Filipinos are crazy about desserts. It just seems that a normal meal wouldn’t be complete without a dessert to top it off, you know? Whether it’s something sweet, sour, hot, cold, or both! Another thing about Filipinos is that we don’t follow the mealtimes. Here in the Philippines, it’s not only breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We have what we call a “merienda”.
It’s a light meal that’s usually taken in the morning before lunch or in the afternoon before dinner. A merienda can be anything. Whether it’s pancit, lumpia, kwek-kwek, balut, lugaw, sopas, or even pizza, a merienda isn’t supposed to make you full to the point that you can’t have dinner anymore. No, that’s not the point. A merienda is only supposed to warm up your stomach so that it’s ready for a gastronomic feast!
This is also the reason why typical dishes served during merienda time are Filipino desserts. Yup! Since most of the iconic Filipino desserts consist of rice and sugar as the main ingredients, they’ve become the go-to meals during merienda. Desserts in our country vary from one region to another because it depends on the most prominent ingredient available. Despite the diversity of dessert flavors in the Philippines, only one thing is for sure, they’re all heavenly delicious!
So, are you ready? Join me as we both crave and discover the 15 Most Popular Filipino Desserts!
Content
1. Halo-Halo
Credit: Bonappetit
Ah, of course! Nothing beats the one and only Halo-Halo or as the foreigners call it, the Mix-Mix! This lovely dessert is the number one summertime delight for all Filipinos.
Basically, a Halo-Halo consists of shaved ice, milk, and an assortment of toppings depending on your preference. It could be nata de coco, red mongo beans, kaong, macapuno, sweetened bananas, sweetened jackfruit, white pearls, and many more! Oh, and for a Halo-Halo to become special, it is topped with a generous amount of a creamy Leche Flan.
A Halo-Halo is named as such because of the manner of eating it. You literally have to mix everything up until all the ingredients are incorporated with each other. The better you mix, the tastier it becomes! When you come to the Philippines, almost every Filipino restaurant will certainly have Halo-Halo on their menus, so you’d better try and taste it when you have the chance!
2. Leche Flan
Next up, the Leche Flan! This one’s an all-time favorite for every Filipino occasion in history. Yup! Whatever you’re celebrating, a Leche Flan on your table is certainly gonna take it to another level. Whether it’s a birthday celebration, wedding anniversary, or family reunion, serving a Leche Flan will absolutely put a smile on their faces!
Credit: Dad got this
The Leche Flan as we know it was inspired by the Spanish dessert, Leche de Flan, or in local terms, Milk Flan. During the Spanish Colonial Era, egg whites were traditionally used in building churches. With the egg yolks set aside, they were made into tasty desserts instead of going to waste. Brilliant, isn’t it?
Today, the Philippine Leche Flan as we know it is a much heavier version of the Crème Caramel which is made from egg yolks and condensed milk. These are then traditionally steamed in containers called “llaneras” and best served when chilled.
3. Turon
Ah, Turon! This one’s one of the most popular Filipino desserts and snacks during merienda! Growing up, I remember waking up from my afternoon nap and buying one of these tasty desserts from one of our neighbors. Turon is a deep-fried banana roll or banana lumpia that’s coated with sweet, caramelized sugar. Pro tip! You’ll know a Turon is special when small strips of jackfruit are incorporated inside. The jackfruit’s unique taste makes the dessert even more delicious!
Credit: Lutong Pinoy Recipe
Turon is an extremely popular dessert snack in the country mainly because of the simplicity of its ingredients. Lumpia wrappers and bananas are always available all year round. Moreover, these are also incredibly cheap! For as low as P15 or P20, you’ll already have a tasty Turon!
Trust me, you’ll never go wrong with Turon. Pair it with an ice-cold bottle of soft drinks and you’re good to go!
4. Ube Halaya
Ah, this one’s special! Ube Halaya is a Filipino dessert that’s known for its deliciously sweet and smooth texture. An Ube refers to purple yan while Halaya means jelly or jam. In the country, an Ube Halaya can either be consumed as it is or paired with other iconic Filipino desserts such as the famous Halo-Halo. For international context, it is the Filipino version of Japan’s Matcha and China’s red bean.
