17 Mexican Dessert Recipes

For many of us, the idea of Mexican food brings to mind fresh herbs, punchy spices, succulent meat and colorful vegetables.

17 Mexican Dessert Recipes

But Mexican food has plenty to offer to people with a sweet tooth as well. In fact, there are lots of fantastic recipes for delicious Mexican desserts that are easy to recreate in your own kitchen. 

We have put together this list of 18 of the best Mexican dessert recipes to help inspire you to create a tasty treat for your friends or family. Keep reading to find your new favorite dessert. 

1. Churros

We are starting off our look at the best Mexican dessert recipes with this one for classic churros. They are made from fried dough and are similar to donuts, but with a long thin shape. If you fry them correctly, they have a crisp texture on the outside but they are light and fluffy on the inside.

We recommend serving them warm and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. We guarantee that the smell coming out of your kitchen will be mouthwatering! These churros are also served with a molten chocolate dipping sauce which is just irresistible. 

Churros actually originate from Spain, not Mexico, but they are enjoyed in lots of different areas of Mexico and are heavily associated with Mexican cuisine.

Of course, many people deep fry their Churros. But did you know that you can also make a healthier version in an Air Fryer? In fact, with a modern Air Fryer, you can fry, steam, bake, roast and more. For more information and prices, see here.

One of the most important tips for making good churros is to use boiling water to make the batter. This gives it the gummy texture it needs to hold its shape while cooking. 

Bunuelos are another Mexican dessert that is similar to churros, but perhaps more traditional. They are often served at Christmas time. If you want to make them, try this recipe

2. Mexican Chocolate Flan

If you are looking for a tasty dessert that is not too heavy then this chocolate flan could be ideal. It is similar to a set custard, but with the addition of rich chocolate for even more flavour.

You will need to pay special attention to the timings of this recipe, and make sure that you keep your focus. Making custard from scratch can be fiddly and you also need to make your own caramel which can catch and burn if you get distracted. 

One of the great things about this chocolate flan is that it is versatile. You can serve it plain or dusted with cinnamon. You can also top it with sliced fruit arranged in a nice pattern. We like to use whatever fruit is in season.

It works very well with ripe mango slices, but you could also go for strawberries or raspberries. 

Fancy a main to go with your Mexican chocolate flan? Try our Best Comforting Beef Nachos recipe.

3. Fresas Con Crema (Mexican Strawberries And Cream)

Strawberries and cream is often associated with British summer time, but this dessert is also enjoyed in Mexico. It is really easy to make – you only need 5 ingredients and 10 minutes to bring this dessert together.

It is best to make this dessert when strawberries are in season, as they will be extra juicy and ripe which gives the dessert more flavour and natural sweetness. 

If strawberries are not in season you can use a different kind of berry, or even a stone fruit like peaches or plums. The cream is made using soured cream, vanilla extract, evaporated milk and condensed milk.

Finally, we suggest serving this dessert in individual bowls or pots. Another tip is to make them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge. This makes this sweet treat an ideal choice for a party or a BBQ. 

One of our favourite casual Mexican restaurants in Melbourne is Saporita Taquito. Read our review here.

4. Mexican Fried Ice Cream

Continuing with our best Mexican dessert recipes we have one for that eternal favourite – ice cream.

Fried ice cream is an indulgent treat that the whole family will love. It can be tricky to make, but this recipe gives you an easier option that doesn’t actually involve any frying.

The ice cream is divided into balls and then returned to the freezer to help them keep their shape.

A crispy coating is made out of toasted cereal, then the ice cream balls are rolled in the cereal. You can then top the ice cream ball with whipped cream and fresh fruit. 

Toasting the crushed cereal gives the dessert a golden appearance and buttery flavour as if it had been fried, but without all the hassle. Clever, hey? This makes it a great option to make if you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. 

Would you like someone else to pull your dessert together? Here’s our guide to the Best Mexican Restaurants in Sydney.

5. Tequila Glazed Pineapple With Spiced White Chocolate Cream

Tequila is a signature alcoholic drink in Mexico, and with this recipe you can enjoy it in a beautiful dessert. The pineapple is sweet and tangy, laced with punchy tequila.

The decadent sauce is a heady combination of white chocolate and whipped cream, which is flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla for warmth and sweetness. 

The fruit and the cream go perfectly together. This is a great dessert to make for a dinner party with your friends – you could even serve it with a shot of tequila!

