17 Must-Try Mexican Dessert Recipes for Sweet Lovers

If you think Mexican food stops at tacos and guacamole, I say this lovingly—but you’re missing out. Big time. Mexican desserts bring bold flavors, cozy textures, and just enough sweetness to make you go back for “one more bite” (we both know that’s a lie). I’ve cooked, tasted, overindulged, and repeated these desserts more times than I’ll admit, and honestly? I regret nothing.

So grab a spoon, loosen your waistband a little, and let’s talk about 17 Mexican dessert recipes that actually deserve a spot in your kitchen. Ever wondered why Mexican desserts feel comforting and exciting at the same time? Yeah, we’re about to unpack that—one sugar-dusted bite at a time.

1. Churros with Cinnamon Sugar

Churros feel like the dessert equivalent of a hug. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and absolutely addictive. I once told myself I’d eat “just one” and ended up guarding the plate like a dragon. Learn from my mistakes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying
• ½ cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat water, sugar, and butter in a pan until it boils.
2. Add flour and stir until a dough forms.
3. Let it cool slightly, then mix in the egg.
4. Pipe dough into hot oil and fry until golden.
5. Toss warm churros in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.

Pro tip: Serve with chocolate sauce because life’s too short not to.

2. Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches cake feels like magic. Somehow it soaks up milk without turning into a soggy mess. IMO, this dessert wins every family gathering without even trying.

Ingredients

• Sponge cake
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Whipped cream for topping

Instructions

1. Bake the sponge cake and let it cool.
2. Whisk the three milks together.
3. Poke holes all over the cake and pour the milk mixture on top.
4. Chill for at least 4 hours.
5. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Ever wondered why it tastes better the next day? Patience actually pays off here.

3. Flan Mexicano

Flan feels fancy, but it’s secretly low effort. I love desserts that look impressive while letting me stay lazy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar (for caramel)
• 4 eggs
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Melt sugar until caramel forms and pour into a mold.
2. Blend eggs, milks, and vanilla.
3. Pour mixture over caramel.
4. Bake in a water bath at 350°F for 50 minutes.
5. Chill, flip, and serve dramatically.

Yes, the dramatic flip matters.

4. Arroz con Leche

This dessert tastes like childhood—even if you didn’t grow up eating it. Creamy rice pudding with cinnamon just hits differently.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 4 cups milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Cook rice until tender.
2. Add milk, sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Simmer until creamy.
4. Stir in vanilla and cool slightly.
5. Serve warm or cold.

Team warm or team cold? There’s no wrong answer.

5. Buñuelos

Buñuelos bring crispy chaos in the best way. They crackle, they crunch, and they vanish fast.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup milk
• Oil for frying
• Cinnamon sugar

Instructions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and milk.
2. Roll dough thin and cut into circles.
3. Fry until golden.
4. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
5. Eat immediately.

FYI: They don’t wait well, so don’t test that theory.

6. Pastel de Elote (Mexican Corn Cake)

Corn in dessert sounds weird until you try this. Then it suddenly makes sense.

Ingredients

• 2 cups corn kernels
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup flour

Instructions

1. Blend corn, butter, and sugar.
2. Mix in eggs and flour.
3. Pour into greased pan.
4. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.
5. Serve warm with cream.

Sweet corn deserves more respect.

7. Coyotas

Coyotas feel like cookies that traveled and came back cooler.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• Piloncillo or brown sugar filling

Instructions

1. Mix flour, butter, and sugar.
2. Roll dough and fill with sugar.
3. Seal and flatten.
4. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
5. Cool slightly before eating.

Hot filling = patience required.

8. Paletas

Paletas save summers. Period.

Ingredients

• Fresh fruit
• Sugar or honey
• Water or milk

Instructions

1. Blend fruit with sweetener.
2. Pour into molds.
3. Freeze until solid.
4. Run under warm water to release.
5. Enjoy instantly.

Ever tried mango chili paletas? Game changer.

9. Capirotada

This bread pudding carries history and flavor in every bite.

Ingredients

• Day-old bread
• Piloncillo syrup
• Cheese
• Raisins
• Nuts

Instructions

1. Toast bread slices.
2. Layer bread, syrup, cheese, and toppings.
3. Bake until bubbly.
4. Cool slightly before serving.
5. Appreciate the sweet-savory balance.

Yes, cheese belongs here 🙂

10. Natilla

Natilla feels like custard’s underrated cousin.

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat milk and sugar.
2. Whisk yolks separately.
3. Temper eggs into milk.
4. Cook until thick.
5. Chill and sprinkle cinnamon.

Simple, smooth, satisfying.

11. Empanadas Dulces

Sweet empanadas disappear fast at parties.

Ingredients

• Empanada dough
• Fruit filling
• Egg wash

Instructions

1. Fill dough with fruit.
2. Seal edges firmly.
3. Brush with egg wash.
4. Bake until golden.
5. Cool slightly before serving.

No one eats just one. Ever.

12. Chocoflan

Half chocolate cake, half flan—yes, it’s as wild as it sounds.

Ingredients

• Chocolate cake batter
• Flan mixture
• Caramel

Instructions

1. Pour caramel into pan.
2. Add cake batter.
3. Gently pour flan on top.
4. Bake in water bath.
5. Flip after cooling.

The layers magically switch. Still amazes me.

13. Ate con Queso

Sweet and salty simplicity at its finest.

Ingredients

• Fruit paste (ate)
• Fresh cheese

Instructions

1. Slice ate.
2. Slice cheese.
3. Serve together.
4. Enjoy immediately.
5. Repeat.

Zero effort. Maximum reward.

14. Rosca de Reyes (Sweet Bread)

This bread feels festive even on regular days.

Ingredients

• Yeast dough
• Sugar
• Candied fruit

Instructions

1. Prepare sweet dough.
2. Shape into ring.
3. Decorate with fruit.
4. Bake until golden.
5. Slice and serve.

Who gets the baby figurine? Drama guaranteed.

15. Obleas

Thin wafers with endless filling options.

Ingredients

• Oblea wafers
• Dulce de leche or jam

Instructions

1. Spread filling on wafer.
2. Top with second wafer.
3. Press gently.
4. Serve immediately.
5. Try not to overfill.

Crunch meets gooey perfection.

16. Cocadas

Coconut lovers, this one’s for you.

Ingredients

• Shredded coconut
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Vanilla

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients.
2. Scoop onto tray.
3. Bake until golden.
4. Cool completely.
5. Store airtight.

Chewy edges = elite tier.

17. Gelatina de Mosaico

This dessert looks fancy but behaves nicely.

Ingredients

• Colored gelatin cubes
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Unflavored gelatin

Instructions

1. Prepare colored gelatin and cube it.
2. Mix milk and gelatin.
3. Fold in cubes.
4. Chill until set.
5. Slice and serve.

It’s basically edible art.

Final Thoughts

Mexican desserts bring comfort, tradition, and bold flavor into one sweet package. Each of these 17 Mexican dessert recipes tells a story, and honestly, they all deserve your attention. Try one this week, then another next week, and suddenly you’ll become that friend who “always brings the best desserts.”

So which one are you making first? Be honest—I’m betting churros 😉