Quick Answer: Best Peruvian Desserts
The best authentic and delicious Peruvian desserts ever are Picarones, Alfajores, Torta De Dona Pepa, Suspiro de Limeña, Crema Volteada, Mazamorra Morada, Arroz Con Leche, Ranfañote, Lucuma Ice Cream, Frejol Colado, Torte de Chocolate, Pionono and others. Read to know more!
This post will introduce readers to a variety of classic Peruvian desserts along with their easy-to-follow recipes.
I personally love Peruvian desserts because they combine traditional baking styles with contemporary recipes. The result is a wide range of delectable desserts that leave your mouth watering.
If you want to learn more about these amazing Peruvian desserts, keep reading!
Best Peruvian Desserts: Quick Table
| Recipe | Preparation Time |
|---|---|
| Picarones | 3 hrs 20 min |
| Alfajores | 1 hr 20 min |
| Torta De Dona Pepa | 2 hrs |
| Suspiro de Limeña | 25 min |
| Crema Volteada | 2 hrs |
| Mazamorra Morada | 1 hr 45 min |
| Arroz Con Leche | 43 min |
| Ranfañote | 1 hr 20 min |
| Lucuma Ice Cream | 25 min |
| Frejol Colado | 24 hrs 30 min |
| Torte de Chocolate | 1 hr |
| Pionono | 3 hrs 10 min |
| Tres Leches | 2 hrs |
| Panetón | 1 hr 10 min |
| Guargueros | 23 min |
| Humitas Dulces | 1 hr |
| Arroz Zambito | 50 min |
| Quinoa con Leche | 50 min |
| Pie de Limon | 25 min |
| Leche Asada | 1 hr 20 min |
| King Kong | NA |
| Pie de Lucuma | 4 hrs |
| Chicha Morada | 55 min |
| Chilcano De Maracuya | 5 min |
| Huevo Chimbo | 50 min |
| Champus | 14 hrs 40 min |
| Cochinito | 40 min |
| Mazamorra de Cochino | 2 hrs |
| Queso Helado | 30 min |
1. Picarones
Preparation Time: 3 hrs 20 min
Picarones are Peruvian donuts that look like beignets. The dough is made with flour, eggs, macre (a local squash), and sweet potatoes.
You need to boil these ingredients to make a silky puree that blends smoothly with the flour.
Using natural sweeteners like molasses, brown sugar, or chancaca gives it a lovely flavor.
DIY recipe for Picarones – >
2. Alfajores
Preparation Time: 1 hr 20 min
Alfajores are melt-in-your-mouth sandwich cookies with traditional South American roots. Typically, they’re filled with dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut.
The play of textures is exciting, tempting you to bite into more of them.
The coconut flakes stick and complement the creamy filling inside.
DIY recipe for Alfajores – >
3. Torta De Dona Pepa
Preparation Time: 2 hrs
Also known by the name Turrón de Doña Pepa, this colourful cake is a classic Peruvian dessert. It is usually prepared for the feast of the Lord of Miracles on October 28.
You can use any fruit like bananas, apples, oranges, and prunes for the flavoring.
Add anise and cinnamon for a spicy aroma.
DIY recipe for Torta De Dona Pepa – >
4. Suspiro de Limeña
Preparation Time: 25 min
Suspiro de Limeña is a delicious pudding originated in the city of Lima.
It is typically topped with a Port flavored meringue and sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon.
The dazzling white meringue studded with cinnamon powder looks aesthetically pleasing with the caramel-colored pudding below.
DIY recipe for Suspiro de Limeña – >
5. Crema Volteada
Preparation Time: 2 hrs
If you like the French dessert Creme Caramel, you have to try Peru’s Crema Volteada.
It has a unique bundt-cake like structure made with the gelatenous beauty of flan.
Each bite creates a delightful experience of creamy, delicate, and luxurious textures complemented by the amazing combination of eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest.
DIY recipe for Crema Volteada – >
6. Mazamorra Morada
Preparation Time: 1 hr 45 min
Mazamorra Morada is an authentic Peruvian pudding served in a dessert glass.
It has a rich purplish-black color garnished with cinnamon and fruit slices.
The color comes from the gorgeous purple corn that’s blended with thickening agents to form a pudding-like texture.
DIY recipe for Mazamorra Morada – >
7. Arroz Con Leche
Preparation Time: 43 min
Arroz Con Leche is a Latino dessert that is a spiced rice pudding. This sweet dish is believed to have mystical powers that heal the wounds of the soul and brighten the day.
For authentic results, garnish the top of the rice pudding with grated coconut.
It’ll go marvelously with the cinnamon flavor.
DIY recipe for Arroz Con Leche – >
8. Ranfañote
Preparation Time: 1 hr 20 min
Ranfañote is a crunchy Peruvian bread pudding with a sweet and crusty stuffing.
Typically, it is served with a hint of liqueur and local spices.
The beauty of Ranfañote is that it mixes both sweet and savoury to create an addictive snack.
DIY recipe for Ranfañote – >
9. Lucuma Ice Cream
Preparation Time: 25 min
Lacuma is a fruit native to the Andean valleys of Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.
It has a round baseball shape and is very popular in Peruvian desserts.
Lacuma Ice Cream is the perfect way to end a summer brunch on a hot day.
DIY recipe for Lucuma Ice Cream – >
10. Frejol Colado
Preparation Time: 24 hrs 30 min
Although it takes an entire day to make Frejol Colado, its is definitely worth the wait. It is a traditional Afro-Peruvian dessert made with unique ingredients.
This dish gets its dark color from puréed black beans cooked in sugar and milk.
Add spices like anise, cloves, and sesame for authentic results.
DIY recipe for Frejol Colado – >
11. Torte de Chocolate
Preparation Time: 1 hr
Torte de Chocolate is a delightful chocolate cake, with plenty of flour-less recipes.
