Have you ever had Indonesian desserts? I fell in love with them after spending two weeks touring the country.
I knew I would love the fresh seafood, but I had no idea they had such amazing Indonesian desserts - and so many different kinds of sweets!
From the lovely Kampung Daun restaurant in Bandung to the treats served on our farewell cruise off Gili Trawangan, I loved it all!
Even the little Indonesian sweets in our boxed lunches were delightful! Indonesia loves their desserts!
I'll be sharing more about the other foods we ate soon, including a roundup of favorite foods from some of my new friends who were on the trip.
For now, I've gathered recipes for classic Indonesian desserts. I'll be trying a few out soon. Please let me know if you make any of these!
Why I Love Indonesian Desserts
Indonesian cuisine takes many cues from other nearby cultures depending on what part of Indonesia you're visiting. We were all over the country!
If you visit eastern Indonesia you'll be eating a mix of Indonesian cuisine with Polynesian traits. However, most Indonesian dishes are typically associated with Chinese food.
You'll find plenty of Indonesian dessert sweets that feature coconut in different forms. The meat of the coconut is different than the fruits we buy in our local grocery store.
The coconuts in Indonesia are softer and easier to scoop out of the shell. It also gives the Indonesian desserts a different texture, but one I grew to love.
Other popular desserts focus on the regional fruits in Indonesia, like jackfruit or breadfruit.
My trip to Indonesia took about 27 hours each way (and worth every hour to get there!), but with these recipes, you can take a culinary trip to Indonesia without leaving your home!
Perhaps after a taste of these Indonesian sweets from this beautiful country, you will want to start planning your vacation to see wonderful Indonesia.
20 Delicious Indonesian Desserts
This list of Indonesian dessert recipes will have you easily creating the sweet flavors of Indonesia!
Klepon - Sweet Rice Balls Stuffed with Palm Sugar
This is a traditional Indonesian dessert, but it's also eaten in the morning. It has a surprise inside, so kids will especially enjoy this one.
Bingka Telur Egg and Coconut Milk Cake
Another super easy recipe featuring coconut, this dessert is similar to what we know as a pudding or custard.
Steamed Rice Balls with Coconut Milk
These steamed rice balls with coconut milk actually turn out cake-like once they're prepared.
Spekkoek Layer Cake Recipe
This 10-layer cake (yes, you read that right!) is a little more challenging than the other recipes here, but it's certainly impressive!
Kue Lumpur (Mud Cakes)
The flavors of this Kue Lumpur is similar to our US rice pudding, but with a smoother texture. You'll love this one!
Surabaya Layer Cake
You probably have just about everything in your fridge or pantry to make this one. I doubt you'll have the chocolate paste that gives this that rich chocolate flavor, but you can order it and have it in a couple of days.
Traditional Indonesian Layer Cake Recipe
Another traditional layer cake but with different flavors.
Kue Pepe
This is also called Indonesian Thousand Layer Sticky Cake, but don't worry, it doesn't have that many layers!
This is a chewy dessert, more like candy but not quite as sweet.
Indonesian Rice Pudding
Rice pudding seems to be one of those desserts that are made everywhere! Enjoy this version from Indonesia.
Cantik Manis Recipe
Cantik Manis is also called Indonesian Sweet Pretty Cake. It really is pretty with colorful tapioca pearls, and it's easy to make.
Homemade Mochi Ice Cream
Most people would think mochi to be a Japanese dessert, but as I mentioned, the recipes do crossover a lot in Asia. Isn't this one beautiful?
Wingko Babat Cake
This Babat cake has just 5 ingredients and is super easy to prepare.
Ongol-Ongol Hunkwe
Also called Mung Bean Cake with Coconut, this dessert has a softer texture, kind of like what we know as Jello, but with a richer flavor. It's great with a cup of tea.
Ongol-Ongol Singkong
Indonesian Steamed Cassava Cake is made with Cassava or yuca. This dessert is vegan and Gluten-Free.
Martabak Manis
These Indonesian sweet pancakes are so delicious and you'll often find it when in the markets. This dessert is a traditional street food in Indonesia.
Indonesian Avocado Milkshake
You might not think an avocado milkshake sounds like a dessert, but just wait until you taste it to make that judgment!
Bola-bola Ubi Jalar
This is another traditional Indonesian street food made with sweet potatoes. It served on a stick for easy eating and walking.
Serabi Solo Cake
This dessert is served with grated cheese on top, but it's not savory at all. It's defi
Want to learn more about Indonesia? Check out my experience in Bandung where we learned about the traditional games played in this beautiful country.
If you're looking for dinner recipes, I have those, too. Check out this roundup of recipes for Indonesian Food.
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