Collection
Nut-Free Desserts from Around the World
A world of desserts that are naturally nut-free: 117 authentic dishes, each from a real region with its cultural story and dietary swaps built in. Toggle nut-free on any other recipe and it rewrites itself to match.
117 recipes
Latchiri e KossamConakry, Guinea · medium · 75 minHand-rolled maize couscous steamed fine and served with cool, tangy curdled milk, the Fula celebration dish of Guinea.
Chin ChinLagos, Nigeria · easy · 45 minCrunchy little cubes of sweet fried dough with a hint of nutmeg, Nigeria's favorite anytime nibble.
ThiakryDakar, Senegal · easy · 40 minSweetened steamed millet couscous folded through vanilla yogurt and cream with raisins, a cool West African pudding.
Malva PuddingWestern Cape, South Africa · easy · 55 minA sticky apricot-jam sponge drenched in hot cream sauce, South Africa's best-known baked pudding.
MakroudhTunis, Tunisia · medium · 65 minDiamond-shaped semolina pastries filled with spiced date paste and soaked in honey, a Tunisian and Maghrebi classic.
KaimatiNairobi, Kenya · medium · 110 minCrisp cardamom-scented dumplings tossed in sugar syrup, a Swahili-coast sweet loved across Kenya.
KabalagalaKampala, Uganda · easy · 30 minSweet little pancakes of ripe banana and cassava flour fried until golden, a favorite Ugandan snack.
NapolitainePort Louis, Mauritius · medium · 45 minTwo crumbly shortbread biscuits sandwiched with jam and coated in bright pink icing, a Mauritian bakery icon.
GhraybahTripoli, Libya · easy · 38 minMelt-in-the-mouth buttery shortbread scented with a hint of cardamom, a Libyan and Maghrebi celebration cookie.
LaduMoroni, Comoros · easy · 35 minToasted ground rice cooked in ghee and bound with sugar, cardamom, and a note of black pepper into fragrant sweet balls, a Comorian teatime treat.
Mbatata CookiesLilongwe, Malawi · easy · 35 minSoft, lightly spiced biscuits made from mashed sweet potato, a homey Malawian teatime treat.
Benne CakesFreetown, Sierra Leone · easy · 25 minToasted sesame seeds set in crisp caramel, a simple, ancient West African sweet from Sierra Leone.
Yemarina Yewotet Dabo (Honey and Milk Bread)Amhara, Ethiopia · medium · 70 minA tender, lightly sweet loaf enriched with honey, milk and warm spices, Ethiopia's way of making the most of the honey it is famous for.
Cameroonian Banana CakeLittoral (Douala), Cameroon · easy · 60 minA moist, lightly spiced loaf built on very ripe bananas, the hawked teatime cake of coastal Cameroon.
Chikenduza (Candy Cakes)Harare, Zimbabwe · medium · 55 minSoft, yeasted sweet cakes baked tall and finished with a bright pink glaze, a Zimbabwean bakery treat.
Kgojwa ya Moretlwa (Wild Berry and Milk Pudding)Gaborone, Botswana · easy · 20 minPounded wild moretlwa berries steeped and whisked into cold sweet milk, a traditional Botswana after-meal sweet.
Meni-Meniyong (Sesame and Honey Brittle)Bamako, Mali · easy · 25 minToasted sesame seeds set in caramelised honey and cut into crunchy fingers, a sweet found in every Malian market.
Mabuyu (Sweet-Coated Baobab Seeds)Lusaka, Zambia · easy · 25 minTangy baobab seeds tumbled in a bright sugar coating, the nostalgic street candy of Zambia.
Pudim de Leite (Milk Flan)Santiago (Praia), Cape Verde · medium · 70 minA silky baked milk custard under a dark caramel, one of Cabo Verde's most popular desserts.
Himbasha (Celebration Bread)Asmara, Eritrea · medium · 60 minA mildly sweet cardamom bread scored in a sunburst pattern and studded with raisins, Eritrea's festive loaf.
Yovo Doko (Sweet Fritters)Cotonou, Benin · easy · 35 minLight, puffy sweet fried dough balls dusted with sugar, often called the national dessert of Benin.
Djiboutian Banana FrittersDjibouti City, Djibouti · easy · 25 minLight little fritters of mashed ripe banana and flour scented with nutmeg, fried and dusted with sugar, a Djibouti favourite.
