Spanish desserts offer a delightful way to satisfy your sweet tooth after a meal. From velvety custards to crispy fried doughs, the dessert options from Spain are varied and full of flavor.
Whether you opt for a no-bake custard or take on frying up sugary churros, these desserts offer an authentic taste of Spain's sweet side. Indulge in their bright, warming flavors like cinnamon, citrus and almonds for a delightful finale to your meal.
Crema catalana is one of the most well-known desserts from Spain, especially from the Catalonia region. It is a type of custard made with eggs, milk, cinnamon, and citrus peel. You can think of it as Spain's version of the French crème brûlée dessert. However, there are some key differences.
Instead of vanilla, crema catalana gets its flavor from orange and lemon peel. It uses regular milk rather than cream. And instead of being baked, the custard is cooked on the stovetop.
Like crème brûlée, the top of the crema catalana custard is coated with a crisp layer of caramelized sugar. When you eat it, you crack through this crunchy sugar topping to reach the soft, creamy custard underneath.
2. San Sebastian Cheesecake
The Basque burnt cheesecake is a unique and incredibly delicious famous Spanish dessert that originated from the Basque region, specifically the city of San Sebastian. As the name suggests, this is not your typical cheesecake.
It has a distinctive burnt exterior that gives way to an intentionally molten, creamy interior when you cut into it. This decadent dessert was invented at La Viña bar in San Sebastian and quickly became a local specialty. The burnt top and runny center are achieved through a specific baking process at very high heat.
Buñuelos de viento are light, airy Spanish fritters that are especially popular around Christmas and other holidays like Easter. As the name suggests ("viento" means "wind" in Spanish), these fritters have an extremely light, delicate texture. They're more akin to a choux pastry than a dense doughnut.
The dough is made with ingredients like flour, eggs, milk and lemon zest, then lightly fried to puff up into hollow fritter balls. While buñuelos can be enjoyed plain, they are often filled with sweet fillings like pastry cream, custard, or fruit jams and marmalades.
Churros are a classic fried Spanish pastry that make for a delightful sweet treat. They start with a dough similar to that used for cream puffs or eclairs. This dough is piped directly into hot oil and fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Once fried, the hot churros are rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, giving them a crunchy, sweetly-spiced coating. The perfect accompaniment is a rich, thick chocolate sauce for dipping. This is made by melting chocolate with milk until smooth and pourable.
5. Migas
This is a rustic yet delicious Spanish easy desserts made primarily from bread crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. It's called migas or migas dulces when prepared as a sweet dish. The base is made by sautéing plain bread crumbs in butter or olive oil until they become nice and crispy.
Then, sugar and ground cinnamon are mixed in to coat the toasted bread crumbs. The crispy cinnamon-sugar bread crumbs provide great texture, while any extra mix-ins add extra flavor, crunch, and sweetness.
Arroz con leche is a comforting and very popular traditional desserts in Spain. Its name literally means "rice with milk" in English. It is a thick, creamy rice pudding that has been enjoyed in Spain since the time when the Moors ruled the region centuries ago.
To make classic Spanish arroz con leche, cooked rice is combined with milk, cinnamon sticks, sugar, and either orange or lemon peel. The mixture is simmered until the rice absorbs the flavors and the pudding thickens. The end result is a rich, creamy rice pudding with delicious notes of cinnamon and citrus. It can be enjoyed warm or chilled.
7. Torrijas
Torrijas are the Spanish version of french toast, but they are traditionally served as a dessert rather than a breakfast dish. They are especially popular during the Lenten season and Holy Week celebrations in Spain, Portugal and Brazil (where they're called rabanadas).
To make torrijas, stale bread is first soaked in a mixture of milk or wine, honey and spices to soften it up and add flavor. The soaked bread is then dipped in beaten egg and fried in olive oil until golden brown on the outside.
The result is a delightful pastry that has a crispy outer shell but a smooth, custard-like interior - almost like a cross between french toast and bread pudding.
Goxua is a delicious layered dessert that originated from the Basque region in northern Spain. The name itself means "sweet" in the Basque language. It consists of three main components layered together like whipped cream, ladyfinger cookies soaked in a liquor like rum or sherry, and thick custard cream.
