If you’re hoping to give your tastebuds a thrill, then Malaysian desserts might be exactly what you need!
Despite the global fame of other types of Asian cooking, the deliciousness of Malaysian cuisine is too often overlooked.
There are at least 25 recipes just waiting to be discovered!
From refreshing shaved ice to delectable cakes, Malaysian treats utilize tropical fruits, nuts, and other fresh ingredients to create food that’s both delicious and unforgettable.
1. Tau Foo Fah (Soy Bean Pudding)
If you crave something supremely easy to prepare, this soy bean pudding has you covered. You’ll only have to gather six ingredients and set aside 15 minutes, tops.
The resulting pudding has a silky texture and the ideal amount of sweetness in each bite. I think you’ll find that it’s great served either warm or chilled.
2. Kuih Bahulu (Malaysian Egg Cake)
If you like visiting Chinese restaurants, maybe you’ve already had a taste of Malaysian egg cake. As with most things, however, a homemade version will taste so much better!
All you’ll need are the most basic baking ingredients; these cakes are light, spongy, and not too sweet. Before you serve them, I recommend adding powdered sugar and a drop or two of maple syrup.
3. Kue Lapis (Layered Coconut Milk Dessert)
This dish has a delightful springy texture that practically begs to be peeled off and eaten one layer at a time. Of course, that assumes that you have the willpower not to eat it all at once!
Its flavor holds up even after refrigeration. Why not give it a shot and see what all the fuss is about?
4. Bubur Cha Cha (Malaysian Coconut Milk Dessert)
This dessert has a versatile nature that makes it gluten-free, as well as vegan. It even has enough nutritious ingredients to be served as a relatively healthy breakfast option.
You can prepare it using taro root, pandan, white sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and more. What a fantastic way to savor an almost guilt-free dessert!
5. Onde Onde (Pandan and Coconut Dessert)
Take a look beneath the shredded coconut, and you’ll discover that these sweet coconut balls have a blue and yellow color. The secret is that they’re made with blue pea flowers and natural pandan.
In addition to their lovely appearance, they deliver a serious burst of sweetness and coconut flavor. Every bite is soft and slightly chewy to enhance the experience.
6. Pineapple Jam Tarts/Cookies
People often serve these pineapple jam tarts during Chinese New Year celebrations. Although it takes about an hour to make them, they’re absolutely worth the effort.
The cookies are buttery and flaky like crescent rolls, while the pineapple jam is sweet with a bit of tropical tang. I think you’ll want to double this recipe since these tarts disappear quickly.
7. Sweet Potato Balls
These lovely sweet potato balls have a perfectly golden hue and an almost perfectly round shape. You can make them from glutinous and white rice flour, baking powder, sugar, and sweet potatoes.
After steaming and mashing the potatoes, you’ll add your other ingredients before forming the mixture into balls. Drop them in vegetable oil for a quick, 3-minute frying.
8. Kuih Bingka Ubi Kayu (Baked Tapioca and Coconut Milk Cake)
These soft, moist cakes are made using tapioca and coconut milk. Because they’re gluten-free, just about anyone can enjoy them!
They taste similar to pound cake but have a spongier, slightly sweeter consistency. I think it’s great to serve them with tea, but sliced strawberries and a dash of powdered sugar work well, too. Plus, the pandan makes them smell incredible.
9. Sweet Potato Ginger Soup
Although people often consider soup to be a savory dish, this recipe will make you think again. This soup calls for dried longan, ginger roots, black dates, and rock sugar.
Despite not looking like a classic dessert, its flavor will absolutely remind you of one. Give it a shot, and you might end up expanding your ideas about what dessert can be!
10. Banana Cake
This banana cake has everything you could want: a light, fluffy, moist texture and a positively explosive banana flavor. It requires about an hour to prepare, but the baking only takes around 50 minutes.
If you want, you can add nuts, berries, chocolate frosting, or anything else that strikes your fancy. No matter what you add, this cake will definitely blow you away.
11. Peanut Puffs
These peanut puffs look like mini apple pies that have been deep-fried for a golden-brown color. People traditionally serve them at Chinese New Year celebrations.
If you like peanuts, you’ll have to give this recipe a try. If I’m being honest, I’m a huge peanut fanatic, and these might be my all-time favorite peanut dessert!
