10+ Mexican Dessert Recipes You’ll Love to Try Today

Mexican desserts are such a fun way to explore sweet flavors from a culture with deep roots. You really don’t have to be a pro in the kitchen to whip up these treats at home.

These recipes let you bring classic Mexican flavors and textures right into your kitchen. Whether you’re craving something creamy, crunchy, or fruity, you’ll find a dessert here that’ll hit the spot.

1) Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake is a fluffy vanilla sponge cake soaked with three types of milk. It stays super moist and has this dreamy, sweet flavor.

People make this one for all kinds of parties and family gatherings. The cake gets finished with a layer of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

You can slice it up and share it easily, which is always a win. The taste is light but still rich—kind of the best of both worlds.

To make it, you bake the cake, then pour the milk mixture over it while it’s still warm. The cake soaks up all that goodness. Add the whipped topping before you serve.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp sugar (for cream)
• Ground cinnamon (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish.
3. Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale. Add butter and vanilla.
4. Stir in flour and baking powder gently.
5. Beat egg whites until stiff, then fold into batter.
6. Pour batter into dish and bake 30-35 minutes.
7. Mix evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk.
8. Slowly pour milk mixture over warm cake.
9. Whip heavy cream with 2 tbsp sugar until soft peaks form.
10. Spread whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon if you like.
11. Chill before serving for the best texture.

2) Mexican Churros

Mexican churros have this crispy outside and a soft, almost pillowy inside. You roll them in cinnamon sugar for that classic finish.

They’re often served with chocolate sauce for dipping, which is hard to resist. Making churros isn’t as tricky as it sounds.

You cook the dough on the stove, pipe it into hot oil, and fry until golden. The cinnamon-sugar coating gives them their signature taste.

These are perfect when you want a quick dessert that feels a little fancy. You probably have most of the ingredients already.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Oil for frying
• 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat water, sugar, salt, and oil in a saucepan until boiling.
2. Remove from heat and stir in flour until dough forms a ball.
3. Heat oil to 375°F (190°C) in a deep pot.
4. Pipe dough into hot oil, fry until golden brown.
5. Drain on paper towels, then roll in cinnamon sugar.
6. Serve with chocolate sauce if that’s your thing.

For a detailed recipe, check homemade Mexican churros here.

3) Flan

Flan is a smooth, creamy dessert topped with a layer of caramel. It’s simple to put together but tastes decadent.

You only need a handful of ingredients: eggs, milk, and sugar. The caramel comes from melting sugar until it’s golden.

Bake the flan in a water bath to keep it silky. Once it cools, flip it onto a plate and let the caramel flow over the custard.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Melt sugar in a pan over medium heat until caramelized. Pour into a round baking dish.
3. Beat eggs, then add condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Pour mixture over the caramel in the dish.
5. Place the dish in a larger pan with hot water halfway up the sides.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes until set.
7. Cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8. Invert onto a plate before serving.

Need a step-by-step? Here’s a Mexican Flan recipe.

4) Buñuelos

Buñuelos are crunchy, golden disks of fried dough. You roll them thin and fry until they’re crisp, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

They’re usually flat, but sometimes people twist them into fun shapes. You’ll see these a lot around Christmas and New Year.

Some folks drizzle them with honey or syrup if they want extra sweetness. The dough uses basic stuff you probably have on hand.

Frying takes just a few minutes, and the result is a treat everyone will want to grab.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter (softened)
• Oil for frying
• Cinnamon sugar (for coating)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
2. Beat eggs, milk, softened butter, and vanilla in another bowl.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.
4. Roll dough thin on a floured surface.
5. Cut into circles or shapes you like.
6. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pan.
7. Fry dough pieces until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while they’re warm.

5) Chocoflan

Chocoflan is this wild Mexican dessert where chocolate cake and creamy flan come together in one bite. You start with a layer of chocolate cake batter, then pour a flan mixture over it.

After baking, the layers magically swap places. The caramel sauce on top makes it even better. People call it “Impossible Cake” for a reason.

It takes a little patience, but the wow factor is real. Friends will be impressed, trust me.

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• Ingredients needed for the cake mix (usually eggs, oil, water)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 4 large eggs
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup caramel sauce

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Pour caramel sauce into the baking pan.
3. Mix and pour chocolate cake batter over the caramel.
4. Blend sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth.
5. Pour flan mixture gently over the cake batter.
6. Bake in a water bath for 1 hour or until set.
7. Cool completely before inverting onto a plate.

6) Sopapillas

Sopapillas are little pillows of fried dough that puff up as they cook. They come out light and crispy outside, soft inside.

You can eat them warm, drizzled with honey or dusted with cinnamon sugar. The dough is simple—just flour, shortening, baking powder, and water.

