Top 40+ Delicious Chinese Desserts Sweeten Your Meal In 2021

Chinese desserts are markedly different from over the world. Delectable hot and cold dishes with various tastes and flavors are served in numerous ways. Furthermore, it has a gorgeous appearance, pleasant fragrances, and wealthy nutrition that has impressed everyone.

Chinese Dessert Cuisine

Chinese dessert is a vital part of Chinese culture with a long history, generated from different cooking techniques, exotic ingredients, and distinctive features.

Compared to the US or Europe, the Chinese dessert is less sweet. In fact, glutinous rice appears in many recipes. Chinese usually use bean paste, sesame paste, or date paste to sweeten food instead of cream frosting.

As well, steaming and frying are the two main cooking methods. All of them contribute a vast diversity to the world’s most populous country.

As a matter of fact, there are tremendous cuisines around the world, from Swedish dishes, Colombian meals, and Japanese vegetables to Greek words. Today, you will get to know more about this Asia color – Chinese desserts, add more wide selection to your fancy dinner.

Below are several of my favorite Chinese desserts! Take a tour to visit all gourmet Chinese dishes below!

Top 42 Popular Chinese Desserts

Which Chinese dessert recipe do you want to make at home? Don’t hesitate soon you find your true dear in this marvelous collection. 

Cakes

1. Put Chai Ko
2. Ma Lai Go
3. Nian Gao
4. Osmanthus Cake
5. Fa Go
6. Zongzi

Pie & Pastries

1. Lo Mai Chi
2. Sticky Rice Cake
3. Red Tortoise Cake
4. Sesame Balls
5. Egg Tarts
6. Moon cake
7. Pineapple Bun
8. Sweetheart Cakes
9. Sachima
10. Hong Kong Egg Waffles

Cookies

1. Almond Cookie
2. Fortune Cookies
3. Pineapple Tarts

Gelatins & Puddings

1. Grass Jelly
2. Almond Tofu
3. Beijing Yogurt
4. Double Skin Milk Pudding
5. Ginger Milk Curd
6. Tapioca Pudding
7. Coconut Milk Melon with Sago Dessert
8. Mango Pudding
9. Coconut Pudding
10. Eight Treasure Rice

Candies

11. Dragons Beard Candy
12. Sesame Peanut Brittle

Sweet Soups

1. Laba Congee
2. Jiuniang
3. Red bean soup
4. Sweet Potato Ginger Soup
5. Black Sesame Soup
6. Tang Yuan Black Sesame

Other Desserts

1. Chinese Dough Twist
2. Fried Bananas
3. Tanghulu
4. Bubble Tea
5. Fried Milk

6 Cakes

Chinese Cakes are available across China and even throughout the world. The Chinese dessert is commonly served with coffee, tea, or other beverages. Now, just whip up as much Chinese-style cakes as you can by following up my recipes.

1. Put Chai Ko

The dessert is also known as red bean pudding, a traditional dish originating from Hong Kong. Typically, the main components are white or brown sugar, rice flour, wheat starch, or cornstarch. Of course, red beans are also necessary.

The Chinese dessert is steamed in bowls and molded with bamboo skewers. The taste of red beans is earthy, naturally sweet, and mellow flavor. In addition, the red beans make their way into put chai ko, without a heavy texture, it is incredibly yummy, smooth, and super additive.

2. Ma Lai Go

Mai lai go is a soft, fluffy, springy, and sweet sponge cake. It is created with just a few common products, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, evaporated milk, custard powder. Allow the batter to ferment before steaming in the steamer. Later, mix everything thoroughly.

Remember to line parchment paper before pouring the batter into the steamers, prevent the cake from sticking to the surface. When finished, the cake has a deep honey color and deliciously subtle caramel aroma from the brow sugars.

Head it up, give Ma Lai Go a try, and enjoy this Chinese dessert!

3. Nian Gao

Based on the religion of China, Nian Gao can look moderately different. Most commonly, Nian Gao is a steamed rice cake eaten during Chinese New Year, and it has an auspicious meaning like other Chinese desserts.

The main element is glutinous rice flour, which imparts a soft and stretchy texture to the cake.  A few slices of ginger offer a pungent and spicy aroma, blending well with other ingredients without being overpowering.

Also, if you cannot find any kansui to darken the color of food, 1 or 2 tablespoons of molasses is a good substitute. 

