The Atlas · Italy's Largest Department

Italian Desserts & Sweets

305 of Italy's 1,382 ranked dishes are sweets, the deepest dessert bench of any nation on earth. By our raters the best is Gelato, Italy's gift to the world's freezers, Nº 15 worldwide.

305 dishes ranked·22.1% of the cuisine·7,248 diner ratings·Top rank Nº 15

No country takes pudding as seriously as Italy. 305 of its ranked dishes are desserts, more than any other nation fields, and they run the full range: the frozen gelato it perfected, the coffee-soaked tiramisù, custard pastries, marzipan fruit and a cathedral of regional cakes. Every town, it can feel, guards its own.

Yet the single best-rated is not a showpiece but gelato itself, Nº 15 in the world, denser and less sweet than ice cream. Depth does not quite reach the summit: Italy fields the most desserts anywhere, but the top-rated sweet on earth is Algerian, not Italian. The richest seam runs through Sicily, home of cannoli, cassata and the granita of a Palermo morning. Read them below: the signature sweets, by region, or the complete list of all 305.

The Signature Sweets

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

Gelato, ice cream from Italy
Plate IIce Cream · Sicily

1Nº 15 worldwide

Gelato

Ice Cream · Sicily

Italy's ice cream, and not quite the same thing: churned slower and with less cream and air than the American kind, so it comes out denser, softer, and more intensely flavored. Eaten year-round from the case at a gelateria, at its best in pistachio, hazelnut, or stracciatella.

★ 4.6|223 ratings

Tiramisù, dessert from Italy

2TiramisùNº 174

Dessert · Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Ladyfingers soaked in espresso and layered with sweetened mascarpone whipped with egg, then dusted with cocoa. The name means pick-me-up, a nod to the coffee, and it spread from Italy's northeast in the 1960s to become the country's best-known dessert.

★ 4.3|873 ratings

Pasticciotto, sweet pastry from Italy

3PasticciottoNº 191

Sweet Pastry · Galatina

A Salento specialty from the town of Galatina: a small oval of rich shortcrust filled with vanilla custard and baked until golden, eaten warm at breakfast with an espresso. Some versions hide a black cherry in the cream.

★ 4.3|57 ratings

Gelato al pistacchio, ice cream from Italy

4Gelato al pistacchioNº 193

Ice Cream · Italy

Pistachio gelato, at its best made with Sicilian Bronte pistachios ground to a paste for a nutty, faintly savoury green cream, denser and less sweet than ice cream. A fixture on any Italian gelateria counter.

★ 4.3|277 ratings

  1. Strudel (Trentino-Alto Adige), dessert from Italy5

    Strudel (Trentino-Alto Adige)

    Nº 380

    Dessert · Trentino-South Tyrol★ 4.2

  2. Bomboloni, sweet pastry from Italy6

    Bomboloni

    Nº 559

    Sweet Pastry · Tuscany★ 4.1

  3. Gelato alla nocciola, ice cream from Italy7

    Gelato alla nocciola

    Nº 667

    Ice Cream · Italy★ 4.1

  4. Gianduiotto, dessert from Italy8

    Gianduiotto

    Nº 780

    Dessert · Turin★ 4.1

  5. Torta Tenerina, chocolate cake from Italy9

    Torta Tenerina

    Nº 1,002

    Chocolate Cake · Ferrara★ 4.0

  6. Paste di meliga, cookie from Italy10

    Paste di meliga

    Nº 1,033

    Cookie · Piedmont★ 4.0

  7. Maritozzo, sweet bread from Italy11

    Maritozzo

    Nº 1,098

    Sweet Bread · Metropolitan City of Rome Capital★ 4.0

  8. Graffe Napoletane, sweet pastry from Italy12

    Graffe Napoletane

    Nº 1,110

    Sweet Pastry · Naples★ 4.0

The Gazetteer

Where Italy's sweets are made

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

Placed dishes only · top 6 regions

  7. Another 51 ranked dishes are logged simply as pan-Italian, with no single regional home.

The Complete Ledger

All 305 Italian desserts & sweets in the world ranking, every entry.

