21 Most Popular Japanese Desserts

From cotton-soft soufflé cheesecake to buttery rich matcha cookies to strawberry shortcake, here are our most popular Japanese desserts of all time. You need to try them all!

The Japanese are known to be very serious about our food, and that includes our sweets. We take great care and pride in making the best-tasting and best-looking desserts just because every little detail matters. Here, we’ve gathered our most popular Japanese desserts that have been tested by our readers worldwide.

The collection includes wagashi traditional Japanese sweets and modern flavors like chocolate and black sesame. And no matter the occasion, be it a holiday, potluck, or cookie exchange, these decadent Japanese desserts will surely impress.

21 Most Popular Japanese Desserts To Make At Home

1. Black Sesame Cookies

Give your icebox cookies a Japanese spin with these sesame cookies. Flavored with black sesame, the cookies are sweet yet nutty and savory at the same time. They will stand out amongst the rest of your holiday sweets and baked goods.

“These have become a go-to recipe in my household! Crunchy, nutty, and delicious.” — Shoshannah

2. Japanese Cheesecake

If you show up at someone’s door with this melt-in-mouth Japanese cheesecake, you can almost expect the biggest smile and some bonus warm hugs!  The combination of creamy cheesecake and cotton-soft soufflé is what makes this cheesecake insanely good.

“I made this cheesecake for the first time yesterday, which was also the first time I’d ever made a cheesecake. It turned out amazing and my whole family loved it. I used whole milk instead of heavy cream, lemon extract and water instead of lemon juice, and added a splash of vanilla.” — Sayo

3. Castella Cake

Made with only 4 ingredients, this Japanese castella cake is a very popular confectionery in Japan. It’s super moist with a hint of sweetness from the honey. A perfect holiday or hostess gift for someone who has tried sponge cake in Japan.

“Best ever Castella cake! Turned out moist and not overly sweet. I baked in a bundt cake mold and the results were fantastic. It was a huge hit at my mother’s birthday luncheon. She tells me it reminded her of her mother’s castella cake; that’s a huge compliment!” — Gina

4. Matcha Swiss Roll

Fluffy sponge cake rolled up with fresh matcha cream in the middle, this matcha swiss roll will be an instant favorite this holiday season! If your guests have a soft spot for anything matcha, I am pretty sure they are going to be as obsessed with this cake as I am.

“I was always scared of making swiss rolls (largely due to a very cracked attempt years ago), but this recipe turned out fantastic! Pretty much followed the instructions exactly, except I made a red bean cream instead to conserve my matcha powder supply.” — Kat

5. Dorayaki (Japanese Red Bean Pancake)

A classic Japanese confection, these honey pancakes are filled with sweet red bean paste. They are really easy and let me show you how to make the best dorayaki at home!

“This recipe worked really well for me! The pancakes turned out really fluffy and round.” — Abigail

6. Warabi Mochi

Warabi Mochi is a chilled, deliciously chewy, jelly-like mochi covered with sweet and nutty soybean powder and drizzled with kuromitsu syrup.

“Just tried it last night after a friend recommended this recipe. Turned out ace and really easy to follow. Thank you so much!” — Osmanthus

7. Matcha Gateau au Chocolat

A Japanese rendition of the classic French chocolate cake! Made with white chocolate and matcha powder, this gateau au chocolat is rich, moist, and intensely flavorful. Warm it up slightly before you enjoy it—the melty texture is to die for!

“This turned out wonderfully! Very rich and delicious flavour, not too difficult to make, looks and tastes very professional.” — May

8. Dango

These sweet rice dumplings on a skewer can be found at street stalls, local sweet shops, or festivals all over Japan. Similar to the well-known mochi, dango are sticky rice balls that are chewy and sweet. They come in many flavors like sweet soy sauce glaze and red bean paste.

9. Kabocha Squash Pie

Try something different for the holiday this year with this rich and creamy kabocha squash pie with a hint of rum. A dollop of freshly whipped cream is optional but absolutely encouraged.

“Delicious and easy! I made this for an autumn potluck party and we all loved it.” — Siobhan

10. Chocolate Chiffon Cake

This show-stopping chocolate chiffon cake is super-moist, fluffy, airy, and bouncy all at once! With a rich chocolate flavor, this chiffon cake recipe will soon be your favorite! Get ready to eat a second serving, because it’s like eating air!

“Followed this recipe to a T and made a perfect 10″ chocolate chiffon cake. I appreciate all the information to scale up and down for various pan sizes, and how thorough the directions are.” — Sorcha

11. Matcha Cookies

Nothing is more festive than these matcha green tea cookies. The unique, earthy flavor of matcha matches the rich, buttery taste.  Make a big batch for your cookie exchange and save some for afternoon tea.