4. Osmanthus Cake

Osmanthus is a stunning flower and has a distinct sweet and floral aroma packed with many health benefits. As a result, Chinese has utilized superbly dried osmanthus flower in multiple ways, including making flower tea, jams, cakes, and other foods.

Osmanthus cake is another example, it is the traditional Chinese dessert. Combine glutinous rice flour, dried osmanthus, and honey. Next step is steaming, and then the luxurious cake is ready to go!

5. Fa Gao

Fa Gao, also renowned as fortune cake, is commonly used for ancestor worship or Chinese New Year. The Chinese dessert is quite simple to prepare, requiring only a few basic components and a straightforward steaming process.

The cakes’ signature is to have a “smile” at the top, bringing good luck and happiness, so the Chinese usually eat it in Lunar New Year.

6. Zongzi

Another Chinese dessert made with glutinous rice and sweet or savory fillings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves. When unopened, all elements hang together and remain in a specific shape.

Zongzi is sticky, delectable, and melts in the mouth quickly, hence it is worth trying.

10 Pie And Pastries

Which Chinese dessert will you find? The cake comes with dozens of fillings, many types, baked and steamed. The subtle sweetness of red bean pastes supplements with the soft and sticky glutinous rice.

There is much kind of pastries out there. The whole rundown is below, keep reading!

7. Lo Mai Chi

Lo Mai Chi is a Chinese dessert made with glutinous rice flour, wrap the peanut fillings and top with shredded coconut. The outside is softly sweet, chewy, and bouncy, while the sweetness of filling is entirely up to you.

Chinese comfortably selects distinguish filling consist of purple potato puree, ice cream, peanut butter, pumpkin paste. Furthermore, you can customize the outside layer with sesame or coconut up to your personal favorite.

8. Sticky Rice Cake

It is super effortless to make sticky rice cake with red bean paste, only four ingredients, and in less than an hour, you can get a mouthwatering Chinese dessert for your kids.

Glutinous rice flour allows the outside crispy, while red bean paste allows the gooey inside. The aroma of rice cake and sweetness of red bean paste melt in your mouth quickly that you cannot stop yourself from devouring the entire cake.

Moreover, you come up with innovative filling made from the seeds or other beans such as black sesame seeds, mung beans, or even lotus seeds. Regardless of your choices, all steps will be the same with red bean paste, just explore and find your destiny filling.

Trust me! This dessert is incredible. Now I really cannot stop thinking about how delicious this sticky rice cake is.

9. Red Tortoise Cake

Red tortoise cake, a traditional Chinese celebratory pastry with a delightful taste you will never forget. Small dark orange tortoise-shaped Chinese dessert made with glutinous rice flour and mung beans filling.

According to Chinese culture, the dark orange color represents joy and happiness, while the tortoise shape embodies longevity, power, and prosperity. Indeed, the cake is commonly served during prayer, the baby’s first birthday, or other special occasions.

The red tortoise cake has a sticky sweet, but somehow it pairs well with a cup of tea.

10. Sesame Balls

The small sweet ball is truly a traditional Chinese dessert, eaten year-round, especially during the lunar New Year, since the Chinese believe that eating sesame extends one’s fortunes.

The exterior is golden in color and covered in sesame seeds. The exterior has gratifying crispiness to it from frying. The crispy, gooey and nutty dessert is a delicious treat that should not be missed.

In this recipe, when adding pumpkin into the dough, the sesame ball tastes even better.

I am a sucker for these sesame balls. Gosh, look at how gooey pumpkin is.  Now your turn, go to the pantry and prepare a yummy dish anyway.

11. Egg Tarts

Have you ever tried Chinese egg tarts? It tastes amazingly delicious, doesn’t it! Today, you can easily make one at home. Follow me!

All you need are to get the right ingredients, sugar, water, eggs, and vanilla. Bake the batter in the oven for around 20 -30 minutes, and the final product can eat right away.

The tart crust is exquisitely layered and immensely thin. It also has the right amount of crispness on the outside while remaining tender and moist. The egg filling inside is light, creamy, and delicately sweet. This Chinese dessert is scrumptious when consumed fresh and subtly warm. 

12. Moon Cake

Moon cake is a crucial Chinese dessert, and traditionally it shows up in the mid-autumn festival. In Chinese culture, the moon cake reflects fulfillment, prosperity, happiness, and family reunion.