Credit: Chibogan na
An Ube Halaya dessert is made by peeling, boiling, grating, and mashing the purple yam. It is then incorporated with sweetened coconut milk before placing in a saucepan with melted butter. Now, this is what makes the Ube Halaya special.
Making this dessert requires extreme hard work and patience. Are you ready? After putting it in the saucepan, the Ube Halaya mixture is stirred vigorously for hours until the right consistency is achieved. Yup! So the next time you eat an Ube Halaya, take time and enjoy all the flavors because you know that the dessert you’re eating is made of pure hard work.
Pro tip! One of the best-tasting and most famous Ube Halaya in the Philippines is found up north. Yup! In the summer capital of the country itself, Baguio City. You’ll find there the iconic Ube Jam of Good Shepherd. Trust me, every scoop of this heavenly Ube Halaya will sweep you off your feet. Better try and taste it!
5. Banana Cue
Of course, the legendary Banana Cue! This one’s a brother of the famed Turon because it’s essentially the same dessert just cooked and presented differently. The Banana Cue is basically a skewer of deep-fried bananas coated with caramelized sugar. It’s just heavenly and capable of filling up your tummy for merienda!
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
You can usually spot the Banana Cues together with the Turon in a single vendor. In some provinces, you can also buy from a vendor that’s normally roaming around town to sell Banana Cue and Turon. For as low as P15 to P20, you’ll already have a tasty Filipino dessert to fill you up!
6. Buko Pandan
Ah, there you go! Finally, we’ve come across the legendary Buko Pandan. One of the most prominent fruits in the Philippines is no other than coconut or buko. The coconut tree is considered the “tree of life” because each part of it can be used by humans. Well, in this case, the buko or coconut fruit is used by Filipinos in many desserts. And one of those heavenly delights is the Buko Pandan.
Credit: Create with cream
Buko Pandan is always the star of the show on any Filipino occasion. Birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, fiestas, name it. It is a refreshingly delicious dessert made of shredded coconut meat, sweetened cream, and pandan-infused jelly or gulaman. It is usually served in small amounts that are chilled to perfection for the best taste.
7. Maja Blanca
Yes, the Maja Blanca! This is a traditional Spanish dessert that eventually became a Filipino favorite that’s available on every occasion. Also known as coconut pudding, the Maja Blanca has not only become a resident Filipino dessert on almost every occasion but also for merienda! It is one of those traditional desserts in the country that are called “kakanin”.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
A Maja Blanca is made of only coconut milk, sweet corn kernels, sugar, and toasted coconut for toppings. It is usually served in bite-sized cubes so you can easily taste the irresistible richness and creaminess of the dessert. Yum!
8. Kutsinta
Ah, the Kutsinta. Another delicious kakanin that’s worth tasting! The Kutsinta or also known as the Brown Rice Cake of the Philippines is made from a mixture of tapioca or rice flour, brown sugar, and most importantly the lye infused with food coloring. The lye is the key ingredient in making the Kutsinta as it gives the iconic color and texture of the dessert. It’s either served with grated coconuts or a spread of caramelized milk or Dulce de Leche on top. Or, you know, both of them!
Credit: My style recipe
Kutsinta is considered to be one of the most prominent desserts in the country along with the traditional rice cakes or Puto because of their ingredients. Vendors of Puto and Kutsinta will wake you up in the morning with the funny sounds of their musical horns. A bite of each or two will surely fill you up already. Perfect dessert for merienda indeed!
9. Sapin-Sapin
The Sapin-Sapin is another popular kakanin in the Philippines. This Filipino dessert is known for its vibrant look thanks to the beautiful combination of colors and flavors that really stands out on any occasion. The Sapin-Sapin is made of coconut milk, sugar, condensed milk, jackfruit flavoring, Ube, and of course, galapong or glutinous rice dough. Galapong is the key ingredient of the Sapin-Sapin because it’s what makes it chewy and has a pudding-like texture.
Credit: Lutong Bahay Recipe
Like the Ube Halaya, the process of making Sapin-Sapin also requires hardwork and patience. Some even say that it takes a whole day to prepare this heavenly dessert! The Sapin-Sapin has four (4) usual colors each with different flavors: white, yellow, purple, and red. This is what makes the Sapin-Sapin stand out, the diversity and genius combination of all the textures and flavors. Better try it some time!
10. Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
Ah, this one’s also an all-time favorite especially on fiestas in the Philippines! Ginataang Bilo-Bilo is a traditional Filipino dessert made of chewy rice balls called Bilo-Bilo, bananas, white pearls, and root crops such as sweet potato and Ube. To make it special, slices of jackfruit or langka are often added to the dish to give it another layer of sweetness and flavor. All of these are mixed together and cooked in a thickened sweet mixture of coconut milk. Yeah, this one’s the best, especially when served hot!
Credit: Create with cream
Perfect for dessert and merienda, the Ginataang Bilo-Bilo is also popular because of the Chinese belief that the round sticky balls or Bilo-Bilo symbolize wealth and fortune sticking to the person eating them. So if I were you, this is the first dessert I’ll try in the Philippines!
11. Buko Pie
What did I say, huh? That’s right. Filipinos have a ton of dessert dishes having buko or coconut fruit as their key ingredient. One of those tasty desserts is no other than the Buko Pie. This one’s classic and perfect for merienda. The traditional Buko Pie is a kind of pastry pie that’s filled with a sweet, creamy, and rich mixture made of soft coconuts. In the Philippines, Buko Pie is the go-to pasalubong or food souvenir.
Credit: Greenberry Market FB
It is said that the best Buko Pie ever in the Philippines can be found in its place of origin itself, Laguna. When you go to the province of Laguna, all of the stopovers or souvenir shops you’ll see there are full of freshly-cooked Buko Pie. You can also see tons of vendors coming in buses to sell Buko Pie.
Read the Blog Post: Best Minimalist Cakes (How to order online)
12. Mais Con Yelo
Alright! Another refreshing Filipino dessert that’s perfect for the tropical climate of the country. Mais Con Yelo is a genius creation made of shaved ice, milk, sugar, and of course, sweet corn. It is basically the little brother of the iconic Halo-Halo dessert. It’s best served with crushed corn flakes or rice crispies on top!
Credit: Lutong Bahay Recipe
Mais Con Yelo is a go-to dessert for everyone who wants to have a refreshingly good dessert. Why? First of all, the ingredients are always readily available. And second, it’s easy to prepare. But most of all, it’s relatively cheap!
13. Maruya
Maruya or Banana Fritters is also a popular Filipino dish that’s become an all-time favorite dessert or merienda dish. Just like the iconic desserts Banana Cue and Turon, the Maruya is also made of the Saba Bananas. The process of making Maruya is also similar to those of the Banana Cue and Turon!
Credit: Foxyfolksy
You just have to cut the banana into thin slices and make some kind of batter to coat them and then deep fry! As easy as that. It is best topped with granulated white sugar and served while hot. Just like what I said, Maruya is a perfect dessert and merienda snack that’s best paired with coffee or even soft drinks!
Read the Blog Post: 15 Best Filipino Dishes
14. Silvanas
This one you shouldn’t miss. The Silvanas is an iconic Filipino dessert that is believed to have originated from the Spanish Colonial Era. Silvanas are sinfully crunchy and creamy frozen cookies that are very similar to another Filipino dessert, Sans Rival. It is even believed that the Silvanas are the cookie versions of the Sans Rival!
Credit: Best Lutong Pinoy
The heavenly silky and rich buttercream that’s trapped between the crunchy cashew and meringue cookies is absolutely irresistible. There are a lot of stores nationwide that sell Silvanas and you should definitely try them. The process and ingredients of making Silvanas are very complicated. It’s no surprise they turned utterly delicious!
15. Biko
Finally, another classic Filipino dessert that’s usually served on all kinds of occasions like weddings, birthdays, graduation parties, and reunions is no other than rich, creamy, and sticky Biko. It is a type of rice cake that highlights the flavor of coconut milk mixed with glutinous rice.
Read the Blog Post: 15 Best Filipino Breakfast Dishes
Credit: Havenhillcuisine
Like its fellow classic Filipino desserts Ube Halaya and Sapin-Sapin, Biko also requires a ton of patience and hardwork because you’ll need to constantly stir the glutinous rice while cooking it to prevent it from sticking to the pot. Best topped with toasted coconuts, the Biko is a perfect dessert for merienda because a small portion of it will already fill you up!
There you are! Here are the most delicious and popular desserts in the Philippines. I know that there is still more that needs to be included in this list. How about you? what’s your favorite dessert and merienda?
