13 Best Filipino Desserts That Are Absolutely Irresistible

Filipino desserts are a delicious and unique part of Filipino cuisine. With influences from Spanish, Chinese, and native Filipino flavors, Filipino desserts offer an amazing diversity of flavors, textures, and styles. From classic egg custards to colorful fruit salads, this article will explore the 13 best Filipino desserts that you must try.

What Makes Filipino Desserts Special?

Filipino desserts stand out for several reasons:

• Unique tropical flavors like coconut, jackfruit, mango, and ube (purple yam)
• Varied textures – Filipino desserts feature jiggly custards, sticky rice cakes, crispy fried treats, and more
• Cultural significance – many desserts like bibingka and puto are tied to Filipino holidays and celebrations
• Spanish influence – Egg yolk custards and flaky pastries reveal Spain’s colonial impact.

In short, Filipino desserts offer an irresistible taste of the Philippines. Their diversity reflects the blending of cultures in Filipino cuisine.

Why You Should Try Filipino Desserts

Here are some key reasons to add Filipino desserts to your must-eat list:

• Explore new flavors – From creamy ube to sweet salty cheese pairings, Filipino desserts surprise your tastebuds.
• Discover food culture – Desserts like puto and kutsinta reveal facets of Filipino celebrations and values.
• Satisfy your sweet tooth – With options from fried banana fritters to sticky rice cakes, Filipino desserts have something for every sweet craving.
• Cool off in the tropics – Icy desserts like halo-halo and taho offer the perfect treat for a hot day.

So whether you’re looking for a new food adventure or just a delicious sweet treat, Filipino desserts deliver on all fronts.

A Guide to Filipino Dessert Origins and Ingredients

To fully appreciate Filipino desserts, it helps to understand their cultural origins and key ingredients. Here’s a quick guide to the background of these sweet Filipino treats.

Origins and Influences

Filipino desserts blend influences from different cultures:

• Indigenous – Native desserts like suman and biko using sticky rice and coconut milk.
• Spanish – Egg custards and flaky pastries introduced during colonial rule.
• Chinese – Ingredients like beans and nuts featured in treats like tikoy.
• American – U.S. influence seen in ube ice cream and cakes.

This unique fusion makes Filipino desserts reflect the blended culture of the Philippines.

Common Ingredients

Here are some ingredients that frequently feature in Filipino desserts:

• Rice – Sticky rice is used in treats like suman and biko.
• Coconuts – Coconut milk and shredded coconut feature in many recipes.
• Tropical Fruits – Bananas, mangoes and jackfruit add sweet flavors.
• Ube – The purple yam offers vibrant color and nutty taste.
• Eggs – Egg yolks are used for silky custards like leche flan.
• Evaporated Milk – Adds a creamy texture to treats like banana cue.

Understanding these core ingredients provides insight into the local flavors of Filipino desserts.

13 Must-Try Filipino Desserts

Get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth! Here are 13 of the best desserts you must try when you visit the Philippines or a Filipino restaurant:

1. Leche Flan

Leche flan is the Filipino version of crème caramel – a smooth, creamy egg custard. It’s flavored with vanilla and topped with caramelized sugar. Leche flan has a subtle sweetness that makes it the perfect light dessert after a heavy Filipino meal.

2. Halo-Halo

Halo-halo literally means “mix mix.” True to its name, this dessert is a colorful mix of sweetened fruits, shaved ice, milk, and ice cream. Some key ingredients include coconut, beans, evaporated milk, and purple yam ice cream. The variety of flavors and textures make halo-halo a refreshing treat on a hot day.

3. Ube Halaya

With its vibrant purple color, ube halaya is bound to catch your eye. Ube refers to purple yam, which gives this thick jam its signature color. The ube is cooked down with coconut milk and sugar to concentrate its rich and nutty flavor. Ube halaya makes a delicious filling for pastries.

4. Biko

Biko is a sweet Filipino rice cake made from sticky rice cooked in coconut milk with sugar and latik. Latik refers to the browned coconut milk solids that give this rice cake its signature caramelized flavor. Biko has a chewy texture and is often topped with grated coconut for extra sweetness.