These layers are assembled either in a large cake form to be shared, or in individual portions using small clay dishes or bowls. Goxua is said to have been inspired by another classic Spanish dessert, crema catalana.
Like that custard dessert, goxua is traditionally topped with a crisp layer of caramelized sugar. Some versions also have a caramel sauce drizzled over the top.
9. Menjar Blanc
Menjar blanc is Spain's version of blancmange, an almond-flavored milk pudding that has been enjoyed across Europe since medieval times. It originated from the Terres de l'Ebre region in Catalonia, where it was traditionally served as a dessert during Lent.
During this period when animal milks were avoided, menjar blanc was made with almond milk instead. Despite its long history, this dessert is quite simple, made with just a few basic ingredients; almond milk, rice flour (to thicken the pudding), citrus peel (lemon or orange), cinnamon, and sugar.
The rice flour gives menjar blanc a smooth, pudding-like texture when combined with the almond milk. The citrus peel and cinnamon provide light, delicate flavors.
Rosquillas are deep-fried Spanish doughnuts that are similar to churros but look more like the ring doughnuts. Like churros, rosquillas are made from a dough containing flour, eggs, sugar, and sometimes anise or lemon zest for flavoring. This dough is piped into rings and deep-fried until golden brown.
The key difference is the shape - rosquillas are round doughnuts with a hole in the middle, while churros are long ridged fritters. Rosquillas also tend to be smaller in size compared to typical American doughnuts.
In Spain, these fried dough treats are commonly enjoyed as a snack or for dessert. You'll often find them coated with a dusting of powdered sugar or drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce.
11. Natillas
Natillas are a classic desserts Spanish custard flavored with warming cinnamon and bright lemon zest. To make them, whole milk is gently heated with a cinnamon stick and strips of lemon peel. This infuses the milk with those delicious spiced and citrusy flavors.
Egg yolks are then whisked with sugar and a bit of cornstarch until light. The warm, fragrant milk mixture is gradually streamed in while whisking constantly. The custard base goes back on the heat and is cooked, while stirring, until it gradually thickens to a lush, velvety consistency.
Once thickened, the natillas custard is strained to remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. It's then poured into individual ramekins or bowls and chilled thoroughly until set.
Leche frita is a classic Spanish foods desserts that lives up to its name, which means "fried milk." To make it, a sweet milk pudding is first prepared by mixing cornstarch, flour, sugar, and milk with cinnamon for flavor. Once the pudding sets, it is cut into small square pieces.
These pudding squares are then coated in flour and dipped in beaten eggs. After that, they are deep-fried in olive oil until the outside becomes nice and crispy. Finally, the fried pudding squares are rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. This adds a sweet and spicy coating on the crunchy outer layer.
When you bite into leche frita, you get a delightful contrast – a crunchy, sweet outer shell surrounding a soft, creamy milk pudding center. It can be enjoyed fresh and hot, chilled, or at room temperature.
Mantecados and polvorones are traditional Spanish cookies closely associated with Christmas celebrations in Spain. Like many other Spanish desserts, these cookies have strong holiday connections.
Both mantecados and polvorones are made from basic ingredients like flour, lard or shortening, sugar, and almonds. They share a crumbly, delicate texture. The main difference is their shape - mantecados are round, while polvorones are oval-shaped and coated with powdered sugar.
Mantecados can also include additional ingredients like cocoa powder, lemon flavoring, sesame seeds, or coconut to provide variety in flavors. However, the core ingredients remain the same for these crumbly, festive Spanish Christmas cookies.
The sponge cake provides a soft, spongey texture while the syrup keeps it moist and flavorful. The pastry cream crown adds a smooth, creamy richness.
While created in southern Spain, piononos have become popular in many former Spanish colonies as well. In Latin American countries like Argentina, Colombia, and Peru, piononos are commonly made with dulce de leche (a creamy caramelized milk sauce) incorporated into the pastry cream.
In Spain, piononos are a sweet pastry meant for a small bite. But in Latin America, they are often treated more like a tiny cake with the sponge base and creamy filling providing richer flavors from ingredients like dulce de leche. Some make savory versions as well.