Nowadays, moon cakes are available with a diverse selection of sweet and savory filling, such as red bean paste, five kernels, roast pork, lotus seed, green tea, cream cheese or fruit and vegetables, etc. No matter the filling you choose, you can figure out how to get tasty moon cakes out.

13. Pineapple Bun

Pineapple Bun is another classic Chinese dessert, and you can make this bun at home in no time. All elements are effortlessly accessible at any grocery store.

Regardless of its name, pineapple does not show up in the bun. Pineapple bun is a soft, sweet, and crusty topping that pretty delicious after baking.

I adore this bun, and I believe you will love it as well. Enjoy!

14. Sweetheart Cakes

Sweetheart cakes, also called wife cake, is a traditional Chinese dessert formed from rice flour, candied winter melon, sesame seed, coconut oil, cake flour, and other items.

The skin has been baked into an appealing golden yellow, whereas the filling is smooth and moist, and the flavor is sweet but not greasy.

15. Sachima

Sachima is a sweet Chinese dessert made up of flour that has been egg tossed before being deep-fried until puffy. Sprinkle with additional ingredients like sesame or nuts for extra flavor before putting in the molten sugar.

Press mixture into the square pan and then slice into the squares to serve. A bite of sachima as a luminous dessert will indulge your sweet craving for the day. Let’s give it a shot!

16. Hong Kong Egg Waffles

Hong Kong egg waffles are another popular Chinese dessert consisting of milk, butter, eggs, flour, sugar, and salt.  The egg waffles have a crispy golden-colored honeycomb shape outside and a light, tender inside. They are usually eaten plain or paired well with fruit such as coconut, chocolate, or strawberries.

3 Cookies

The crispy and crunchy cookies fulfill your children well. But you are wondering how hard it is to do a batch of cookies with the taste the same as the restaurant you used to eat. Don’t worry, go ahead, the following Chinese dessert recipe will not disappoint you.

17. Almond Cookie

Almond is versatile seed and can be utilized in myriad ways. You can choose your beloved almond forms to savor, ranging from almond flour, almond milk to almond seed.

Almond cookie is a great solution for those who want to indulge in an almond dessert. They are thin and flat that could perform to be crunchy and chewy at the same time. They are highly addictive.

I hope you can bake this Chinese dessert for your children. I am confident your kids will fall in love with it right away!

18. Fortune Cookies

Fortune cookies are small and have golden color that the Chinese dessert can fit into your palm easily. The cookies are notable for their one-of-the-kind shape.

Remove the flat circles from the oven, fold them while the cookies are still soft and warm. And then set them aside to cool, it only takes a few seconds for them to harden into shape.

You can put your friendly messages inside the cookies and gift them to your family, friends, coworkers, colleagues to express your gratefulness.

19. Pineapple Tarts

The next Chinese dessert on this great list is pineapple tart. The golden ball and sunny-side-up cookies base are simply delicious and bring back many childhood memories for the Chinese.

The crusts are crumbly and melt in the mouth easily still but hold their shape, while golden pineapple jam is soft, juicy, and not so sweet and has a lightly spiced flavor of clove and cinnamon. As a result, the cookies are heavenly delicious and do not stick to the mouth and teeth as imagined.

10 Gelatins And Pudding

Making a tasty dessert out of milk and gelatins is surely one of the most thrilling ways to accomplish this. Furthermore, there are so many scrumptious milk Chinese desserts out there. Why not give it a chance?

20. Grass Jelly

Grass jelly is a typical summer dessert in China and offers health and wellness benefits. For a simple chilled dessert, cut the smooth glassy jelly into cubes and serve with honey, mango, ice cream, crushed ice, or whatever you want.

Make the Chinese dessert at home by following this simple recipe, just feel free to customize your own grass jelly.

21. Almond Tofu

The next dish is simple almond tofu. If you find a light dessert to put on the menu, this Chinese dessert is a great option.

Boil almond milk (480ml), agar powder (4g), one tablespoon almond extract, two tablespoons of cane sugar, and water (240ml) in a pot. Whisk about 5 minutes before pouring into a bowl or baking tray, and then place it in the refrigerator to chill.

This light dessert is fruity and not too sweet, just splendid touch to wrap up your meal.

22. Beijing Yogurt

Beijing yogurt is prevalent in China, usually served in a ceramic bottle, and appeared in many local stores. The Chinese dessert is sweet and mildly flavored with milk scents. Beijing yogurt is nutritious and contains many lactic acids, which assist the digestive system after drinking.

