive occasions, they’re as fun to eat as they are delicious.
Key Ingredients: Flour, sugar, cinnamon, and syrup.
Did You Know?
Many of these desserts have deep cultural and religious significance. For example, capirotada is traditionally eaten during Lent as a symbol of the Passion of Christ.
Amaranth, the key ingredient in alegrías, was a sacred crop for the Aztecs and used to be part of offerings to the gods. It’s gluten-free and a nutritional powerhouse to add to your diet.
Mexican desserts capture the heart and soul of the country’s culinary heritage, blending sweet flavors with rich traditions. Which of these iconic treats will you try next?
