List of Italian desserts and pastries

This is a list of Italian desserts and pastries. Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian desserts have been heavily influenced by cuisine from surrounding countries and those that have invaded Italy, such as Greece, Spain, Austria, and France. Italian cuisine is also influenced by the Mediterranean climate and agriculture.

Characteristics

Italy has an extremely diverse range of cuisines, due to the large amount of influences throughout its history. Peaches, lemons, and pears are popular fruits for recipes, as well as sweet cheeses, such as ricotta and mascarpone. Coffee, especially espresso, are integral to Italian culture and cuisine, and is featured frequently in dessert recipes, such as tiramisù. The usage of a cold dairy dessert, such as ice cream or gelato, was introduced to the Western world through Italy.

Italian desserts

A

Name	Image	Description
Affogato		Espresso served with a scoop of ice cream
Africanetti		Emilian sweet made with egg yolks, sugar and butter
Africani		Biscuits made with egg yolks and sugar, originally from Galatina, Apulia
Amaretti		Biscuits made with almonds, egg whites and sugar
Amaretti di Saronno		Biscuits from Saronno, Lombardy, made with apricot kernels, almonds, egg whites and sugar
Amor polenta		Lombard maize-flour cake
Angel wings		Fried dough shaped into ribbons and coated in powdered sugar
Anello di Monaco		Mantuan cake of Swiss origins
Anello di san Luigi Gonzaga		Lombard almond cake
Arancini		Carnival sweets from Marche

B

Name	Image	Description
Baci di Cherasco		Chocolate-covered hazelnuts from Cherasco, Piedmont
Baci di Cremona		Lombard hazelnut sandwich cookies
Baci di dama		Sandwich cookie made with hazelnuts and chocolate, originally from Tortona, Piedmont
Baicoli		Venetian biscuits made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour and yeast
Barbajada		Milanese drink made from whipped chocolate, milk, and coffee
Baxin		Ligurian sweet made with anise seeds and flour
Befanini		Tuscan Epiphany biscuits
Bensone		Emilian oval-shaped cake
Bicciolano		Biscuits from Vercelli, Piedmont, made with flour, butter, eggs and spices
Bignolata mantovana		Mantuan cake made up of beignets filled with zabajone, chocolate and whipped cream
Bisciola		Lombard sweet bread made with buckwheat flour, figs, honey, raisins and walnuts
Biscione reggiano		Snake-shaped Christmas cake from Reggio Emilia
Biscotti del Lagaccio		Genoese biscuits made with flour, butter, sugar and aniseed
Biscotto di Ceglie		Almond paste with cherry jam, originally from Ceglie Messapica, Apulia
Biscotti regina		Sicilian biscuits coated with sesame seeds
Biscottini di Prosto		Biscuits from Piuro, Lombardy
Biscotto di Castellammare		Biscuit created in 1848 in Castellammare di Stabia, Campania
Biscotto Salute		Rusk made with butter, eggs, flour and sugar
Bocconotto		Abruzzese Christmas pastry filled with almonds and chocolate
Bombolone		Italian doughnut, filled with typically custard, chocolate, cream, or jam
Bonèt		Piedmontese custard dessert with amaretti and cocoa
Bossolà bresciano		Lombard sweet bread
Bracciatello		Romagnol sweet made with flour, eggs and sugar
Bracciatello cesenate		Soft biscuit from Cesena, Emilia-Romagna
Brigidino di Lamporecchio		Aniseed biscuits from Lamporecchio, Tuscany
Bruttiboni		Biscuit made from almonds or hazelnuts
Budino		Pudding made from milk and egg custard, typically topped with a crust or whipped-cream topping
Bussilan		Emilian ring-shaped cake
Bussolano		Mantuan cake
Bustrèng		Romagnol fruit cake

