21 Mexican Dessert Recipes

Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines around the world and this is especially the case in the United States. Whether it’s in restaurants or in the home, Mexican dishes are a regular staple in the diets of many American families.

However, Mexican desserts can sometimes be overlooked or reduced to just a couple of options. 

This is unfortunate as Mexico offers a wide variety of delicious desserts that will be the perfect accompaniment to any meal (see also our favorite Colombian desserts). Some can also be eaten as sweet treats or party food and your friends and family are bound to love their delicious flavors.

In this article, we will list 21 Mexican dessert recipes (see also ‘26 Simple And Tasty Indian Dessert Recipes To Try‘) for you to try. These are all listed in alphabetical order.

1. Apple Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a popular Mexican dish. They’re corn tortillas that are usually filled with savory fillings such as meat or beans, but this recipe turns them into a dessert.

Like any other type of enchilada, they consist of a filling wrapped in a tortilla, however, the filling in this case is apple pie filling.

You can make your own apple filling or use a can of premade apple pie filling, depending on your tastes and how much time you have. After 20 minutes in the oven, serve them with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a delicious dessert (for the best Dulce De Leche recipes, read here).

2. Apple Pie Tacos

This dessert combines one of the most well-known Mexican dishes with one of the most well-known American dishes. These apple pie tacos are ideal party food due to their small size and will be a hit with all of your guests.

The tacos are made from tortillas and are only around 4 inches in diameter. The filling is made from chopped apples, cinnamon, and sugar to make a delicious fusion dessert (see also our favorite 4th of July desserts).

3. Arroz Con Leche

Arroz con leche is also known as Mexican rice pudding. It’s an easy dessert to make that uses staples of Mexican cooking such as rice and milk and is delicious regardless of whether it is served hot or cold.

You can eat this all year round too as it will make a filing dish whatever the weather or season. There are many different versions of arroz con leche but this recipe keeps things simple and uses regular milk instead of condensed milk or a combination.

You can customize arroz con leche however you want to and add extras such as coconut or dried fruit to the mix along with the milk.

4. Chocoflan Impossible Cake

Flan cakes are very popular in Mexico and this recipe takes the Mexican flan and adds an impossible chocolatey twist (see also ‘23 Amazing Mexican Cake Recipes‘). The cake is made from two delicious and rich layers that combine together to make an even more delicious dessert.

The flan layer requires two types of milk, cream cheese, large eggs, and some vanilla extract and when cooked will have a creamy and custardy texture.

The other layer is heavy with chocolate due to the unsweetened cocoa powder and ground cinnamon. Baking the cake in a bundt pan will make this cake look as good and unique as it tastes.

5. Churros

Churros are one of the most popular and famous Mexican desserts and no list of Mexican desserts would be complete without them.

The perfect churro should have a crispy outer edge but a soft and buttery interior and this recipe will help you find that balance. Be careful when you take the churros out of your oil as you want to remove most of the oil but not all of it.

Removing all of the oil will prevent your cinnamon sugar from sticking to the churros. Churros taste delicious when dipped into dulce de leche sauce and you will find a recipe for this in a later entry.

6. Concha

Conchas are a type of Mexican pan dulce (sweet bread) and are arguably the most recognizable and popular of them all.

They get their name from their appearance as concha means “shell” in Spanish and these sweet breads have a design that looks like a seashell.

Conchas are easy to make but for the best results, you should allow the dough time to rest before it is baked so keep that in mind if you’re making conchas for a specific occasion.

Typically, conchas have a white topping but you can change this for other colors or even make one with a chocolate topping.

7. Dulce de Leche

Dulce de leche is a sweet and sticky sauce that is commonly used with Mexican desserts. It’s an excellent accompaniment for churros, ice cream, and cookies, and can also be used for filling in cakes and cupcakes (see also ‘28 Valentine’s Day Cupcake And Muffin Recipes For Someone Special‘).

It’s also remarkably easy to make as the only ingredient is condensed milk. Despite this simplicity, dulce de leche has a distinct and delicious caramelized flavor.