15. Tocino de Cielo
Tocino de cielo is a rich, eggy dessert that originated in the Andalusian region of Spain, specifically in the city of Jerez de la Frontera. Despite its name meaning "bacon from heaven" in Spanish, it is actually a meatless dish.
Tocino de cielo was invented due to the abundance of egg yolks that convents had access to. Jerez de la Frontera has long been a center for sherry wine production.
When clarifying sherry, egg whites were used, leaving lots of leftover egg yolks. The nuns at the Convent of the Sacred Spirit in Jerez started using these egg yolks to make desserts, including tocino de cielo.
Huesos de santo, which literally translates to "bones of saints", are a traditional Spanish dessert made to celebrate All Saints' Day on November 1st. Despite their rather macabre name, these treats are deliciously sweet.
It consists of two main components: a marzipan-like outer "bone" made from ground almonds and sugar formed into tube shapes, and a rich, yellow filling made from egg yolks and sugar cooked into a thick paste.
To make them, the almond-sugar marzipan paste is rolled out and cut or molded into narrow bone-like tubes, which are then piped full of the egg yolk-sugar filling. When finished, each "bone" has a soft, chewy marzipan exterior surrounding a luscious, bright yellow interior meant to resemble marrow.
17. Carbayones
The carbayon is a classic pastry that originated in the city of Oviedo in northern Spain's Asturias region. More than just a delicious treat, it holds great cultural symbolism for the people of Oviedo.
At its most basic, a carbayon is an almond-filled puff pastry. The flaky pastry shell encases a rich filling made from ground almonds, egg, cognac or sweet wine, lemon zest, and sugar.
The iconic carbayon pastry remains a point of pride in Oviedo's culinary traditions. While delicious on their own, these intricate almond pastries also serve as an enduring cultural symbol for this historic Spanish city.
If you find yourself in the city of Santiago de Compostela in the Galicia region of Spain, be sure to try one of the area's most beloved and iconic desserts - the Tarta de Santiago or St. James Almond Cake.
This traditional Spanish cake gets its name from the famous pilgrimage destination Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James the Great are buried. It has been a specialty dish in Galicia for centuries. The base of a Tarta de Santiago is a dense, moist cake made primarily from ground almonds, eggs, and sugar.
19. Yema de Santa Teresa
Yema is a rich, sweet candy made primarily from egg yolks. It originated in the Spanish city of Ávila and gets its name from the Spanish word for "egg yolk." The basic ingredients are egg yolks, sugar, water, and powdered sugar for coating.
To make yemas, egg yolks are gently cooked with sugar and water until thickened into a velvety, custard-like candy. Once cooled and set, the candies are coated with powdered sugar. Despite their simplicity, yemas are prized for their luscious, eggy flavor and decadent texture. Each bite is luxuriously rich.
On October 15th each year, yemas are prepared to celebrate the feast day of the beloved Catholic saint. Pastry shops all over Ávila sell fresh batches of these candies, often in individual paper cups.
20. Ensaimadas
In Spain, specifically the island of Mallorca, the ensaimada has been a traditional pastry made for Easter celebrations going back centuries. Over time it transitioned to an everyday breakfast bread or late afternoon snack that can be enjoyed year-round.
To make an authentic Spanish ensaimada, bakers use a simple dough made from flour, water, eggs, sugar, and saïm - a type of rendered pork lard. The dough is rolled out and coiled into a tight spiral shape before baking until lightly golden brown.
Just before serving, the spiral pastry is generously coated with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. The classic Spanish ensaimada is served plain to allow the rich buttery flavor from the pork lard to shine through.
Author
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Biswas Kharel
Biswas Kharel is a food blogger and writer who brings a sharp eye and adventurous palate to every bite he writes about. Known for his thoughtful reflections and down-to-earth style, Biswas blends personal anecdotes with rich culinary insights—from quiet village kitchens to lively urban eateries.
His blog is a flavorful mix of travel, tradition, and honest food reviews, offering readers a window into the heart of every dish. For Biswas, writing about food isn’t just a passion—it’s a way of documenting life, one meal at a time.