Bananes au Four Croustillantes (Crisp Baked Bananas)Libreville, Gabon · easy · 30 minBananas rolled in breadcrumbs, fried crisp and baked, then dressed with brown sugar and cool cream, a Gabon classic.
Gapal (Millet and Milk Dessert)Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso · easy · 20 minFine millet blended with tangy yogurt, baobab and ginger into a thick, cool spooning dessert, a Fulani speciality.
Beignets de Banane (Banana Fritters)Bangui, Central African Republic · easy · 25 minMashed ripe bananas fried in a light batter with a hint of lime, the sweet end to a Central African meal.
Le Ouaddaï (Fried Millet Fingers)N'Djamena, Chad · easy · 35 minCrisp fried fingers of sweetened millet and wheat, a teatime sweet from the Ouaddaï region of Chad.
Makemba (Sweet Fried Plantain)Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo · easy · 20 minVery ripe plantains fried until caramelised and dusted with cinnamon sugar, a simple Congolese sweet.
KoeksistersMbabane, Eswatini · medium · 60 minPlaited dough fried crisp and plunged into ice-cold spiced syrup, a sticky sweet loved across Eswatini.
Doce de Papaia (Papaya Sweet)Bissau, Guinea-Bissau · easy · 60 minPapaya slowly cooked with sugar, lime and cinnamon until glossy and translucent, a Bissau-Guinean preserve-sweet.
Dates Stuffed with ButterNouakchott, Mauritania · easy · 15 minPlump dates split and filled with cardamom-scented butter, a Saharan sweet of Mauritanian hospitality.
Sweet Mahangu PorridgeWindhoek, Namibia · easy · 30 minNamibian pearl millet simmered soft in sweet vanilla cream and served with stewed fruit, a homely dessert.
Alkaki (Fried Wheat Sweet)Niamey, Niger · medium · 60 minCrushed wheat kneaded with milk and butter, shaped, fried and soaked in tamarind sugar syrup, a Zinder speciality.
Sonhos de Banana (Banana Fritters)São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe · easy · 25 minMashed banana fritters fried until crisp and rolled in cinnamon sugar, a Portuguese-island sweet of São Tomé.
Kuindiong (Semolina Pudding)Juba, South Sudan · easy · 30 minA creamy semolina and yogurt pudding topped with miok, a nutty butter-and-sugar crumble, a Dinka sweet.
Date and Banana MixBujumbura, Burundi · easy · 50 minA warm baked cake layering sliced banana and chopped dates through a soft batter, finished with cinnamon sugar.
DorayakiTokyo (Kanto), Japan · easy · 35 minTwo fluffy honey-scented pancakes sandwiching sweet red bean paste, a classic Japanese teatime treat.
Gulab JamunPunjab, India · medium · 45 minSoft milk-solid dumplings deep-fried and soaked in rose-and-cardamom syrup, the sweet of every Indian celebration.
TangyuanShanghai, China · medium · 45 minChewy glutinous rice balls with a sweet black sesame center in warm ginger syrup, a Chinese symbol of family reunion.
Leche FlanCentral Luzon, Philippines · medium · 65 minA dense, silky egg-yolk custard under a dark caramel, steamed in a tin mold, the Philippines' richest celebration dessert.
Juju DhauKathmandu Valley, Nepal · easy · 45 minA rich, sweet set yogurt scented with cardamom, the King of Yogurts from the Newar city of Bhaktapur.
Chak-ChakTashkent, Uzbekistan · medium · 55 minCrisp fried dough pieces bound in warm honey syrup into a sticky golden mound, a Central Asian celebration sweet.
RoshogollaDhaka, Bangladesh · medium · 55 minSpongy cheese-curd balls simmered in light sugar syrup, the springy sweet of Bengal.
Pineapple CakeTaipei, Taiwan · medium · 70 minA buttery shortbread pastry enclosing a chewy, tangy pineapple jam, Taiwan's most popular edible souvenir.
KhabzeyThimphu, Bhutan · medium · 60 minCrisp, lightly sweet fried dough shaped into knots and butterflies, a festive Bhutanese biscuit for New Year and offerings.
KleichaBaghdad, Iraq · medium · 70 minSpiced pastry spirals filled with date paste and cardamom, Iraq's national cookie, made for every celebration.
Bint al-SahnSana’a, Yemen · advanced · 75 minMany paper-thin layers of buttery dough baked and drenched in honey and scattered with nigella seeds, Yemen's honey cake.
