Thai desserts are yet another explorable sector of the extensive realm of best Thai dishes.  An indulgence of Thai desserts is an eye-opener to a new angle of Thailand’s sweet flavors and a food gastro-adventure that’s sure to never get boring.

After eating and gathering over 100 best Thai dishes, it was surely time to devour all the sugary treats that Bangkok has to offer.

Most Thai desserts are a sweet and sometimes filling snack opposed to a light and airy Western style dessert.  They are characterized by sweet syrups, coconut cream, tropical fruits, and sweet sticky rice.

The ultimate guide to Thai desserts is divided into a few categories to make it easier to navigate: Sticky Rice Desserts, Jelly/Custard/Gooey, Soup/Pudding, Cakes/Bread/Pancakes, Fruit/Based, Ice Cream, and Random.

If you have a chronic sweet tooth or an occasional sweet craving, this Thai Desserts (Khanom Thai): The Ultimate Thailand Sweets Guide is for you!

I have “***” my personal favorites with 1-3 stars.  My personal choice really comes down to sticky rice durian and Bua Loy Nam King, though most are quite delicious.  Take a look at the list and feel free to let me know your favorite Thai desserts!

Khao Neow Toorien ข้าวเหนียวทุเรียน (Durian Coconut Milk Soup with Sticky Rice)***

Sticky rice with chunk of Durian swimming in a thick coconut cream syrup is surely one of the most unique Thai desserts. If you love durian, nothing else will do!

Khao Tom Mud ข้าวต้มมัด
(Banana Leaf Sticky Rice)

It’s made from sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar, sweet black beans, all candied in a banana leaf wrapper and ready for you to eat.

Khanom Gluay ขนมกล้วย
(Banana Treat)

Sticky rice, bananas, sugar and shredded coconut made into a green treat. It becomes green by soaking Pandanus leaves in cool water and adding it to the mixture.

Khao Neow Ma Muang ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง (Sticky Rice with Mango)*

Sweet sticky rice with sweet yellow mango on top and covered in coconut cream syrup. Khao Neow Mamuang is among the most popular Thai desserts to eat in and outside of Thailand. In Bangkok, you’ll find mango sticky rice all over during mango season.

Khao Neow Moon ข้าวเหนียวมูน (Colored Sticky Rice)*

Selection of sticky rice made with sugar, coconut milk, salt and a little flavor to create the variation of color

Khanom Jark ขนมจาก
(Palm Leaf Treat)

Flour, coconut meat, sugar and salt grilled in a palm leaf wrapper

Khao Mahk ข้าวหมาก
(Fermented Rice Pudding)**

Whole grains of sticky rice sweetly fermented into a pudding that remains slight crunchy

Khao Lam ข้าวหลาม
(Sticky Rice in Bamboo)

Sticky rice is sweetened with black beans and thick coconut syrup and roasted in a bamboo poles over low fire. After the khao lam is roasted, it’s hacked open with a machete and ready to be served.

Khao Neow Sang Kaya ข้าวเหนียวสังขยา (Sticky Rice with Custard)**

This Thai dessert consists of sweet sticky rice topped with a slice of creamy custard. It’s rilling, rich, and delicious.

Khao Neow Dam ข้าวเหนียวดำ
(Sweet Black Sticky Rice)

This is the sweet black sticky rice version with shredded coconut on top.

Khao Mao Tod ข้าวเม่าทอด (Fried Banana with Roasted Rice)**

It’s a super ripe banana that’s wrapped with roasted unripened sticky rice and coconut before being deep fried to a serious crisp on the outside. It’s like an even sugary beter version of a fried banana.

Khanom Khao Mao ขนมข้าวเม่า (Unripe Sticky Rice Dessert)

Unripe roasted sticky rice used to make a sweet dessert

Tong Yip ทองหยิบ
(Flower Egg Yolk Tart)

Egg yolk, sugar, and flower water boiled in sugar syrup and formed into flower like shapes. Tong Yip, Tong Yord and Foi Tong make up a popular trinity of Thai desserts.

Tong Yord ทองหยอด (Round Egg Yolk Tart)

Egg yolk, sugar, and flower water are boiled in sugar syrup and formed into round balls to create this sugar lovers sweet.

