Japanese desserts are no less delicious than savory dishes made from authentic recipes from Japan. They are unique, come with different ingredients and ways of preparation, and the best thing is there are so many special kinds that you’ll have a hard time choosing which one to eat.
You can find in this article a list of Japanese desserts, from the traditional “Wagashi” to the modern desserts with a mix of Western and Japanese tastes. So let’s start our journey on discovering those desserts!
18 Heart-Melting Japanese Desserts
Here is a list of 18 heart-melting Japanese dessert names separated into “Wagashi” and “Yogashi” that I think you will love!
Japanese Traditional Desserts, “Wagashi”
1. Daifuku
2. Taiyaki
3. Monaka
4. Dango
5. Oshiruko
6. Anmitsu
7. Dorayaki
8. Raindrop Cake (Mizushingen Mochi)
9. Yokan
10. Manju
Modern Japanese Desserts, “Yogashi”
11. Castella
12. Souffle Pancake
13. Japanese Cheesecake (Cotton Cheesecake)
14. Soft Cream (Japanese Soft Serve Ice Cream)
15. Matcha Roll Cake
16. Japanese Parfait
17. Nama Chocolate
18. Mille Crepe
Japanese Traditional Desserts, “Wagashi”
Wagashi is a collection of traditional Japanese sweets that started to gain popularity in the Edo era. The main ingredients for Wagashi are Anko which is the sweet azuki bean paste, mochi rice cakes, kanten Japanese agar, and sesame paste.
Below is a list of popular Wagashi, and you may be able to find them in authentic Japanese restaurants, Asian markets, and Japanese markets in your area.
These sweets can be enjoyed with a warm cup of green tea, which gives the desserts a touch of sophistication. Thanks to this, you can easily incorporate these toothsome sweets into your morning meal. Breakfast with Japanese dishes, how amazing is that!
1. Daifuku
Daifuku are made from the Japanese rice cake mochi and are usually stuffed with Anko, the red bean paste. They can be stuffed with other sweet fillings, too. The top is covered with corn or potato starch to prevent them from sticking together to our fingers when picking them up to eat.
Daifuku has variations, and the original version is simple as above, with mochi stuffed with Anko. Sliced fresh strawberries can also be stuffed with Anko, or the mochi can come in white, pink, and green colors. Instead of Anko, ice cream or green tea paste can be substituted as fillings, too.
2. Taiyaki
Taiyaki is among the most popular street foods in Japan. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say that taiyaki is among the top Asian desserts that everyone should try at least once in their lives.
Originally, taiyaki is a fish-shaped dessert made with pancake batter and stuffed with Anko. However, you can also find various fillings for this dessert, such as cheese, custard cream, chocolate, and many more ideas.
3. Monaka
Here comes another street treat from Japan beside Taiyaki. Traditionally, a Monaka contains two crisp wafers made from mochi with Anko sandwiched in between. The shape of the crisp wafers can come in different shapes like circles, squares, flowers, and many more.
Modern Anko has different fillings to them, such as matcha or vanilla ice cream with mochi, but you can find even more filling ideas depending on the place you’re purchasing it.
4. Dango
Dango is a Wagashi made from steamed mochiko, rice flour, and comes in a round shape. The texture is chewy – usually, a few dang skewers in a skewer and toppings such as sweet soy glazed or Anko. Dango can come in white, pink, and green colors.
Dango is eaten by Japanese year-round and can also be added to other sweets, such as Oshiruko or Anko which I will mention later.
You can make Dango at home, and you can get almost all of the ingredients in many Asian or Japanese markets.
5. Oshiruko
Oshiruko is a warm sweet porridge made with azuki red beans and mochi or dango. The red beans in this sweet porridge can be roughly crushed and remain chunky or completely crushed with a smooth texture.
An interesting fact about Oshiruko is that depending on the region in Japan, the shape of the mochi varies from round or square shape.
This is the kind of dessert that will warm your body up on a cold winter day. Making Oshiruko is simple, and I have attached a video on how to make Oshiruko below.
6. Anmitsu
A bowl of Anmitsu has a lot of ingredients in it, and it is just very colorful and charming looking. It includes a small portion of Anko, a few Dango, tasty Japanese fruits, and cubed Kanten, which are Japanese agar. Pour the Kuromitsu which is the special sugar syrup on top, and enjoy this delicious bowl.
Modern Anmitsu will have a scoop of ice cream or Japanese soft serve ice cream with flavors such as vanilla or matcha in it, too.