C

Name	Image	Description
Caffè in forchetta		Coffee budino
Calcioni marchigiani		Easter cheese-filled sweets from Marche
Calzone di San Leonardo		Christmas almond sweet from Molfetta, Apulia
Camporelli		Ladyfinger-like biscuits made from sugar, flour, and eggs
Canestrelli		Biscuits made with semolina and confectioner's sugar
Canestrelli novesi		Piedmontese biscuits made with flour, white wine, olive oil, sugar and salt
Cannarìculi		Lucan and Calabrian fried pastries made with flour, olive oil, cooked wine and must
Cannolo siciliano		Sicilian rolled, crispy dough filled with ricotta
Cannolo		Puff pastry filled with custard or zabajone
Cantarella		Romagnol sweet flatbread
Cantucci		Almond biscuits from Prato, Tuscany
Cariton		Piedmontese fox grape cake
Cartellate		Apulian and Lucan Christmas fried sweets
Cartoccio di ricotta		Sicilian fried dough pastry filled with ricotta
Carsenza		Christmas cake from Milan, containing apples and grapes
Cassata		Sicilian round sponge cake made with ricotta, marzipan and candied fruit
Castagnaccio		Chestnut flour cake
Castagne del prete		Campanian oven-baked chestnuts with wine
Castagnole, favette		Carnival pastries
Caterine		Doll or hen-shaped chocolate biscuits from Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna
Cavallucci		Tuscan pastry made with anise, walnuts, candied fruits, coriander, and flour
Caviadini		Lombard biscuits
Celli ripieni		Abruzzese pastry filled with grape jam, walnuts, almonds and orange zest
Charlotte alla milanese		Milanese cake made with stale bread, wine, apples, butter and sugar
Chiaro di luna		Cake filled with apricot jam, raisins and almonds, originally from Paullo, Lombardy
Chisulì		Lombard fried pastry
Ciambella		Ring-shaped cake made using flour, milk, sugar, and vanilla flavoring
Ciambella romagnola		Romagnol cake
Ciambellette al vino		Wine-flavoured biscuits from Lazio
Cicerata		Lucan Christmas sweet
Cicerchiata		Fried balls of dough covered in honey
Colomba di Pasqua		Easter cake made with candied orange and almonds, originally from Milan, Lombardy
Confetti		Almonds covered in dyed, sugar coating
Confetti di Sulmona		Sugar-coated almonds from Sulmona, Abruzzo
Coppa sabauda		Piedmontese spoon sweet made with seirass cheese, whipped cream, eggs, Marsala wine, raisins and lemon zest
Coppetta		Lombard sweet made with honey, walnuts and wafers
Cotognata		Quince cheese
Crema al mascarpone		Lombard Mascarpone-based spoon sweet
Crema carsolina		Julian millefeuille with zabajone
Crema di marroni		Chestnut cream
Crema reggina		Spoon sweet from Reggio Calabria made with zabajone, rum, cherries and cinnamon
Cremino		Piedmontese layered chocolate
Cri cri		Piedmontese chocolate praline
Croccante		Almond brittle
Crocetta di Caltanissetta		Sweet pastry from Caltanissetta, Sicily, made from almonds, sugar, sweet lemon purée, oranges or other fruit, pistachio and icing sugar
Crostata		Baked tart or pie
Crustuli		Calabrian Christmas pastry made with must, red wine, vermouth, olive oil, honey and flour
Csenta		Piedmontese cake
Cubeletto		Ligurian jam-filled pastries
Cuccidati		Sicilian fig cookies
Cudduraci		Calabrian Easter pastry
Cullurelli		Calabrian Christmas fried pastry
Cutizza		Lombard fried pastry
Cuore d'Abruzzo		Abruzzese cake made with almonds, candied fruit and chocolate
Cupeta		Dessert made from honey, dissolved sugar and diced almonds
Cuzzupa		Calabrian Easter cake

F

Name	Image	Description
Faldacchea		Almond and cherry sweet from Turi, Apulia
Ferratella		Anise-flavoured waffle cookies
Fiadone		Cheese-filled pastry
Fiapòn		Mantuan sweet made with polenta
Fichi impaccati		Dried figs filled with almonds and fennel seeds
Finocchini		Piedmontese biscuits made with fennel seeds, aniseed, flour, eggs and honey
Focaccia di Susa		Piedmontese sweet focaccia
Frittelle di riso di san Giuseppe		Fried pastry made with rice, milk and sugar
Frustingo		Christmas sweet from Marche made with figs and nuts
Frutta di Martorana		Sicilian imitation fruits made from marzipan

