People love eating traditional Italian desserts and pastries and have been enjoying them for decades. The country’s commitment to butter, sugar and flour rivals its French and Austrian neighbors. Italian sweets are nothing short of legendary.
We initially experienced and enjoyed Italy’s sugary, creamy classics only in Italian cities. When Italian communities came to Canada, a plethora of Italian-Canadian bakeries opened that bake pastries and desserts from Italy.
Read on to discover the traditional Italian desserts and pastries that we love eating all over the world but especially in Italy. Although our Italy dessert list includes more than two dozen new and old classic confections, you won’t want to skip even one.
1. Tiramisu
We’ve enjoyed so many versions of Italy’s layered, creamy, coffee-soaked and powdered Italian classic made with ladyfingers and mascarpone cream.
Tiramisu’s origin isn’t clear. What is clear is that we’ve enjoyed excellent versions of traditional Tiramisu all over Northern Italy from Verona and Venice in the Veneto to Parma in Emilia-Romagna. Some were cake-like slices served on plates while others were puddings served in deep bowls. Regardless of the serving vessel, all versions of this classic Italian pudding/cake were moist, coffee-filled, ultra-creamy and rich.
2. Cannoli
To make Cannoli, Sicilian bakers stuff cylinder shaped fried dough with ricotta cream and occasionally sprinkle chocolate, nuts and candied fruit on the edges. The resulting pastry is simultaneously crunchy, sweet and utterly addictive. Generations of bakers have prepared Cannoli in Sicily going back to the days of Arab rule more than a millennium ago.
3. Sfogliatella
The Sfogligatella has been a popular Neapolitan dessert since the 17th century. But what is a Sfogliatella?
the Sfogliatella is an addictively tasty pastry that comes in two main styles – Riccia and Frolla. Order a Sfogliatella Riccia if you prefer eating a flaky, layered pastry or a Sfogliatella Frolla if you’re partial to a shortcrust pastry shell.
Stuffed with special ricotta cream that’s never too sweet, the best sfogliatellas are freshly baked and hot out of the oven. Whichever version you choose, pair your Sfogliatella with coffee to create an ideal Naples breakfast.
4. Fiocco di Neve
Naples is world-famous for its pizza and other savory foods, but it’s a little-known fact among food travelers that France’s influence over the Kingdom of Naples has made the region’s desserts equally auspicious.
Fiocco di Neve is a tender, airy brioche pastry filled with slightly cool cream and dusted with powdered sugar, Pasticceria Poppella’s Fiocco di Neve is a little snowflake of yumminess.
5. Gelato
Not only is Gelato one of the most popular Italian desserts, but it’s also proofed that desserts don’t need flour or eggs to taste divine. Italy’s version of ice cream accomplishes this feat with milk, cream, sugar and a range of fresh fruits and nuts.
6. Bomboloni
Bomboloni are Italy’s version of the Berliner which is Germany’s version of the filled doughnut which is Austria’s version of… you get the point. Bomboloni, which are commonly found at Italian cafes, can be filled with cream or jelly and are often found in the same case as Cornettos, Italy’s version of France’s Croissant.
7. Cassata
Similar to Sicily’s Cannoli, Cassata ingredients include ricotta cheese and candied fruit. But this Italian ricotta cake goes further with the addition of liqueur-soaked sponge cake, marzipan and icing. It’s also a tasty Gelato flavor that we order whenever we see it on a menu.
8. Zuppa Inglese
Although Zuppa Inglese literally translates to English Soup and may have been inspired by England’s Trifle, this dish is a delightful multilayered Italian dessert that involves dipping sponge cake layers into Alchermes liqueur and layering them with cream.
The end result is a custard that’s different at every restaurant in Italy’s Food Valley. The tricolor confection is also one of the most colorful desserts in Italy.