7. Dorayaki
Have you ever heard of or watched the anime Doraemon? One of the main characters, Doraemon, loves this dessert and is always shown in the anime eating this dessert!
Dorayaki is made with two pancakes sandwiching Anko paste. However, you can also find the Anko filling added with more fillings like whip cream or matcha cream. You can add matcha powder to the pancakes, too, so they can have a green color to them.
8. Raindrop Cake – Mizu Shingen Mochi
Raindrop cake is a very aesthetic dessert. It is made with two simple ingredients, which are water and agar made from seaweed. Toppings come with Kuromitsu, a type of sugar syrup, and Kinako, which is sweet soybean flour.
The special facts about this Raindrop cake are that it is transparent and has a raindrop shape. The texture of this dessert is also like a raindrop which means it dissolves in your mouth right away. Since it is a pretty delicate dessert, it is best to be eaten in less than 30 minutes after being served.
9. Yokan
Yokan is a firm jelly dessert made from Kanten and sugar. Traditional Yokan has flavors like Azuki beans, green tea, and Kokuto, which is black sugar. However, you can find more unique flavors to it, too.
Regular Yokan can be found in supermarkets, and this food that begins with “Y” comes in either small bars with the size of standard chocolate bars or a large bar where you have to cut into slices before serving.
A special, light, and tasty dessert often found in high-end Japanese restaurants are “Mizu Yokan,” which is chilled Yokan with chestnut inside.
Whatever Yokan you are eating, it is best to enjoy it with a warm cup of green tea!
10. Manju
Traditional Manju is a steamed rice flour bun with Anko or other sweet fillings. It usually comes in a round shape, but there are many Manju with different shapes, too.
An example of a uniquely shaped Manju is “Momiji Manju,” where the dessert has a maple leaf shape which is very pretty, and its taste is sweet and flavorful.
Modern Japanese Desserts, “Yogashi”
There are many Japanese desserts that have a mix of Western and traditional ingredients, and the Japanese have a unique way of turning foreign desserts into their own unique styles.
Below is a list of popular modern desserts that are loved by Japanese and have also been recognized by people worldwide for their deliciousness.
11. Castella
Castella is a Nagasaki prefecture’s specialty dessert. It was brought by the Portuguese to Nagasaki in the 16th century.
Similar to a standard sponge cake, Japanese Castella has a firm texture and comes in a long square shape, so you have to slice the cake into square slices when serving.
It is also considered a popular souvenir too, especially if you are buying it from Nagasaki and sending it to your family or friends. You can also find Castella in Asian and Japanese markets.
12. Souffle Pancake
You must have heard of this one! Japanese Souffle Pancakes have been a big food trend on Tokyo streets and around the world and are sold at dessert restaurants and cafes. The thick and fluffy look of them will make you feel a big craving for them right away!
Souffle pancakes also come with different kinds of toppings, where you can add a variety of sauces like chocolate, strawberry, mango, and many more kinds, and ice cream is also popular too.
Making Souffle Pancakes at home is not difficult, so you can also try to make them!
13. Japanese Cheesecake (Cotton Cheesecake)
Another Japanese dessert that is famous around the world is this Japanese cheesecake. There are even shops that specialize in this amazing cheesecake.
The texture of this cheesecake is light, airy, fluffy, and very moist, just like cotton. The texture is light, but you can definitely feel the rich taste of cheese, too!
While some people are still concerned about if this cheesecake contains any gluten ingredients, it’s still a perfect sweet delight to make at home because it is not too hard.
14. Soft Cream – Japanese Soft Serve Ice Cream
Japanese Soft Creams are a bit different from regular ice creams. They are swirl-looking, smooth, soft, and melts in your mouth right away.
Soft creams come in various flavors, from popular ones like matcha, vanilla, chocolate to more unique flavors like cherry blossom and even wasabi!
15. Matcha Roll Cake
Matcha roll cake may sound like just another roll cake, but it is not!
Firstly, the cream inside is called “Nama cream,” which literally means fresh cream, and it has a very light texture. The cream with the right amount of sweetness rolled with matcha sponge cake is very delicious.
Sometimes, fresh sliced strawberries or azuki red beans are added to the cream filling, too.
16. Japanese Parfait
Originating from France, Japan adapted this sweet into its own style.
It is usually served in a tall ice cream glass with ingredients being separated into different layers. For example, there is a corn flakes layer, fresh fruit layer, whipped cream layer, jelly layer, and toppings that can come with Japanese soft serve ice cream or cakes, and even cookies.