Foi Tong ฝอยทอง (Shredded Egg Yolk Tart)

It’s basically the same ingredients used in the two Thai desserts above; Egg yolks and sugar are boiled in sweet syrup and then formed into hairlike shapes.

Khanom Krok ขนมครก
(Coconut Rice Dumplings)*

These traditional coconut and rice flour dumplings are cooked into little kettle cakes and often topped with a choice of green onions, sweet corn, taro, or just plain. Served hot, they will melt in your mouth.

Woon วุ้น
(Jelly)

All kinds of Thai jelly similar to Jello – not too special but sometimes good to eat.

Woon Ma Plow (Coconut Jelly)

Clear coconut jelly hardened into a coconut shell is a fantastic way to eat jelly.

Khanom Chun ขนมชั้น (Thai Jello)

Sugar, coconut milk, and flour mixed and set in cookie pan to harden into a jelly is a very popular Thai dessert.

Khanom Chun Gafe ขนมชั้นกาแฟ
(Layered Coffee Jelly)

This is one of the popular variations of a normal Thai khanom chun sweet.

Khanom Duang ขนมด้วง
(Sticky Morsels)

Tapioca and rice flour with coconut milk and sugar made into little food colored morsels and sprinkled with shredded coconut

Sang Kaya Fug Tong สังขยาฟักทอง (Pumpkin and Custard)**

It all begins with a pumpkin that’s hollowed out and filled with the creamiest custard you can ever imagine. The whole pumpkin is then sliced into pie like pieces and served normally as a takeaway treat. It’s rich and sweet.

Khanom Piek Poon ขนมเปียกปูน
(Burnt Coconut Jelly)

Flour, sugar, and shredded coconut meat residue that is burnt on the outside to create the black effect and made into a jelly

Takoh ตะโก้ (Coconut Cream Jelly)**

Tapioca flour mixed with heavy coconut cream, coconut pulp and sugar  and all mixed and steamed to create an intense coconut custard. Sometimes takoh is served just plain while other times it’s placed over a bed or tapioca. It’s often prepared in banana leaf wrappers.

Woon Kati วุ้นกะทิ
(Condensed Milk Jelly)

It’s a jello like jelly with condensed milk topping.

Khanom Thuay ขนมถ้วย (Thai Coconut Custard)**

Quite similar to Thai takoh, khanom thuay is little coconut milk custard made in bite sized bowls. It’s normally found as a Bangkok street food sold from meandering carts and stalls.

Khanom Sai Sai ขนมไส่ใส้ (Coconut Treat)

Coconut fruit inside with coconut pudding outside and covered in a banana leaf

Khanom Thien ขนมเทียน (Sticky Cake)

Tapioca flour and peanuts made into a wet cake and wrapped in a banana leaf. Especially eaten during Chinese New Year in Thailand when you’ll see it all over the streets and markets.

Bua Loy Nam King บัวลอยน้ำขิง (Mochi Rice and Sesame Balls in Ginger Water)***

This is one of my all time favorite Thai desserts. It consists of two main parts. The dumplings are made of a rice flour encasing with  black sesame seed paste in the middle. They are served floating in sweet ginger soup. There’s a great place to eat bua loy nam king in Chinatown Bangkok.

Sakoo Piek สาคูเปียก
(Tapioca Pudding)*

Tapioca balls in sweet pudding paste

Tao Huay Nam Khing เต้าฮวยน้ำขิง
(Soft Tofu and Sweet Croutons in Ginger Water)**

Vibrant sweetened ginger water with pieces of soft tofu and sweet croutons

Nam Kang Sai น้ำแข็งไส
(Mixed Ice Dessert)

You get a choice combination of various jellies and candied fruits which are scooped into a bowl and topped with chunks of ice and then doused in sweet syrup, coconut milk, and sometimes other sweet syrups. Nam kang sai is one of the perfect Thai desserts on a hot afternoon.