8. Dulce de Leche Donuts

As we stated in the previous entry, dulce de leche can be used as filling in many desserts and this recipe is a great example of that.

Donuts (see also ‘Unique Donut Flavors: 23 Of The Best‘) are a popular treat in many different cultures around the world and can be served with a variety of fillings and toppings. In this recipe, it is the dulce de leche that fills the donuts to give them that Mexican flavor.

The first stage to making this recipe is to make the dulce de leche and the recipe includes full instructions on how to do that. 

9. Easy Mexican Flan

Flans are one of the most common desserts in Mexico and are considered to be a traditional Mexican dessert. This flan recipe is quick and easy to make and only requires five ingredients, which are eggs, condensed milk, whole milk, vanilla, and sugar.

This recipe makes a creamy flan with a caramel custard filling. You will need to chill the fan for around four to six hours before serving so keep this in mind when you prepare the flan.

For the donuts, the recipe uses mini-biscuit dough but you can also make your donuts from scratch if you wish.

When you’ve filled your donuts with the dulce de leche, just fry them in a pan for around three minutes or until they are an even golden brown color.

10. Light & Crisp Mexican Buñuelos

Buñuelos are a popular dessert in Mexico around Christmas time (see also ‘35 Fun And Easy Christmas-Themed Desserts The Family Will Love‘)  but they can be eaten at any time of the year. They’re also popular in many other countries and each country has its own unique take on them.

This recipe concentrates on the Mexican form of buñuelos and is similar to the ones you will find for sale in Mexican markets. They’re made from a flattened dough that is then fried.

They look like a combination of tortillas and crepes (see also ‘20 Delicious Savory Crepe Recipes‘) but are crunchy due to the frying. Once fried, they can be served with piloncillo syrup, cinnamon, and sugar.

11. Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie

This chocolate pie takes the idea of Mexican hot chocolate and puts it into a pie. The chocolate filling is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and spicy cayenne to make a unique chocolate pie.

You can choose the type of chocolate you use, but we would recommend bittersweet dark chocolate as this will match the spices better. If this is too bitter and strong, you can substitute milk chocolate instead or use a combination of the two.

12. Mexican Inspired Brownies

Everyone loves brownies and these Mexican-inspired brownies are sure to be a big hit. They’re considered Mexican-inspired because of the addition of cinnamon and cayenne spices.

These spices work surprisingly well with chocolate and enhance the flavor of the chocolate without making it taste like chili. This means that you not only get some delicious brownies but also brownies that will stand out and surprise anyone that tries them. 

13. Mexican Wedding Cookies

These cookies are also known as Mexican wedding cakes and pecan sandies. Despite the name, they’re not just for weddings and will be a big favorite at any occasion.

When baked correctly, these little cookies will melt in your mouth and you’re sure to love their soft and sweet vanilla flavor.

14. Perfect Fried Ice Cream

Fried ice cream might sound like a messy and contradictory dessert, but once you’ve tried it, this dessert is bound to become a favorite with your family and friends.

Traditionally, this dessert is deep fried but this recipe removes the need for this and instead cooks the cornflake coating in a skillet. Once the cornflake mixture has become golden brown you simply roll the ice cream in the batter.

15. Pineapple Empanadas

Empanadas are popular in Mexico and throughout Latin America (see more empanada recipes here). They’re made from fried or baked pastry that has been shaped to look like a crescent moon and look very similar to American turnovers.

The pastries are stuffed with a wide array of fillings and can be either savory or sweet. They’re often filled with meats such as beef and chicken to make a main dish but this recipe treats them as a dessert and uses pineapple instead.

This is a relatively unusual filling but don’t let that stop you from giving this empanadas recipe a try. Instead of using fresh pineapple, the recipe calls for pineapple preserves and suggests adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to the filling.

16. Rumchata Cupcakes

Rumchata (see also ‘13 Amazingly Easy RumChata Recipe Ideas For Your Drinks‘) is a creme liquor that has a blend of Mexican spices, Caribbean rum, and heavy dairy cream. The spices in the alcohol will add a Mexican flair to anything it’s added to and in this recipe, it’s added to both the cupcake mix and the frosting.

