Best Asian Desserts

Matcha Shortbread Cookies with Black Sesame Seeds
Photo: Photo © Molly Yeh

Whether you're looking for a classic recipe, like mochi, or want to discover new ways to use Japanese matcha powder, these Asian desserts are perfect for everything from Chinese New Year to a casual night at home.

01 of 09

Coconut Mochi Ice Cream Sandwiches

Coconut Mochi Ice Cream Sandwiches
© John Kernick

Pastry chef Jen Yee of Lafayette Grand Cafe & Bakery in Manhattan makes these fun and pretty sandwiches with a simple Japanese dough that combines sweet glutinous rice flour, sugar, water and coconut milk.

02 of 09

Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Mango and Lime

Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Mango and Lime

Chunky, fresh mango with tangy lime is a great counterpoint to the creamy tapioca pearl puddings here.

03 of 09

Green-Tea Fortune Cookies

Green-Tea Fortune Cookies

Joanne Chang likes having fun with the fortunes she puts inside these large cookies, like "Give the chef a big kiss." Shaping the tuiles while they're hot can be tricky, so consider using cotton gloves.

04 of 09

Black Sesame Chocolate-Banana Loaf Cakes

Black Sesame Chocolate-Banana Loaf Cakes

Blogger Sarah Bolla of Lemon Fire Brigade uses oil and silken tofu to create these deliciously moist, grown-up, dairy-free cakes.

05 of 09

Matcha Mochi

Matcha Mochi
© Molly Yeh

This version of mochi--a sweet Japanese rice cake--gets its pretty green color from matcha powder and a creamy sweetness from coconut milk.

06 of 09

Vietnamese Coffee Sundaes with Crushed Peanut Brittle

Vietnamese Coffee Sundaes with Crushed Peanut Brittle
© Kana Okada

The Vietnamese love drinking superstrong iced coffee combined with copious amounts of sweetened condensed milk. Joanne Chang created this simple ice cream sundae as a way to enjoy the same flavors. Shards of peanut brittle made with a generous pinch of cinnamon add great flavor and crunch.

07 of 09

Coconut Crème Caramel

Coconut Crème Caramel

Coconut milk enriches and flavors this custard. Zang Toi suggests using fragrant pandan juice (from the palm-like pandan tree) instead of vanilla for a more Malaysian flavor.

08 of 09

Bananas in Coffee Bean Syrup

Bananas in Coffee Bean Syrup

Every morning in Nha Trang, Marcia Kiesel topped yogurt with these bananas steeped in warm, bittersweet coffee syrup; they're also delicious over vanilla ice cream for dessert. Make sure the bananas you choose for this recipe are ripe but still firm, so they don't get mushy.

09 of 09

Matcha Shortbread Cookies with Black Sesame Seeds

Matcha Shortbread Cookies with Black Sesame Seeds
Photo © Molly Yeh

These buttery shortbread cookies by blogger Molly Yeh combine two classic Japanese flavors--matcha green tea and black sesame seeds.

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