Cut the dough into squares or triangles before frying. Sopapillas make a quick, shareable treat.

Some people like to add a layer of cream cheese and cinnamon sugar for a richer twist.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup warm water
• Oil for frying
• Honey or cinnamon sugar for topping

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Cut in shortening until it looks crumbly.
3. Add warm water and mix until you get a soft dough.
4. Roll out dough and cut into squares or triangles.
5. Heat oil to 375°F (190°C).
6. Fry pieces in batches until puffed and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
7. Drain on paper towels and serve with honey or cinnamon sugar.

Want to dive deeper? Try this New Mexico Sopapillas recipe.

7) Capirotada

Capirotada is a Mexican bread pudding, usually made for Lent or Easter. It’s got layers of crusty bread soaked in a sweet, spiced syrup.

You’ll find raisins, nuts, and cheese tucked between the layers. The syrup, made with piloncillo, cinnamon, and cloves, fills your kitchen with a cozy smell.

This dessert is both salty and sweet, so every bite is a little different. Some people add bananas or almonds for a twist.

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 3 piloncillo cones
• 3 Mexican cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts or sliced almonds
• 12 slices of crusty bread, toasted
• 1 cup shredded cheese (like queso fresco or a mild cheese)

Cooking Instructions

1. Boil water with piloncillo, cinnamon, and cloves until syrup thickens.
2. Soak toasted bread slices in syrup.
3. In a baking dish, layer bread, raisins, nuts, and cheese.
4. Repeat layers, ending with cheese on top.
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes.
6. Let cool a bit before serving.

8) Mexican Wedding Cookies

These cookies are soft, buttery, and packed with nutty flavor. You just roll the dough into little balls and bake them until they turn a gentle golden.

Once they’ve cooled off, you shower them in powdered sugar. They end up looking like tiny snowballs—honestly, pretty adorable.

You can use pecans, walnuts, or almonds, whatever you like or have on hand. The nuts bring a nice crunch and that signature richness.

They practically melt when you bite in, which makes them a go-to for holidays or, let’s be real, whenever you’re craving something sweet.

The recipe’s straightforward—no fancy steps. With a handful of basic ingredients, you’ll have a batch ready before you know it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• Extra powdered sugar for dusting

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Cream the butter and powdered sugar together until it’s smooth.
3. Mix in the vanilla.
4. Combine flour and salt, then add gradually to the butter mixture.
5. Stir in the chopped nuts.
6. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and set them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 15–18 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden.
8. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar.
9. After they’ve cooled completely, dust with more sugar before serving.

If you want the nitty-gritty details, here’s the Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe.

9) Carlota de Limón

Carlota de Limón is a classic Mexican dessert that’s super simple and, honestly, kind of addictive. You just layer cookies with a creamy lime filling—no baking, no fuss.

Fresh lime juice and condensed milk give it a tangy kick. As it chills, the cookies soak up the cream and get all soft and cake-like.

A little sprinkle of lime zest on top finishes it off. It’s perfect for hot days when you want something cool and zesty.

Ingredients

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 package Maria cookies or Spanish wafer cookies
• Lime zest (for topping)

Cooking Instructions

1. Whip the heavy cream until you get soft peaks.
2. Stir together the condensed milk and lime juice until smooth.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lime mixture.
4. In a dish, layer cookies and lime cream, one after the other.
5. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Top with lime zest before serving.

Want to see more? Here’s the Carlota de Limón recipe.

10) Mango Mangonada Sorbet

You’ve got to try this refreshing Mexican dessert if you’re into mango with a bit of a kick. Mangonada sorbet blends sweet mango, lime juice, and a hint of chili for that sweet-spicy combo.

The frozen mango puree makes it creamy and smooth. A drizzle of chamoy or a sprinkle of Tajín gives it that punchy, authentic vibe.

Scoop it into a cup, maybe rimmed with chili powder if you’re feeling bold. It’s easy to whip up and just the thing for cooling off with something bold and bright.

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Tajín seasoning or chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss mango, sugar, water, lime juice, and a pinch of salt into a blender.

2. Blend everything until it looks smooth and creamy.

3. Pour that mixture into a shallow container—something wide works best.

4. Pop it in the freezer for about an hour.

5. Every 30 minutes, grab a fork and stir things up to break apart any ice crystals.

6. Keep freezing and stirring until the texture gets firm—usually takes 3 to 4 hours.

7. When it’s ready, scoop the sorbet into bowls.

8. Sprinkle a little Tajín or chili powder on top right before serving.

Honestly, this one’s sweet, tangy, and just a little spicy. Super easy, too—give it a shot at home if you’re craving something different.

Want more details? Here’s the Mangonada Recipe.