The recipe uses a cake box mix (see also ‘The 28 Best Cake Mix Recipes‘) so it’s a reasonably easy and quick recipe to make. You don’t need much Rumchata but you can add more depending on your tastes.

17. Sopapillas

Like churros, sopapillas are also a traditional and popular Mexican dessert. They’re a very simple dessert and this makes them a very flexible and versatile choice. Sopapillas are small treats that are made from light and simple dough.

When fried, the dough will puff up into empty and hollow packages. Frying them takes only a couple of minutes and they only need to be fried until the dough puffs and turns golden brown (find our favorite simple fried dough recipes right here).

They’re best served warm, dusted with sugar or cinnamon, and drizzled with honey. There are variations that have fillings inside as well, but you can’t beat traditional unfilled sopapillas!

18. Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

This recipe takes the regular sopapilla and adds a twist to them. The key to these cheesecake bars is the light and flaky pastry. The combination of this pastry with the rich cheesecake filling makes these bars difficult to resist.

They’re also flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and can be eaten either chilled or while they’re still warm. Eating them warm can be a little messy, but the taste is worth it! 

19. Sweet Mexican Corn Cake

Corn is a traditional Mexican ingredient that has traditionally been found in Mexican dishes for centuries. This is why if you’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant, you’ve probably seen corn cake on the menu.

It can be served as a dessert or even as a side to a more savory dish, making it a flexible recipe to have in your cookbook. This recipe uses several different types of corn, including masa corn flour, cornmeal, and fresh or frozen corn.

The addition of unsalted butter and milk will ensure that your corn cake is soft, moist, and delicious.

20. Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches cake means “three milks cake” and as the name suggests, this is a take on the popular milk cake. The three kinds of milk used are regular milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk.

This makes a very light and moist sponge cake that is also butter-free. To make it as moist as popular, it’s best to prepare the cake a couple of days in advance as this allows the cake to soak up milk better.

21. Vegan Mexican Chocolate Lava Cakes

Lava cakes are a popular dessert due to their delicious gooey insides and this Mexican twist on the lava cake will be a big hit with any chocolate lover. They’re also vegan, making them suitable for your vegan guests as well.

The filling (see also ‘28 Delicious Cake Filling Recipes‘)  is made from vegan chocolate and coconut cream so you’ll be sure to get that thick and gooey consistency that all lava cakes need inside.

These desserts are best enjoyed warm so don’t let them stand too long before serving. You want the chocolate insides to still be in a liquid state and not solid.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Mexican desserts.

What Type of Desserts Do People Eat in Mexico?

As you can see from the list of desserts in this article, Mexicans love a wide range of desserts. There is no single dessert that is more popular than the rest in Mexico and people there love to have diverse options.

Whether it’s puddings, spice candy, sweet pastries, or fruit salad, you’re sure to find the perfect dessert for you.

Where Do The Desserts Come From?

Mexican cooking styles and recipes are a blend of different cultures. Its roots began in Mesoamerican cuisine and the Mayans, who used maize as the core ingredient after they successfully managed to grow and harvest it.

Even in modern times, Mexican cuisine is heavily influenced by foods that are native to the area, such as chili peppers, beans, and corn.

A big change occurred when the Spanish (see also our favorite Spanish desserts) came to Mexico in the 16th century as they brought their culinary influences and ingredients to the country. For example, flan is a popular dessert in Mexico and this originated in Spain.

Final Thoughts

As you can see from the 21 recipes we’ve listed in this article, there are a wide variety of Mexican desserts to choose from. Some of them are traditional Mexican desserts such as churros, buñuelos, and flans.

However, others are international desserts that have an added Mexican twist, such as the Mexican inspired brownies and apple pie tacos.

Whether you’re looking for something traditional or a fusion dessert, we hope that there was something in this article that appealed to your taste buds. 

Happy eating!