Khanom Wan Ruam Mit (Mixed Sweet Dessert)

A sweet concoction of mixed treats

Rang Nok รังนก (Sweet Bird’s Nest Soup)**

Bird’s nest soup made into a healthful dessert snack, and just barley sweet

Pakim Kai Tow ปะกิมไข่เต่า
(Sweet Salty Soup)

Sweet and salty soup combined together with sticky rice flour and coconut milk

Fuk Tong Gang Buad ฟักทองแกงบวช
(Pumpkin in Coconut Milk)

Pumpkin candied in coconut milk with sugar and salt

Taptim Grob ทับทิมกรอบ (Water Chestnuts in Coconut Soup)

Water chestnuts in a sweet icy coconut soup

Nam Tao Hoo น้ำเต้าหู้ (Tofu Water)*

This is essentially the Thai version of soy milk, or juice made from soy beans. It’s creamy and fresh and often sweetened with a load of sweet syrup. You can order it less sweet if you’d like.

Salim ซาหลิ่ม (Glass Noodle Dessert)

Glass noodles in sweet coconut milk

Khanom Thungtag ขนมถังแตก
(Sweet Thai Pancake)

Flour and coconut milk with yeast, salt and sugar mixed into a pancake. Eaten with foi tong or an assortment of toppings.

Roti Gluay โรตีกล้วย (Banana Pancake Treat)*

A doughy pastry fried in butter with a banana and egg mixture on the inside before being covered with sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Can be found all of over Thailand but is especially a popular Thai dessert in the South.

You might also try other versions of Thai pancakes like this.

Khanom Buang ขนมเบื้อง
(Sweet Thai Crepe)

Sweet Thai crepe with meringue and foy tong on top

Khanom Sahlee ขนมสาลี่
(Sweet Bread)

Flour, sugar and lime juice mixed into a sweet bread and steamed to remain cooked and still moist and fluffy

Taung Muan Sot ทองม้วนสด
(Sweet Rolled Sesame Pancake)

Soft pancake with roasted sesame seeds

Tong Muan ทองม้วน
(Crunchy Pancake)

Flour, coconut milk, eggs, salt, sugar and black sesame seeds cooked in a waffle maker

Tua Pap ถั่วแปบ (Peanut Rice Cake)*

Soft rice flour morsels with peanuts, mung beans, sesame seeds and coconut

Khanom Pang Wan ขนมปังหวาน (Sweet Breads)

Not really Thai but a selection of hamburger buns filled with synthetic bright sweet things. Thai desserts sometimes take on interesting forms, shapes and flavors!

Roti Sai Mai โรตีสายไหม
(Thai Cotton Candy Burrito)**

Especially famous as being a product of Ayutthaya, roti sai mai consists of two main items: candy floss and thin crepe pancakes. The hairlike candy floss is placed into the thin pancakes and eaten like a burrito.

Khanom Man ขนมมัน
(Coconut Cassava Cake)

Cassava mixed with coconut and made into a moist cake

Khanom Tua Tud ขนมถั่วตัด
(Coconut Peanut Cake)

Ground peanuts mixed with coconut and formed into moist cake

Khanom Moa Gang ขนมหม้อแกง
(Thai Custard Cake)*

Thai custard cake baked and sprinkled with deep fried red onions

Khanom Tuay Foo ขนมถ้วยฟู
(Sweet Steamed Bread)

Plain flour with sugar and food coloring steamed into a sweet bread snack

Khanom Tarn ขนมตาล (Palm Sugar Pudding)

These small little cakes taste a little like corn bread, but instead of corn, they are made from palm heart. They are steamed in palm branches and then served along the streets of Bangkok.

Cake Gluay Hom เค้กกล้วยหอม
(Banana Muffin)

Muffin made with banana

Khanom Pia ขนมเปี๊ยะ
(Chinese Baked Cookie)

Rice flour cookie with sweet filling

Khanom Thom ขนมต้ม
(Dessert Balls)

Flour and sugar made into small bowls with nutty filling and covered with shredded coconut

Pang Gi แป้งจี่ (Coconut Pancake)*

Small bite sized coconut pancakes

Khanom Khai ขนมไข่ (Baked Egg Cake)

Cake made with eggs and flour and shaped in a small molded pan

Khanom Baa Bin ขนมบ้าบิ่น (Fried Cake)***

Sticky rice flour and sugar fried on a griddle to become crispy and golden

Khanom Keng (Sticky Cake)

A traditional cake made with super sticky rice flour

Nam Ponlamai Ruam Ban (Thai Mixed Fruit Smoothie)***

The super Thai style mixed fruit shake created with the finest tropical fruits blended with ice and sweet coconut water makes for the finest and freshest Thai desserts available. You can find Bangkok’s best fruit shake at Nang Loeng Market.