9. Panna Cotta
It’s a fairly unique dessert that manages to be creamy without being runny. The dessert derives its ‘spoonability’ from the addition of gelatin and it’s typically served in a flat dome shape though we’ve also eaten traditional Panna Cotta in a pudding glass. Flavoring Panna Cotta is an open book but, generally, fruits like berries and citrus flavor the creamy mixture.
10. Cannoncino
It would be easy to confuse a Cannoncino with a Cannoli. After all, the two cream-filled Italian pastries have similar names and consist of stuffed pastry cylinders. But the similarities end there.
Unlike Sicily’s Cannoli, the Cannoncino is shaped like a horn and stuffed with a variety of creams ranging from simple pastry cream to creams flavored with chocolate, pistachio and sweet wine.
11. Millesfoglie
The version of the layered puff pastry and cream masterpiece we ate in Verona at Dolce Locanda was less dainty than the delicate, intricately decorated Millefeuilles we’ve previously savored in Paris. That being said, we consider the Italian version to be one of the very best sweets we’ve ever eaten.
12. Biscotti and Cantuccini
Biscotti, also known as Cantuccini, are oblong, twice-baked almond cookies similar to Mandelbrot in Eastern Europe. Tuscan people dip Cantuccini into Vin Santo, Tuscany’s slow fermented holy wine made with white grapes.
13. Torta Ricotta e Visciole
Legend has it that Jewish bakers created the Torta Ricotta e Visciole, i.e. Ricotta and Sour Cherry Cake, in the 18th century when Roman Jews were forbidden to sell dairy products to Christians. By mixing ricotta with cherries and adding a flat crust topper, the creamy ricotta was hidden. Problem solved!
14. Bussola Cookies
Created on Burano, Venice’s most colorful island, Bussola cookies were previously baked by local women for their husbands to take on fishing expeditions. Today, bakeries sell these simple cookies that pair perfectly with coffee. Whether you dip or dunk is up to you.
15. Zuccotto
If you’re not familiar with Zuccato, close your eyes and imagine a little mound of cream or mousse surrounded by liquor-soaked sponge cake. It’s shaped like the Duomo which is nothing short of special. A local favorite since it debuted in Florence during the 16th century, the semifreddo dessert eventually fell out of fashion.
Order one if you see it on a Florence menu even if you’re not hungry.
16. Babà al Rum
The Neapolitan Babà is soaked in rum and is typically shaped like a mushroom. For a fun twist, try Babà soaked in Limoncello syrup. Even better, pair it with a shot of the local lemon liqueur for an extra kick.
17. Budino di Riso
This Tuscan dessert is actually a tart with a rice pudding center and a shortcrust pastry exterior. Beyond rice, the Budino di Riso recipe includes wholesome ingredients like butter, cream, eggs, milk and sugar. Lemon zest, the final ingredient, provides extra zip and zing.
You can eat your Budino di Riso whenever you desire a sweet treat in Florence. Locals eat these rice-based tarts with coffee in the morning, with tea in the afternoon and with sweet wine at dessert.
18. Ministerial
The Ministerial is a fun chocolate dessert shaped like a medallion and filled with liqueur-laden cream. Francesco Scaturchio invented this Neapolitan chocolate dessert more than a century ago and its recipe remains a secret to this day.
The culinarily curious can guess the ingredients when they eat this sweet treat or simply enjoy the dessert with a cup of coffee.
19. Pizza Ebraica
Pizza Ebraica, i.e., Jewish Pizza, gets its flavors from toasted raisins, nuts and colorful candied fruit. Simultaneously sweet and savory, the hard, dense, crunchy dessert reminds us of mandel bread on steroids.
20. Schiacciata all’Uva
Schiacciata all’Uva is Schiacciata’s dessert cousin with wine grapes and sugar added to the savory smashed bread’s recipe… but the recipe doesn’t stop there. Baking Schiacciata all’Uva involves filling two layers of bread with grapes and adding more on top.
Once baked, the jammy pastry is moist and satisfying without being cloyingly sweet.