It forms a decadent disk of dense and moist sponge, dusted with coco powder.
DIY recipe for Torte de Chocolate – >
12. Pionono
Preparation Time: 3 hrs 10 min
In Peru, Piononos are small pastries consisting two parts.
The outside is a thin layer of pastry rolled into a cylinder with inner layers of sweet syrups.
A cinnamon paste goes very well inside a Pionono.
DIY recipe for Pionono – >
13. Tres Leches
Preparation Time: 2 hrs
Tres Leches is soft cake with an ultra-moist crumb.
Traditionally, the cake is soaked with a milk mixture and topped off with whipped cream.
Decorate with sliced strawberries for restaurant-like quality.
DIY recipe for Tres Leches – >
14. Panetón
Preparation Time: 1 hr 10 min
This is a sweetened bread that originated in Italy but found its way into Peruvian cuisine.
Panetón is a fluffy tea cake made during Christmas holidays.
It comes packed with festive fruits and flavors.
DIY recipe for Panetón – >
15. Guargueros
Preparation Time: 23 min
Guargueros are a type of Peruvian canolis.
You can call them fried napkins filled with caramelized milk.
A marble rolling pin works best to create the thin, almost transparent, layers.
16. Humitas Dulces
Preparation Time: 1 hr
Humita is a Native South American dish from pre-Hispanic times.
This steamed fresh corn cake is sweetened using sugar and raisins and flavored with a dash of cinnamon.
DIY recipe for Humitas Dulces – >
17. Arroz Zambito
Preparation Time: 50 min
Another classic Peruvian dessert, Arroz Zambito is also called “Rice Pudding kissed by the Sun”.
It is traditionally served with a crushed walnut and pecan garnish.
18. Quinoa con Leche
Preparation Time: 50 min
If you cook quinoa in sweetened milk, you get Quinoa con Leche.
This humble dessert from Peru will leave you smacking your lips, especially when topped with fresh fruit or preserves.
DIY recipe for Quinoa con Leche – >
19. Pie de Límon
Preparation Time: 25 min
Pie de Límon is the Peruvian name for lemon meringue pie.
This irresistible dessert has a sweet biscuit base and marshmallowy meringue top, all complementing the zestiness of lemon.
DIY recipe for Pie de Límon – >
20. Leche Asada
Preparation Time: 1 hr 20 min
When literally translated, Leche Asada means roasted milk.
That description fits the bill since this dessert is a baked custard with a caramel sauce aka the Peruvian creme caramel.
DIY recipe for Leche Asada – >
21. King Kong
King Kong is a Peruvian dessert with its roots in the city of Lambayeque in Northern Peru.
This towering 7-layer treat is like an alfajor made in a rectangular mould with alternating layers of cookies and fillings.
22. Pie de Lúcuma
Preparation Time: 4 hrs
As the name suggests, this is a Peruvian pie made with fresh local lacuma.
You can even make a delicious cheesecake using these round fruits.
DIY recipe for Pie de Lúcuma – >
23. Chicha Morada
Preparation Time: 55 min
Chicha Morada is a Peruvian dessert drink made with purple corn, fruit, and spices.
It is very popular in Peru because of its unique taste and attractive, dark color.
DIY recipe for Chicha Morada – >
24. Chilcano De Maracuya
Preparation Time: 5 min
Another refreshing sweet drink from Peru, Chilcano De Maracuya, takes only 5 minutes to make.
Nothing like a glass of this to end a summer meal.
25. Huevo Chimbo
Preparation Time: 50 min
Huevo Chimbo is a Latin American staple dessert because of its humble and traditional roots.
It’s a good way to recycle leftover egg yolks after a batch of meringues.
26. Champus
Preparation Time: 14 hrs 40 min
Though this brew takes more than half a day to prepare, it’s a lovely, fruity pick-me-up.
The original preparation is made with mote, dried and shelled corn.
DIY recipe for Champus – >
27. Cochinito
Preparation Time: 40 min
This Peruvian dessert is popular among children because of its interesting shape.
Cochinito is a gingerbread cookie cut into the shape of a pig.
DIY recipe for Cochinito – >
28. Mazamorra de Cochino
Preparation Time: 2 hrs
If you really want to get your hands on an authentic Peruvian dessert, try Mazamorra de Cochino, a spiced cornmeal dish.
It is also sometimes called Mazamorra de Chancaca.
29. Queso Helado
Preparation Time: 30 min
Queso Helado is the Spanish word for Peruvian ice cream. It is a frozen, sorbet-like dessert made with cheese.
It may be unconventional to use cheese as a sweet, but Queso Helado is an excellent precedent.
DIY recipe for Queso Helado – >
FAQs
There are many popular desserts in Peru with traditional uses. Humitas Dulces seems to be the best candidate for the national dessert.
Peruvians have a wide range of desserts that the prepare for ending meals and celebrating. A quick list of these desserts are below.
Picarones
Alfajores
Crema Voltaeda
Humitas Dulces
Leche Asada
The simple answer is yes, Peruvian cuisine does include many items made with cat meat. These dishes are more popular in Afro-Peruvian and Andean cultures.
Here is a list of six popular dishes in Peruvian cuisine.
Arroz con Pato (Rice with Duck)
Lomo Saltado
Ceviche
Papas a la Huancaina
Tiradito
Aji de Gallina Empanadas
A typical Peruvian breakfast includes fresh bread with avocados plus standard condiments like butter, jam, with cheese and ham.
Bottom Line
I do hope this post gave you sufficient options of Peruvian desserts to try in your own kitchens.
Do reach out if you have any questions, comments, or feedback to share. We look forward to hearing from our visitors.
Don’t forget to share these recipes with all your friends and family.