11 Mediterranean Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth (2024)

Ginger-Turmeric Barley Pudding

Savor your after-dinner drink and dessert at once with this Mediterranean dessert recipe. Medjool dates are larger than regular dates, with a soft texture and buttery caramel flavor, but you can easily substitute them for regular dates. This treat also features other regional flavors (and anti-inflammatory elements), including fresh ginger and ground turmeric, so you can truly enjoy without guilt.

Spiced Roasted Fruit

Here's one Mediterranean-diet dessert that's totally appropriate for breakfast. Top a bowl of ricotta or Greek yogurt with a generous spoonful of cinnamon-scented stoned roasted fruit for a treat that even the most ardent ice cream fans will admit is delicious. For crunch, garnish with a handful of granola-like crispy oats.

Chocolate Almond Butter Fruit Dip

If you like hummus, you'll probably love this sweet, scoopable dessert. In only 15 minutes, with only five ingredients (including Greek yogurt and heart-healthy almond butter), you can make this Mediterranean dessert and feed a crowd. It's delicious by the spoonful, but we recommend dunking slices of sturdy fruit, like pears, apples, and strawberries.

Lemon Cream Pavlova with Berries

Meringue-based pavlovas, named after the famed Russian ballerina, are claimed by both Australia and New Zealand, although meringue cakes themselves may actually have originated in North Africa as long ago as the 13th century, before spreading to Europe. In our version, fresh raspberries team with chopped pistachios and a lemon curd cream, for a light and luscious Mediterranean treat. For a single-serving version, follow our directions for mini pavlovas, and they'll steal the show at your next dinner party.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

This is no ordinary classic cake recipe. Fruity Italian olive oil accentuates the lemon flavor in this indulgent Mediterranean dessert, along with making the texture remarkably tender. Instead of frosting, serve this cake topped with a mix of seasonal fresh fruits, such as blood oranges, berries, or sliced plums.

Cider-Poached Pears in the Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker

Choose your own adventure with this slow cooker or Instant Pot creation. Make it fast or slow, depending on your schedule and appliance. With honey, cardamom, and crystallized ginger in the apple cider poaching liquid, sweet-spicy regional goodness infuses this Mediterranean diet dessert. Chopped pistachios and Greek yogurt top things off with a fitting flair.

Lavender-Honey Lemon Tart

With loads of crisp, fresh citrus and sweet honey, this Mediterranean dessert reminds us of something we'd dream of ordering at a Greek seaside café. The buttery pastry crust will please traditional tart fans, and aromatic lavender buds lend lovely complexity and a modern touch.

Mint Frozen Greek Yogurt

If you love Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies or mint chocolate-chip ice cream, give this super-refreshing Mediterranean dessert recipe a try. Fresh mint infuses the frozen Greek yogurt for a double dose of cool in each bite.

Triple Chocolate Tiramisu

Don't stress about dessert. This classic caffeinated Italian recipe makes enough to satisfy a crowd and requires only 30 minutes of prep time. As a bonus, the recipe calls for enough cocoa to keep any chocolate lover happy. Add a Mediterranean affair by mixing spices in, or dip the cookies in ginger and cardamom-flavored coffee.

Sweet Ricotta and Strawberry Parfaits

Perhaps you've layered this unripened, soft cheese into a lasagna casserole. But one of the many reasons we're so fond of ricotta is that it stuns in both sweet and savory dishes. Take it into dessert territory with a stir of honey, vanilla, Mediterranean spices, and lemon zest, then layer it between fresh strawberries, and the pretty parfaits are ready to party.

Melomakarona (Greek Honey-Dipped Cookies)

Made with a variety of warm baking spices and olive oil rather than butter, these almond-topped cookies are sure to impress. They're traditionally served in Greece during the Christmas season, but we're firm believers that they're far too tasty to limit to one month per year. For an irresistible coating, before serving, dip the cookies into a honey glaze infused with cinnamon and cloves.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the most popular Mediterranean spices for dessert?

  Though most Mediterranean spices can be easily incorporated into both sweet and savory dinner dishes, options like saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and even black pepper will give a beautiful touch to any Mediterranean-inspired dessert. In terms of herbs, mint, fennel, fenugreek, sage, lavender, and marjoram also provide a balance to sweet treats.

• Can I eat these desserts on a true Mediterranean diet?

  Processed food and refined sugar aren’t allowed in a Mediterranean diet, however, if it comes from a natural source (like grilled fruits flavored with spices or herbs, and even drizzled with honey) you can easily enjoy these kinds of treats. The freshest is best.