G

Name	Image	Description
Gelato		Italian dessert similar to ice cream, thicker in consistency
Genoise		Sponge cake made with melted butter whipped into the dough
Gianduja		Chocolate made from hazelnut cream, originally from Piedmont
Gianduiotto		Piedmontese chocolate made from sugar, cocoa, and hazelnuts
Giurgiulena		Sicilian Christmas sweet made with almonds, sesame seeds, honey and sugar
Gòfri		Piedmontese biscuit
Graffe		Neapolitan sugar-coated fried doughnuts
Granita		Sicilian ice dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings
Grano cotto		Apulian sweet made with cooked wheat, pomegranate, cinnamon, walnuts and cooked must

L

Name	Image	Description
Lacabòn		Handcrafted candy from Alessandria, Piedmont
Ladyfinger		Long biscuit, typically used in tiramisù
Lattacciolo		Abruzzese spoon sweet made with milk, eggs and sugar
Latte brulè		Romagnol spoon sweet made with milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla
Latteruolo		Romagnol milk-based spoon sweet
Lonzino di fico		Sweet from Marche made with figs, walnuts, almonds and star aniseed
Lose golose		Piedmontese sweet made with peaches, butter almonds, eggs and sugar
Lu serpe		Snake-shaped Christmas cake from Marche

M

Name	Image	Description
Maccheroni con le noci		Sweet from Lazio and Umbria made with tagliatelle, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar
Mandorla riccia di Francavilla Fontana		Almonds coated in sugar and lemon, originally from Francavilla Fontana, Apulia
Mandorlato al cioccolato di Modigliana Fontana		Almond and chocolate cake from Modigliana, Emilia-Romagna
Margheritine di Stresa		Biscuits created in 1857 in Stresa, Piedmont
Maritozzo		Enriched bun filled with whipped cream
Marron glacé		Chestnuts candied in sugar syrup
Marzipan		Confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal
Miacetto		Romagnol Christmas sweet made with honey, raisins and nuts
Miascia		Lombard dessert made with stale bread, apples, milk, eggs and sugar
Migliaccio campano		Campanian Carnival cake made with millet, semolina, ricotta, orange zest, eggs and sugar
Migliaccio romagnolo		Romagnol cake made with pig's blood, nuts and sugar
Ministeriale		Medallion-shaped chocolate created in Naples in 1905
Mistocchina		Chestnut-flour pastry from Emilia-Romagna
Mostaccino		Spicy biscuit from Crema, Lombardy
'Mpanatigghi		Sicilian pastries filled with almonds, walnuts, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves and minced meat
Muccellato		Calabrian Easter cake
Mustacciuoli		Pastry with a spiced, cake-like interior, covered in chocolate
Mustazzoli		Pastries made with flour, sugar, almonds, lemon and cinnamon

N

Name	Image	Description
Nacatole		Calabrian anise-flavoured doughnuts
Neapolitan ice cream		Ice cream featuring three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry
Nevola (sweet)		Abruzzese pastry made with grape must, cinnamon and orange zest
Nocciolini di Canzo		Crumbly small hazelnut cookies from Canzo, Lombardy
Nocciolini di Chivasso		Crumbly small hazelnut cookies from Chivasso, Piedmont
Nucàtuli		Sicilian biscuits filled with figs, raisins, almonds, walnuts, orange and lemon zest.
Nutella		Sweetened hazelnut spread
'Nzuddha		Human or animal-shaped pastry from Soriano Calabro

