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Food

13 Mexican Desserts

Sugary churros, refreshing paletas, and the milkiest cake out there

By SAVEUR Editors

August 1, 2012

From doughy fried churros to a refreshing mango raspado, these 13 traditional Mexican desserts delightfully sweeten the end of any meal.

Tres Leches — Popular throughout Latin America, this milk-soaked cake is thought to have originated in Nicaragua. Get the recipe for Tres Leches Cake »Matt Taylor-Gross

Mezcal Chiffon Cake — Smoky mezcal and bright pomelo zest flavor this airy, eggy chiffon cake, the perfect quick dessert. Get the recipe for Mezcal Chiffon CakeFarideh Sadeghin

Mexican Fritters with Hot Chocolate — Ruben Ortega, a native of Puebla and the pastry chef at Hugo's in Houston, Texas, shared his recipe for long, fluted fritters, served with thick hot chocolate for dunking. Get the recipe for Churros con Chocolate Caliente (Mexican Fritters with Hot Chocolate) »Todd Coleman

Impossible Flan — This dessert, also called chocoflan, gets its name from a magical thing that occurs in the oven. Get the recipe for Impossible Chocolate Flan »Matt Taylor-Gross

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies — At brunch at the Liberty Bar in San Antonio, a plate of these spicy-sweet cookies is set down on the table at the beginning of the meal—gratis. Featured in our book Best Cookies, they make a perfect cookie for holiday parties, especially when drizzled with a little melted white chocolate. Get the recipe for Mexican Chocolate Icebox CookiesHelen Rosner

Pineapple Ice Pops (Paletas de Piña) — With just two ingredients—puréed pineapple and sugar—these paletas are unbelievably simple to assemble. Get the recipe for Pineapple Ice Pops (Paletas de Piña)Michael Kraus

Mexican Butter Cookies with Sprinkles — Tiny, ring-shaped butter cookies like these are a popular holiday treat in Mexico. Get the recipe for Galletas con Chochitos (Mexican Butter Cookies with Sprinkles)Todd Coleman

Rice Pudding Ice Pops (Paletas de Arroz con Leche) — Sweetened condensed milk, rice, vanilla, and cinnamon combine for this frozen take on rice pudding. Get the recipe for Rice Pudding Ice Pops (Paletas de Arroz con Leche)Michael Kraus

Mango Ice (Raspado de Mango) — This refreshing frozen treat, made from bottled or fresh mango juice, is a Mexican version of granita. Get the recipe for Mango Ice (Raspado de Mango)Todd Coleman

Pecan Shortbread Cookies — Pecans, a staple on holiday tables, make an appearance in these delicate shortbread cookies flavored with cinnamon and vanilla that are a popular treat in Mexico. Get the recipe for Polvorones (Pecan Shortbread Cookies)Todd Coleman

Tamarind-Chile Ice Pops (Paletas de Tamarindo y Chile) — We love the combination of spicy ancho chile powder with sweet-sour tamarind. Get the recipe for Tamarind-Chile Ice Pops (Paletas de Tamarindo y Chile)Michael Kraus

Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada) — This satisfying dessert uses piloncillo, a type of brown sugar used in Mexican cooking. Get the recipe for Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada)Todd Coleman

Strawberries and Cream Ice Pops — Strawberries and cream is one of the hundreds of flavors of paleta that you'll find in Mexico. Get the recipe for Paletas de Fresas y Crema (Strawberries and Cream Ice Pops)Todd Coleman

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