5. Bibingka

Bibingka is a specialty Filipino rice cake traditionally served at Christmas. It’s cooked in a banana leaf-lined pan or oven, giving it a unique flavor. The rice batter is infused with coconut milk, sugar, and salted eggs. Adding melted butter and shredded coconut then completes this sweet-salty festive treat.

6. Puto

Puto are steamed rice cakes made from rice flour and coconut milk. These bite-sized cakes are soft and spongy in texture. Puto are often topped with cheese or cracked sugar for extra flavor. Their fluffy texture and subtle sweetness makes them a great complement to savory dishes.

7. Suman

Suman are made from sticky rice wrapped in banana or coconut leaves then steamed until the rice becomes tender. Shredded coconut is often sprinkled on top for added flavor. Suman has a soft, sticky texture almost like a chewy dough. This traditional sweet snack comes in many fun flavors and colors.

8. Turon

For a sweet and crispy treat, try turon – a Filipino version of a spring roll. Slices of banana or jackfruit get wrapped in lumpia wrapper then quickly deep fried. The result is soft, sweet fruit in a crispy golden exterior. Turon can be served plain, sprinkled with sugar, or drizzled with caramel sauce for dessert.

9. Banana Cue

Banana cue are banana fritters made with saba bananas, which are small sweet bananas native to Southeast Asia. The bananas are coated in brown sugar then deep fried until caramelized and crisp. They are then skewered on bamboo sticks, making them easy to eat. The sweet caramelized exterior contrasts with the soft banana interior.

10. Kutsinta

Kutsinta are glutenous rice cakes made with a paste of rice flour, coconut milk, and brown sugar. This mixture is steamed in small mounds then topped with grated coconut. Kutsinta have a jelly-like texture offset by the topping of toasted coconut flakes. Their subtle sweetness makes them a light snack or dessert.

11. Taho

Can’t start your day without something sweet? Filipinos love to begin their morning with taho, a classic breakfast street food. Taho is a sweet soybean custard served warm in a cup. It’s topped with sago pearls and drizzled with brown sugar syrup. The combination of warm, creamy custard and sweet pearls is the perfect morning treat.

12. Sapin-Sapin

Sapin-sapin is a colorful layered Filipino rice cake. It is made by layering a mixture of rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar, then stacking the layers on top of each other. In between layers, a paste made of jackfruit or ube adds more color and flavor. The fun layers make every bite of sapin-sapin a surprise.

13. Cassava Cake

Also known as bibingkang cassava, this Filipino cake is made from grated cassava instead of the more typical rice flour. The cassava is mixed with coconut milk, condensed milk, eggs, and butter then baked into a rich custardy cake. It has a uniquely dense and sticky texture compared to typical Filipino cakes.

Filipino Desserts Show the Values of Filipino Culture

Beyond tantalizing your tastebuds, Filipino desserts also reflect key facets of Filipino culture and values:

• Family – Desserts are centerpieces at family gatherings and celebrations. Making and enjoying them brings families together.
• Celebration – Many desserts like puto and bibingka are tied to festive occasions like Christmas. Dessert signifies a time of joy and community.
• Resourcefulness – Filipinos craft desserts from available crops like rice, coconut, and fruit. Desserts reflect making use of what’s on hand.
• Generosity – Filiipinos love sharing desserts with neighbors, friends, and family. Desserts communicate hospitality and community.

So each delicious Filipino dessert tells a story – not just of flavors, but of Filipino life and values. Enjoying them sweetens understanding between cultures.

Conclusion: Best Filipino Desserts

After exploring the top 13 Filipino desserts, here are some key lessons:

• Filipino desserts blend native, Spanish, and Asian influences into a unique fusion.
• Sticky rice, coconuts, and tropical fruit provide classic Filipino flavors.
• Many desserts have cultural significance, especially for celebrations like Christmas.
• Both velvety custards and crispy fried treats satisfy a craving for sugar.
• Halo-halo and other icy treats provide relief from the tropical climate.
• Beyond deliciousness, Filipino desserts reflect hospitality, generosity and family.

Iscleecam hopes this guide provides inspiration to try something new and discover the stories and values behind Filipino food culture. There are many more fabulous Filipino desserts, so let these 13 be just the beginning.