P

Name	Image	Description
Pagnotta di San Martino		Romagnol sweet bread enriched with nutmeg, nuts and raisins
Pagnotta pasquale		Romagnol Easter cake
Palacinta		Pancake eaten in the provinces of Trieste and Gorizia
Pan dei morti		Sweet prepared for the Day of the Dead, containing eggs, dried figs, vin santo, amaretti, almonds, raisins, sugar and spices
Pan dell'orso		Abruzzese cake made with almond flour, bitter almonds, eggs, butter and honey
Pan della Marchesa		Piedmontese hazelnut cake
Pan meino		Lombard sweet flatbread flavoured with elderflower
Pan minisc'		Lucan dessert made with grape must, flour and sugar
Pandolce		Ligurian fruit cake
Pandoro		Traditional Veronese sweet bread in a star-like formation
Pane dell'Assedio		Sweet bread from Asola, Lombardy
Pànera		Coffee semifreddo from Genoa
Panettone		Milanese sweet bread featuring dried fruits
Panforte		Chewy Tuscan Christmas dessert containing fruits and nuts
Pangiallo		Roman sweet made with flour, raisins, honey and nuts
Panna cotta		Dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and molded
Panpepato		Round sweet bread with nuts and dried fruit
Papasìn		Mantuan sweet made with chestnut flour, raisins and pine nuts
Papassinu		Sardinian pastry filled with grape must, almonds, raisins and walnuts
Parrozzo		Abruzzese Christmas cake
Pasta di mandorle		Almond paste
Paste di meliga		Piedmontese biscuits made with flour, maize flour, eggs, sugar, honey, butter and lemon zest
Pasticciotto		Pastry filled with ricotta cheese and egg custard, originally from Lecce, Apulia
Pastiera		Neapolitan tart made with cooked wheat, eggs, ricotta cheese, and flavoured with orange flower water
Patacia		Lombard fried doughnut
Pepatelli		Abruzzese biscuits made with flour, honey, almonds, orange zest and pepper
Pesche ripiene		Oven-baked peaches with fillings
Petit four (Italian biscuits)		Sardinian and Piedmontese biscuits made with almond paste and candied fruit
Petrali		Christmas pastry from Calabria made with coffee, vino cotto, figs, walnuts, almonds, raisins, orange and mandarine zest
Pignolata al miele		Balls of dough fried and covered in honey
Pignolata glassata		Soft pastry, covered in chocolate and lemon-flavoured syrup or icing, originally from Messina, Sicily
Pinza		Traditional dessert flan with pine nuts, dried figs, raisins, fennel seeds and grappa
Pinza bolognese		Mostarda-filled pastry from Bologna
Pinza triestina		Julian Easter bread
Piparella		Sicilian and Calabrian biscuit made with flour, honey and almonds
Pitteddhre		Apulian Christmas tarts
Pizza dolce di Beridde		Judeo-Roman unleavened sweet bread with almonds, raisins, white wine, olive oil and candied fruit
Polenta d'Ivrea		Piedmontese maize-flour, honey and orange juice cake
Polenta del Marengo		Maize-flour, raisins and almonds cake from Alessandria
Polenta dolce		Maize-flour cake
Polenta e osei		Sponge cake covered in almond paste, originally from Bergamo, Lombardy
Poperati		Apulian sweet taralli
Presnitz		Julian sweet made with walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, figs, raisins, plums, apricots, cinnamon, cloves and rum
Puoti (biscuits)		Biscuits from the province of Verona, Veneto
Pupazza frascatana		Woman-sphaped sweet from Frascati, Lazio
Purceddhruzzi		Christmas dessert
Purcidd'		Christmas sweets from Martina Franca, Apulia
Putizza		Julian cake with raisins, apricot jam, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, rum, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest
Pitta 'mpigliata		Christmas cake from Calabria filled with dried fruits, honey and spices
Pitta di San Martino		Christmas pastry from Calabria

R

Name	Image	Description
Raffiolini		Biscuits from Caltanissetta, Sicily
Raffiuoli		Neapolitan sugar-coated sponge cake
Ricciarelli		Traditional biscuits from Siena, Tuscany – specifically, a type of macaroon
Ricciolino		Mantuan biscuit
Risiny		Ligurian budino
Rocciata		Cake from Umbria and Marche filled with apples, figs, alchermes, raisins, cinnamon, pine nuts and jam
Roccocò		Neapolitan pastry made with spices, almonds, flour and sugar
Rosacatarre		Molisan and Lucan rose-shaped fried sweets
Rossumata		Spoon sweet made with wine, sugar and eggs

