Best European Desserts

This collection of the best European desserts highlights favorites from countries like France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Growing up in Ukraine and later traveling across Europe, I fell in love with the unique sweets each country has to offer.

The best part? You don’t need to travel anywhere - these recipes and step-by-step guides make it easy to enjoy authentic European flavors right from your own kitchen.

From delicate French pastries to rich German cakes, from Italian classics to Eastern European holiday breads, this roundup is filled with recipes that showcase the incredible variety of European sweets.

Every country has its own baking style, and I’ve loved discovering how unique flavors and traditions shape each one.

The Best European Desserts

Here you’ll find reliable recipes and step-by-step tutorials to make these international desserts in your own kitchen.

These are the European cakes, pastries, and holiday treats I come back to again and again, and I hope you’ll enjoy baking through them just as much as I have.

French Desserts

Crème Brûlée

Silky smooth custard topped with that irresistible crackly caramelized sugar crust, this crème brûlée is an elegant French classic that always disappears fast. It’s easier than it looks and one of those international desserts that impress every time.

Apple Tarte Tatin

This upside-down apple tart is caramelized, buttery, and beautifully golden once flipped. A true French favorite, tarte tatin looks impressive yet is surprisingly simple to make, making it one of the most timeless European dessert recipes.

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Foolproof And Easy Chocolate Eclair Recipe With Custard Filling {Plus Video}

This easy Chocolate Eclair Recipe is one of the most famous and most delicious desserts ever created. And I'm going to help you make this classic French treat at home using my foolproof recipe that’ll give you perfect results every single time.

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French Yogurt Cake with Peaches

This French Yogurt Cake with Peaches is my pick for a soft, summery dessert. It’s easy to make and perfect for using up ripe peaches.

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Pumpkin Creme Brûlée (Perfect Holiday Make-Ahead Dessert!)

This delicious Pumpkin Creme Brulee is a unique twist on the classic dessert, infusing the creamy custard with the rich flavors of pumpkin and autumn spices. It's a perfect make-ahead dessert for your holiday table, offering a sophisticated yet comforting end to your meal.

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Pear Tarte Tatin

This Pear Tarte Tatin is a perfect example of a dessert that looks as good as it tastes. The crispy, buttery crust is ideal for the moist, flavorful fruit. This classic French tart is so easy to make and is a real crowd-pleaser.

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Blueberry Clafoutis (Julia Child Recipe)

This Blueberry Clafoutis is a quick dessert that's impressive, delicious, and chock full of fresh blueberries! This Julia Child recipe bakes into a puffy, soft, and juicy pancake-like cake you'll love.

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Dacquoise Recipe With Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Dacquoise is a classic French dessert that features super delicate layers of almond meringue, filled with mascarpone whipped cream, and fresh berries. It looks stunning and is a great sophisticated dessert without all the hassle, and my recipe is an incredibly easy one that even first-time bakers can try. 

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Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe

Scrumptious, melt-in-your mouth Chocolate Eclair Cake that takes traditional Eclairs to a whole new level. Made of beautiful Choux Pastry and vanilla pastry cream, this delicious layer cake is going to be your favorite treat for parties or other special occasions.

Lavender Creme Brulee Recipe

You've got to make this Lavender Creme Brulee! It is one of the easiest and most delicious desserts ever. Creamy and decadent!

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Raspberry Crepe Cake

This beautiful Raspberry Crepe Cake recipe is an easy yet impressive dessert you can make for any special occasion or just because you crave something sweet. Delicious and is sure to please your family and friends.

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Italian Desserts

Easy Vegan Raspberry Panna Cotta Without Gelatin

This 15-minute vegan Raspberry Panna Cotta is creamy, rich and literally foolproof. With no gelatin, it is so easy, you can make it every day. I'll show you how to make Panna Cotta that is dairy-free, sugar-free and absolutely delightful. Perfect for any occasion.

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Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake

Moist, tender, and infused with fresh lemon, this ricotta cake is a go-to Italian dessert that works for any occasion. The ricotta adds just the right amount of tang, making each slice light yet satisfying.

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Lavender Chocolate Panna Cotta With Blueberry Jello

This Lavender Panna Cotta is a sophisticated and creamy dessert that is as silky and smooth as it is easy to make. It’s a show-stopping three-layer dessert that looks fancy but is absolutely delicious.

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Soffioni Abruzzesi

These little pastries from the Abruzzo region are filled with fluffy ricotta cream and baked to golden perfection. Soft, sweet, and delightfully simple, they’re the kind of European pastry that’s both rustic and charming.

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Panforte

Packed with nuts, spices, and chocolate, this Tuscan holiday treat is rich and chewy with just the right amount of festive flair. Panforte is a traditional Italian dessert that keeps beautifully, making it perfect for Christmas or cookie exchanges.

