Are you looking for Cuban Dessert recipes? We compiled authentic 25 Cuban Desserts you can serve on your dessert table with flair!
Cuban food has quite the collection of seasonings, ingredients, and methods from Spain, Africa, and the Caribbean, giving them a new unique taste to call their own.
As we explore specifically Cuban dessert recipes here, you will notice many have similar ingredients that are simply combined differently or cooked differently.
That may be why a dessert may taste familiar even though you have not necessarily tried it before.
For example, a typical cheesecake may be familiar to you but a Mini Lime and Guava Cheesecake may not be!
As with any recipe, but even more so here, it is essential to read through it first so that you can get a sense of the time and ingredients needed.
Many of the Cuban dessert recipes, whether accessible or not, require hours (or overnight) for a recipe to rest or chill.
There is a little something here for everyone, so I invite you to sit back, relax, and see what sounds impressive to you, like portable and full of apple goodness: #24.
Loosely translated, this Cuban dessert is “little bites of guava.”
Easy Cuban desserts are a great way to be introduced to the native cuisine.
Here three ingredients of puff pastry, guava paste, and cream cheese create the magic!
Delicious bites for sure!
A custard using eggs is one of many authentic Cuban desserts. Rich and delicious!
It makes six servings that you can chill in any style of serving cup or shot glass.
Though it does need four hours to chill.
These tasty bars have three layers of shortbread, custard, and topping!
Cuban desserts are indeed unique and tasty.
Here you will recognize the shortbread, but these have lime juice, mint, and rum extract in the mix.
Unforgettable!
No bake.
Thirty minutes.
YES!
Sign me up for these authentic Cuban dessert recipes!
On the presentation scale, mini lime and guava cheesecakes score a solid ten! Beautiful layers and wonderful flavors!
This “candy” (I would call it a bar) is a holiday treat.
It looks amazing with a soft, chewy nugget bottom and a dark chocolate layer on top!
It is one of our easy Cuban desserts, but it has quite a few specific instructions with two hours to chill in the middle of it.
Typically baked in a bundt cake pan, this recipe creates a dense, thick cake soaked in butter rum sauce.
Cuban dessert recipes run the scope from easy to difficult.
This recipe is closer to the middle, but the instructions are good, so jump on in and enjoy the fruit of your labor!
The Cuban Opera Cake is the most extravagant of Cuban desserts!
This chocolate cake has three layers plus a glaze on top!
That comes to four sets of ingredients and four parts to make over two days!
It is not for the faint of heart.
But the spoils go to the victor, so when that special occasion does come, this just might be the perfect recipe to make!
You can thank the Mojito cocktail for the inspiration for some Cuban dessert ideas like this one.
But no worries, everyone can enjoy it since it is non-alcoholic!
A nice shortcut is to use refrigerated sugar cookie dough for the crust, but everything else is do-it-yourself!
The two layers bake together to create scrumptious bars you can then decorate to your heart’s delight!
Summertime and creativity brought many Cuban dessert ideas to life!
Inspired by pastelitos, this ice cream version is refreshing and perfect for get-togethers.
If you do not have an ice cream maker, this one would be no problem.
You can also see alternate instructions provided.
Pour over the syrup on the ice cream.
Different and wonderful!
10. Merenguitos
Merenguitos are also from our collection of Cuban dessert recipes.
They are meringue cookies with a touch of sweetness sprinkled with unsweetened coconut.
Pro Tip: the meringue will not set properly in high humidity, so plan accordingly.
Additionally, the cookies bake at a low temperature for a long time. Guess the moral of the story is that this recipe needs time!
Sometimes it is interesting to know the backstory to authentic Cuban desserts.
The short and skinny here is that Flan Cubano is made with canned condensed milk and canned evaporated milk since those are always available in Cuba.
It bakes up thicker and creamier than its sister Flan from Mexico.
There are so many variations as well, especially if Cuban fruit is available.
Street food has entered the chat!
A favorite of the locals!
We all are looking for easy Cuban desserts to have that little something tasty after dinner.
Four ingredients, and everyone will wonder what hit them with these coconut balls!
Some authentic Cuban desserts use curdled milk which is not something I had ever considered before.
I assumed it simply had to be disposed of.
However, in Cuba, you let nothing go to waste.
Four ingredients here are combined creatively to make this sweet curdled milk dessert!
Which is not sour, I promise.
Here we go again! Same song, second (or third) verse.
Pastry and guava join together for one of many tasty Cuban desserts!
This time in the form of a jelly roll.
Cake part topped with filling and rolled up evenly. Powdered sugar on top, and your dessert is ready!
I present to you the infamous Cuban donut, the Churro.
Cuban dessert ideas like this one have staying power because they are known worldwide.
Tradition says you should dip it into Cuban hot chocolate, which is extremely thick.
