The Atlas · Croatia's Largest Department

Croatian Desserts & Sweets

74 of Croatia's 350 ranked dishes are sweets, 21.1% of the whole cuisine. By our raters the best is Međimurska gibanica, a layered walnut-and-cheese pastry from the north, and even it reaches only Nº 888 worldwide.

74 dishes ranked·21.1% of the cuisine·987 diner ratings·Top rank Nº 888

Croatia's sweet tradition is scattered, not summited. 74 of its ranked dishes are desserts, yet not one cracks the world's top 750, and the whole department reads like a gazetteer of islands and northern counties rather than a national canon. The recipes lean on what the coast and the hills gave: fresh cheese, ground walnuts and almonds, apples, citrus zest and a splash of local liqueur.

The best by our raters is Međimurska gibanica, the Međimurje pastry of phyllo, cheese, apple, walnut and poppy seed, at Nº 888. Fame and depth pull apart from there. Dalmatia carries the most sweets of any region at 8, and its Easter bread pinca draws 40 ratings, more than the top-ranked pastry itself, yet none of it climbs high on score. Read them below: the signature sweets, by region, or the complete list of all 74.

The Signature Sweets

Twelve signature sweets in rank order, four told in full, then eight more from the pastry counter.

Međimurska gibanica, sweet pastry from Croatia
Plate ISweet Pastry · Međimurje County

1Nº 888 worldwide

Međimurska gibanica

Sweet Pastry · Međimurje County

A tall, indulgent pastry from Croatia's Međimurje region, built from sheets of phyllo layered with fresh cow's cheese, grated apple, ground walnuts and poppy seed. Sugar, cinnamon and a splash of rum bind it, and it is filling enough to eat on its own.

★ 4.0|44 ratings

Amareta, dessert from Croatia

2AmaretaNº 1,165

Dessert · Korčula

A Korčula island specialty of whipped egg white, sugar and ground almond, brightened with lemon or orange zest and a note of bitter almond. It bakes to a crisp shell over a soft centre, and pairs well with a glass of prošek or maraschino.

★ 4.0|9 ratings

Presnac, sweet pastry from Croatia

3PresnacNº 1,285

Sweet Pastry · Krk

A cheese pastry tied to the island of Krk, born from the local abundance of fresh sheep's cheese. A pastry base cradles a creamy, lightly sweetened filling; modern cooks often swap in cow's cheese and lift it with egg and lemon zest.

★ 4.0|8 ratings

Torta Makarana, cake from Croatia

4Torta MakaranaNº 1,644

Cake · Makarska

A rich almond cake from Makarska, once reserved for nobility and special days. Ground almonds, eggs and sugar are scented with citrus, nutmeg, cinnamon and a hint of maraschino or rose liqueur, the aim being balance so no single flavour dominates.

★ 3.9|6 ratings

  1. Klašuni, cookie from Croatia5

    Klašuni

    Nº 1,879

    Cookie · Korčula★ 3.9

  2. Pazinski cukerančić, sweet pastry from Croatia6

    Pazinski cukerančić

    Nº 1,941

    Sweet Pastry · Pazin★ 3.9

  3. P7

    Požeški pijanci

    Nº 2,272

    Cake · Požega★ 3.8

  4. Mrkopaljska štrudla s borovnicama, sweet pastry from Croatia8

    Mrkopaljska štrudla s borovnicama

    Nº 2,595

    Sweet Pastry · Mrkopalj★ 3.8

  5. Bucolaj, sweet bread from Croatia9

    Bucolaj

    Nº 2,706

    Sweet Bread · Istria★ 3.8

  6. B10

    Bračke škanjate

    Nº 2,709

    Cookie · Brač★ 3.8

  7. Jabuke u šlafroku, deep-fried dessert from Croatia11

    Jabuke u šlafroku

    Nº 2,891

    Deep-fried Dessert · Northern Croatia★ 3.8

  8. Pinca, sweet bread from Croatia12

    Pinca

    Nº 2,911

    Sweet Bread · Dalmatia★ 3.8

The Gazetteer

Where Croatia's sweets are made

The regions of Croatia with the deepest dessert traditions. Choose one to filter the complete ledger below.

Placed dishes only · top 6 regions

  7. Another 5 ranked dishes are logged simply as pan-Croatian, with no single regional home.

The Complete Ledger

All 74 Croatian desserts & sweets in the world ranking, every entry.