AreekaRiyadh, Saudi Arabia · easy · 25 minSoft bread mashed with dates, butter, and honey into a rich, comforting sweet of southern Saudi Arabia.
LuqaimatDubai, United Arab Emirates · medium · 110 minCrisp golden dumplings drenched in date syrup and scattered with sesame, the classic fried sweet of the Emirati Ramadan table.
ZhentAlmaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 30 minA sweet, crumbly pressed mixture of toasted millet, butter, and raisins, a traditional Kazakh treat of the steppe.
RugelachTel Aviv, Israel · medium · 60 minLittle rolled pastry crescents filled with chocolate or cinnamon, a bakery staple of Israel and the Jewish diaspora.
Gers OgailyKuwait City, Kuwait · easy · 55 minA fragrant saffron and cardamom sponge cake topped with sesame and nigella seeds, a Kuwaiti celebration classic.
Gangnaengi-tteokPyongyang, North Korea · easy · 50 minChewy steamed corn cakes lightly sweetened and often dotted with beans, a homely North Korean treat.
Khailmag (Caramelized Clotted Cream)Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · easy · 25 minA rich Mongolian dessert of urum, clotted cream, cooked down slowly with sugar and a little flour into a thick, caramel-toned pudding eaten warm with a spoon.
Nishallo (Whipped Ramadan Sweet)Dushanbe, Tajikistan · medium · 25 minA glossy white Tajik whip of egg whites beaten into a hot sugar syrup and scented with vanilla, made for iftar in Ramadan and scooped up with warm bread.
Pishme (Turkmen Fried Dough Diamonds)Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · medium · 110 minTurkmenistan's celebration sweet: little diamonds of light yeasted dough fried until puffed and golden, then dusted with sugar.
JalebiPunjab, India · medium · 50 minCrisp fermented-batter spirals deep-fried and soaked in warm saffron-cardamom syrup, the bright coils shared at Diwali and celebrations across North India.
Pastéis de NataLisbon, Portugal · medium · 45 minBlistered puff-pastry cups filled with silky cinnamon-scented custard, Lisbon’s daily miracle, best warm.
TiramisùLombardy (Milan), Italy · easy · 30 minCoffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with airy mascarpone cream and dusted with cocoa, Italy's most famous dessert.
Crème BrûléeBurgundy, France · medium · 65 minA silky vanilla custard under a brittle sheet of torched caramel, the crack of the spoon half the pleasure.
SernikLesser Poland, Poland · medium · 95 minA dense, rich baked cheesecake made from Polish twaróg curd cheese, a cornerstone of every celebration table.
GalaktobourekoAttica (Athens), Greece · medium · 75 minA creamy semolina custard baked between crisp layers of phyllo and drenched in citrus syrup, a Greek pastry classic.
Schwarzwälder KirschtorteSwabia, Germany · advanced · 75 minLayers of chocolate sponge soaked in cherry kirsch, whipped cream, and morello cherries, the famous Black Forest gateau.
Dobos TorteGreat Hungarian Plain, Hungary · advanced · 90 minThin sponge layers stacked with chocolate buttercream under a crown of hard caramel, a jewel of Hungarian patisserie.
BarmbrackMunster, Ireland · easy · 80 minA lightly spiced tea-soaked fruit loaf, tied to Halloween and its hidden fortune-telling charms.
KanelbullarSkåne, Sweden · medium · 55 minCardamom-scented cinnamon buns crowned with pearl sugar, the heart of the Swedish coffee ritual of fika.
Sticky Toffee PuddingCumbria (Lake District), United Kingdom · medium · 60 minA moist date sponge drowned in warm toffee sauce, the most comforting of British puddings, best with cream.
StroopwafelGelderland, Netherlands · advanced · 70 minTwo thin waffle wafers pressed around a layer of warm caramel syrup, the Dutch treat meant to rest on your coffee cup.
Ovocné KnedlíkyBohemia, Czechia · medium · 45 minSoft dumplings wrapped around whole plums or apricots, boiled and rolled in butter, curd, and sugar, a Czech summer treat.
PapanașiTransylvania, Romania · medium · 35 minFried curd-cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and tart jam, a warm Romanian dessert.
SachertorteVienna, Austria · advanced · 85 minA dense chocolate sponge with a thin layer of apricot jam under a glossy dark chocolate glaze, Vienna's famous cake.
