BREAKING NEWS YOU GUYS. German desserts are not just for Christmas! Is this news to you? Have I just been living under a sad, gingerbread-less rock for, like, forever?
Essentially what we have here is the best of the holiday classics plus a BONUS thing that isn’t normally part of the conversation: desserts for the whole year.
From fun treats like ice cream spaghetti to quark cheesecake, I’ve rounded up 25 gorgeous German desserts that are perfect any time.
1. Spaghetti Ice Cream
Did you know you could do this? Pushing ice cream through a potato ricer gives you spaghetti! It’s just so cute and perfect for kids, or honestly, for you after a big Italian feast.
Vanilla ice cream stands in for the noodles, and then you top it with a strawberry sauce and some white chocolate shavings to look just like tomato sauce and parmesan. It’s just so fun.
And if you want to be extra, you could even add some brownie “meatballs.”
2. Peach Kuchen
This sweet tart has a seriously wonderful buttery shortbread base. You’ll bake the base with sliced peaches for about 15 minutes, which is just enough time to whip up the custard.
And the custard is so simple, just whisking together egg yolks and cream. This gets poured over the hot tart and baked for another 30 minutes until it’s set.
The layers in this simple tart are just amazing, and it doesn’t even need any cream on the side.
3. Linzer Cookies
These have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Buttery shortbread filled with a sweet and tart jam? YES. I will never say no to that! The five ingredient dough is so simple and delicious.
Just be sure not to over mix it; you want it to be short and crumbly. I’m a big fan of the traditional raspberry filling, but I think any jam would be great in these.
For a little something extra, why not try striping them with some dark chocolate? YUM.
4. German Rum Balls
No bake rum balls are just such a fun and simple way to get your chocolate fix. I love the hazelnut in these, but you could leave them out if you need something nut free.
And you can always skip the rum and still have a sweet and chewy treat. Rolling them in cocoa gives them a nice coating, but I think chocolate sprinkles or shavings would look amazing!
5. Stollen
You usually have to wait until the holidays for Stollen, but I’m here to say you should make it year round! It’s a sweet bread that’s loaded with fruit and nuts, and it’s the perfect pairing for a cup of tea.
You’ll need to let the dough rise before kneading in all those extras. Knead it until the fruit stays put and you can gently shape it into a log.
After another rest, you can bake it for 20-30 minutes and let it cool before dusting with powdered sugar. I love all the ingredients in here, but you can totally modify it.
If you’re more of a macadamia nut and glace cherry person, that’s completely up to you.
6. German Plum Dumplings (Zwetschgenknoedel)
These little dumplings are such a cute idea for an after dinner treat. The dough uses Quark, which is a soft cheese that can be smooth or more like cottage cheese, and it gives a great mild flavor and excellent texture.
The slightly tart plums get so tender while cooking and are a really pleasant change from the usual apple cinnamon combo. Just make sure your water isn’t boiling, because it can ruin the dough.
7. Authentic German Lebkuchen Recipe
With a high ratio of fruit and nuts, these cookies are spiced, nutty, and sweet. The recipe calls for Lebkuchengewürz, which you can substitute with gingerbread spice.
The dough is pretty sticky, so you’ll need to add some extra almond meal to help you scoop the batter. These cookies keep so well and actually get better the longer they sit and soak up all those amazing flavors.
I think they’d be the perfect partner for a hot coffee on a chilly day.
8. German Crumb Cake
Even though this cake has three layers, it all gets baked together as one. The base is a fluffy yellow cake that gets topped with apricot jam, which bubbles and seeps into the sponge for extra moisture and sweetness.
The top is a simple crumble made with flour, butter, and sugar. Traditionally, this has almonds on top, but you can definitely leave those out if you prefer.
And just like the recipe above, I think any kind of jam would make this cake taste amazing. Or maybe even a layer of fruit compote for some added texture!
9. Strawberry Rhubarb Trifle
Fresh rhubarb has a vibrant color that you just don’t get from the canned kind. If you can’t find fresh, I probably wouldn’t recommend this recipe.
The tart rhubarb mixed with sweet, juicy strawberries makes a beautiful pink trifle. The colors are just amazing, and the meringue adds a nice crunch.
I really like these as individual portions, but the flavors would work so well as a German pavlova. You can even save some of the rhubarb juice and reduce it down to a thicker sauce to pour over the whole thing. SO GOOD.
10. German Coconut Macaroons
Have you ever found something that’s totally normal in another country, but completely new to you? Well, I first discovered baking wafers because of this recipe, and it’s a total game changer!
I can’t even count how many times I’ve made coconut macaroons and had them stick to the tray and get ruined. Baking wafers are edible discs that you pipe your sticky dough onto.
When they’re baked, the wafers come right off the sheet, leaving your cookie sticky and perfectly whole. These macaroons are super easy to make with just coconut, egg whites, sugar, and a little flour.
The chocolate stripes are optional, but they dress them up perfectly.
11. Dipped Gingersnaps
Christmas can be so busy and crazy, and you don’t always have time to make an amazing batch of cookies. Luckily, you can totally modify some store bought gingersnaps to make them festive. I won’t tell!
Of course, you can also make your own with this recipe. Try dipping your cookies in different kinds of chocolate and sprinkling them with a few things, like chopped nuts and festive sprinkles for some variety.
12. Sacher Torte
This chocolate cake has a serious cult following and deserves the best quality chocolate you can find. The cake is light and airy, made with melted chocolate, vanilla, butter, sugar, and flour.