S

Name	Image	Description
Sacripantina		Genoese cake
Salòt		Cake from Bra, Piedmont, filled with apricot jam, raisins and candied citrus
Sanguinaccio dolce		Pudding made from pig's blood which is made creamy and sweetened with ingredients such as chocolate, milk, pine nuts, and raisins
Sannacchiudere		Lucan Christmas sweets with orange blossom water and honey
Sasanello gravinese		Sweet from Gravina in Puglia
Sbrisolona		Mantuan almond cake
Scarcella		Easter sweet from Manfredonia, Apulia
Scarpedd		Lucan Christmas fried dough
Scroccafusi		Carnival fried doughnuts from Marche
Semifreddo		Frozen dessert similar to ice cream, with the main ingredients being egg yolks, sugar, and cream
Semolino dolce		Piedmontese semolina cake
Serpentone		Snake-shaped cake made with almond paste, almonds and candied cherries
Sfinge		Sicilian doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar
Sfogliatella		Neapolitan shell-shaped cream-filled Italian pastry
Sgaiozzi		Abruzzese fried pastries made with flour, potatoes, raisins and sugar
Sguta		Easter cake from Calabria
Sise delle monache		Abruzzese pastries filled with custard
Sospiro		Apulian sweet
Spongada		Lombard sweet flatbread
Spongarda		Lombard cake made with honey, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, spices and citrus
Spongata		Christmas cake made with almonds, white wine, butter, honey, walnuts, hazelnut, pine nuts, raisins, candied orange and spices
Spuma di mandorla		Christmas almond sweet from Molfetta
Spumone		Neapolitan molded gelato made with layers of different colors and flavors, usually containing candied fruits and nuts
Squiccia		Cake from Tortona, Piedmont
Stomatico		Biscuit from Reggio Calabria made with flour, honey, cinnamon, cloves, almonds, olive oil and sugar
Stroscia		Ligurian olive oil cake
Strucchi		Sweets from Friuli-Venezia Giulia filled with walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, raisins, lemon zest, sugar and grappa
Struffoli		Neapolitan dish made of deep fried balls of sweet dough and honey
Sugolo		Dessert pudding prepared with the must of red grapes, flour and sugar, cooked slowly and then left to cool
Susamielli		S-shaped Christmas pastries from Naples

T

Name	Image	Description
Tapít		Biscuits from Oleggio, Piedmont
Taralli		Cracker similar to a breadstick--can be sweet or savory
Taralli di Sant'Antonio		Biscuits from Giuliano Teatino, Abruzzo
Tartufo di Pizzo		Gelato covered and filled with melted chocolate, originally from Pizzo, Calabria
Tegola dolce		Aostan biscuit made with flour, almonds, hazelnuts, butter, eggs and sugar
Testa di moro		Neapolitan sponge cake with custard and cocoa
Tetta della monaca		Sweet from Altamura, Apulia
Timballo di Martin Sec		Piedmontese pear sweet
Tiramisù		Dessert made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone, flavoured with cocoa
Torcetti		Piedmontese biscuits
Torrone		Nougat made with honey, sugar, and whipped egg whites, then filled with roasted pistachios and almonds
Torrone di Guardiagrele		Nougat from Guardiagrele, Abruzzo, made with toasted almonds, candied fruit and cinnamon
Torrone gelato		Calabrian soft nougat made with almonds, candied fruit, citrus and dark chocolate
Torrone Nurzia		Abruzzese nougat made with cocoa, vanilla and almonds
Torta 900		Chocolate cake from Ivrea, Piedmont
Torta Barozzi		Thin, crispy cake made from chocolate and coffee, originally from Vignola, Emilia-Romagna
Torta bertolina		Lombard fox grape cake
Torta caprese		Cake from Capri, Campania, made with chocolate and either almonds or hazelnuts
Torta del buonumore		Costmary cake from Castel Goffredo
Torta del Donizetti		Pineapple and apricot cake from Bergamo
Torta della nonna		Cake filled with custard and covered with pine nuts and confectioner's sugar
Torta delle rose		Mantuan cake made with leavened dough rich in butter and sugar, which is rolled up and placed in the baking tin, taking the characteristic shape of a basket of rosebuds
Torta di fioretto		Lombard sweet flatbread topped with wild fennel
Torta di nocciole		Piedmontese hazelnut cake
Torta di San Biagio		Mantuan tart
Torta di tagliatelle		Emilian and Lombard tagliatelle cake
Torta di tagliatelline		Emilian tagliatelle and almonds cake
Torta Elvezia		Mantuan cake made with almond flour, eggs, butter and sugar
Torta gianduia		Piedmontese gianduja cake
Torta greca		Judeo-Mantuan cake
Torta mantovana		Mantuan cake
Torta mimosa		Cake from Rieti, Lazio
Torta monferrina		Piedmontese cake made from pumpkin, or apples and sugar, with amaretti, chocolate, eggs, and rum
Torta Ostiglia		Cake from Ostiglia, Lombardy, made with egg whites, zabajone and almonds
Torta paesana		Lombard cake made with bread, milk, pine nuts, amaretti, raisins, citrus, butter, eggs and cocoa
Torta paradiso		Mantuan cake
Torta secca di Carpenedolo		Cake fromCarpenedolo, Lombardy
Torta setteveli		Chocolate cake with seven layers of hazelnut cream, hazelnut crunch, chocolate mousse, and a glaze
Torta Tre Monti		Sammarinese dessert consisting of thin waffle slices with interwoven layers of cream, then covered in chocolate
Torta Zurigo		Chocolate cake with cherries and crème chantilly, originally from Pinerolo, Piedmont
Tortellino dolce di Marianna		Sweet from Castel Goffredo, Lombardy, filled with cinnamon, cloves, pine nuts, raisins, plum jam, chestnut cream and cocoa
Tortionata		Almond sweet from Lodi, Lombardy
Treccia d'oro		Cake filled with candied fruit, originally from Crema, Lombardy
Tricotto		Sicilian thrice-cooked biscuit
Turtèl sguasaròt		Lombard sweet filled with beans, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vino cotto and sugar

U

Name	Image	Description
Uovo sbattuto		Beverage that consists of egg yolk and sugar

Z

Name	Image	Description
Zabaione		Piedmontese dessert beverage made with egg yolks, sugar, and a sweet wine
Zeppole		Fried dough dessert with powdered sugar
Zirotto		Biscuit from the province of Padua made with maize flour, fig syrup and must
Zuccherini bolognesi		Bolognese biscuits
Zuccherini montanari		Emilian and Tuscan biscuits
Zuccotto		Tuscan semi-frozen, chilled dessert made with alchermes liqueur, cake and ice cream
Zuppa Inglese		Dessert layering custard, alchermes and sponge cake
Zelten		Traditional Tyrolean fruitcake served during Christmas

Italian pastries

Chocolate and pistachio biscotti

• Baci di dama
• Baicoli
• Biscotti
• Biscotti regina
• Bocconotto
• Bombolone
• Cannoli
• Ciarduna
• Nocciolini di Canzo
• Pandoro
• Pevarini
• Piada dei morti
• Pignolata
• Pignolo
• Pizzelle
• Sfinge
• Sfogliatelle
• Torta caprese
• Zeppole
• Zippuli

• 
  Bocconotto is a pastry typical of the Italian regions of Apulia, Abruzzo, and Calabria, and is often eaten at Christmas.
• 
  Sfogliatelle are shell-shaped filled pastries native to Italian cuisine.
• 
  Zeppole is a pastry consisting of a deep-fried dough ball that is dusted with powdered sugar and sometimes filled with various sweets.

See also

Media related to Sweet food of Italy at Wikimedia Commons

• Italian cuisine
• List of desserts
• List of Italian dishes – Desserts and pastry
• Sicilian cuisine – Desserts and sweets