SpeculoosFlanders, Belgium · easy · 35 minThin, crisp caramelized spice biscuits traditionally baked for Saint Nicholas, the coffee companion of the Low Countries.
MustikkapiirakkaNorth Karelia, Finland · easy · 50 minA rustic blueberry pie on a soft cardamom base with a tangy quark topping, made from Finland's wild forest berries.
TinginysVilnius, Lithuania · easy · 25 minA no-bake chocolate log of crushed biscuits set in a cocoa-butter mixture, sliced to reveal a mosaic, a Lithuanian classic.
ImqaretValletta, Malta · medium · 45 minDiamond-shaped fried pastries filled with spiced date paste, a Maltese street sweet scented with aniseed and orange.
FrituleDalmatia, Croatia · easy · 40 minLittle rum-and-citrus doughnut balls studded with raisins and dusted with sugar, a Croatian festive fritter.
Šúľance s MakomBratislava, Slovakia · medium · 45 minSoft little potato-dough rolls tossed in ground poppy seed, butter, and sugar, a nostalgic Slovak sweet.
TrileçeTirana, Albania · medium · 60 minA sponge soaked in three milks and finished with a caramel glaze, Albania's much-loved milk cake.
MedovikMoscow, Russia · advanced · 100 minMany thin honey-baked layers stacked with a tangy sour-cream frosting, Russia's classic honey cake.
KringelTartu, Estonia · medium · 65 minA twisted, braided sweet bread swirled with cinnamon, the celebratory loaf of the Estonian coffee table.
Rupjmaizes KārtojumsRiga, Latvia · easy · 35 minA layered trifle of toasted rye breadcrumbs, tart cranberry, and whipped cream, a uniquely Latvian dessert.
RožataCetinje, Montenegro · medium · 75 minA silky caramel custard scented with rose liqueur, the classic celebration dessert of the Montenegrin coast.
LoukoumadesNicosia, Cyprus · medium · 110 minAiry fried dough puffs soaked in honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon, an ancient sweet loved across Cyprus.
QuetschentaartLuxembourg City, Luxembourg · easy · 65 minA shortcrust tart of sharp quetsch plums under a cinnamon dusting, Luxembourg's classic late-summer bake.
SheqerparePristina, Kosovo · medium · 50 minSoft semolina cookies soaked in sugar syrup until melting, a popular sweet across Kosovo and the Balkans.
KulagaMinsk, Belarus · easy · 35 minA thick, warm berry and rye porridge sweetened to a jammy pudding, an old Belarusian forest-berry dessert.
ApfelchüechliVaduz, Liechtenstein · easy · 30 minBattered apple rings fried golden and dusted with cinnamon sugar, a warm Alpine treat of Liechtenstein.
Crostata di Ricotta e ViscioleVatican City, Vatican City · medium · 85 minA shortcrust tart of sweet ricotta and tart sour cherries, the classic Roman-Jewish dessert of the old Ghetto.
PoffertjesGelderland, Netherlands · medium · 35 minSmall, puffy yeast-raised pancakes made with buckwheat and wheat flour, served hot in a heap under a knob of butter and a heavy dusting of icing sugar.
RømmegrøtVestland (Bergen), Norway · medium · 30 minA rich Norwegian festive porridge made by cooking full-fat sour cream with flour until its butterfat separates, loosened with milk and served with cinnamon sugar.
KaiserschmarrnVienna, Austria · medium · 40 minA fluffy Austrian pancake lightened with beaten egg whites, torn into pieces and caramelised in butter and sugar, dusted with icing sugar and served with plum compote.
Jordgubbstårta (Strawberry Cream Cake)Skåne, Sweden · medium · 75 minThe signature Swedish Midsummer cake: an airy sponge layered with vanilla cream and fresh strawberries, covered in whipped cream and crowned with more berries in the red-and-white of the Swedish flag.
Rødgrød med FlødeZealand (Copenhagen), Denmark · easy · 50 minThe taste of a Danish summer: red summer berries cooked to a thick pudding and served cold under a pour of cream.
BustrengoCity of San Marino, San Marino · easy · 80 minSan Marino's dense rustic cake of cornmeal, bread, apple and dried fruit sweetened with honey, a Christmas classic.
BrigadeiroMinas Gerais, Brazil · easy · 25 minFudgy chocolate truffles of condensed milk cooked with cocoa and butter, rolled in sprinkles. No Brazilian party exists without them.