To keep the yogurt warm, utilize the oven, blankets, yogurt maker, and leave bacteria in prepared milk to be left alone. The longer yogurt is incubated, the more time the bacteria consume lactose well. And the final product turns out perfectly.

23. Double Skin Milk Pudding

Double Skin Milk Pudding is a Chinese dessert made of fresh milk (400ml) and two egg whites. The dish is so soothing because of its soft texture and gently sweet milk flavor, which greatly comfort everyone. Just make the one to enjoy after dinner and lets me know how it works.

24. Ginger Milk Curd

The following recipe uses a famous Chinese dessert with a unique taste and silky texture to make flawless ginger milk curd. I love ginger milk curd ” at the first taste” years ago, so I try to test and make a magical dessert for myself.

You can make this dessert effortlessly with a detailed guide in the recipe, just a few essential elements, soy milk, fresh ginger juice, and pure cane sugar.

25. Tapioca Pudding

Have you ever attempted to try tapioca pudding at home? If not, it is time to do it, a light and refreshing Chinese dessert that is wonderful with any meal!

There are various ways to cook tapioca, and the pudding recipe is pretty straightforward to prepare. Simply follow the instruction to generate an utterly scrumptious that is not too sweet and has a creamy texture.

Add several slices of fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and even mango are all tasty paired well with this pudding) on top before eating to enjoy

26. Coconut Milk Melon With Sago Dessert

A glass of coconut milk melon with sago dessert could blow up your mind on hot summer days. The Chinese dessert is simple to prepare and is an excellent finish to any meal. You can customize the types of fruit used, depending on your favorite or the season.

27. Mango Pudding

Hey mango lover, let’s try this Chinese dessert, which immensely brings out the best of mango’s flavor. It takes about an hour and only some simple ingredients to make.

The puddings have a smooth, velvety texture and get the touch of creamy all the time. To make it more appealing, garnish with fresh cube mango and mint leaves before consuming.

28. Coconut Pudding

I am a big fan of dessert, hence I try to find as much as possible for my own sweet menu. Coconut milk pudding is an exceptional solution for hot days because the coconut’s flavor stands out, and I cannot resist the temptation of the small beautiful square of pudding.

I love to enjoy coconut pudding with green tea, the light, and refreshing fragrance complements the tropical flavors superbly in this creamy Chinese dessert.

29. Eight Treasure Rice

Eight treasure rice is a sparkling dish of sweet, sticky rice filled with red bean paste, adorned with eight different kinds of dried fruit, such as raisin, lotus, cherries, and apricot.

Like another Chinese dessert with a long history, this dish has a lucky meaning. In Chinese culture, the number eight sounds the same as another Chinese word that means rich, blessed, and prosperous in business.

2 Candies

Don’t take too much time, the candy is easy to generate and doesn’t require complex cooking techniques. Grab the necessary things and head into the kitchen to make your yummy Chinese dessert at home! They will be a real hit, I am sure.

30. Dragons Beard Candy

Dragons beard candy is a delicious dessert in China. If you are searching for a new yummy dish, consider giving it a try. Many thin strands wrap around chopped peanut, shredded coconut, and extra sesame seeds to produce a terrific local sweet treat everyone will cherish.

And remember to eat the Chinese dessert as soon as possible after it’s done since the sweet candy is extremely sensitive to excessive moisture so that it can melt speedily.

31. Sesame Peanut Brittle

Bite into a piece of sesame peanut brittle, it is crunchy and nutty. The perfect combination of peanuts, sesame seeds, and the sweet flavor of caramel is crazily addicting. The Chinese dessert can store in an airtight container in a dry area so that you can savor it for a while.

6 Sweet Soups

Typically, it is not surprising that seed, bean, and rice are prominent in Chinese desserts since they are naturally sweet and beneficial for human health. Continue to find out the answer to why the ingredients make an excellent addition to any sweet treat.

32. Laba Congee

Many desserts demonstrate how much the Chinese love glutinous rice. It is the main ingredient in this yummy laba congee recipe, adding stickiness, not only making it more appetizing but also keeping grains and beans from sinking to the bottom.

Laba congee is the next Chinese dessert on the menu. There are tremendous ingredients mixed with glutinous rice (or brown rice ) to make the delicious Laba congee, such as lotus seeds, chestnuts, raisins, so on.