12. Kuih Sagu
You can wrap these not-too-sweet desserts in banana leaves, but it isn’t required. Either way, you’ll find that they’re naturally gluten-free and another favorite of people in Malaysia.
Although their proper name is Malaysian nyonya kuih abok abok sago, most people simply call them kuih sagu. It’s easy to see why: the name rolls off the tongue and makes it easy to remember!
13. Almond London Cookies
This recipe only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.
It’ll give you around 70 cookies that have both chocolate and almond flavors, almost like little chocolate bars. Each bite brings a mouthful of chocolatey, nutty goodness, but be warned: you might find it hard to stop eating once you get started!
14. Kue Koci Gula Kelapa (Glutinous Rice Cake with Coconut Filling)
I will concede that these might not look the most appetizing, but I encourage you to give them a try! They consist of glutinous rice cakes that have a gooey, fantastic coconut cream filling.
For a nice presentation, wrap them in banana leaves. You can even serve them with coconut sauce to give them more sweetness!
15. Kuih Kodok (Malaysian Fried Mashed Banana Fritters)
These deep-fried fritters only require 20 minutes to make. Their exteriors have a wonderful crispiness, while the warm insides taste like pure, sweet bananas.
For an extra-yummy experience, try serving them with a side of chocolate sauce. I think you’ll find that the slight bitterness complements the dish’s sweetness in just the right way.
16. Bubur Cha-Cha
I always find myself gravitating toward Malaysian dishes that have bright colors, and bubur cha-cha has a vibrancy that few other desserts can match.
It makes use of tapioca and coconut milk to create a sweet base that’s enhanced by the yellow, orange, and purple hues of sweet potatoes, yams, and black-eyed peas. If you ask me, it doesn’t get much tastier or more beautiful than this.
17. Kuih Dadar (Crepes with Pandan and Coconut
Because of their authentic pandan flavoring, these crepes have a delightful smell in addition to their great taste. They also get their unique green hue from the pandan.
Filled with grated coconut and cooked in palm sugar, these crepes only need about 20 minutes of prep and cook time. Why not give them a shot when you want something quick and delicious?
18. Cashew Nut Cookies
These tasty cookies have a perfect shape for a party. While they resemble shortbread cookies, the roasted cashews give them a nuttier, earthier flavor.
In addition, each cookie has a buttery egg wash and a cashew on top for added flavor and a pleasing appearance. They’re just begging to be shown off at your next get-together!
19. Kuih Seri Muka (Coconut Milk, Rice, and Pandan Dessert)
Let’s finish things off with another dish that really pops! This dessert requires about 90 minutes to make and features a distinct layering of flavors.
The bottom layer is a rice dish with a slight coconut flavor, while the top is a pandan custard layer that’s softer and sweeter. Best of all, the top layer has a vibrant green color! You’ll find that these layers combine perfectly, leading to a sticky and still-sweet dessert.
20. Pandan Coconut Ice Cream
People frequently add pandan to Malaysian desserts. If you haven’t had it before, you’re in for something special.
This ingredient gives your dishes a natural pop of color while also smelling unbelievably good. Try putting it in your homemade ice cream to give it a more flavorful and aromatic profile!
21. Pulut Tai Tai (Blue Glutinous Rice Cake with Coconut Milk)
Honestly, even if this cake had a terrible flavor, I’d still put it on this list. That’s because I think it’s absolutely stunning! It’s hard to believe that Earth has a naturally occurring ingredient that can produce this shade of blue.
As for the flavor, the cake has a firm, moist, sweet, and chewy profile. More importantly, though, it’s BLUE!
22. Gula Melaka (Sago Pudding with Coconut Milk)
If you want an easy-to-make dessert, then a sago-based pudding might be right up your alley. All you’ll have to do is put the sago in boiling water until it becomes translucent.
Afterward, you’ll mold it and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, add water to your molasses (or palm sugar), then bring the mixture to a boil. To finish, just pour it over the chilled pudding!
23. Coffee Bun
Despite its name, the Mexican coffee bun is actually a thick, buttery bun that’s hugely popular in Asia and Malaysia.
You’ll want to make a topping with flour, eggs, sugar, coffee liquor, and coffee. Once you’re done, its unique, rich taste will give you a dessert experience unlike anything you’ve had before!