21 Quick and Easy Mexican Desserts

Mexican desserts are perhaps the most popular ones in the world. Some look the same and are cooked using the same process, but no two desserts ever taste the same. They are never bland, and some Mexican desserts even have a hot kick to them.

It is impossible to live in a world where we do not have churros or the various versions of leche flan so in this post, we will share to you 21 quick and easy Mexican desserts to cook and relish.  Ready? Vamos!

21 quick and easy Mexican desserts

#1 Sugar rush with dulce de leche

This one is an easy to prepare all-purpose spread and filling for breads and different cakes and pastries. It is prepared by first stirring 4cups of milk, 1 ¼ cups of sugar and a pinch of baking soda in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil and then simmer with the lid uncovered. Stir every 10mins to prevent burning and to ensure good thickness. Cooking time is one hour. On the last 10mins of simmering, stir in the 2tbsps of vanilla. Transfer to a jar to cool. 

#2 Cultural fusion in the flan custard

This recipe dates to the Roman empire up to the pre colonial Americas and persisted until today. To make this, start with caramelizing the sauce.

Mix milk and sugar in a saucepan and stir until it thickens to a gooey, brown, liquid. When it is done, pour to the pie pan, immediately.

Next, work with the custard. Whisk on the eggs until frothy. Mix the condensed milk and evaporated milk afterwards. Gradually mix the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2tbsp of vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Pour the custard mix into the caramel. Steam for 45mins. Check by poking the knife at the center. If it comes clean, it is done. Refrigerate for 30mins to overnight before slicing. 

#3 All-time favorite churros

Be it on a park truck, cart, or your local Mexican café, churros is a mainstay. It is an all-time favorite that we will all come to a point where we would want to know how to cook it.

First, combine butter, salt, buttermilk, water, and a spoonful of sugar. Bring to a boil. While the mixture is still in the pan, pour in the flour, and stir until it forms a dough-like ball. 

Now, add the vanilla and crack the egg one at a time or until it becomes a shiny dough. Put the dough in a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe 6inches of churros in a baking sheet and refrigerate while the oil heats.

Cook at 375F and 2mins on each side. Drain and then roll in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. You can also poke the tip to fill with your filling of choice. 

#4 Special events tea cakes

There is no Mexican event (birthdays, weddings, Christenings, Christmas) without tea cakes. They are also known as sand cookies and this is how you make them.

First, mix butter, cream, and powdered sugar in a bowl. After this, add vanilla, salt, and the flour to form the dough. Cover it and refrigerate overnight. 

Take off from the ref and leave it for 30mins. Preheat the oven at 400F. Now, form 1-inch balls from the dough and line them closely in the baking sheet.

Bake for 12mins. The color should be pale gold on top and darker gold at the bottom. Double coat with powdered sugar and serve. 

#5 Sweet bread for the day of the dead

If you have been to Central Mexico, you would find this bread of the dead in every household during Dias de los Muertos. To prepare this, make a dough by mixing butter, aniseed, salt, sugar, and half cup of flour in a stand mixer.

In another bowl, combine water, orange zest, and eggs and then add to the mixer along with another half cup of flour. 

Add yeast and another half cup of flour. When the dough forms, knead for a minute. Let rise for 1.5hrs. Separate a dough portion and cut in ¼ strips and shape like a bone.

Put the bone shaped dough on top of the bigger dough. Let rise for another hour before baking for 40mins at 350F. Cool and then glaze or coat with powdered sugar before serving.  

#6 Cozying up with arroz con leche

This one is the perfect cold, tired day Mexican dessert that you should try. Also known as Mexican rice pudding, it starts with bringing milk and water in a low simmer at medium low heat.

As it simmers, throw in the rice, and cinnamon sticks. Continue simmering in an uncovered pot. 

Stir in between the 30mins cooking time. When the rice becomes smooth and gooey, take off the cinnamon sticks.

Toss in a pinch of salt, raisins, vanilla, and condensed milk. Simmer for another 15mins. Serve while it’s hot. Top with butter or cinnamon powder. 

#7 Refreshing Mexican paletas

Kids and adults alike will love this refreshing fruit ice pop. Prepare pineapples and strawberries to get started.

On a blender, mix half portions of each fruit, lime juice, sugar, and water until fine and smooth. The half of the fruits should be chopped thinly to be placed in the ice pop molds.

