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30+ Traditional Chinese Desserts

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Posted by:

Erin Lynch

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Updated:

July 3, 2024

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5 from 2 votes

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Chinese cuisine is renowned for its diverse flavors and culinary traditions, and its desserts are no exception. From delicate pastries to luscious puddings, Chinese desserts offer a tantalizing array of flavors, textures, and cultural richness.

Collage of Chinese desserts recipes with text overlay.

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Creamy custards, sticky rice delights, and refreshing fruity creations, Chinese desserts have something to satisfy every sweet tooth.

PS – Don’t forget about these 27+ Chinese Soups, Chinese Beef Recipes sand Chinese Tofu Recipes too!

Chinese Dessert Recipes to Make at Home

Tanghulu strawberries on pink plate.
Strawberry Tanghulu
Snacking on fruit is fun again thanks to tanghulu! Skewered fruit is dipped in an easy and sweet sugar syrup, giving you a glistening and fruity snack no one can pass up. Best of all, it’s easy to make at home using almost any fruit you like!
Tanghulu Recipe
Crunchy Sesame Peanut Candy
This Crunchy Sesame Peanut Candy recipe is a slightly sweet, crunchy and festive treat, usually enjoyed at Chinese New Year.
Get the RECIPE from Sift and Simmer
Tang Yuan with Black Sesame Filling
Easy step by step guide for making your own delightfully springy tang yuan filled with a deliciously sweet and nutty black sesame paste!
Get the RECIPE from Cooking in Chinglish
Black Sesame Soup
This is an old fashioned Chinese dessert—black sesame soup or black sesame paste. This soup is perfect for a healthy breakfast as well.
Get the RECIPE from China Sichuan Food
Homemade Chinese Almond Cookies
Chinese almond cookies are a traditional cookie said to bring good fortune in the New Year. They’re fragrant, buttery, and perfectly crisp!
Get the RECIPE from Table for Two
Sesame Balls
Get the key tips & tricks to making the crispiest chewiest sesame balls! Get this sesame balls recipe to make this restaurant fave ASAP!
Get the RECIPE from Mikha Eats
Hong Kong Egg Tarts (Chinese Dim Sum/Pastry)
Hong Kong style egg tarts are probably our favorite pastry. These taste just like (or better than) what you can buy at a Chinese bakery!
Get the RECIPE from The Woks of Life
Chinese Tofu Pudding
Chinese Tofu Pudding
Chinese Tofu Pudding is a delicious silken tofu in a sweet ginger sugar broth. A popular dessert served as Chinese dessert cafes.
Get the RECIPE from Christie At Home
Chinese Banana Fritters (炸香蕉, fried banana)
Chinese Banana Fritters (炸香蕉, fried banana) – A lighter Asian-style banana fritter that is less calorie-dense and still satisfies your sweet tooth.
Get the RECIPE from Omnivore’s Cookbook
Chinese Walnut Cookies Recipe
Chinese Walnut Cookies are straight from my mom’s childhood. These crunchy, nutty treats are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea and are easy to make!
Get the RECIPE from The Woks of Life
How to Cook Chinese Bird Nest (燕窝)
Chinese Bird Nest (燕窝) – Let me show you how to cook the Chinese delicacy, edible bird nest, to maximize nutrition and achieve great taste.
Get the RECIPE from Omnivore’s Cookbook
Fried Dough Sticks (Quẩy/Youtiao)
Learn the foolproof method to make these crispy fried dough sticks (quẩy/youtiao) at home (it’s easier than you may think).
Get the RECIPE from Delightful Plate
Mango Pomelo Sago Pudding 楊枝甘露
Mango Pomelo Sago Pudding is a refreshing and fruity Asian dessert made with pureed mangoes, coconut milk, topped with citrus pomelo segments.
Get the RECIPE from Sift and Simmer
Vegan Mango Pudding
Finish any summer evening with this light, refreshing, and absolutely delicious guilt-free mango pudding dessert. {Gluten-Free, Vegan}
Get the RECIPE from Omnivore’s Cookbook
Red Bean Soup
Healthy Chinese style red bean soup with two serving ways. With small sticky rice ball and sago. This soup can be made from red bean paste.
Get the RECIPE from China Sichuan Food
Pineapple Cakes (Feng Li Su) 鳳梨酥
These Chinese Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes are mini morsels of sweet, jammy pineapple encased in a buttery, crisp shortbread cookie.
Get the RECIPE from Sift and Simmer
Chinese Pumpkin Cake (南瓜饼)
Chinese pumpkin cake features a golden crispy crust that is gooey and sticky like mochi inside, with a sweet red bean paste filling.
Get the RECIPE from Omnivore’s Cookbook
Traditional Mooncakes
Traditional Cantonese-style baked mooncakes for the mid-autumn festival with a fragrant skin, sweet filling and salted duck egg yolks.
Get the RECIPE from Catherine Zhang
Chinese Almond Tofu (Almond Jelly)
Chinese Almond Tofu (Almond Jelly)
A popular and addictive Chinese dessert – Chinese Almond tofu. With this tutorial, you can make this fabulous dessert at home.
Get the RECIPE from China Sichuan Food
Eight-Treasure Glutinous Rice Pudding (Ba Bao Fan)
Sticky and moist glutinous rice pudding studded with candied fruits, nuts, and seeds. Recipe is also Instant Pot-friendly.
Get the RECIPE from What To Cook Today
Mom’s Sweet Snow Fungus Soup
Snow fungus soup was a common dish that my mother would cook for me at least once a week for breakfast. It's sweet and I particularly like the chewy texture of the fungus as well as the weird jelly texture of the cooked peach gum!
Get the RECIPE from The Little Chive
Ma Lai Go Chinese Steamed Cake
Ma Lai Go Chinese Steamed Cake is a fluffy brown sugar sponge cake typically found on dim sum carts in Southern China and Hong Kong.
Get the RECIPE from The Woks of Life
Osmanthus Jelly Recipe (Gui Hua Gao)
This easy osmanthus jelly recipe (Gui Hua Gao) is a delicious, quick and healthy Chinese dessert made from edible sweet osmanthus flowers.
Get the RECIPE from Greedy Girl Gourmet
Black Rice with Coconut Milk and Fruits
This dessert is made from steamed black rice and is served with mango and coconut milk. The black rice is mixed with sugar. It’s sweet, gooey, and has a nice fragrance of grain. While the coconut milk and fruits are quite light, the rice ball makes this a pleasantly filling dessert.
Get the RECIPE from Omnivore’s Cook Book
Homemade fortune cookies (签语饼)
A fun treat for all festive occasions, fortune cookies can be made to your own taste and contain your own personalized wishes and messages inside.
Get the RECIPE from Red House Spice
Jianshui Zong (Alkaline Rice Dumplings – 碱水粽)
Jianshui Zong (碱水粽),also known as Lye Water Rice Dumplings, or Alkaline Rice Dumplings, are a Cantonese-style rice dumpling served sweet with sugar or syrup.
Get the RECIPE from The Woks of Life
4-Ingredient No-Churn Black Sesame Ice Cream
Nutty and creamy, this super addictive black sesame ice cream only requires 4 ingredients and 5 hours ’til it’s ready. No ice cream machine needed!
Get the RECIPE Omnivore’s Cookbook
Soy Milk Pudding
Soy Milk Pudding made with soy milk and soy bean flour is a smooth and soft dessert firmed with gelatin. This dessert can be made from Agar Agar too.
Get the RECIPE from China Sichuan Food
Mung Bean Porridge
Mung Bean Porridge
Mung bean soup (绿豆汤), also known as mung bean porridge, is a traditional Chinese dish made with green mung beans. Mung bean soup is so soothing to eat and is often enjoyed as a breakfast or dessert.
Get the RECIPE from Sassy Chopsticks
CNY Koi Fish Jelly (Chinese New Year Dessert)
This CNY koi fish jelly is a popular and easy Chinese New Year Dessert- of course, you can make it anytime of the year!- because fish is a Chinese homonym for abundance and excess, and who doesn't want the New Year to bring them more good things than they need?
Get the RECIPE from Greedy Girl Gourmet
Air Fryer Fried Condensed Milk Mantou/Steamed Buns
Air Fryer Fried Condensed Milk Mantou/Steamed Buns
Soft and fluffy condensed milk infused mantou/steamed buns are steamed and then fried in the air fryer and served with more condensed milk on the side. Air fried mantou is a much healthier version with the same great taste.
Get the RECIPE from What To Cook Today
Sweet Green Sticky Rice Balls
The sweet green sticky rice ball “Qingtuan” is a traditional Chinese dessert that serves during springtime each year. The red bean paste or the salted egg yolk and pork floss filling make a delicious sweet and savory dessert.
Get the RECIPE from Eat with Jean
Wife Cakes (老婆餅)
These Wife Cakes (sweetheart Cakes) are a Chinese bakery classic: a flaky pastry filled with a delicious and chewy sweet wintermelon filling.
Get the RECIPE from Sift and Simmer

