Let's face it – some things are too good to be true, and we wonder if they get any better! That's the case with some people we meet, situations we experience, classics we read, and these moments are all priceless. Maybe your next outstanding moment will happen once you try any Turkish dessert because the sweetness is beyond this world, for real. If you'd like to experience an unforgettable meal that is also undeniably sweet, and if your stomach can take it, try any of these 10 desserts!
10. Ashure
Puddings in Turkey are something else entirely!
Turkish food involves a lot of sugar and stuffed pastry, and that's something you'll learn from our list. However, we'll kick it off with something sweet but healthier than the other stuff you'll find here! Ashure, a.k.a "Noah's ark pudding," is very common in Istanbul and anywhere in Turkey, and it's slowly getting attention worldwide.
To make ashure, you'll need everything that goes well with pudding, and that's healthy as well: pine nuts, hazelnuts, currants, apricots, and many more! Moreover, a fun fact says that this is one of the oldest sweets ever, and it's undoubtedly very delicious!
9. Dondurma
You've probably had no idea Turkey has a whole different taste for ice cream
Ice cream is something you regularly eat, so what's new here? Why would we include ice cream on the list of such delightful and odd recipes? Well, Turkish ice cream is something you didn't taste before. Surprisingly, Turkish ice cream should actually be eaten with a knife and fork!
Since "dondurma" means "freezing," this ice cream is so frozen that licking it won't be enough to handle it! This type of sweet is stretchy, creamy, and sticky, so it's pretty unique. Of course, flavors are as diverse as the regular ones, and even more!
8. Kazandibi
Kazandibi can be made in many ways, and this is the common one
The name of this dessert doesn't reveal anything you'd understand, and it probably looks like an enigma to you. Nevertheless, it's much more delicious than it sounds! Kazandibi is better known as the caramelized milk pudding, and it belongs to the traditional Turkish pastry collection.
For the bottom, you'll need only margarine and powdered sugar because, of course, no Turkish sweet can go without loads of sugar. The rest of the recipe is also quite simple and doesn't present a challenge. Moreover, you can even put ice cream over it as the topping to make it colder than it already is. This "cake" is incredibly versatile, and you'll like that fact!
7. Lokma
This version is even more attractive than the original one
To anyone who loves donuts, we've already found your favorite here! You won't search any further because these donuts are on a whole new level with their softness and sweetness. Moreover, they are dripped in simple but extra tasty syrup and can be stuffed with chocolate, so it doesn't get better!
Actually, a fun fact says that "lokma" in Turkish means "a small bite of paradise," so we don't think we'll have to explain this dessert any further. They even call it a drug since you might want to eat these for the rest of your life. Don't wait even for a second and try this one. It's worth having some extra sugar!
6. Halva
This is a level-pro recipe – roll up your sleeves!
Halva has many types, and they make this dessert everywhere around the world. Still, it's an original thing for Turkey and the Orient! The ingredients aren't a big deal since you'll need sugar (a lot of it), flour, butter, and water. Finally, add bread as well to make it crunchy. However, don't let this fool you because halva is a challenge to prepare.
Halva can be made with chocolate to make it more exotic, and even with pistachios or honey. A popular version of halva is the one they make with nougat, so the rules don't exist as long as it's as sweet as if it wasn't real. Another warning is that you'll be obsessed once you finally try it, as it's very addictive!
5. Lokum
Lokum has so many flavors that you won't stop trying them out
Just like Ariana Grande's album "positions" says, this one is "perfect, perfect, too good to be true." Turkish delight, better known as lokum in Turkey and its region, is the most smooth and versatile sweet the Turks eat. Furthermore, they especially consume lokum when drinking coffee or early in the morning. If you like your coffee bitter, try drinking it with lokum to make it taste better!
Moreover, lokum has so many various flavors that you'll never try all of them. The fun fact is that one of the most delicious lokum types is rose-flavored – yes, the flavors are so diverse that you can even taste rose in them! Find out what's your favorite and get lost in the softest taste in this world!
4. Sütlaç
Who would think that you'd find gluten-free foods on a thread like this, too?
Do you ever get the idea that rice fits so well with pudding? Because, yeah, Turks do think the same, and they're right! Sütlaç is one of their finest recipes, and it's not even the sweetest bomb on the list, even though it's pretty tasty and smooth. If you're a fan of rice, we'll open a new door for you and show you that sweet rice is the best option!
Baked pudding and rice sound like they don't go well together, but you'll be surprised by the softness. You shouldn't avoid cinnamon when you prepare sütlaç (just be careful with it!), so it gets as sweet as cinnamon rolls at the top while the inside is insanely milky! This dessert has so many faces, and you'll love all of them.
3. Tulumba
Tulumba has already traveled the world, so it hopefully came to you, too!
Tulumba is quite similar to all the regular desserts in Turkey, so it's not revolutionary. Nevertheless, it's something you'll adore if your type is a sugar explosion, together with fried dough that is pretty easy to make!
Tulumba's smoothness is something you have to taste to understand it. You can eat these even without a knife because it's the softest pastry you've ever tried. Eggs, flour, and syrup with loads of sugar will melt your senses and bring you to the next level of enjoyment!
2. Kalburabastı
This could become your favorite cookie ever!
Can you imagine a dessert that is more like a cookie, so smooth that it's melting in your mouth and it's dipped in syrup or honey? The Turkish Kalburabastı, also known as "Hurmašice," is probably the softest cookie you'd ever try.
Kalburabastı is indeed a sugar bomb, so don't add this to your diet if you eat low-carb foods, but take it as a guilty pleasure at least once a month! The syrup makes them highly smooth, and you'll make it with sugar, water, and lemon slices. After a few hours, it can be served with pistachios to make things even sweeter… If this isn't sweet already!
1. Baklava
From scratch, because this one might be a bit complicated to make
And the first place goes to the most beloved Turkish dessert, which is obviously famous worldwide– baklava! This is not something a healthy food freak would recommend to you. However, you're here to meet some of the sweetest stuff on the Earth, so once you stumble upon baklava, nothing else will be as sweet as it!
For anyone who loves nuts, baklava is Heaven on Earth, and it's even soaked in honey to make it a real, alive sugar bomb. Baklava is made in many Eastern countries and belongs to the challenging recipes from this list. Still, we hope you can find baklava in some of your nearby restaurants!
This list probably made you realize that there are many amazing desserts around the world, much more than you could ever imagine. You'll want to try these extraordinary, delightful pastries before you die because it's an experience you won't forget. Keep your sugar low with traditional Turkish dishes, but give yourself a try with guilty pleasures like these!
Did you ever try any of the desserts named above? Are they too sweet for your stomach, or do you think you can go even sweeter? Let us know in the comments!
Cover photo: TopTens.fun/Midjourney