Pour the mixture, leaving half an inch for expansion space after refrigerating. Cool for 6-8hrs and then place ice pop sticks before taking them off the mold. Serve and enjoy. 

#8 Nachos with a twist

This one is not your typical nachos because this one is tweaked to a dessert. First, preheat the oven at 375F and brush the tortilla with melted butter. Line sheets of parchment paper.

On each side, coat the tortilla with cinnamon and sugar. Stack the tortillas and divide into 6 triangles. Place the triangles on the parchment paper and sprinkle with cinnamon powder before baking for 15mins. 

Cool down the now crisp tortillas and start on the icing. Whisk cream cheese, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar and then load in a piping bag.

Next, melt chocolates and load in another piping bag. Arrange the tortilla chips on a plate. Drizzle with the cream cheese mixture, melted chocolates, cinnamon and sugar powder and top with minced strawberries. Serve. 

#9 Milky goodness of tres leches cake

The name tres leches literally means three milks and from here, you can begin to imagine the milky goodness of this Mexican dessert.

To prepare, you must first bake a sponge cake at 350F for 30mins. For the filling, mix condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk, and vanilla. Next, poke the cake and fill with the milk mixture and then refrigerate for an hour. 

While on the ref, make the cream icing. Beat sugar and heavy cream in a mixer until stiff peaks emerge. Frost it with whipped cream and drizzle with cinnamon and sugar. Top with strawberries or fruits. 

#10 Christmas-y apple pie churros

Apple pie is a signature dish every holiday. Combine it in a churros look and you can make everyday feel like Christmas. Start by preheating the oven at 400F.

Spray an inverted muffin pan with cooking spray and top with circle cut puff pastry to form bowl-like pastry. Bake for 12mins.

Start on the apple pie filling by combining apples, melted butter, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt on a saucepan in medium heat. 

Stir the mixture until caramelized. Cook for about 20mins. Let cool and then fill the bowl-like puff pastries with filling. Top with caramel and serve.  

 #11 Evening a spicy meal with sopaipillas

This Mexican dessert is always seen on the table when savory and spicy meals are whipped up. To prepare, you must combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.

Toss some shortening when the mixture forms like crumbs. Add water gradually until you form a dough. Knead for 3mins until smooth. Cover and set aside for 10mins. 

Roll out the dough and make 12 cuts of square or circle pastries out of it. Deep fry at 375F, 2mins on each side. Drain but keep warm. Drizzle with powdered sugar or top with honey. Serve. 

#12 Cheap dessert with sweet potatoes in cinnamon sugar

This is not just a cheap dessert but one of the easiest Mexican desserts to prepare too. First, preheat the oven at 375F and then make a dough. Set aside and wait for it to rise.

Combine sweet potatoes, orange zest, brown sugar, and cream cheese in a bowl. Get the dough, cut into triangles, and fill it with the sweet potato mixture. Fold and seal. 

Line the filled doughs in the pan with parchment paper. Bake for 12mins and then let cool. Coat with sugar and cinnamon mixture before serving. 

#13 Intriguing no-fry ice cream

This no-fry ice cream is a dessert that you will never forget. It is a unique soft serve in many authentic Mexican restaurants, and it is very easy to prepare.

Start by preheating the oven at 350F. Put as much ice cream scoops in a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. While in the freezer, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.

Toss in some cornflakes and transfer the mixture to a baking pan. Bake for 6mins and then cool. 

Take the ice cream from the fridge and slowly roll each on the baked mixture. Cover and freeze again for about an hour. Serve with your choice of toppings. 

#14 Historic Mayan biscotti

Biscotti might be Italian, but Mayans had it way before the world knew about it and started eating it. To prepare the Mayan biscotti, start with making the dough.

This is done by mixing butter and sugar until it becomes fluffy. Beat 1 egg at a time and then stir in vanilla and coffee liqueur. 

Now, toss in the dry ingredients composed of flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and chili pepper, as well as grated chocolate, pecans, and chocolate chips.

Divide the dough in large triangles and bake for 25mins at 350F. After baking, transfer the baked dough to a cutting board and make ¾-inch biscotti. Place the cut biscotti in a baking sheet and bake for 10mins. Serve. 

#15 Fruity take on empanadas

We are used to Mexican savory empanadas as they are often filled with chicken shreds, beef, and pork bits. Try this pineapple filling for an empanada twist.