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Vanilla Panna Cotta Recipe

This Vanilla Panna Cotta is an easy yet incredibly delicious, perfectly light and creamy dessert that’s make-ahead friendly - perfect for entertaining.

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British Desserts

Lemon Posset With Coconut Shortbread Crust

This Lemon Posset with Coconut Shortbread Crust is my dream dessert - zesty, sweet, and perfectly buttery. It’s a luxurious, make-ahead treat that always impresses when I’m entertaining.

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British Easter Fruit Cake (Simnel Cake)

Traditionally served at Easter, this fruit-filled British cake is layered with almond paste and full of festive flavor. Whether for holidays or special gatherings, Simnel Cake makes a beautiful centerpiece for your table.

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English Sticky Toffee Pudding

A true British classic, sticky toffee pudding is a warm, date-filled cake drenched in caramel sauce. It’s cozy, decadent, and one of the best European cakes to serve when you want something comforting.

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The Best Vegan Posset With Coconut Milk

This Posset recipe will give you the tastiest one you’ve ever had, with the perfect balance of creamy coconut cream and zesty lime. It’s an incredibly easy and quick, no-bake dessert that’s perfect for any occasion!

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Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding

If you're a fan of sweet, sticky, and deliciously rich desserts, then you'll love Sticky Toffee Pudding. The cake is wonderfully moist, thanks to the addition of dates, and the toffee sauce, made with brown sugar and coconut cream, adds an extra layer of sweetness and creaminess that's hard to resist. What’s best is that it’s vegan-friendly too!

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Earl Grey Fruit Cake

This healthy Earl Grey Fruit Cake is juicy and flavorful. It is made without refined sugar or oil, so it's okay to enjoy more than one slice.

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Scandinavian Desserts

Risalamande (Danish Rice Pudding)

A creamy rice pudding folded with whipped cream and almonds, then topped with cherry sauce, this Danish Christmas dessert is both festive and irresistible. It’s one of those traditional European sweets that never goes out of style.

Finnish Christmas Cookies With Prune Jam (Joulutorttu)

These pinwheel-shaped pastries filled with prune jam are a holiday staple in Finland. Baked until golden and dusted with sugar, Joulutorttu are festive little cookies that freeze well for sharing all season long.

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Eastern and Central European Desserts

Paska (Ukrainian Easter Bread)

This tall, golden bread is lightly sweet with raisins and a fluffy interior, making it a treasured centerpiece for Easter celebrations. Paska is more than a bread - it’s a beloved European tradition passed through generations.

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Trdelnik

Found on the streets of Prague, this spiral pastry is rolled in cinnamon, sugar, and walnuts before being baked until crisp and golden. Trdelník is a street food favorite that captures the spirit of European pastry.

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Russian Tea Cookies

Buttery, nutty, and dusted with powdered sugar, these little snowball cookies melt in your mouth. Known around the world, they’re a classic treat for Christmas or any time of year.

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Gerbeaud Cake (Traditional Hungarian Dessert)

Layers of pastry, walnut filling, and jam come together under a glossy chocolate glaze in this Hungarian classic. Gerbeaud Cake is rich, indulgent, and perfect for sharing at gatherings or holidays.

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Russian Cookies With Jam (Kurabie Biscuits)

These delicate cookies are filled with jam and baked until golden. With their tender crumb and pretty jewel-like centers, they’re perfect for tea time or holiday cookie trays.

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Stollen Recipe

The most amazing German Christmas cake with dried and candied fruits, nuts and Marzipan. So flavorful and delicious! Perfect addition to your Christmas dessert menu.

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Hausfreunde With Marzipan (Friend Of The House Cookie)

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Viennese Cookies

Recipe Video Above. Best butter cookies ever! These Viennese Cookies by Pierre Herme are quite a treat. Festive, delicious and perfect for Christmas! 

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Apple Sponge Cake

This Apple Sponge Cake, also known as Russian Sharlotka, is a super delicious and moist dessert that will quickly become your new favorite apple dessert. With its easy preparation and sweet, crispy almond topping that melts in your mouth, this decadent fall treat is a must-try that will never disappoint!

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Dutch Desserts

Banket (Dutch Christmas Log)

Flaky puff pastry wrapped around sweet almond filling and baked until golden, this Dutch holiday pastry is simple to prepare and always impressive. Banketstaaf is a traditional European pastry often served at Christmas.

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Greek Desserts

Apple Hand Pies (Milopitakia)

Made with fresh apples and walnuts, these little hand pies are a cozy Greek treat perfect for fall baking. Whether for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack, milopitakia are a simple way to enjoy homemade European sweets.

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I hope this roundup of European desserts inspires you to try something new in your kitchen. Let me know which recipe you’ll bake first - I’d love to hear your favorite!