“I’ve made these cookies so many times and they always turn out spectacular!” — Shi

12. Miso Butter Cookies

Crisp, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth, these miso butter cookies make the most insanely delicious afternoon treat! They hit the right notes with a serious depth of flavor. Only 7 pantry ingredients are needed!

“Third time making these cookies, they are wonderful. Had my doubts about making them the first time my son suggested the recipe. The miso just adds depth and compliments the sesame. They are now some of our favorite cookies and are perfect any time of year. They are also easy to make and quite beautiful.” — Val

13. Matcha Mille Crepe Cake

Matcha Mille Crepe Cake is made of thin layers of green tea crepes stacked together with fresh whipped cream in-between. This elegant and decadent cake will wow your guests when they see the rich green layers!

“I made this for a family member’s birthday following the exact instruction and recipe. It was a hit! My family members loved it as it had the perfect amount of sweetness, and it had a creamy mouthfeel.” — Tiffanie

14. Matcha Basque Cheesecake

Creamy, custardy with a subtle caramel flavor and the lingering sweetness from green tea. This matcha basque cheesecake has a deep brown burnt top that contrasts beautifully with the vibrant green insides. This IS the cheesecake of your dreams!

“Excellent recipe! Definitely will make it again. I am an avid baker, but this recipe, in particular, produced a picture-perfect outcome and I was so satisfied (as were my guests).” — Amelia

15. Nama Chocolate

Rich and smooth homemade Nama Chocolate made with chocolate and fresh cream, this ROYCE’s copycat chocolate is a truly special treat. It’s one of the most popular gifts from Japan, but you can easily make the chocolate at home to share the holiday spirit.

“Made this for my husband this week and he loved it! Added 1 tbsp of dark rum. Never had or heard of nama chocolate before until randomly found it on Google.” — Cynthia

16. Purin (Japanese Custard Pudding)

Looking for a delicious custard dessert? Try this easy Purin (Japanese Custard Pudding) recipe! A custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top, the pudding is silky, creamy, and rich.

“I’ve made this twice now, and it is definitely a new family favorite! The puddings are so cute, well-portioned (they’re small but rich and satisfying; you probably won’t need seconds!), flavorful of vanilla, warm milk, cream, and caramel, and the texture is perfectly delightful.” — Lindsay

17. Matcha Tiramisu

Creamy, rich, and bursting with bold matcha flavors, this irresistible matcha tiramisu consists of matcha-soaked ladyfingers layered with a light and airy mascarpone custard filling. It’s a classic tiramisu dessert with a Japanese twist!

“This is honestly just one of the best desserts I’ve ever eaten in my life.” — runawayeater

18. Japanese Strawberry Shortcake

Probably the most classic and celebratory cake in Japan. Learn how to make a Japanese strawberry shortcake that is perfectly moist, airy, and light. Your guests will swoon and ask for the winning recipe!

“Baking this was such a wonderful journey that I don’t think I’ve taken so many photos for each step! Though my frosting is as messy as ever, this is one delicious cake! It tasted even better on the 3rd day and I ate a slice for 3 days in a row!” — Jules

19. Fluffy Japanese Pancakes

Pancakes are signature breakfast and brunch food, but we do love them as dessert in Japan too! These pillowy, fluffy, soft pancakes are a must-try. You can’t miss the fizzy, bubbly sound from the soufflé pancakes when you cut them open to enjoy!

“YUM! I made these souffle pancakes this past weekend. With all the tips (which are important), my souffle came out close to perfect. My son loved them! I’ll be making these every time instead of regular pancakes. Next time will be matcha souffle pancakes. Yum! Extremely light and fluffy without the guilt.” — Jan

20. Taiyaki (Japanese Fish-Shaped Cake Waffle)

Taiyaki is the stuff of childhood dreams! Investing in a taiyaki fish-shaped waffle maker is totally worth it—you can enjoy this iconic street snack and dessert any weekend you like!

“I lived in Japan in my early teens (right outside of Tokyo) and loved to buy taiyaki from street vendors. I made them yesterday and your recipe is every bit as good as how I remembered them.” — Peggy

21. Anmitsu

This Japanese wagashi dessert is made with kanten jelly, fresh fruits, mochi, red bean paste, green tea ice cream, and a good drizzle of sweet black sugar syrup. A refreshing treat on summer days!

“Watching your anmitsu video always put me in a good mood (I watched it a lot!) and I’m happy to say that I finally made your recipe for my husband’s birthday. It was enjoyed by my whole family!” — Amy

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More Japanese Dessert Recipes

• Mochi Ice Cream
• Pon de Ring Donuts
• Daifuku Mochi
• Coffee Jelly
• Sakura Mochi

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