Top 20+ Iconic European Desserts That’ll Transport You Across the Continent

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

Europe is home to some of the world’s most delicious and legendary desserts. From France’s flaky pastries to Italy’s creamy delights, every country has its own sweet masterpiece.

These desserts aren’t just treats; they’re a taste of history, tradition, and culture. Whether you crave rich chocolate, airy custards, or fruity confections, this list will take you on a sugar-filled adventure across the continent.

Get ready to whip up 20 of the most iconic European desserts and bring a taste of Europe into your kitchen!

1. French Crème Brûlée

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A silky vanilla custard topped with a crisp, caramelized sugar shell—nothing says elegance like crème brûlée.

Recipe: Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes

  1. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together. Slowly add warm heavy cream.
  2. Pour into ramekins and bake in a water bath at 325°F (160°C) for 40 minutes.
  3. Chill, then sprinkle with sugar and torch until golden and crisp.

3. Austrian Sachertorte

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

This rich, dense chocolate cake with a glossy apricot glaze is an Austrian classic.

Recipe: Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

  1. Mix melted chocolate, butter, sugar, and eggs. Fold in flour.
  2. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes.
  3. Spread apricot jam over the cake, then cover with a smooth chocolate glaze.

4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

Flaky pastry meets creamy egg custard in this irresistible Portuguese treat.

Recipe: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

  1. Line muffin tins with puff pastry.
  2. Whisk eggs, sugar, and milk, then cook until thickened.
  3. Pour custard into pastry cups and bake at 450°F (230°C) until golden brown.

6. German Black Forest Cake

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

Layers of chocolate sponge, whipped cream, and cherries make this cake a true showstopper.

Recipe: Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

  1. Bake chocolate sponge cakes and let cool.
  2. Layer with cherry filling and whipped cream.
  3. Top with more whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate shavings.

7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

Golden, crispy fried dough paired with thick, rich chocolate dipping sauce—perfection!

Recipe: Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes

  1. Mix flour, water, butter, and eggs into a dough. Pipe into hot oil and fry until golden.
  2. Roll in cinnamon sugar.
  3. Serve with melted dark chocolate for dipping.

9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

Melted chocolate, fresh fruit, and endless dipping options make this dessert both fun and delicious.

Recipe: Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes

  1. Melt dark chocolate with heavy cream over low heat.
  2. Stir in vanilla and a splash of liqueur (optional).
  3. Serve with strawberries, marshmallows, and biscotti.

10. Croatian Kremšnita

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A layered custard cream cake with a delicate puff pastry crust, popular in Central Europe.

Recipe: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

  1. Bake puff pastry until golden.
  2. Cook custard with egg yolks, sugar, and milk until thick.
  3. Layer custard between pastry sheets and dust with powdered sugar.

12. Hungarian Dobos Torte

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A showstopping layered sponge cake with rich chocolate buttercream and a crisp caramel top.

Recipe: Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

  1. Bake six thin sponge cake layers. Let cool.
  2. Spread chocolate buttercream between layers.
  3. Top with caramelized sugar, then slice carefully.

13. Greek Baklava

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

Layers of flaky phyllo dough, crunchy nuts, and sweet honey syrup make baklava an irresistible Mediterranean classic.

Recipe: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

  1. Layer buttered phyllo sheets with chopped walnuts and cinnamon.
  2. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes until golden.
  3. Pour honey syrup over warm baklava and let soak.

15. Norwegian Krumkake

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A delicate, crisp wafer cookie rolled into a cone shape, often filled with whipped cream.

Recipe: Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes

  1. Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter into a batter.
  2. Cook in a krumkake iron until golden.
  3. Roll into cones while hot. Fill with whipped cream.

16. Finnish Runeberg Torte

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A moist almond cake topped with raspberry jam and a ring of icing, named after Finnish poet Johan Runeberg.

Recipe: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

  1. Mix flour, almond meal, sugar, butter, and spices.
  2. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes.
  3. Top with raspberry jam and a ring of icing.

18. Icelandic Skyr Cake

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A creamy, no-bake cheesecake-like dessert made with skyr, a traditional Icelandic dairy product.

Recipe: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes + chilling

  1. Mix crushed digestive biscuits with melted butter and press into a pan.
  2. Whisk skyr with sugar and vanilla, then spread over the crust.
  3. Chill for 4 hours, then serve with fresh berries.

19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

1. French Crème Brûlée, 3. Austrian Sachertorte, 4. Portuguese Pastel de Nata, 6. German Black Forest Cake, 7. Spanish Churros with Chocolate, 9. Swiss Chocolate Fondue, 10. Croatian Kremšnita, 12. Hungarian Dobos Torte, 13. Greek Baklava, 15. Norwegian Krumkake, 16. Finnish Runeberg Torte, 18. Icelandic Skyr Cake, 19. Irish Barmbrack (Sweet Bread with Dried Fruit)

A lightly spiced, fruit-studded bread, often served during Halloween in Ireland.

Recipe: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

  1. Soak dried fruit in tea overnight.
  2. Mix with flour, sugar, and spices. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 minutes.
  3. Serve with butter.