A Definitive Ranking Of Filipino Desserts

Coconut. Lots of coconut. And condensed milk.

1. Puto

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Puto is the Filipino version of a cupcake, except it's made with rice flour steamed rather than baked. It is a popular merienda or snack especially when served with... blood stew. Muahahahaha

2. Puto Bumbong

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A variety of the puto, Puto Bumbong is a rice cake that's traditionally made with black sticky rice (that gives it its purple color) and steamed with a special steamer. The tedious process by which it's made is why it's only cooked during special occasions. It's a staple during the Holidays.

3. Kutsinta

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Puto Kutsinta, or just Kutsinta has a chewy texture that's a lot like the sapin-sapin, usually orange in color because of brown sugar and annatto.

4. Sapin Sapin

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Completing the Trinity of traditional pinoy desserts after Puto and Kutsinta is the Holy Sapin-Sapin. This colorful treat is a chewy layered cake that uses glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk!

5. Palitaw

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The palitaw is also sticky rice that is boiled in water. The name literally means to show itself because you know it's cooked once it rises to the surface.

6.

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Pastillas is a go-to snack for Filipinos because, as the video says, it's really easy to do.

7. Carioca

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Now that we've boiled, baked and steamed rice flour, it's time to fry it! Carioca is a rolled rice flour and shredded coconut mixture that is fried and then coated with a brown sugar syrup.

8. Polvoron

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The Filipino polvoron is a variation of the Spanish treat polvorones that uses milk powder, sugar and butter. It's often available with an assortment of flavors.

9. Espasol

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Espasol is a rice pudding that's cut into cylinders (like a tootsie roll but bigger) and then rolled onto a sugar and flour mixture. Colloquially, it's also the term used to call people who put too much make up on their faces.

10. Hopia

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If the desserts listed on here are a variety of Malay, Spanish, American and French, here's one that's Chinese! Hopia is a mixture rolled in dough that's baked and served in bite sized pieces.

11. Turon

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To my western brothers and sisters, Turon is like your friendly neighborhood dessert lumpia aka. the gift that keeps on giving. Often you'll find bananas wrapped in it, sometimes jackfruit, or mango, or ube, or pandan. Praise be...

12. Maja Blanca

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Buti pa ang Maja Blanca, sweet...

13. Biko

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Buti pa ang biko, hindi matabang...

14. Bibingka

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Buti pa ang bibingka, special.

Ok I'll stop nao.

15. Sansrival

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Sans rival may sound French but it's Filipino at heart. There are no accounts of its history, but it's often traced back to the 1920's, from Filipinos who had gone to France to study. Nearly a hundred years later and Sans Rival is common Filipino treat.

16. Silvanas

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The cookie version of the Sans Rival -- also known as the Filipino macarons -- Silvanas are buttermilk cookies popularized by the Sans Rival Bakery from Dumaguete. So if you're ever in that area... #BUCKETLIST!!!

17. Iskrambol

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And for your drinks, here's Iskrambol, a permutation (whatever that means) of the popular western dessert Ice Scramble. It's a shake that's topped with M&M's, marshmallows, chocolate drizzle, candy sprinkle, burgers or any other food you find in your western food aisle.

18. Buko Pandan

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If you're ever in the mood for a cold treat that's not Halo Halo, you might enjoy buko pandan. Buko Pandan only contains pandan gello, shredded buko, mixed with the Filipino's everlasting love, condensed milk.

19. Taho

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Taho is soft tofu mixed with sago pearls and arnibal (a syrup made with brown sugar). It often taken in the morning in accordance with the laws of the secret society peddling it about.

20. Brazo de Mercedes

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I don't know where this treat got its name, or who Mercedes is, or the relation this pastry has with her arms; but this is a fluffy treat that is rolled with a custard mixture that comes in a variety of flavors.

21. Cathedral Windows

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I guess there's it's a no brainer how this gello treat got its name...

22. Buko Con Seta

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And because Filipinos will never ever get tired of coconut and ice cream, here is their ineluctable offpsring. The Buko Con Seta is a coconut (buko) husk filled with all the jolly goodness of it's white meat then topped with ice cream.

23. Ginataan

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From the root word gata which means coconut milk, ginataan is basically a whole bunch of things -- ube, jackfruit strips, tapioca pearls, rice balls, etc. -- that is mixed with coconut milk. Lola's were made for this.

24. Sorbetes

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The tagalog translation for the word sorbet, Filipinos have been making been making ice cream with coconut milk (unlike regular ice cream that's made with cow's milk). This produced a grainier texture which later gave it it's badass nickname, "dirty ice cream".

25. Leche Flan

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When the llaneras are out, you know it's coming.

26. Halo Halo

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Halo Halo, First of its name, Queen of Filipino desserts and all desserts that have Leche Flan, ice cream, red beans, pinipig and whatever else is put in there. Lord of any Pinoy restaurant during the Summer. The Rhyonar of the First Men the Stormborn, the Unburnt, Protector of the Realm and Mother of Dragons.