The eggs get separated, and you’ll fold in the whipped whites at the end. For that real authentic feel, don’t skip the apricot glaze.
Finally, the whole cake gets covered in a dark chocolate glaze that sets up perfectly for a beautiful, clean finish. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and maybe an Irish coffee.
13. German Blueberry Cake
This recipe is more like a blueberry cheesecake, and it calls for a kilo of blueberries. That’s 2.2 pounds of fruit! Needless to say, it’s so incredibly flavorful.
With a cream cheese based dough for the crust, you get that tangy flavor in every single bite. And the good news is, everything gets baked together.
Just fill the crust with all those blueberries and pour the sweet cream cheese filling over the top. You’ll get a mouthful of fresh blueberries with each spoonful, and the sweet cheesecake pairs with them perfectly.
14. Blushing Maid
Putting pumpernickel bread in a dessert might sound a little bizarre, but it actually works. A real German pumpernickel has a deep coffee and chocolate flavor that balances so delicately with tart raspberries and sweet whipped cream.
This isn’t your typical sweet dessert; the bread gets soaked in yogurt for a tangy and rich flavor. If the idea of pumpernickel is just too much for you, you can use another kind of bread to make it a bit sweeter.
16. Kirschmichel Cherry Dessert
This recipe was originally a way to use up old bread, but this version is a modern twist on that cherry bread classic. Instead of using bread, this recipe calls for semolina, which is coarse and will leave a specific texture in the sponge.
If you can’t find semolina, quinoa flour is a great alternative. Once the cake is mixed, just stir in your cherries and bake it until it’s golden and puffy.
This cake is served with a delicious and creamy vanilla sauce, but it would be really nice with whipped cream, too.
17. Bee Sting Cake
This is a unique, yeast-based “cake,” and there are a few tricks to make sure this one comes out just right. You’ll need to knead and rest this “cake” before you can press it into your pan.
It gets topped with a honey almond mixture that will caramelize while it bakes. A top tip is to cut this cake while it’s still warm. I know, controversial!
The idea is to cut through the top before it has time to set, so you get clean slices. The filling is a simple whipped cream and pudding mix that really lets the honey and almond shine.
18. Peppernut Cookies (Pfeffernusse)
These cookies are similar to ginger cookies, but the main flavor note here is anise. Not only that, but they also have cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, AND black pepper.
These cookies are so great when they’re cooled, with a crisp edge and a chewy middle. But they’re also delicious after a week, once they’ve had time to harden and crisp up like biscotti.
The licorice flavor is definitely the most prominent, so if you’re not a fan, this one might not be for you.
19. German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup
German pancakes, or Dutch babies, are big oven baked cakes that you slice up and serve. For this recipe, the batter is blitzed until it’s smooth using a blender or immersion blender.
It’s so simple and will look just like a crepe batter. When the batter is ready, saute your apples with cinnamon and brown sugar in an oven proof skillet.
You’ll want to cook it long enough for the sugar to dissolve and the apples to soften a little bit. Then just pour your batter right over the top and bake it until it’s puffy and golden.
It will deflate slightly, which is totally normal! But it’s the cider syrup that is giving me life. Gently stir the ingredients until the sauce has thickened and serve it warm over the fresh out of the oven pancake.
20. German Fruit Flan
German flans are more like fruit tarts, but the difference is that the base is a sponge instead of a pastry. You can buy these in stores, but the recipe couldn’t be easier.
Just mix together flour, sugar, eggs, and baking powder and bake it in a tart dish until it’s golden brown. When it’s cool, you can cover it with a simple vanilla pudding and the fresh fruit of your choice.
It’s so easy to change this up! I would totally try a lemon pudding with fresh blueberries. For a nice shiny finish, try brushing your fruit tart with some watered down, warmed apricot jam.
21. Cinnamon Star Cookies
Not only are these gluten free, but they’re also dairy free and have just seven ingredients. The binders here are whipped egg white and ground almonds, which give them an amazing texture.
The dough will be sticky, but you should be able to press it onto your surface and cut out your stars. The simple cinnamon nut cookie is sweetened just a touch with a meringue glaze. I think these would be so adorable hung on the tree with colorful ribbons.
22. Apple Strudel
Instead of a thick pastry crust, this apple dessert is wrapped in a thin, hand stretched dough. It’s a little strange, but you’ll have fun giving it a try!
The beauty of it is that it doesn’t need to be neat and tidy. Just gently work around the edges, pulling from the middle to stretch it out as much as you can.
It should be so thin you can read a newspaper placed underneath it! This thin dough gets loaded with apple, cinnamon, and golden raisins before being rolled up into a strudel log.
When it’s baked, the crust should have layers of crisp and flaky pastry with a sweet and spiced apple filling that’s just bursting with flavor.
23. German Cheesecake
There are a few things about this recipe that really set this cheesecake apart. First, the crust is a short crust pastry with a hint of lemon. Second, the filling is made with quark instead of cream cheese.
Like I mentioned before, quark is a soft cheese with a mild flavor that’s thicker than Greek yogurt and not as sour. The result is a creamy and mild flavored cheesecake with a thick and smooth texture you will absolutely love.
Top it with fresh berries and some whipped cream!
24. German Rice Pudding
When you read this recipe, you might think it’s kind of like a sweet risotto. And you’re not wrong! It uses the same kind of rice, and you’ll need to lightly toast it before adding in your liquid.
Just cook it over a low heat until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Serve it with brown sugar and cinnamon for a simple but comforting weeknight dessert.
