Dessert Guides

Singapore desserts: what to know

Singapore desserts draw on Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan traditions. Many use coconut milk, palm sugar, pandan leaf and rice flour. Others are built on shaved ice, which helps in the heat. You will find them at hawker centres, dessert shops, bakeries and cafés. Most local sweets cost only a few dollars.

Local desserts to try

Cold desserts

• Chendol: shaved ice with coconut milk, gula melaka (palm sugar syrup) and soft green rice-flour jelly. Some versions add red beans.
• Ice kachang: a mound of shaved ice with coloured syrups, sweet corn, red beans and jelly. Locals also call it ABC.
• Ice cream sandwich: a block of ice cream in a slice of soft bread or between wafers. Look for small carts along Orchard Road.
• Mango sago: a chilled mix of mango, sago pearls and pomelo, common at Chinese dessert shops.

Warm desserts

• Tau huay: silky soybean pudding in a light syrup. You can also have it cold.
• Bubur cha cha: coconut milk with sweet potato, yam and sago. "Bubur" means porridge in Malay.
• Pulut hitam: black glutinous rice cooked into a sweet porridge and topped with coconut milk.
• Orh nee: a smooth, sweet yam paste. It is a Teochew favourite and often appears on Teochew menus.

Kueh and cakes

Kueh are small cakes, often made with rice flour, coconut and palm sugar. They come in bright colours and many shapes. Try ondeh-ondeh, soft balls filled with palm sugar syrup that bursts when you bite. Kueh lapis is a colourful layered cake. Peranakan restaurants and bakeries often sell nyonya kueh. In Katong, Kim Choo Kueh Chang is a Peranakan shop worth a stop.

Ice cream, gelato and durian

Singapore also has a good choice of modern ice cream and gelato shops. Apiary serves ice cream in the Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar area. Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique makes gelato in Katong and Joo Chiat. Gelato is the Italian style of ice cream, with less air, so it tastes dense and smooth. For more scoops, browse the Dessert cuisine page.

Durian treats

Durian is a large, spiky tropical fruit with a strong smell. People tend to love it or dislike it. If you are curious, start with a durian puff, a durian pancake or a scoop of durian ice cream. These taste milder than the fresh fruit.

Fresh durian is not allowed on the MRT, and many hotels do not allow it in rooms. Eat it at the stall where you buy it.

Where to find desserts

• Hawker centres: the cheapest place for chendol, ice kachang and tau huay. Maxwell Food Centre and Old Airport Road Food Centre are good places to look.
• Dim sum restaurants: egg tarts and other sweet bites often end the meal. See Dim Sum.
• Cafés and bakeries: cakes, pastries and kueh. Browse Cafés & Bakeries.
• Geylang Serai: Malay kueh and sweet drinks. Geylang Serai Market is a good place to try them.
• Little India: Indian sweet shops sell treats such as gulab jamun, soft milk balls in sugar syrup. Pair them with a walk round Little India.

Tips for dessert hunting

• Cool down after spice. A cold coconut dessert is a good way to end a spicy meal.
• Ask for less sweet. Some stalls can add less syrup if you ask.
• Share a bowl. Shaved ice portions are often large.
• Eat it fast. Shaved ice melts quickly in the heat, so find a seat first.

FAQs about Singapore desserts

What are the most famous desserts in Singapore?

Chendol and ice kachang are two of the best known. Both are shaved ice desserts sold at many hawker centres.

What does durian taste like?

Fans describe it as sweet and creamy, like a rich custard. The smell is strong, so start with a durian puff or ice cream.

Are Singapore desserts very sweet?

Some are. Palm sugar syrup and condensed milk are common. You can ask for less syrup at some stalls.

When is durian season?

Durian is sold for much of the year, but supply is usually best around the middle of the year. Ask the seller which fruit is good that day.