Argentinian sweets are a staple in South America, and desserts in Argentina are one of the highlights of every meal. We learned this from our daughter Sarah after she spent a year in Argentina as an exchange student.
Below she shares with us some of her favourite sweets and desserts.
While passionate about Bon o Bons from practically the first day she arrived at age 15, there were plenty more Argentinian sweets for her to discover during her yearlong AFS student exchange.
Generally, Sarah’s favourite desserts contained chocolate, dulce de leche, or, to my surprise, quince jam.
And it wasn’t just the Argentinian sweets that captured her heart, culinary delights surrounded her. In particular, the meats in Argentina were on her list of highlights, listing favourites such as asado, milanesas, you name it. Argentina is known for amazing food.
Returning our focus to Argentinian desserts, noting that they are both delicious and photogenic. See if you agree:
Sarah’s favourite Argentinian Desserts and sweets
- Anything with dulce de Leche
- Flan
- Pastelitos
- Tortas fritas
- Cheesecake
- Birthday cake
- Alfajores
- Churros
- Filled pastry
- Bon o Bon
- Copito de Dulce
What is Dulce de Leche?
Topping Sarah’s list, was anything with dulce de leche. Made from sugar and milk, dulce de leche is best described as caramelised condensed milk.
While it’s fairly easy to make, it does take a while. Therefore, it is often purchased pre-made in a glass jar.
However, it can be made at home by either slowly boiling condensed milk or cooking milk and sugar together. While fairly simple, either process takes about three hours.
True fans, who want more, don’t miss this collection of Dulce de Leche: Recipes, Stories, & Sweet Traditions.
Classic and delicious Argentina desserts
Let’s let Sarah describe the desserts in Argentina…
- Pastelitos and mini pastelitos
Pastelitos are a fried puff pastry normally filled with dulce de membrillo (quince jam). Typically, these Argentinian sweets are eaten from March to May and are traditionally eaten on the holiday 25 de Mayo. The second image features mini pastelitos shot from above. The quince jam goes in the flat middle between the two layers of pastry. - Cheesecake
Photoed above is a delicious cheesecake and strawberry smoothie I had at the Brota Vivero Paseo Cafe in Santa Fe City (permanently closed). While it isn’t exactly authentic Argentinian food, it tasted incredible. - Flan
Flan is a milk-based Argentinian dessert. Making it even better, on the left side of the photo above is a scoop of the famous dulce de leche. - Tortas Fritas
An Argentinian fry bread so delicious, it was gobbled up before Sarah could get a photo. If you want to make it yourself, check out this Tortas Fritas recipe.
Birthday cake
Sarah describes the three birthday cakes above as follows:
- My host family woke me up at 6:30am on my birthday with this beautiful purple Argentina cake, which is also my favourite colour. We ate it for breakfast! Argentina cakes often have dulce de leche, a sweet spread that is best explained by caramelised condensed milk.
- In the second image, a slice of a host family member’s birthday cake, the bottom layer features the customary dulce de leche spread, with pieces of meringue mixed into it.
- The final photo is the topping of a cake I had while at a birthday party.
Snacks are some of the best Argentinian sweets
- Churros
Churros filled with dulce de leche and dipped into a cup of hot chocolate are delicious Argentinian sweets. - Alfajores
Sarah’s face lit up when she saw alfajores at a festival in Auckland. They are one of her favourite sweets from her year as an exchange student in Argentina. We tried the three different flavours (naturally, the dark chocolate was my favourite). Filled with Dulce de leche, it is a treat not to be missed. - Pastry
There were lots of different types of Argentinian pastry, often served with vanilla cream, chocolate, and dulce de leche filling. The tuck shop at Sarah’s school always had a supply. - Slice
The final photo features a slice she had as a snack on a camp. “If I remember correctly, the filling was quince jam.”
Pre-made Argentinian sweets
Sarah adds more about some of the commercial Argentinian sweets.
- While exploring Buenos Aires on a trip to the city and then north to Iguazu Falls, some exchange students and I stumbled upon an Argentinian sweets shop with entire bins full of Bon o Bons.
- The inside of a Bon o Bon, I’d describe the filling as creamy peanut butter, though it was different than that. Next, there is a thin layer of a flaky, pastry-type biscuit and then the chocolate coating.
- Copito de Dulce translates to ‘sweet cup’ and is an Argentinian sweet that I quite liked. It had a pastry bottom with dulce de leche filling and a coating of chocolate.
Save for later
If you enjoyed these Argentinian sweets, please share it on social media and save it for later on Pinterest.
Which of these Argentinian sweets do you want to try?
You might also like…
- Argentina Travel Tips: A Guide for First-Time Visitors
- Traditional Argentinian Food You Need to Try
- Living in Argentina: Short Stories from a Year-long AFS Student Exchange
- Chilean Cuisine Cooking Class: Culture Through Food
- Food Playground: A Must-Do Cultural Cooking Class in Singapore
Photo Credits
Nearly all photos on this page were taken by Sarah Albom over the course of a year-long student exchange in Argentina with AFS. She stayed in the city of Santa Fe with an incredible host family.