How to Make Ahead and Store

Many of these recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer. Simply check the individual recipes for full storing instructions and details on how to make ahead. 

More National Dessert Recipes to Try

  • Italian Desserts
  • Greek Desserts
  • German Desserts
  • French Desserts
  • Mexican Desserts
  • Spanish Desserts
  • American Desserts

Did you Make Any of These Easy Chinese Dessert Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of the best Chinese desserts. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on  Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.

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Collage of Chinese desserts.

Full Recipe

30+ Chinese Desserts to Try!

Chinese cuisine is renowned for its diverse flavors and culinary traditions, and its desserts are no exception. From delicate pastries to luscious puddings, Chinese desserts offer a tantalizing array of flavors, textures, and cultural richness.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Serves 6 people
Created by Platings and Pairings

Ingredients

  • Sesame Peanut Candy
  • Tang Yuan
  • Black Sesame Paste Balls
  • Chinese Almond Cookies
  • Sesame Balls
  • Tanghulu
  • Egg Tarts
  • Tofu Pudding
  • Banana Fritters
  • Walnut Cookies
  • Chinese Bird Nest
  • Fried Dough Sticks
  • Mango Pomelo Pudding
  • Mango Pudding
  • Red Bean Soup
  • Pineapple Cakes
  • Chinese Pumpkin Cake
  • Mooncakes
  • Chinese Almond Tofu
  • Rice Pudding
  • Sweet Snow Fungus Soup
  • Chinese Steamed Cake
  • Gui Hua Gao
  • Black Rice with Coconut Milk and Fruits
  • Fortune Cookies
  • Jianshui Zong
  • Black Sesame Ice Cream
  • Soy Milk Pudding
  • Mung Bean Soup
  • Koi Fish Jelly

Instructions

  • Choose your favorite Chinese dessert recipe.
  • Gather the necessary ingredients.
  • Cook up a delicious dessert!
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!
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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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2 responses

  1. Jiahe
    September 3, 2024

    5 stars
    Amazing collection of desserts. I loved the Sesame Ball recipe. I have all the ingredients ready.

    Reply
  2. Chili’s
    February 18, 2025

    Excellent post for my favorite desserts. I loved the sesame ball recipe.

    Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

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