First, mix cream cheese with butter in a standing mixer. Use medium speed and mix until the color lightens and it becomes fluffy.

Add flour gradually to the mixture. Form the dough and set aside for 2hrs until it doubles in size. 

In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple preserves, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat the egg and mix with 1tbsp. of water. Preheat the oven at 375F and start cutting the dough using a 3-inch cookie cutter. 

#16 Sweet remembrance with Mexican candied pumpkin

This one is a favorite Mexican snack or breakfast meal and is known as a staple in households, specifically in their altars, during the day of the dead.

First, you need to cut the pumpkin and remove its stem and pits. Strain out the seeds but leave the rind on.

Cut the pumpkin in small cubes or in strings. Next, juice and zest the orange and then bring it to boil along with cinnamon sticks, and brown sugar. 

Add the pumpkin flesh and bring to a covered simmer for 2hrs. Check if the sauce has reduced to a thick substance before taking off from the stove. Let cool. Serve the pumpkin cubes in a bowl and glaze it with the sweet sauce.

Fill the dough with the pineapple filling, fold and seal, drizzle with sugar and brush using the egg wash. Bake for 15mins, let cool and serve. 

#17 Warmth in a cup with champurrado

With its gooey consistency, one can say that this one can pass as a chocolate drink but with its rice and chocolate bits, it is more of a liquid dessert.

To make one, whisk water and flour and mix until gooey. Toss in anise, brown sugar, chocolates, and milk.

Bring to an uncovered simmer and occasionally stir using a whisk. Add butter, and additional sugar. Cook for 20mins. Serve warm. 

#18 Cheap sweets with postre de limon

There is no Mexican household without Maria biscuits. But kids outgrow them fast because they lack taste and they easily melt in the mouth.

To notch that a bit, the Mexicans came up with a cheap sweet with postre de limon. To prepare, take out a baking pan and in there, arrange one layer Maria biscuits.

Next, combine lime juice, condensed, evaporated milk in a bowl. Beat with the mixer until it smoothens. Pour the mixture on the biscuit layer. 

Add more maria biscuit layers in the pan and pour mixture until everything is used up. Cover the layers and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares and top with lime zest. 

#19 Sweet quesadillas

Like empanadas, we are used to the savory taste of quesadillas. But it can be transformed to a dessert right away by spreading it with either smores spread, peanut butter or hazelnut-chocolate spread.

Before serving, you can drizzle it with chocolate syrup, top with fruits like strawberries and sizzle with powdered sugar. 

Related: Is Peanut Butter Gluten-free?

#20 Crispy, fruity apple enchiladas

This savory pastry, enchiladas, can also be transformed into a favorite dessert with fruit fillings. For this, you have to prepare tortillas. You can make your own or just buy from the supermarket.

Next, preheat the oven at 350F. Scrape apple flesh into a bowl. Lightly blend it for crisp apple bits and with the addition of cinnamon powder. 

Now, spread the mixture to the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in a baking pan. Bake the filled tortilla in 20mins. While it is in the oven, whip up the sauce.

Combine sugar, margarine, and water in a saucepan. Reduce heat when it starts thickening. Simmer for 3mins more. Take the tortillas off from the oven. Let cool.

Pour the sauce on the tortillas. Top with powdered sugar or cinnamon before serving. 

#21 Festive conchas

Conchas, translated to literally shells, are festive treats complete with different coatings and colors, and are a staple in many authentic Mexican bakeries.

To make conchas, you must first combine yeast and warm water.

After this, mix a cup of sugar, milk, salt, egg, melted butter, and half cup of flour.

Add cinnamon and another half cup of flour. Knead the dough for 8mins. Set aside and let it rise for an hour. 

For the topping, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cut the dough into even sized balls. Line in a greased cookie sheet. Pat flat and run the knife on the surface to make slats like shells. Cover and leave for 45mins. Preheat the oven at 375F and bake for 20mins. 

Conclusion

With the Mexican desserts featured in this list, we could all agree that the world is better, more bearable, because we get to taste fusions of flavor and the richness of Mexican culture and history in their desserts.

They are not just gastronomically satisfying but also easy to prepare so friends and family could enjoy, which, by the way, is at the center of Mexican culture. 

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Related: 48 Types Of Pasta and Their Uses