Thai Desserts

Gluten-Free Thai Creme Caramel — The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Thai desserts are the perfect way to wrap up any meal, whether it's summer or the cold days of winter. Many desserts from Thailand make use of fresh, seasonal fruit, such as juicy mangoes, sweet lychees, ripe bananas, and coconuts. Many are even suitable for vegan diets since they rely on plant-based ingredients such as coconut milk, tapioca, and rice flour, instead of the dairy and wheat-based staples commonly used in Western kitchens.

01 of 18

Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding

The Spruce/Cara Cormack

Dine like an emperor with this traditional, eye-catching dessert from Thailand. Black glutinous rice (also called "forbidden rice" or "Emperor's rice" because centuries ago only the royals could afford to eat it) is naturally sweet, sticky, and loaded with fiber. It's a great choice for a coconut milk rice pudding, and elevates the comfort food classic to a company-worthy dish.
02 of 18

Coconut Cake With Fluffy Coconut Icing

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

Travel to Thailand without leaving home when you dig your fork into this delectable coconut cake. We've modeled our recipe on the cake served at the top hotels in Thailand. It includes a triple whammy of full-fat coconut milk, shredded coconut, and coconut oil, for a moist and light sponge with the ultimate coconutty taste. The fluffy coconut frosting is literally the icing on the cake!
03 of 18

Star Fruit in Mango-Orange Sauce

The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

This special dessert is beautiful to serve and easy to make. It starts with slices of fresh star fruit (instructions on how to buy and prepare star fruit are included), then topped with a drizzle of coconut milk and a sprinkling of either pomegranate seeds or cherries. Star fruit is similar in texture and taste to apples, and while it can be eaten fresh, in this recipe the star fruit slices are lightly cooked and then given a mango-orange sauce.
04 of 18

Goreng Pisang (Thai Fried Bananas)

The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

Battered and fried bananas are a popular street food dessert in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia. Our copycat version of the delicious fried bananas sold by Thai food vendors is an ideal treat for summer cookouts, fireworks parties, and casual backyard suppers. They taste fantastic hot out of the pan, topped with a melting scoop of coconut or vanilla ice cream.

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05 of 18

Gluten-Free Thai Crème Caramel

The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

This Thai version of the classic crème caramel dessert is melt-in-your mouth delicious and gluten-free. This recipe calls for coconut milk instead of cream, so if you're lactose-intolerant, this is a good dessert choice for you. Pandan paste turns the dessert a pretty green and also provides a subtle sweet taste. Best of all, this recipe can be whipped up and in the oven in less than 10 minutes.
06 of 18

Thai Coconut-Tapioca Pudding

The Spruce/Qi Ai

Thai tapioca pudding is the tropical comfort food of your dreams. Not only is it creamy and delicious, with a wonderfully chewy texture from tapioca seeds (or pearls), it's also suitable for vegan and gluten-free diets, and quick and easy to prepare. Make it in under 30 minutes for a light summer dessert.
07 of 18

Coconut Ice Cream

The Spruce/Cara Cormack

If you've traveled to Thailand, you'll recognize this coconut ice cream as the style enjoyed there. It's lighter than many store-bought ice creams in the West, with a texture somewhere between ice cream and sorbet, and tons of coconut flavor. It's simple to make in your freezer at home, with no ice cream maker needed.
08 of 18

Khek Ma-Muang (Thai Mango Cake)

The Spruce

In Thailand, where fresh mangoes are plentiful, the big hotels all serve their version of the classic Thai mango cake. We've recreated the magic for your kitchen with our show-stopping recipe featuring fluffy whipped cream, juicy fresh or canned mangoes, and a moist vanilla or coconut cake base.

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09 of 18

Thai Banana-Lychee Dessert in Coconut Milk

The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

You need only 10 minutes to make this Thai dessert with bananas and lychee fruit. The flavor is so addictively sweet and complex that you may find yourself dreaming about it. It's essentially a thin pudding, or a dessert soup. Serve it chilled on warmer days, or enjoyed warm when a winter comfort food craving hits.
10 of 18

Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Thai Mango Sticky Rice Dessert)

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram

Famously served as street food in Thailand and at Thai restaurants around the world, this tropical rice pudding is irresistibly delicious, and easy to make at home. You need just 5 ingredients, plus salt, to cook up the famous sticky rice pudding bowl topped with fresh mango slices, and smothered in a sweet coconut sauce.
11 of 18

Pumpkin Sangkaya (Thai Pumpkin Custard)

The Spruce

When you're tired of pumpkin pie, give this spectacular Thai pumpkin custard a whirl. A small baking pumpkin is filled with a light and creamy coconut milk custard, which is suitable for vegan eaters. It makes a fantastic centerpiece for a Halloween or Thanksgiving dessert buffet.
12 of 18

Dairy-Free Vegan Tapioca Pudding

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

When you need a vegan dessert that delivers all the feels of a traditional comfort food pudding, look no further than this Thai-style recipe. It replaces dairy ingredients with coconut milk, almond milk, and a little cornstarch for thickening. There's some stirring involved, but all that hard work pays off in a creamy, indulgent-tasting bowlful.

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13 of 18

Black Sesame Pudding

The Spruce

Black sesame seeds are naturally sweet, making them a popular dessert ingredient across Asia. This unique and scrumptious pudding puts a Thai spin on a traditional Chinese dessert, adding coconut milk and peanuts for a nutty taste, and ultra-creamy texture.
14 of 18

Dairy-Free Mango Custard

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

Use your blender or food processor to whip up this marvelous mango custard that will win the hearts of both mango and custard lovers. You need just a handful of ingredients to make this quick, dairy-free dessert. Make it ahead, and garnish it with fresh basil or mint leaves, for a dessert vegan kids will love.
15 of 18

Dairy-Free Mango Pudding

The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram

This mango pudding is a light and delicious dessert that is also one of the easiest to put together. It's also dairy-free since it is made with coconut milk instead of whipping cream or regular milk. Make sure your mangoes are ripe—the fruit should be bright orange or yellow and fairly soft. If you don't have ripe mangoes, you can use thawed frozen mango chunks or canned mango.
16 of 18

Sticky Rice Cake With Coconut and Pandan

The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma

A great make-ahead dessert to serve guests, this sticky rice treat is both gluten and lactose free. And there's no baking or steaming involved. Simply boil up a pot of sticky rice, mix it with a few Thai ingredients, then press it into a pan, and let it sit overnight in your refrigerator. Serve cold or warm along with a topping of coconut milk and some fresh fruit.

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17 of 18

Sticky Rice Layer Cake

Calvin Chan Wai Meng / Getty Images

A truly Asian dessert, this type of sticky rice cake can be found in many southeast-Asian countries, with slight variations depending on the region. It has a satisfyingly sticky texture and tastes of coconut. Great with tea or coffee, this cake makes a nice dessert, breakfast, or snack with afternoon tea.
18 of 18

Tropical Thai Fruit Salad

The Spruce/Darlene Schmidt

After a heavy meal, this bright and juicy Thai fruit salad is a taste of paradise. Tropical and local fruits are tossed together in a sweet coconut-lime fruit salad dressing that enhances but never overwhelms the luscious taste of the fresh produce. It's a nutrient-dense and pretty dessert that is just right for warm summer evenings.

Travel to Thailand With Our Top Traditional Recipes