Italian desserts vary between decadent options like tiramisu, and biscuits like biscotti that pair perfectly with an espresso. And we can’t forget the refreshingly creamy gelato! We’ve combined all of these dessert styles into this list to give you the best of what Italy has to offer. These will be the perfect sweet finish to an Italian main meal.
The home of pizza and pasta is also known for its rich, creamy desserts that many of us love to indulge in. From their coffee-infused tiramisus and zabaglioni, to their cannoli, affogato and refreshing granita, here are recipes for the best Italian desserts.Â
Affogato with candied hazelnuts
Panettone tiramisu
Earl grey bomboloni with lemon curd
Maggie Beer’s tiramisu with prunes and vino cotto
Zesty lime panna cotta
Air fryer chocolate cannoli
Limoncello tiramisu with passionfruit curd
Lemon ricotta cannoli
Italian Easter biscuits
Tiramisu
Frozen tiramisu
Florentines
Watermelon and mint granita
Pistachio and cranberry biscotti
Yoghurt panna cotta with blueberry sauce
Nutella Tiramisu
Peanut brittle cannoli
Rhubarb and raspberry crostata
Panettone with mascarpone and raspberries
Mini chocolate ricotta cannoli
Soft grape gelato with nutmeg wafers
Italian ricotta cheesecake
Cherry and nougat torrone
Cappuccino panna cotta
Almond nougat
Muscat granita with figs and honey fennel syrup
Sicilian almond, apple and ricotta cake with pecans
Panettone bread and butter pudding
Chocolate hazelnut gelato
Honey nougat and espresso semifreddo
Chocolate and fig biscotti
Quince crostata
Chocolate cannoli
Poached pear, mascarpone and dessert wine cake
Sicilian creams
More Italian desserts
Of course, this list is not a comprehensive one of every Italian dessert out there, since the Italians do love their food! For more Italian-inspired sweet options, try this almond honey nougat. And for more gelato recipes, this raspberry gelato is a refreshing summer treat.
If you’re after biscotti recipes, see our collection of 19 beautiful biscotti recipes. The list includes classic flavours like hazelnut, lemon and pistachio, and almond, but also has some modern options like chocolate and fig, and a chai biscotti. There is even a Jaffa-inspired biscotti recipe that uses glacé orange.
Mains to pair with these desserts
These desserts are the perfect finisher to an Italian lunch or dinner. To plan out your Italian menu, see our collection of our best Italian recipes. It includes more sweet options, but also plenty of main meal favourites like risotto, bolognese and lasagne, as well as stews and soups.
For pizza inspiration, see this collection of 28 pizza topping ideas. If you’re looking for a pasta main meal to come before these desserts, we’ve collected our favourite pasta dishes into this ultimate collection of pasta recipes. Also, you might like this list of 32 perfect pasta bakes.