6. Mexican Wedding Cakes

These sweet delights are called cakes, but they are more like cookies. They are sweet, buttery and nutty and make a wonderful after dinner treat.

The recipe is actually based on medieval Arab baking which used a lot of fruit, nuts and spices. In Mexican culture these cakes are a staple at lots of festive occasions including weddings, christenings, birthdays and Christmas parties. 

The basic recipe requires only 7 ingredients- all items you will likely already have in your pantry. What’s more, you can add additional ingredients if you want to, like dried fruit or chopped nuts. This will create a different texture and add some new flavours to the biscuit. 

Delicious, adaptable and easy to make, this is one of the best Mexican dessert recipes around.

7. Cajeta (Mexican Dulche De Leche)

We really couldn’t look at the best Mexican dessert recipes and not include Dulche De Leche, could we?

Dulce De Leche is often served alongside Mexican desserts such as churros or fried ice cream. This milky caramel sauce can be found all over the world, but Cajeta is the Mexican version.

Once you know how to make it you will want to serve it with everything. You’ll find it’s fantastic drizzled over cakes, brownies and cheesecakes, used as a dip or even added to hot cocoa. 

This recipe tells you how to make it with goat’s milk, cow’s milk or condensed milk. You can use the more traditional method or go for the easy option depending on how much time you have. 

8. Mexican Spiced Chocolate Pots De Creme 

Creamy, fondant chocolate is served as a dessert in lots of different types of cuisine, often in individual dishes or ramekins and topped with fresh berries or a scoop of ice cream.

These Mexican chocolate pots come with a spike of chilli and cinnamon, giving them a warm kick that makes them even more delicious. In our opinion, this is truly one of the best Mexican dessert recipes.

The chocolate is the main ingredient, so make sure that you use a good quality chocolate with a high cocoa content.

Dark chocolate works best – this dessert shouldn’t be overly sweet. However, it is rich and indulgent, so try serving it alongside an after dinner coffee. 

This dessert is great to make ahead for an event. For more Mexican Catering Foods Ideas, see here.

9. Conchas

Concha is a type of sweet bread (pan dulce) that is very popular in Mexico. Many people like to eat it as a sweet snack or even as a breakfast item.

The white topping represents the surface of a seashell, which is where the bread gets its name (like a conch shell). It can also be made with a brown topping which is flavored with chocolate. 

Mixing a dough is so much easier with a Food Processor. And one of the best brands on the market is the KitchenAid. For more information and prices, click here.

Serve your Conchas with Mexican hot cocoa or with a glass of cold milk and you have a match made in culinary heaven. If you want to create an eye-catching dessert, try serving them in a dish topped with fresh fruit with a jug of chocolate sauce or pouring cream. 

10. Flan Mexicano

Flan Mexicano is a delicious caramel flan flavored with vanilla and zesty orange. It is sweet and creamy, but is also light enough to be enjoyed after a heavy meal.

This makes it a popular Christmas dessert. You don’t have to flavor it with orange – it works well with the simple flavors of caramel and vanilla. 

You can top the flan with fresh fruit and serve it with a scoop of ice cream if you want to create a really special dessert for your family or friends. Alternatively, you can bring the flan to the table and slice it in front of your guests. 

11. Mexican Tres Leches Cake

This Mexican cake is incredibly moist.

Tres Leches means ‘three milk’. Let us explain why.

Firstly, a sponge is made with whipped egg white which contributes to the incredibly light texture. Once the light sponge is baked you poke holes into it. You then pour over three types of milk – whole milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk.

Of course, the sweet milks then soak into the soft sponge to make it moist and delicious.

In addition to all 3 milks, the cake is then topped with whipped cream.

As there is so much milk in this dessert, it is usually presented in a dish, rather than on a plate. It works really well with fresh fruits for a summer pudding.

It will keep in the refrigerator for several days, so you don’t need to eat it all at once (although you might want to! After all, it’s another of our top Mexican dessert recipes). 

12. Affogato Mexico

Affogato is traditionally an Italian dessert which involves pouring coffee over ice cream. However, you can make a few alterations to the recipe to create a Mexican treat. This particular recipe spikes the coffee with tequila and is served in shot glasses.

You can also make a chilli and cinnamon coffee to pour over the ice cream if you don’t want to use alcohol. This is a cross between a dessert and a drink, and it will certainly impress your guests. 

