7 Cuban Desserts You Should Try At Least Once

Cuba is legendary for its cigars, music, and rum. The island is home to many well-known dishes such as ropa vieja (a shredded beef stew) and moros y cristianos (black beans mixed with white rice). This Caribbean paradise is also filled with tempting desserts laced with tropical flavors that are sure to please even the most demanding sweet tooth.

Join Fine Dining Lovers as we discover an array of Cuban desserts worth a trip to Havana. Enjoy!

7 Traditional Cuban Desserts

Pastelitos de Guayaba

Guava & Cream Cheese Pastelitos On my recent “bakery crawl” through San Francisco, I had my first ever #pastelito at @neighborbakehouse. I’d never heard of these Cuban pastries, most commonly filled with guava and cream cheese. Let me tell you, they’re amazing. ? So much so that I couldn’t wait to try baking them myself. It turns out they’re so easy to make. ?? . . . Recipe: http://abeebakes.com/2018/08/13/guava-cream-cheese-pastelitos/ #pastelitos #guava #guavapastelitos #guavapaste #guavaandcreamcheese #creamcheese #creamcheesefilling #puffpastry #cuban #cubandessert #cuba #buzzfood #buzzfeast #thefeedfeed #feedfeed #feedfood #bakefromscratch #faismaison #pastry #huffposttaste #foodie #food52 #tastydessert #tasty #yummy #dessert #yum

A post shared by ABeeBakes?? (@abeebakes) on Aug 13, 2018 at 11:09am PDT

This Cuban guava pastry is flaky and perfect with a cup of strong Cuban coffee. Pastelitos sometimes contain a mixture of cream cheese and guava. Check out this fun recipe.

Flan

Who else has dessert before lunch ?! ????✨ #Flan #Yum #Dessert #CubanDessert #CubanPizza #Miami #ReysPizza #SweetTooth

A post shared by Reys Pizza (@reyspizzamiami) on Aug 2, 2018 at 11:19am PDT

Flan is a specialty in many Latin countries and Cuba is no exception. It's a creamy treat served chilled as to combat the tropical heat. Try these tips for making the perfect flan.

Tres Leches Cake

Even though they’re known for their amazing burgers ? made with local grass fed beef ? and toppings sourced from other local vendors, the sweet tooth in me always looks forward to dessert? This is the Homemade Tres Leches ? topped w/ Fresh Whipped Cream, Caramel Drizzle, Strawberries, & Bananas all swimming in a pool of Leche Condensada from @lokalcoconutgrove Who else always saves room for dessert??‍♀️? #lokalmiami #burgerjoint #localingredients #localbusinesses #miamiburgers #tresleches #cubanamerican #cubandessert #lechecondensada #miamifoodie #grovite #coconutgrove #coconutgroverestaurant #soflofoodie #devoutfoodie #foodiechronicles

A post shared by FOODIE CHRONICLES (@thedevoutfoodie) on Jul 26, 2018 at 7:57am PDT

Tres leches cake is a spongy cake that is soaked in a mixture of three kinds of milk. It is usually served topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries or meringue and a maraschino cherry. If you'd like to try it at home check out this recipe.

Dulce de Leche

Pure azucar!! Cuban style Dulce de Leche is serious business. It will leave you with a dry mouth and wanting water. Finish it off with some Cafe Cubano! Abuelamami.com #CubanDulcedeLeche #DulcedeLeche #cuban #dessert #cubancoffee #cafelallave #cafecubano #abuelamami

A post shared by Abuela Mami (@abuelamamimiami) on Sep 15, 2016 at 7:50pm PDT

Unlike the creamy dulce de leche beloved across Latin America, the Cuban version is cooked until the milk curdles. It is a tempting treat with all the caramel flavor of dulce de leche but with the addition of cinnamon, vanilla, and lime peel.

Arroz con Leche

#ArrozConLeche - Creamy rice pudding with a touch of cinnamon. ? #ricepudding #dessert #cubandessert #victorscafe #cubanbrunch #brunch #victorscafenyc #sundaybrunch #nyc #sundayfunday #desserttime #yum #eeeeeats

A post shared by Victors Cafe (@victorscafenyc) on Aug 12, 2018 at 12:02pm PDT

This fragrant rice pudding is scented with cinnamon and may include raisins. It is the essence of Cuban comfort food when it comes to dessert.

Natilla

Natilla is a type of vanilla pudding made from cornstarch, milk, sugar, lime peel, and vanilla. It is typically served with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Cuban Cappuccino

A Cuban cappuccino is made in a peculiar way. A bit of espresso is beaten with sugar until it becomes very thick and frothy. It is a sweet beverage similar to Indian cappuccino and guaranteed to wake you up!