Ryan Santiago
Hi, Sarah!
Glad to meet another blogger who, incidentally, happens to be an AFS exchange student, too. I was one a decade ago, from the Philippines to the US. 🙂
Anyway, I’m traveling to Latin America this year, and your exquisite photos of Argentinian sweets got me craving some churros with dulce de leche. I would also love to get my hands on that dulce de membrillo and the flan.
Hope you continue to find comfort in Argentinian hospitality. 🙂
RYE
Neni
Flan with Dulce de Leche? Yes please! I’d love to try all of it. Argentina must be delicious 😀
knycx.journeying
Wow, a lot of sweets with a lot of references to European desserts. Personally, I don’t prefer sweet stuff but I would be interested to try a bite for each item 😛 @ knycx.journeying
Claudya
All of it looks incredible, but I will always be parcial to flan.
Jocelyn
Not a huge fan of flan…I’ve never tried quince. What does it taste like?
Churros, though? Yes please! 🙂
Sarah E. Albom
Quince is quite sweet and it tasted to me a bit like strawberry jam, only not with so much tang. I’m not quite sure how to describe it.
Sandy N Vyjay
Please give me that Bon o bons! I have a sweet tooth and can’t resist. 🙂 Dulce de leche which you described as a caramelised condensed milk looks yum too. And those churros filled with dulce de leche and dipped into a cup of hot chocolate simply look delicious.
Sarah E. Albom
Dulce de leche was extremely good. It’s actually pretty easy to make, though it does take a while.
Nicole
I have to completely agree. Dulce de Leche for the win! I was just there last month and oh my yum!
Sarah E. Albom
It is so good. Did you bring any back with you? I brought back a whole jar.
ladyfi
A delicious array of sweets. I lived in Buenos Aires as a child, and still love dulce de leche!
Sarah E. Albom
Dulce de leche is so good. Where in Buenos Aires did you live?
Jeanna
How could you choose which you wanted? You make me want to post on my candy blog these look so good, all of them. I went to my first Brazillian steak house and they had the BEST tres leches, so I’d probably take a close look at the dulce de leche birthday cake and those incredible looking churros. Happy birthday, I had mine last Wednesday and had a strawberry angel food cake.
Sarah E. Albom
My favourites were bon o bons so if I had to choose I always went for those. But duche de leche was so good. Happy birthday Jeanna!
Molly
SO much yummy food. Now I want a sweet treat
Mollyx
Sarah E. Albom
I could send you some through the computer if you want?
Sally's Tips 4 Trips
Whilst I do have a bit of a sweet tooth a lot of these goodies do look a little too rich for me. But I do love a Churros dipped in chocolate 🙂
Sarah E. Albom
The dulce de leche was surprisingly rich. I have a huge sweet tooth and even I couldn’t finish it sometimes.
indah nuria
Those sweets look so tempting, Rhonda…Sarah must have a great time enjoying them..
Rhonda Albom
I agree. I am on a pre-diet now so I can try all of these when we get to Argentina!
Patrick Weseman
Everything looks so yummy.
Sarah E. Albom
It was all really tasty. There’s an exchange student saying that you’ll always gain weight in your new country.
Nathan
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but I have to admit these look delicious. I didn’t know Argentina was famous for sweets but these are all so interesting. I’ll definitely have to try a few when I make it there!
Sarah E. Albom
Argentina actually has a whole range of iconic food. It surprised me when I first arrived there because I wasn’t used to national dishes as the norm.
stevebethere
That’s a sweet post Sarah heheh! well looking through your photos has got my mouth watering I would gladly try all those 🙂
Have a sweettastic week 🙂
Sarah E. Albom
Jaja I could try sending some to you through the computer.
kelleyn rothaermel
It all looks so wonderful!
Sarah E. Albom
Argentinian sweets are so delicious. I think it’s the dulce de leche.
Travelera
I have been in Argentinian restaurant but I do not think I have tried the sweets, they all look delicious, the photos are really well made. I cant choose one as I have a very sweet tooth, I would have them all!
Have a lovely day Rhonda!
Sarah E. Albom
The bon o bons are my personal favourite but they’re all excellent.
Ursula (myVideoMedia)
Delicious. I would love to have the pastry with vanilla cream and the cheesecake 🙂
Sarah E. Albom
The vanilla cream was exceedingly tasty. In all honesty I’m not sure if it IS vanilla cream but it definitely is the best description I could come up with.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
Oh my God Sarah! I’m trying to loose some weight but since I read & watched your tasty blog I feel like I’ve gained 10 lbs. ( I really didn’t gain 10 lbs. ) I think it would be nice if you could send me some of those beautiful candies and everything. You’ve really tested me this morning. By the way, Happy Birthday Sarah. Sweet 16 is it. It’s been years since I’ve been 16. Ha,ha,ha. Thanks for all the wonderful tasty beautiful things that I can’t really eat. I’m suffering right now just looking at them.