This dessert will surely make you feel fulfilled!
17. Nama Chocolate
Nama Chocolate is a ganache that usually comes in a block but will already be cut equally into cubes. It is made from top-notch cocoa powders and fresh cream, and many more ingredients, depending on the flavor you choose.
It has a high moisture level with a silky and smooth texture and will slowly melt in your mouth when you eat it.
Matcha Nama Chocolate is also very popular, with a rich and creamy taste of matcha and fresh cream!
18. Mille Crepe
Crepes are famous French food, and Japan has adapted these crepes into its own unique style. The dessert is made from repeating layers of crepes, fresh cream, and custard cream and shaped like a regular piece of cake.
Mille Crepes have various flavors to them, such as the regular crepes with fresh cream to matcha, chocolate, and some places even put layers of bubble tea’s bubbles to it, too.
You can also choose your own choices of syrups, such as fruit syrups or chocolate syrup.
So, What Japanese Desserts Are You Craving For?
You have made it to the end of the list, and how many desserts have caught your attention? One, two, or there are so many that you can’t choose? I’ve also faced this exact problem before, when I was trying to pick out the best Japanese accompanying dishes for my meal.
I’m very interested in hearing what kinds of Japanese desserts you are craving to eat. Let me know in the comment box below your thoughts!
18 Japanese Desserts (+ Ichigo Daifuku/Japanese Strawberry Mochi)
Course: Dessert, SnackCuisine: Japan8
servings30
minutes10
minutes131
kcal40
minutesJapanese desserts are a unique and somewhat scary field with several people because they think of all Asian treats as complicated and hard-to-success. Don’t worry! These sweet recipes will blow your doubt away.
Ingredients
8 (150g) 8 strawberries
5.5 oz (160g) 5.5 azuki red bean paste
Cornstarch (Optional: potato starch)
0.75 cup (100g) 0.75 glutinous rice flour
0.3 cup (60g) 0.3 granulated sugar
0.6 cup (150ml) 0.6 water
Directions
- For the filling:
- (Optional) If your bean paste is too sticky to roll, stir it in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and has lighter color. Move it to a bowl and cover it with a slightly wet towel to avoid drying. Let the paste rest until it cools down.
- Wash and dry your strawberries. Then, cut off their stems and place these fruits on a paper towel to remove the excess moisture (Place them with the cut part facing down).
- Divide your bean paste into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball (Wash your hands before rolling to avoid sticking).
- Flatten a paste ball and place a strawberry in the middle (with its tip facing up). Wrap and roll the bean paste around your fruit until a ball forms. Remember to leave the strawberry tip uncovered.
- Place the wrapped strawberries on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Wrap the tray with cling film and put it in the fridge.
- For the mochi wrapping:
- Whisk the glutinous rice flour with sugar. Then, pour water in and keep mixing until smooth.
- Move the mixture to a microwave-safe bowl and wrap it with cling wrap. Microwave on 600W. After 1,5 minutes, remove the bowl and gently stir the mixture until no clumps are left. Then, return it to the microwave for another 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle cornstarch on top of a tray. Take the bowl out of the microwave and mix it vigorously until it looks translucent. Then, place the dough on the tray.
- Cover your hand with cornstarch and sprinkle some more on the dough. Then, stretch it into a large rectangle and cut it into 8 pieces.
- To assemble:
- While your hands are still covered with cornstarch, pick up a mochi wrap and put a refrigerated strawberry in the middle, with the tip facing down.
- Stretch the edges of the mochi to the top and pinch them together until they stick together. Roll the dough until there are no gaps and it looks like a ball. Then, place it on a cornstarch-covered tray.
- Repeat the process with the remaining strawberries. And enjoy!
Notes
- Small strawberries are more suitable for this recipe, especially when you don’t have much experience making this treat. You can easily wrap them with bean paste and mochi dough.
- This recipe also applies to other fruits like kiwi or pineapples if you can’t find fresh strawberries.
- You can make the mochi wrap with a rice cooker or microwave. It will take 10-12 minutes and some stirring halfway through.
- Keep dusting your hands with cornstarch when working with the mochi dough since it’s super sticky.
Nutrition Facts
8 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories131
- % Daily Value *
- Sodium 8mg 1%
- Potassium 19mg 1%
- Total Carbohydrate
30.3g
11%
- Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
- Sugars 8.9g
- Protein 2.2g 5%
- Calcium 3%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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