74 entries
  1. 888 Međimurska gibanica Sweet Pastry Međimurje County ★ 4.0
  2. 1,165 Amareta Dessert Korčula ★ 4.0
  3. 1,285 Presnac Sweet Pastry Krk ★ 4.0
  4. 1,644 Torta Makarana Cake Makarska ★ 3.9
  5. 1,879 Klašuni Cookie Korčula ★ 3.9
  6. 1,941 Pazinski cukerančić Sweet Pastry Pazin ★ 3.9
  7. 2,272 P Požeški pijanci Cake Požega ★ 3.8
  8. 2,595 Mrkopaljska štrudla s borovnicama Sweet Pastry Mrkopalj ★ 3.8
  9. 2,706 Bucolaj Sweet Bread Istria ★ 3.8
  10. 2,709 B Bračke škanjate Cookie Brač ★ 3.8
  11. 2,891 Jabuke u šlafroku Deep-fried Dessert Northern Croatia ★ 3.8
  12. 2,911 Pinca Sweet Bread Dalmatia ★ 3.8
  13. 3,057 Taške Dessert Slavonia and Baranja ★ 3.8
  14. 3,236 G Grašnjaki Sweet Pastry Rukavac ★ 3.8
  15. 3,237 Starogrojski paprenjok Cookie Hvar ★ 3.8
  16. 3,351 Tikvenjak Sweet Pastry Croatia ★ 3.8
  17. 3,537 Cukarini Cookie Korčula ★ 3.8
  18. 4,232 Fritule Sweet Pastry Dalmatia ★ 3.7
  19. 5,121 Imotska torta Tart Imotski ★ 3.6
  20. 5,127 Mađarica Chocolate Cake Croatia ★ 3.6
  21. 5,244 Jezerski zelenjak Dessert Jezera ★ 3.6
  22. 5,587 Skradinska torta Cake Skradin ★ 3.6
  23. 5,691 P Paški baškotin Rusk Pag ★ 3.6
  24. 5,883 Lumblija Sweet Bread Blato ★ 3.6
  25. 6,051 Bregofska pita Sweet Pastry Koprivnički Bregi ★ 3.6
  26. 6,083 Kotonjata Dessert Croatia ★ 3.6
  27. 6,127 Rafioli Cookie Trogir ★ 3.6
  28. 6,948 Priločki klecinprot Sweet Bread Prelog ★ 0.0
  29. 7,241 Mandulat Dessert Dalmatia ★ 3.4
  30. 7,276 Samoborska kremšnita Cake Samobor ★ 3.4
  31. 7,307 Stonska torta Dessert Ston ★ 3.4
  32. 7,429 Viški hib Dessert Vis ★ 3.4
  33. 7,458 Smokvenjak Dessert Dalmatia ★ 3.4
  34. 7,484 Zagrebačka kremšnita Cake Zagreb ★ 3.4
  35. 7,695 Torta Frankopan Cake Crikvenica ★ 3.3
  36. 7,729 Salenjaci Sweet Pastry Slavonia and Baranja ★ 3.3
  37. 7,733 Rapska torta Cake Rab ★ 3.3
  38. 7,801 Torta hrapaćuša Cake Dol ★ 3.3
  39. 7,909 Kroštule Sweet Pastry Istria ★ 3.3
  40. 7,929 B Biskvit od meda Dessert Virovitica ★ 0.0
  41. 8,051 Paradajz kolač Dessert Virovitica ★ 0.0
  42. 8,198 Čupavci Cake Croatia ★ 3.2
  43. 8,264 Paprenjaci Cookie Croatia ★ 3.1
  44. 8,402 Olito Dessert Cres ★ 0.0
  45. 8,424 Varaždinska torta Cake Varaždin ★ 0.0
  46. 8,566 Rozata Custard Dubrovnik ★ 2.9
  47. 8,769 K Krapci Dessert Međimurje County ★ 0.0
  48. 8,862 T Tiritli Cookie Slavonski Brod ★ 0.0
  49. 8,897 Pršunate Sweet Pastry Šibenik-Knin County ★ 0.0
  50. 8,924 R Raisin Cookies (Kolačići od grožđica) Cookie Istria ★ 0.0
  51. 8,952 T Torta Rogoznica Cake Rogoznica ★ 0.0
  52. 8,957 Virov'tički krumpir kolač Dessert Virovitica ★ 0.0
  53. 9,055 M Mazanica Cake Međimurje County ★ 0.0
  54. 9,073 K Kelešica Cake Međimurje County ★ 0.0
  55. 9,074 Trnovečka makovnjača Dessert Trnovec ★ 0.0
  56. 9,176 K Kuhan-Pečen Sweet Pastry Northern Croatia ★ 0.0
  57. 9,226 C Cvetlinska gibanica Cake Cvetlin ★ 0.0
  58. 9,273 V Vrbovečka pita Sweet Pie Vrbovec ★ 0.0
  59. 9,306 M Međimurska bidra Cake Međimurje County ★ 0.0
  60. 9,311 K Kuglice od smokava Dessert Dalmatia ★ 0.0
  61. 9,506 B Bolski cviti Cookie Bol ★ 0.0
  62. 9,744 Kaštelanska torta Chocolate Cake Dalmatia ★ 0.0
  63. 9,761 Torta od rogača Cake Vis ★ 0.0
  64. 9,832 K Kovrtanji Deep-fried Dessert Slavonia and Baranja ★ 0.0
  65. 9,999 G Grižane Bonfire Cake (Griški kres) Dessert Grižane ★ 0.0
  66. 10,025 Istarske parene fritule Sweet Pastry Istria ★ 0.0
  67. 10,073 Korčulanske spomilje Cookie Korčula ★ 0.0
  68. 10,360 P Požeški fakini Cake Požega ★ 0.0
  69. 10,440 V Vodnjanski pampagnac Dessert Vodnjan ★ 0.0
  70. 10,568 P Pester šnite Cake Pakrac ★ 0.0
  71. 10,570 F Framentunjača Cake Primorje-Gorski Kotar County ★ 0.0
  72. 10,635 P Pogača z oreji Cake Đurđevac ★ 0.0
  73. 10,644 B Bobići Dessert Dalmatia ★ 0.0
  74. 10,767 S Smokve zapečene u medu Dessert Dalmatia ★ 0.0

Questions, Answered

Croatian desserts & sweets, frequently asked, answered from 987 ratings.

What is the best Croatian dessert?
By our diners' ratings it's Međimurska gibanica, the layered pastry of phyllo, cheese, apple, walnut and poppy seed from the north, at Nº 888. Behind it come the Korčula almond dessert amareta, the Krk cheese pastry presnac, and the almond cake torta Makarana of Makarska.
What is Croatia known for in desserts?
Islands and northern counties, not one national showpiece. Croatia's sweets run to fresh-cheese pastries, ground-nut cakes and Easter breads, built on walnuts, almonds, apples and citrus zest. None ranks inside the world's top 750, so the appeal is regional depth rather than a single famous cake.
What is the most famous Croatian sweet?
By number of ratings it's pinca, the citrus-scented Dalmatian Easter bread, with 40 ratings, just ahead of the deep-fried apple fritters jabuke u šlafroku at 13. Yet neither leads on score: the top-rated Croatian sweet is Međimurska gibanica. Fame and rank rarely line up.
What is Međimurska gibanica?
It is a rich layered pastry from the Međimurje region in Croatia's far north. Sheets of phyllo are stacked with fresh cow's cheese, grated apple, ground walnuts and poppy seed, then bound with sugar, cinnamon and a little rum. Croatia's top-rated sweet, it sits at Nº 888.
Which region of Croatia has the best desserts?
By our data Dalmatia has the deepest bench, with 8 ranked sweets led by the Easter bread pinca. Međimurje County follows with 5, home of the top-rated gibanica, then the island of Korčula and Istria with 4 apiece, from amareta to the Istrian Easter bread bucolaj.
Where else should I look for great desserts?
The pastry heavyweights nearby: worldwide the department runs to 2,151 sweets from 154 countries, topped by Algeria's almond makroud el louse at Nº 8. Croatia's neighbours field far more, Italy 305 and Austria 28, while Greece adds 49. See Desserts & Sweets worldwide.

This Department, Elsewhere

Desserts & sweets from Croatia's neighbours, ranked the same way.

ItalianDesserts & Sweets305SpanishDesserts & Sweets80PortugueseDesserts & Sweets53GreekDesserts & Sweets49SerbianDesserts & Sweets17SlovenianDesserts & Sweets14MalteseDesserts & Sweets10BosnianDesserts & Sweets10MacedonianDesserts & Sweets5CypriotDesserts & Sweets4AlbanianDesserts & Sweets4SammarineseDesserts & Sweets3KosovarDesserts & Sweets1
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