See ya Sarah.
Cruisin Paul
Rhonda Albom
LOL Paul, I felt the same way when I looked at her photos.
Sarah E. Albom
I could try sending you some through the DVD slot in the computer? They might come out a bit smushed but they should be otherwise good.
L. Diane Wolfe
I don’t eat chocolate or dairy, but the pastries look scrumptious.
Sarah E. Albom
That sucks. Is it medical? I have a few small food allergies but the majority of the time they don’t affect my meals.
Mike Cotton
Ok, I now have reason #1001 to visit Argentina. I love exploring different countries and sampling the local cuisine. Nice photographs, too.
Sarah E. Albom
The savoury cuisine is also excellent. Have you seen my blog post about asado and about traditional Argentinian food? They go more into what an Argentinian normally eats at mealtime.
Darlene
You made me hungry for this one! I so miss bonbons and flan! I love how you captured the delicousness of these sweets!
Sarah E. Albom
bon o bons are so unique and so good. I’m still trying to find a store that sells them in New Zealand.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Hi Sarah – they all look very good – the purple birthday cake is a visual shock at coffee time- but I’m sure it was delicious and how wonderful of your Argentinian family to make the day special … deliciously sweet all round … cheers and all the best now you’re home – Hilary
Sarah E. Albom
It was really good. They put dulce de leche inside.
Punita Malhotra
You have got the pictures just right with the glistening and gleam of the decadence coming through. Even the bitten bar looks delicious.
Sarah E. Albom
Thank you Punita. I quite enjoy artistic food photography like this.
Joyce Lansky
Yum. I’m glad I can’t indulge in these over my computer. I’d be rolling if I could.
Sarah E. Albom
If you want I could try to send you some by shoving it through the dvd slot in the computer.
Divyakshi Gupta
Okay. You have officially made me cheat my diet plan! The sight of the caramel Bon bons made me gobble half a Nutella jar!
What a visual treat this is!
Sarah E. Albom
Opps sorry. Nutella is pretty good, but you should see if you can get a jar of dulce de leche to cheat with.
Sandee
The cheesecake is my pick. Looks yummy.
Great shots as always, Sarah.
Have a fabulous day. 🙂
Sarah E. Albom
It was delicious. That cafe made everything from scratch.
Lexa Cain
Yum! Yum! Yum! The pics are so good that you could be a food magazine photographer!
Sarah E. Albom
I do want to go into the photography business, but more as a photojournalist.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Now I’m hungry for something sweet.
A purple cake – how cool. Nothing beats cake for breakfast. Unless it’s pizza and cake.
Sarah E. Albom
I think pizza and cake would be an overload of junk food for me. I’d rather cake for breakfast and pizza for lunch. Then maybe more cake for dinner.
Dad
I’d give them a go. They look tasty! #MySundayPhoto
Sarah E. Albom
They most certainly were! I couldn’t believe how good the dulce de leche was.
Emma Raphael
Yep, I think I would pretty much like to try all of those, they all look delicious! #mysundayphoto
Sarah E. Albom
Argentinian sweets were delicious in general. I missed taking photos of a few traditional ones, which was a shame, but I got a photo of the important sweet – bon o bon!
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields
Purple cake for breakfast – now that is living on the edge! One thing we haven’t really explored in our many trips to Argentina are the sweets. I think I am a kind of sweet alcoholic, frightened I won’t be able to stop at just one. I love your photos though.
Rhonda Albom
You have amazing restraint, Lyn. If I saw some of these I wouldn’t be able to resist.
Sarah E. Albom
Careful, the Argentinian sweets are so good you might get an addiction.
Fiona Cambouropoulos
This really appeals to my sweet tooth
Sarah E. Albom
Dulce de leche is one of the sweetest things I have ever eaten. It’s almost sweeter than pure sugar.
Marcus
I’d think I’ll go for the cheesecake, but as you mentioned it’s not authentic Argentinian but it does look great.
Sarah E. Albom
The restaurant with the cheesecake was gorgeous as well. It was covered in flowers, both plastic and real. It looked like a forest.
Siddhartha Joshi
Since I have such a big sweet tooth, I feel that the post was written just for me 🙂 🙂 🙂
I think I will visit Argentina just for this now!
Sarah E. Albom
Sweets are definitely a highlight of Argentina. They have a distinct style of cooking
Ben
ahh Argentinian sweets, say no more 😀 Dulce de leche is my favorite. It’s the first thing I get when I am in Argentina.
Sarah E. Albom
Duche de leche is so good. I used to steal a spoon of it out of the jar shh don’t tell
Megan Indoe
You just gave me a crazy sweet tooth!!! I want those bon bons! It looks like you found the best sweets around!
Sarah E. Albom
The bon o bons were incredible. For Christmas I got given a whole box
Karen Macmillan
They all look amazingly yummy !
Sarah E. Albom
They were absolutely delicious! I couldn’t get enough dulce de leche