Suspiro a la LimeñaLima, Peru · medium · 50 minA layer of thick caramel dulce de leche under a cloud of port-scented meringue, Lima's most romantic dessert.
Leche AsadaCentral Valley, Chile · easy · 55 minA rustic baked milk custard with a scorched, caramelised top, Chile's homelier cousin of crème caramel.
Higos con QuesoPichincha (Andes), Ecuador · easy · 105 minWhole figs slow-cooked in dark panela syrup and served with a slice of fresh cheese, an Ecuadorian classic.
QuesilloCaracas, Venezuela · easy · 75 minA dense caramel-topped custard set with whole eggs and condensed milk, the Venezuelan flan of every celebration.
Dulce de MamónAsunción, Paraguay · easy · 110 minGreen papaya slow-cooked in clove-and-cinnamon syrup until translucent and jammy, a Paraguayan pantry sweet.
ChajáMontevideo, Uruguay · medium · 65 minAiry sponge layered with whipped cream, peaches, and crushed meringue, Uruguay's cloud-light celebration cake.
Apple PiePennsylvania (Philadelphia), United States · medium · 95 minA double-crust pie of cinnamon-spiced apples in flaky butter pastry, the definitive American dessert.
KurmaPort of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · easy · 45 minCrunchy fried sticks of ginger-spiced dough tumbled in a hard sugar glaze, a Trinidadian Indo-Caribbean sweet.
Pastelitos de GuayabaHavana, Cuba · easy · 45 minFlaky puff-pastry parcels of sweet guava paste and cream cheese, glazed shiny, the classic Cuban bakery pastry.
Rellenitos de PlátanoSacatepéquez (Antigua), Guatemala · medium · 50 minSweet fried plantain dumplings stuffed with spiced black bean paste, a Guatemalan treat.
Tres LechesManagua, Nicaragua · medium · 60 minAn airy sponge soaked in three milks and crowned with meringue, the cake Nicaragua claims as its own.
Quesadilla SalvadoreñaSan Salvador, El Salvador · easy · 55 minA sweet, dense pound cake made with hard cheese and topped with sesame seeds, El Salvador's coffee-break classic.
Rosquillas en MielSan Pedro Sula, Honduras · medium · 55 minLittle corn-and-cheese rings simmered in a dark spiced sugar syrup, a Honduran and Central American sweet.
Sopa BorrachaPanama City, Panama · medium · 55 minSponge cake drenched in a spiced rum-and-prune syrup, Panama's boozy celebration dessert, despite the 'soup' in its name.
Grenadian Nutmeg Ice CreamSt. George's, Grenada · easy · 25 minA cool, creamy ice cream fragrant with fresh-grated nutmeg, showcasing the spice that defines the Isle of Spice.
Dominica Guava CheeseRoseau, Dominica · medium · 60 minA firm, chewy guava paste cooked down and cut into sugared squares, a confection traditional to Dominica.
Guava DuffNassau, Bahamas · medium · 105 minA boiled sweet dough rolled around ribbons of ripe guava, sliced into spirals and drowned in a warm rum-butter sauce.
Bermuda Rum CakeHamilton, Bermuda · medium · 80 minA dense, buttery cake soaked in dark Bermuda rum, the island's signature celebration dessert.
Thayacha (Andean Frozen Oca)La Paz, Bolivia · easy · 40 minAn ancient Bolivian altiplano treat: sweet oca tubers boiled with cinnamon, then frozen overnight into a natural ice, sold in the winter markets of La Paz and El Alto.
Pan de MuertoPuebla, Mexico · medium · 70 minThe soft, orange-and-anise scented sweet bread of Dia de los Muertos, shaped with a skull and crossed bones of dough and dusted in sugar, baked to eat and to place on the ofrenda.
Calabaza en TachaOaxaca, Mexico · easy · 75 minPumpkin simmered in dark piloncillo syrup with cinnamon, cloves and orange until deep amber and tender, a pre-Hispanic sweet that is a fixture of the Dia de los Muertos altar.
Queensland Pumpkin SconesQueensland, Australia · easy · 35 minGolden, pillowy scones enriched with mashed pumpkin, a Queensland institution served warm with butter.
PavlovaCanterbury, New Zealand · medium · 95 minA cloud of meringue, crisp shell, marshmallow heart, piled with cream and summer fruit. The dessert two nations claim.
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