Taiwan is a haven for foodies. There are so many different dishes to enjoy from street food at a night market to traditional dishes in restaurants. And if you have a sweet tooth, Taiwan is the perfect place to enjoy all sorts of sugary treats. Indulge your sugar cravings with these Taiwanese desserts and snacks.
Baobing
Baobing (刨冰) is a Taiwanese shaved ice dessert that people love to eat during the summer. But you can still enjoy the sugar rush from this dessert even when the weather turns cold. It starts with light flakes of ice and toppings are added over the ice. Choose from a variety of fruits, syrups, kinds of milk, and even ice creams to make a wonderful frozen sweet treat.
Baobing is so common it can be found all over Taiwan. You can even find vendors at night markets like Shilin Night Market in Taipei so you can discover the icy goodness of bao bing.
Shilin Night Market
No. 101號, Jihe Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Pineapple Cake
Probably the most popular food souvenir from Taiwan, the pineapple cake or fengli su (鳳梨酥,) has fans all over the world. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s basically a crumbly pastry filled with sweet, delicious pineapple filling. After trying these delectable treats, remember to buy a box or two from Chia Te Bakery to bring home.
Chia Te Bakery
No. 88號, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105
Order your pineapple cake on KKday!
Taiwanese Nougat
Chewy nougat is a popular candy in Taiwan. From classic nutty nougat to green tea and strawberry varieties, there are so many kinds for you to try. Get ready to chew on sweet and nutty nougats from Sugar & Spice, one of Taiwan’s most well-known nougat producers which has a number of stores around the country.
Order your Sugar & Spice nougats on KKday!
Dou Hua
Dou hua (豆花) is a dessert made of soft tofu similar to pudding. In Taiwan, it’s served with sweet syrup or soy milk and can be eaten with just the tofu or mixed with other things like peanuts or beans. If you ever find yourself in Chiayi and craving for the silky, sweet taste of dou hua, be sure to drop by A E Lao Dian where you can try different varieties of this simple yet delicious dessert.
A E Lao Dian Dou hua
Cor. Wenhua Rd And Yanping St, East District, Chiayi City, Taiwan 600
Sun Cake
via 54613 on Shutterstock
Sun cakes or taiyang bing (太陽餅) are a common staple in many Taiwanese bakeries. Bite into this flaky pastry filled with a sweet paste to entice your taste buds. Once you experience this Taiwanese delicacy, you can learn more about it at the Taiwan Sun Cake Museum located in Taichung City.
Taiwan Sun Cake Museum
No. 145, Section 1, Taiwan Boulevard, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400
Taro Balls
When you try bao bing, you might encounter colorful round toppings with a soft and chewy texture. These are taro balls which are a favorite dessert by themselves throughout Taiwan. They can be served hot or cold and often soaked in a sweet syrup. Jiufen, a mountain town near Taipei, is well-known for its taro balls and you can find a lot of taro ball vendors by walking through Jiufen Old Street.
Jiufen Old Street
Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224
Brown Sugar Milk Tea
Bubble tea, or boba in some countries, has taken the world by storm and it originated from Taiwan in the 1980s. Recently, however, another new Taiwanese drink has started gaining popularity—brown sugar milk tea. It was created in 2017 by Taiwanese bubble tea store Tiger Sugar which first opened in Taichung and has become so popular that people have waited hours in line to try it. Now there are many other stores that offer brown sugar milk, but why not try the Taichung original?
Tiger Sugar
No. 96號, Yizhong Street, North District, Taichung City, Taiwan 404
Once you’ve tried all the desserts Taiwan has to offer, go on a pastry baking tour from KKday to try your hand at making some Taiwanese pastries. Be sure to save a few to share with friends and family back home!
*Featured image by Chettarin on Shutterstock