305 entries
  1. 15 Gelato Ice Cream Sicily ★ 4.6
  2. 174 Tiramisù Dessert Friuli-Venezia Giulia ★ 4.3
  3. 191 Pasticciotto Sweet Pastry Galatina ★ 4.3
  4. 193 Gelato al pistacchio Ice Cream Italy ★ 4.3
  5. 380 Strudel (Trentino-Alto Adige) Dessert Trentino-South Tyrol ★ 4.2
  6. 559 Bomboloni Sweet Pastry Tuscany ★ 4.1
  7. 667 Gelato alla nocciola Ice Cream Italy ★ 4.1
  8. 780 Gianduiotto Dessert Turin ★ 4.1
  9. 1,002 Torta Tenerina Chocolate Cake Ferrara ★ 4.0
  10. 1,033 Paste di meliga Cookie Piedmont ★ 4.0
  11. 1,098 Maritozzo Sweet Bread Metropolitan City of Rome Capital ★ 4.0
  12. 1,110 Graffe Napoletane Sweet Pastry Naples ★ 4.0
  13. 1,135 Gelato cioccolato Ice Cream Italy ★ 4.0
  14. 1,211 Torta Setteveli Chocolate Cake Palermo ★ 4.0
  15. 1,217 Gelato al cioccolato fondente Ice Cream Italy ★ 4.0
  16. 1,377 Sfogliatella Sweet Pastry Campania ★ 3.9
  17. 1,494 Sospiri di Ozieri Cookie Othieri/Ozieri ★ 3.9
  18. 1,520 Cannoli Sweet Pastry Sicily ★ 3.9
  19. 1,592 Brioche col tuppo Sweet Bread Sicily ★ 3.9
  20. 1,626 Torta Caprese Chocolate Cake Capri Island ★ 3.9
  21. 1,674 C Canestrelli (Emilia-Romagna) Cookie Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.9
  22. 1,681 Cuccidati Cookie Sicily ★ 3.9
  23. 1,694 Torta Pistocchi Chocolate Cake Florence ★ 3.9
  24. 1,717 Gueffus Dessert Sardinia ★ 3.9
  25. 1,759 Gelato al limone Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.9
  26. 1,780 Gianduia gelato Ice Cream Piedmont ★ 3.9
  27. 1,781 Castagnole Sweet Pastry Italy ★ 3.9
  28. 1,916 Spongata Cake Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.9
  29. 1,964 Torta delle rose Sweet Bread Mantua ★ 3.9
  30. 2,092 Gelato al fior di latte Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.8
  31. 2,097 Canestrelli (Liguria) Cookie Liguria ★ 3.8
  32. 2,264 Salame Turco Dessert Sicily ★ 3.8
  33. 2,321 Nzuddi Cookie Metropolitan City of Messina ★ 3.8
  34. 2,325 Esse di Raveo Cookie Raveo ★ 3.8
  35. 2,546 Amaretti (Sicily) Cookie Sicily ★ 3.8
  36. 2,558 Zuppa Inglese Gelato Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.8
  37. 2,596 Iris (Sicily) Deep-fried Dessert Metropolitan City of Palermo ★ 3.8
  38. 2,669 Torta Savoia Chocolate Cake Catania ★ 3.8
  39. 2,745 Anello di Monaco Sweet Bread Mantua ★ 3.8
  40. 2,804 Fruttone Sweet Pastry Province of Lecce ★ 3.8
  41. 2,820 Torta Paradiso Cake Pavia ★ 3.8
  42. 2,904 Bacio gelato Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.8
  43. 2,918 Amaretti (Piedmont) Cookie Mombaruzzo ★ 3.8
  44. 2,996 Granita al limone Frozen Dessert Sicily ★ 3.8
  45. 3,043 Panna cotta Pudding Piedmont ★ 3.8
  46. 3,074 Torta Bertolina Cake Crema ★ 3.8
  47. 3,130 S Setteveli Ice Cream Sicily ★ 3.8
  48. 3,133 Biscotti alla cannella Cookie Italy ★ 3.8
  49. 3,134 A Amaretti (Emilia-Romagna) Cookie Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.8
  50. 3,135 A Amaretti di Gallarate Cookie Gallarate ★ 3.8
  51. 3,157 Lingue di Procida Sweet Pastry Procida ★ 3.8