Make the dough, fry the dough, sugar the dough!
Best to serve immediately!
If you want to dip them, the hot chocolate recipe is divine!
This gal took her love of Cuban flavors and created several Cuban dessert recipes from that inspiration.
Here we have cupcakes with pieces of guava paste placed inside each one before baking.
Then it calls for another form of guava, this time jam to drizzle across the top of the cream cheese icing!
Good things come to those who wait! Easy Cuban desserts often need time.
Time to rise, or rest or chill.
So just know that when you start this recipe, it takes four hours (two for chilling), or plan to split the steps between two days.
Lightly golden when done with just a bit of melted guava in the center! Mmmm!
In Cuban dessert recipes, sweet cookies are expected, but this one has a surprising tartness, too, from maraschino cherries.
I love how easy it is to pull together the dough, which can be made up to two weeks in advance and kept in the fridge.
Fun fact: If the cherry juice gets in the dough, it will turn it reddish if you like. If not, rinse and dry those cherries first.
Sweet potato pie is a well-known dessert, so sweet potato pudding is not too far-fetched.
Unlike many Cuban dessert recipes, this one is on the sweet side, which means we’re talking two cups of sugar plus the natural sweetness of the potato.
With a hint of lemon and cinnamon, this pudding can be served warm or cold.
20. Tamarind Balls
Now we are definitely diving into the authentic Cuban desserts as we encounter an ingredient we may need to search for.
Tamarind.
A sweet and sour fruit may require you a trip to your Asian or Latino supermarket for 20 pods as it needs to be the fruit, not the puree.
Good explanation on how to de-shell the fruit, add other ingredients, form into balls, roll into your sugar of choice.
Cuban dessert ideas often have a fruit involved.
This time it is grapefruit that has been peeled, sections cut apart and fruit removed.
The part needed is the “shells” to soak, chill and then pair with gouda cheese for dessert.
Short grain rice is best when considering making this recipe from your list of Cuban dessert ideas.
It is fabulous with that creamy, cinnamon, sweet texture!
The middle step requires you to cook it on the stovetop while stirring continuously, so have some music or a podcast ready!
Chill and hide in the back of the fridge or these bowls of deliciousness will disappear!
This dessert just might be my favorite of all the Cuban dessert recipes I have explored because I am partial to bread pudding.
Different interesting ingredients included are dark rum, dry white wine, and grated lemon peel.
It bakes for an hour and fills the whole home with its tantalizing aroma!
Do you love apple pie?
Looking for something finger friendly?
Have I got a recipe for you from an awesome Cuban desserts collection!
Empanadas!
Instructions included for the flaky crust as well as filling.
If you want to plate it beautifully, try serving it with ice cream or simply pick them up and enjoy!
25. Guava Tart
There have been several Cuban dessert recipes that use guava.
Here it is in the form of a full size tart.
I mean, who can resist a savory buttery crust and sweet guava filling?
Excellent instructions!
The bottom line
There emerges a common thread of routinely used ingredients in Cuban pastries and desserts.
Among them, guava, powdered sugar, almonds, evaporated milk, coconut, and cream cheese.
So many to choose from.
So little time.
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25 BEST Cuban Dessert Recipe Assortment
Whether it’s a twist on the classic Rum Cake From Scratch or uniquely tropical Guava Tart, you’ll see them all in this 25 Cuban Desserts list!
Ingredients
- Marta's Homemade Pastelitos De Guayaba
- Natilla Cubana Recipe
- Cuban Mojito Shortbread Bars
- Mini Lime And Guava Cheesecakes
- Cuban Coconut Candy
- Rum Cake From Scratch
- Cuban Opera Cake
- Mojito Key Lime Bars
- Cream Cheese Ice Cream With Guava Syrup
- Merenguitos
- Cuban Flan- The Best In The World
- Sweet Cuban Coconut Balls With Melted Chocolate (Coquito Acaramelado)
- Dulce De Leche Cortada (Curdled Milk Dessert)
- Brazo Gitano De Guayaba (Jelly Roll Cakes)
- Cuban Churros & Hot Chocolate With Coconut Whipped Cream
- Guava Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cuban Sugar Cookies With Guava And Lime (Torticas De Moron)
- Cherry Garcia Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Boniatillo | Cuban Sweet Potato Pudding
- Tamarind Balls
- Sweetened Grapefruit Shells (Dulce De Toronjas)
- Cuban Rice Pudding (Arroz Con Leche)
- Cuban Bread Pudding
- Baked Apple Empanadas
- Guava Tart
Instructions
- Choose one or more options from our list of Cuban Desserts here!
- Create your new favorite dish.
- Pat yourself on the back for making food at home!
- Share and comment! Did you make any tweaks so it’s all your own?