33. Jiuniang

Summer is an ideal time for all fermentation experiments. Jiuniang, also known as fermented sweet rice, Chinese often made in both savory and sweet dishes. The hearty dish has a markedly different scent not presented in most US or Western desserts.

Jiuniang is frequently served warmly, accompanied by sticky rice dumplings or sweet tang yuan. Are you curious about how it tastes? Why not give the Chinese dessert recipe a try?

34. Red Bean Soup

Red bean soup is a prevalent Chinese dessert, is typically served cold in the summer and hot in the winter. Simply combine rock sugar, red bean, orange peel, and the appetizing soup in one hour.

The presence of tapioca pearls changes the soup’s texture, adding a crunchy and chewy flavor to the dish. Plus, before serving, swirl a tablespoon of coconut milk on the top to deliver the thick, nice scent and slightly sweet layer to the soup.

35. Sweet Potato Ginger Soup

Yeah, warm up your soul with the right touch of Chinese dessert, sweet potato ginger soup, and just take around 20 minutes to make. You only need four ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes, 2 inches fresh ginger root, 3½ cups water, eight dried red dates, and 60g brown sugar.

 At first, peel all the ingredients, then simmer, and then relish it hot or cold.

36. Black Sesame Soup

No matter how full you are, I am sure that there are always spaces for dessert. Scroll down to find the next Chinese dessert.

The black sesame soup is pleasingly dense, aromatic, and creamy smooth, nourishing your taste buds excellently. It is softly simmered to form a great paste that’s completely balanced with a gentle, sweet flavor.

Serve instantly or chill in the refrigerator to relish cold.

37. Tang Yuan Black Sesame

During the lantern festival (the last day of Lunar New Year), the Chinese make tang yuan, which are balls of glutinous rice with black sesame filling boiled in a sweet ginger soup.

Tang Yuan is classically white, nevertheless, the Chinese dessert has become more prevalent recently. It now comes in many different colors and fillings. To create distinct colors, use matcha, beetroots powder, or even pumpkin, etc. Such a nice sweet treat, right?

5 Other Desserts

Today, grains are mainly eternal centerpieces of many Chinese dessert recipes. The following is a list of using products you might already have on hand! Keep going!

38. Chinese Dough Twist

Chinese dough twist, also called mahua, is a tasty traditional Chinese dessert, is well-known for its exceptional and crisp taste. Across China, mahua can come in a variety of shapes and flavors, from sweet, savory, to spicy.

You can make the mahua at home with this simple recipe, twist dough sticks together and deep fry into peanut oil until golden and crispy.

39. Fried Bananas

A lighter Chinese dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth while being low in calories. The crisp, golden, and deep-fried banana is worth trying after the meal.

Simply pour some maple syrup or honey before eating to bring a delicately mellow sweetness and depth to the banana flavor.  

40. Tanghulu

Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese dessert that has gained popularity recently. Dip candied fruit in thick simple syrup, the hardened sugar layer forms a crunchy shell around the fruit, and they are served on a long bamboo skewer.

Instead of using hawthorn, you can replace it by berries, grapes, oranges, and more. 

41. Bubble Tea

Bubble tea is my favorite drink to sip during the summer. Use the oolong tea (or other teas), afterward apply sweetener and flavors before shaking it with tapioca pearls. All produces lead to a frothy drink with nice and chewy texture from the bubble.

Today, there are countless versions, everything from chocolate, coffee, tea, so on can be utilized to flavor drinks.

If you try this Chinese dessert recipe, leave a comment below. I am always willing to know your thoughts.

42. Fried Milk

The Chinese dessert has a golden exterior as well as a soft and sweet interior. The nutritional value of milk is crucial, and fried milk is a new way to relish delicious milk without spending too much time.

This dish is a huge hit for everyone who loves novelty, simply serve it with ice cream, the taste is even better.

Chinese Desserts – Diverse And Fabulous Menu

Now, I believe you get some well-known Chinese dessert recipes to optimize your menu.  

As you can see, things can be a bit different in China, where desserts are usually not a big part of the meals. Although Chinese cultures encourage healthier food like fresh fruit, it does not mean that sweet dishes are absent.

Instead, sweets can be consumed between meals, they are served during special occasions. 

Thanks so much for passing by. I hope you soon try the Chinese dessert mentioned in my post and share it with your beloved family. Finally, let me know the outcome as well as thoughts of 40 signature Chinese desserts in the comment below! My dear!