Click here for our go-to Mexican Restaurants in Melbourne.

13. Sopaipillas

Sopaipillas are a lesser known Mexican dessert. They are a kind of fritter made from dough which makes them similar to churros. They have a crispy outside and a soft middle and are dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Some people like to drizzle them with honey or syrup. The difference between churros and sopaipillas is the texture and shape. Churros are long and thin and they are the same sort of size both before and after cooking..

In contrast, Sopaipillas are shaped into triangles or half moons, and once they hit the oil they puff up into a fluffy pillow shape.

Sopaipillas are often enjoyed with an afternoon coffee, or made over the weekend as a treat for the children. If you want to create a lovely dessert with Sopaipillas, serve them in a dish with fresh berries and drizzled with honey, and maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

You could also serve them with a shot of espresso on the side. 

14. Sweet Mexican Corn Cake

Did you know that corn is a staple food in Mexico and it is one of the most bountiful crops? As a result, it has formed a large part of the diet in Mexico for thousands of years.

So it’s only natural that another of our best Mexican dessert recipes is corn cake.

Interestingly, this creation can be enjoyed as a sweet treat or as a savoury side dish alongside a bowl of chilli.

This recipe for sweet Mexican corn cake is based on the corn cake served at Chi Chi’s Mexican restaurant, a popular restaurant chain in the United States. 

This recipe uses a can of creamed corn and a corn muffin mix to cut down the preparation and cooking time. If you want to make it from scratch, you can try this recipe instead.

Corn cake is so versatile – you can create whatever kind of dessert you want. You can serve it with custard, cream, ice cream, fruit, honey, syrup, caramel sauce – whatever takes your fancy.  

15. Avocado Ice Cream

When you think of avocado being used in Mexican cooking, you would probably think of guacamole or an avocado salad. You can actually use avocado to make a delicious Mexican ice cream with a soft green color.

Avocados grow all year round and are a staple ingredient in Mexican households. Mexico is the largest grower of avocados in the world, and they are often referred to as the ‘Green Gold’ of Mexico. 

Luckily, you don’t need an ice cream maker to create this fantastic ice cream, only an electric mixer and enough space for a loaf tin in your freezer.

Do you have a brother who is a pain to buy presents for? Or maybe a friend who seems to have everything? Well, don’t worry. Check out our Gift Guide for some inspiration.

When it comes to cutting the avocado, it is best to slice lengthwise down to the pit, and do the same on the other side. Then, hold the avocado on either side of the sliced line and twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them. Finally, you should be able to pick the pit out from one side. 

This ice cream is incredibly smooth and creamy. If you want to add some texture, you can serve it with chopped nuts for a nice crunch.

You can also create a lovely ice cream sundae with avocado ice cream, whipped cream, fruit, nuts and melted chocolate drizzled over the top. 

If you’re in Brisbane, check out these Mexican Dining Spots.

16. Strawberry Basil Honey Paletas

Mexican ice cream parlors are called paleterias and they are very popular. On the streets, men known as paletros sells ice creams from carts filled with ice.

Continuing this play on words, Paletas are a frozen treat made with fresh fruit.

These treats have been enjoyed in Mexico for a very long time. In fact, some people even say that they were a favourite treat of the Aztec emperors, though they would have been a bit different to the paletas we eat today. 

This paleta recipe is so refreshing, with juicy strawberries, earthy basil, sweet honey and a squeeze of zesty lime.

The ingredients are all natural, so you can make these delicious lollies for the children without worrying about them having too much added sugar.

You can make up a big batch and then keep them in the freezer to enjoy on a sunny day. They are also perfect to make if you have a BBQ or garden party coming up. . 

17. Arroz Con Leche

Lastly, Arroz con Leche is a Mexican Rice pudding that can be served hot and cold. It is simple to make and is a very homely dessert, perfect for weekday evenings with the family or a cozy Sunday afternoon.

The addition of cinnamon gives it a lovely warmth and a touch of spice. 

It’s the perfect final entry on our list of the top Mexican dessert recipes.

Summary 

When it comes to Mexican desserts there is something for everyone. Whether you like fruit, chocolate, caramel, ice cream, cakes or fritters you will be able to find your ideal dessert on this list. 

Dylan Cole
Latest posts by Dylan Cole (see all)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *