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
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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!
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vishal kaushik
2 years ago
Cool. Keep it up man!
vishal kaushik
2 years ago
Its really awesome. Thanks!
suzette
6 years ago
I had a sweet treat on the street. It was peanut brittle inside, jelly around and rolled in sesame seeds. What is it called and recipe?
zarin tasnim
7 years ago
Khao Neow Sang Kaya ข้าวเหนียวสังขยา (Sticky Rice with Custard)** I ate this one in chiangmai but cannot find this dessert in bangkok .can you help me by telling the address.
Mizz
7 years ago
JOIN OUR THAI DATING AND TRAVEL COMPANION SITE
JOIN OUR THAI DATING AND TRAVEL COMPANION SITE
joyce
7 years ago
Hi Mark! Love your posts! Do you have a recipe for thai rolled ice cream?
Thanks!
Zurab
7 years ago
Mark, you are awesome! Coming to Thailand soon, would be really funny to see you by pure luck somewhere in Bangkok sitting and eating street food! lol
Abha goyal
8 years ago
I ate crispy roasted rice topped with fresh coconut grated and some coconut milk and sugar and salt at the village at Siam Niramit show in Bangkok. I would like it’s recipe. I do not know the name.
Sherrie-Anne Deita
8 years ago
Can you please give me the recipe of khanom LA tnx..
Sent to my email
Peter
9 years ago
Some great gluten free deserts here thanks (from gluten free diet person).
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Thank you for reading Peter.
zyaki
9 years ago
Hi! your site is very informative and helpful. Thai foods are really amazing and really tasty. Before going here,I just weigh around 55 kgs… and after a month or two… I gained 10 kgs. My friends usually asked me about the english names of all the Thai foods so I told them to echeck your site. Thanks for sharing your tasty experience in Thailand. Thumbs up for the food photography!
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hi Zyaki, great to hear from you and thank you very much for sharing my site with your friends. Glad that you love Thai food so much as well!
Michael B
9 years ago
I think my all-time favorite is a good Ruam Mitr – one with lots of goodies and different textures.
You missed a few that I like. One is Rice and Tapioca Flour Shells in Warm Sweet Coconut Sauce Topped with Toasted Mung Beans and Sesame Seeds (Kanom Krawng Kraeng Kati). I like the Bua Loi with the sesame filling but prefer the plain Kanom Bua Loi (my wife (Thai) makes it in 4 different colors). I also like Glazed Peppery Crispy Shells (Krawng Kraeng Krawp).
One of my favorites is Tapioca Black Bean Pudding (Sakoo Tua Dtam). My wife’s recipe can be found here: Blog on Tapioca.
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hey Michael, good to hear from you, thank you for sharing your dessert favorites. Yah, this article is due for an update soon, will try to include more of these desserts and photos. Thanks.
Michael B
9 years ago
Mark, I don’t envy you trying to get together a truly comprehensive list of Thai khanom. I travel to Thailand every year and it’s rare that I don’t come across at least a couple that I’ve never seen before.
Alan
9 years ago
Great pixs and a good job done compiling it.
I have seen some sold on the streets and it would be great to know where exactly to obtain the desserts.
Cheers
Shunn
9 years ago
This post is awesome! Thank you so much for writing it!
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
You’re welcome, thank you for reading Shunn.
Josias Lopes
9 years ago
OK… how can I move to Thailand… lol…
Really… I’m not kidding… lol… It’s probably gonna make fatter and I give me an heart attack… bu I don’t care…lol..
Thanks again for another great post..
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Thanks Josias!
Andrew L
9 years ago
I don’t know how to thank you for the collection of all these traditional Thai desserts..
I am going to Bangkok in November and I really want to try these for sure…
Could you be kind enough to tell me where I can find these?
Khao Neow Ma Muang ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง (Sticky Rice with Mango)
Tong Yip ทองหยิบ (Flower Egg Yolk Tart)
Tong Yord ทองหยอด (Round Egg Yolk Tart)
Foi Tong ฝอยทอง (Shredded Egg Yolk Tart)
Khanom Chun ขนมชั้น (Thai Jello)
Khanom Chun Gafe ขนมชั้นกาแฟ (Layered Coffee Jelly)
Khanom Wan Ruam Mit (Mixed Sweet Dessert)
Taptim Grob ทับทิมกรอบ (Water Chestnuts in Coconut Soup)
Salim ซาหลิ่ม (Glass Noodle Dessert)
Khanom Moa Gang ขนมหม้อแกง
(Thai Custard Cake)
Khanom Tarn ขนมตาล (Palm Sugar Pudding)
Andrew L
9 years ago
By the way, I just purchased the ebook ‘Eating Thai Food Guide’ 🙂
What a GREAT guide!
I sure will need it while in Bangkok!!!!!
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hey Andrew, thank you so much for getting the guide!
Mark Wiens
9 years ago
Hey Andrew, a lot of these you’ll be able to find just walking down the street in Bangkok. I haven’t written about it, but you can also check out Boonsap thai desserts shop located in Bang Rak. Enjoy!
Mod
10 years ago
Thank you for posting such wonderful pictures and comments. I truly miss eating these desserts.
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
You’re welcome Mod!
qseara
10 years ago
It’s not Woon Kati(วุ้นกระทิ). It’s Woon khai (วุ้นไข่).
Woon kati has white and green color.
search วุ้นกระทิ for pictrue
utsanee
10 years ago
I think you are wrong about no.3
Khanom Gluay ขนมกล้วย
(Banana Treat)
Khanom Gluay is not look like that and it wasn’t has any rice in it. please correct your website
thank you
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Thank you for the comment, I will investigate.
Jah
9 years ago
I agree with Utsanee. As I first saw the picture of your, I thought it was a kind of Bajang (บ๊ะจ่าง). But after reading your describtion, I think it may be just a new style of Khao Tom Mud (Banana Leaf Sticky Rice) with banana filled. (http://bit.ly/1hYOzi6 http://bit.ly/GZBdXy)
When you say Khanom Gluay (ขนมกล้วย) that exactly means a mixture of bananas, some kind of flour and coconut milk in various styles and sometimes it comes with shredded unsweetened coconut sprinkled on top. May be these pictures would make it clearer >>> http://bit.ly/19agLN5 http://bit.ly/15L4WMX http://bit.ly/H360mP
Sandy M.
10 years ago
Hi Mark…
A group of friends of ours will be taking a trip to Thailand to try the cuisine….no airplane ticket required!!! What I mean is…..every other month our group of friends get together and feature the food of that country that has been chosen. Coming up is Thailand and I’m in charge of the dessert. Could you please share what you would recommend I make for our “Dinner Around the World” party???
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Hey Sandy, great to hear from you and glad you’re having a Thai desserts party! Here are a few recommendations: mango and sticky rice, takoh (coconut pudding), bua loy nam king (black sesame seed dumplings in ginger water), also you could try sang kaya fug tong – pumpkin filled with custard. Enjoy!
bb
10 years ago
วุ้นกะทิ ไม่ใช่นะ ในภาพนั้นวุ้นไข่
Kitti
10 years ago
Mark, try durian chip and banana chip (กล้วยเบรคแตก)
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Hey Kitti, thank you, I really love durian chips!
Audrey Gonzalez
10 years ago
Terrific book. Is there a hard copy? Where can Thai sweets be purchased or shipped in USA.
I’m addicted and ran out of the cookies and roses I brought home.
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Hey Audrey, thank you very much. No, at the moment it’s only an ebook. Not sure where you can get Thai desserts in the US, but if you find any let me know!
YoFR
10 years ago
You’ve made a great job with this list! Congrats and thanks a lot! We’re preparing our trip to Thailand in August and one of my worries is if I will be able to eat everything as I can’t eat gluten (wheat, barley, rye, oat…). When you say “flour”, what kind of flour do you mean? And are all noodles made of rice flour?
I can’t wait till August…!
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Hey Yo,
Many noodles are made from rice, and many desserts are also sticky rice or sticky rice based flour. Some noodles like “ba mee” are egg noodles. I think you’ll find plenty to eat still in Thailand!
Joy
10 years ago
Hi,
May I know whereabout in Bangkok can I find the multi color mango sticky rice & durian sticky rice?
Thanks!
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
Hi Joy, I don’t know an exact place to find it, but you’ll find it normally at nicer upper scale markets, or probably at one of the floating markets. You might try Or Tok Kor market.
shailendra
10 years ago
hi
loved your site. amazing work. makes my mouth water. can you please suggest best places in bangkok to have these deserts. thanks in advance
Naomi
11 years ago
WOW…this list is amazing!! How did you manage to get the Thai names and spellings of everything?? I think this Kai Wan sounds the most intriguing……now I am SO HUNGRY for Thai food I could cry. SO HUNGRY!! 😉
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Hey Naomi, thanks for taking a look at it. Just took tons of photos over the years and finally compiled them into a single article and had my girlfriend (who’s Thai) help me identify all of them. Glad you enjoyed it and hope you can find some Thai desserts!
Alexa Meisler
11 years ago
I definitely had my eyes on the Khao Niew Ma Muang and the Mamuang Nam Plah Wan. Anything with mangoes just drives me crazy.
Mark Wiens
11 years ago
Awesome to hear that Alexa – I’m with you when it comes to mangos too – they are so delicious in all forms of ripeness!
Enrico
12 years ago
Hello Mark,
I just wanted to say, I thank and loathe you in equal measures – ever since coming across this page I have been rather infatuated with Thai Desserts, and just the need to explore the gastronomy of the worlds’ cultures. I have been to Thailand once, in 2000, and essentially everything on this page is alien to me. As of today however, I have just returned from a local Thai Festival, my purchase list?
– Khao Tom Mud
– Khao Niew Mamuang [not tried yet]
– Khao Niew Sangkaya
– Foi Tong
– Khanom Chun
– Takoh Bai Toey
– Khanom Wan Ruam Mit
– Khanom Mun
– Khanom Tom Bai Toey
– Med Kanun
– Khanom Tarn [I think]
– An egg custard slice
– A Banana pudding slice
– Tua Pap [I think – clear dumpling stuffed with peanuts served with chillies and coriander?]
And they are all. Spectacular. No durian unfortunately, something I really want to sample. My flanks don’t thank you [yes, I did buy them all at once, no, I didn’t have to try them all at once..but I barely had the choice].
Regards,
Enrico
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
Awesome Enrico!!!
Thanks so much for sharing, I’m so happy to hear this! You got some great desserts, a few of my favorites and I’m sure they were spectacular. After buying Thai desserts, it can be difficult to refrain from eating them all at once and save anything – they are so sweet and tasty! Hope you get to sample some durian in the near future. Any plans to come back and visit Thailand again? Thanks again for taking the time to comment!
Enrico
12 years ago
They were mind-blowing [especially the mango with sticky rice, Jeebus]. Particularly as I cannot fathom why I cannot stop devouring them, though the sooner they are gone, the better [especially as there’s another Thai festival at the end of the month..]! Beyond being tasty, they are just so interesting and diverse…talking of which, I also sampled Guay Jub. It was awesome. The unnamed desserts by the way I think are lod chong nam kati for the drink, khanom gluay for the banana pudding, khanom mor gaeng for the egg custard, and saku sai kem for the tapioca balls.
I have no idea for a return to Thailand – when the means are available I would think. Much in your vein, I would like a worldwide exploration, concentrating on face-stuffing aspect though! Thanks for inspiring
Shoua Vang
12 years ago
I want this breads recipe how do i get this ricipe? I look your pag I love it…
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
Thanks Shoua! Hope you can find the recipe!
FightLiveShare.com
10 years ago
Bua Loi is the only Thai dessert I need to eat. My Thai friends all consider me the expert on it lol.
I always had a sweet tooth and became somewhat obsessed over it. Typically it is hard to find, mostly just sold in street markets, and even then many will only sell for a few hours. One of my favorites is a lady in Din Daeng and she usually only sells for 3-4hours a day. Got to get in there while the getting is good!
I try to avoid eating too many other desserts but i will never be able to resist the temptation of Bua Loi
Mark Wiens
10 years ago
You know what I’m exactly the same as you. I resist most other Thai desserts with the exception of sticky rice durian and bua loi, I just find both of those desserts absolutely irresistible. I also love the nam king – ginger water, but I always ask for it not sweet.
Breville BJE200XL
12 years ago
Wow, yummy desserts!
Want to try the Thai Mixed Fruit Smoothie!!… it looks very delicious. 😉
Ruth
12 years ago
The photos are invaluable – thank you! I reread this post after thinking it was strange I hadn’t seen many desserts anywhere in Thailand – now I know what I’m looking for I seem to notice them everywhere, though some are far more common than others. I’m enjoying trying them out!
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
@Ruth: Thank you so much Ruth! Yes, Thai desserts are great to explore and sample – quite different from normal desserts in Europe or US. Good luck eating and hope you can find some of the best ones!
Ryan
12 years ago
I’m going to Thailand in a couple months…my goodness, there’s so much food! We’re going to the Songkran (I think I spelled that right). I’ll have to check to see if they have anything special for the festival. Then again, I might just print this off and point at pictures, then respectively at my mouth. Thanks for the food guide!