Gluay Buad Chee กล้วยบวชชี
(Bananas in Coconut Milk)

Like many other Thai desserts, this one consists of fruit, coconut milk, and lots of sugar. Bananas are simmered with coconut cream to create a pudding like banana coconut sweet stew.

Putsa Cheum พุทราเชื่อม
(Candied Chinese Date)

Candied Chinese dates in sweet syrup

Looktan Cheum ลูกตาลเชื่อม
(Candied Palm Seeds)

Palm seeds boiled in water and then highly sugared

Grataun Song Kreung กะท้อนทรงเครื่อง (Candied Santol Fruit)*

Santol fruit candied and mixed with a peanut, chili, dried shrimp flavored sweet glaze

Mamuang Nam Pla Wan มะม่วงน้ำปลาหวาน (Green Mango with Sweet Sauce)*

Green mangoes are sliced into strips and then served with a sweet fish paste with dried shrimp and red onions. It’s a unique and delicious combination when eaten with the sour mango.

Gluay Cheum กล้วยเชื่อม (Bananas with Syrup)

It’s basically bananas that are soaked in highly sweet syrup and sometimes eaten as is or sometimes topped with coconut syrup.

Gluay Kaek กล้วยแขก (Fried Sweet Bananas)*

Battered and deep fried bananas into a crispy crunch are hard to dislike. They are slightly sweet, but crunchy and delicious.

Itim Kati ไอติมกะทิ (Coconut Ice Cream)***

It’s coconut infused Thai style ice cream topped with roasted peanuts and usually served in a coconut shell.

Itim Khanom Pang ไอติมขนมปัง (Ice Cream Sandwich)*

What could be better than coconut ice cream? How about coconut ice cream in a bun with sweet sticky rice on the bottom. A  sliced bun, sticky rice, scoop of ice cream, peanuts, preserved palm fruit and condensed milk combined into a true Thai ice cream sandwich. Thai desserts can be fun and interesting to eat!

Itim Bohrahn ไอติมโบราณ (Creamy Popsicles)**

Fruit flavored frozen ice cream rectangles

Itim Tod ไอติมทอด (Deep Fried Ice Cream)

Good old fashioned deep fried ice cream

Look Choop ลูกชุบ (Mung Bean Candy)

Smashed and sweetened mung bean paste made into cute candies to look like fruit and glazed in sweet candy

Med Kanun เม็ดขนุน
(Mung Bean Yolk)

Mung bean paste formed in egg yolk and sugar

Mun Sumpalung Cheum มันสำปะหลังเชื่อม
(Candied Cassava)

Cassava candied in sweet syrup

Kai Wan ไข่หวาน (Sweet Eggs)

Eggs cooked in sugar water with a hint of ginger

Toorien Guan ทุเรียนกวน (Durian Paste)

Fragrant Durian with sugar made into a substance that resembles toothpaste.

Note: Eat at your own risk, some may not consider Toorien Guan to be the best of Thai desserts!

Mamuang Guan
(Mango Fruit Roll-Up)

Mango made into sweetened and dried fruit roll-up sheets

Lod Chong Nam Kati ลอดช่องน้ำกะทิ
(Green Noodle Surprise)

Green noodles made from flour and pandanus leaves and eaten with a ladle of sweet coconut milk

Khanom La Grob ขนมลากรอบ
(Honey Candy)

Made from flour egg yolks and honey and fried in a big pan

What looks good?  Do you have a favorite Khanom Wan, Thai dessert?

What are your favorite Thai desserts?

Don’t forget to check out 100 best Thai dishes!

If you enjoyed this, please be sure to check out the Eating Thai Food Guide and the Vegetarian Thai Food Guide now!