As we close out our month-long Hispanic Heritage celebration, we of course had to end with some delicious desserts. Make no mistake, it’s national dessert day in the United States and there are so many rich and flavorful desserts hailing from hispanics countries, but we tried to keep it to just 10 of the most must try desserts from Latin America you might have not heard of yet.
Because of immigration and colonization, a lot of famous Latin American desserts originally hail from Spain, Portugal, and even Italy. Must-try desserts from Latin America like crispy churros, creamy flan, or fluffy buñuelos actually claim their origins in Spain. Of course, when they moved over to Latin American they each got their own little twist to make them unique to the region.
Without further ado, finish your plates and make room for the 10 must try desserts from Latin America (I’m already drooling).
Chocolate Santafereño: a soul warming treat from Colombia
With the weather already cooling down outside, we had to start with some body warming hot chocolate. But Colombia has a twist on the global favorite. To make it Colombian style you need two things: corona chocolate blocks and cheese. Yup you read that correctly, CHEESE.
To make this Colombian favorite you add chunks of cheese to the bottom of each cup. It gets influenced with the chocolate flavor and perfectly ooey gooey. But don’t worry, it doesn’t mix into the chocolate itself or have a strange flavor. It’s all about that comfort food texture.
If you still think it sounds funny, all we’re saying is don’t knock it until you try it. If you find yourself in Colombia you can order it at almost any cafe or restaurant.
Dulce de Leche: One of the must-try desserts from Latin America
Pastelitos de Guayaba: A tasty treat from Cuba
Being from Miami where there are many Cuban immigrants, pastelitos are my childhood! In fact I remember one of the teachers sold them in the hallways at my high school before the bell rang to raise funds for the cross-country running team. “Pastelitos, for you and your amiguito” (amiguito=friends). Fresh in the morning the bubbling guayaba, or guava, paste oozed out onto my hands.
What exactly is guava? If you’ve never been to Central or South America you might not have any idea. The fruit is native to this region and the paste tastes a little bit like strawberry with a stronger punch. These puff pastries might also come filled with coconut, pineapple, cream cheese, or a combo of cream cheese and guava (my personal favorite).
Tres leches cake: the Latin American moist cake of your dreams
As a lactose intolerant person, I probably shouldn’t be having this, but I asked for one every birthday. The name translates to three milks. Imagine pound cake soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream until it became the moist cake of your wettest dreams.
In some places they’ve and they even kicked it up a notch with a cuatro leches cake. Can you guess what the fourth milk is? (scroll up for a clue). Yup, dulce de leche! Are you drooling yet? We’re not even halfway there.
Bizcocho Dominicano: Moist cake with meringue frosting
Ok, when I wasn’t asking for a tres leches cake, I was beginning my abuela to whip me up a Dominican bizcocho. Another one of the must-try desserts from Latin America comes straight from my home country: the Dominican Republic.
You can find this in almost any bakery in the country and it’s most known for its moist, airy texture and meringue frosting. Occasionally, it also has a pineapple filling. This was my favorite variety.
Chamoyadas: A sweet and spicy shaved ice from Mexico
Would it be from Mexico if it didn’t play with a bit of spice? Trick question. This shaved ice comes with chamoy, a savory sauce in Mexican cuisine and fruit. You might find some other varieties with ice cream or sorbet along with chili powder. Most importantly, there are tons of tropical delicious flavors like mango, guava, and strawberry.
Milhoja: Another dulce de leche treat for the sweet milk fans
Tembleque: a coconut pudding dancing from Puerto Rico