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
@Aly: Yes indeed, I have sampled all of these..! However, I’m usually with you on filling up on curry first with not room for desserts. I have to make separate Thai dessert food binges…dessert meals!
Aly
12 years ago
Oh man, I hope you ate every single of on these in the tasting process. They all look amazing – even the unholy hotdog bun+sprinkles monster.
A thai restaurant near my house has many desserts, but I never get them because I’ve usually already stuffed myself completely full of curry. You have inspired me to go and just order all the desserts. 😀
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
@Rease: Before you purchase it, the vendor bangs it with a sledge hammer, cracking it down the side of the bamboo and making it easy to grab the rice on the inside! Thanks for checking this out!
Rease
12 years ago
Wow, this is an incredibly comprehensive collection! Excellent photos and descriptions. Those ice creams are making me drool. I’m curious, how do you eat the sticky rice dessert out of the bamboo?
New
12 years ago
This is really helpful!!! 🙂
Mark Wiens
12 years ago
Thanks for checking it out New!
royal garden villas tenerife
12 years ago
Soo much foo there that i would love to eat :), lunchtime me thinks 🙂
Ralph Thompson
12 years ago
great post thanks
Mark Wiens
13 years ago
@Jen: It was so many desserts I had to buy 1 and then split with all my friends!
@Earl: I think those are 2 of the best as well! Haha, at least those cavaties are worth it!
@Daniel: Thanks a lot Daniel, it was a lot of fun!
@Amy: You will just have to come back and try to sample as many as possible!
@Clayton: Great Clayton! You are going to have an awesome time. Yah, you can get your ice cream sandwich in a bun right off the street here in Bangkok! Let me know when you come to Thailand, maybe we can do some eating!
@Lilian: Thanks!
@Ciki: Haha, a sweet tooth in Thailand is not a bad thing to have!
@Esma: Hope you do too! You need to come to Thailand to eat all this!
@Yue: Yah, Durian is the craziest fruit, and when made into dessert, it’s even better!
Katherine
13 years ago
i’ve been drinking bird nest soup every night (i only get the homemade kind back at home). the only reason why i drink it is because it’s supposed to be good for complexion.
i’ve been taking the store-bought kind online (e.g. http://www.geocities.jp/hongkong_bird_nest/index_e.htm of famous branded only of course) which is directly mailed from Hong Kong. this would be at a more affordable price.
Yue Edwards
13 years ago
i am overwhelmed totally!! i must go to Thailand to try them sometime!! i am still learning to appreciate Durian~
Esma
13 years ago
I never cared about Thailand. Until now. This page was pure torture. I hope I meet someone who can make these for me every day…
ciki
13 years ago
Wow, that has got to BE the most concise list of sweets from Thais I have EVER seen! Not only that, but you named all my favourites too.. Does that mean I have a sweet tooth? I guess so;) Great shots btw, love the food photography!
Lilian
13 years ago
wow! That’s a great list with great pics too! I love mango sticky rice the most =)
Clayton
13 years ago
I’m going to Thailand for 2 months this autumn and I don’t think I’ve ever had any of these 🙂 This is going to be a tasty trip!
Oh, is that ice cream sandwich in a hot dog bun? I heard somewhere that they serve ice cream in hot dog buns in Thailand…
Natt
9 years ago
Yes, we do with coconut ice cream 🙂
Amy @ The Q Family
13 years ago
OMG!! The best list with photo I have seen so far!
Do you know how painful for me to scroll down and keep thinking about the ones I have missed when I went back last time? 🙂
My favorites are Roti,Khao Niew Ma Muang, Salim,Tong Yip , Tong Yod, Med Kanoon, Luk Chup. 🙂
Thailand Package
13 years ago
Wow! Incredible list! The “research” must have been very hard 😉
Daniel Wong
13 years ago
Holy dolly!! Mark, this is one awesome post man!! Must have taken you so much effort to complete this post. Impressive stuff. Gonna spread the words for you man.
Earl
13 years ago
Roti gluay and mango sticky rice…hmmm, I need to find some of that right now. I think I normally eat the mango sticky rice at least once per day when I’m over there, hence the reason that my very first cavities appeared after my first trip to Thailand!
jen laceda
13 years ago
ok, you’re like a mad genius for collecting such a comprehensive list!! Thank you for this. I know this was an arduous (albeit fun) post to do. I’m surprised you’re still so skinny after trying all these!
i like TAKOH! That’s my fave!