  52. 3,235 Tortelli dolci Sweet Pastry Italy ★ 3.8
  53. 3,238 Gelo di melone Pudding Sicily ★ 3.8
  54. 3,275 L Latte dolce fritto Deep-fried Dessert Liguria ★ 3.8
  55. 3,299 Tegole Valdostane Cookie Aosta Valley ★ 3.8
  56. 3,311 Strucchi Dessert Natisone Valleys ★ 3.8
  57. 3,314 Bocconotto Sweet Pastry Apulia ★ 3.8
  58. 3,349 Pesche di Prato Dessert Prato ★ 3.8
  59. 3,357 Pesche al forno Dessert Piedmont ★ 3.8
  60. 3,390 Berlingozzo Cake Tuscany ★ 3.8
  61. 3,448 Amaretti di Sassello Cookie Sassello ★ 3.8
  62. 3,487 Torta 900 Chocolate Cake Ivrea ★ 3.8
  63. 3,546 Baci di dama Cookie Tortona ★ 3.8
  64. 3,588 Torta Barozzi Chocolate Cake Vignola ★ 3.7
  65. 3,641 Canestrelli Biellesi Cookie Province of Biella ★ 3.7
  66. 3,658 B Buontalenti Ice Cream Metropolitan City of Florence ★ 3.7
  67. 3,727 Sfogliatella abruzzese Sweet Pastry Lama dei Peligni ★ 3.7
  68. 3,729 G Gelato alla liquirizia Ice Cream Calabria ★ 3.7
  69. 3,734 Coppetta Dessert Valtellina ★ 3.7
  70. 3,743 Canestrelli di castagne Cookie Liguria ★ 3.7
  71. 3,767 Miascia Cake Province of Como ★ 3.7
  72. 3,841 P Pignolata Messinese Sweet Pastry Messina ★ 3.7
  73. 3,847 Chestnut Cake (Dolce di castagne) Cake Tuscany ★ 3.7
  74. 3,901 M Mastazzola di Riesi Cookie Riesi ★ 3.7
  75. 3,960 P Pan di Spagna (Molise) Cake Molise ★ 3.7
  76. 3,962 F Fragole al vino Dessert Italy ★ 3.7
  77. 3,982 C Chizze Reggiane Fried Dough Province of Reggio Emilia ★ 3.7
  78. 4,027 Torta Elvezia Cake Mantua ★ 3.7
  79. 4,106 Gelato allo zabaione Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.7
  80. 4,179 Mandorlato di Cologna Veneta Dessert Cologna Veneta ★ 3.7
  81. 4,225 Granita Frozen Dessert Sicily ★ 3.7
  82. 4,230 Affogato Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.7
  83. 4,331 Cassatelle Sweet Pastry Calatafimi ★ 3.7
  84. 4,365 Torrone di Nocciole Dessert Piedmont ★ 3.7
  85. 4,442 Gelato alla crema Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.7
  86. 4,620 Biscotti del Lagaccio Cookie Genoa ★ 3.7
  87. 4,647 Crostata Tart Italy ★ 3.7
  88. 4,721 Parrozzo Cake Abruzzo ★ 3.7
  89. 4,744 Ossi dei morti Cookie Italy ★ 3.7
  90. 4,750 Migliaccio Cake Naples ★ 3.7
  91. 4,769 Genovesi Sweet Pastry Erice ★ 3.7
  92. 4,782 Pardulas Sweet Pie Sardinia ★ 3.7
  93. 4,908 Baicoli Cookie Venice ★ 3.7
  94. 4,953 Focaccia Veneta Sweet Bread Veneto ★ 3.7
  95. 4,958 S Sfogliatelle di Canosa Sweet Pastry Canosa di Puglia ★ 3.7
  96. 5,002 Tiliccas Cookie Sardinia ★ 3.7
  97. 5,075 Seada Sweet Pastry Sardinia ★ 3.6
  98. 5,080 Ricciarelli di Siena Cookie Siena ★ 3.6
  99. 5,133 Stracciatella Ice Cream Bergamo ★ 3.6
  100. 5,134 Tartufo Ice Cream Pizzo ★ 3.6
  101. 5,138 Granita di mandorla Frozen Dessert Sicily ★ 3.6
  102. 5,161 Minne di Sant’Agata Dessert Catania ★ 3.6
  103. 5,181 Zabaione Custard Piedmont ★ 3.6
  104. 5,193 Gelato alle mandorle Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.6
  105. 5,312 Cartellate Sweet Pastry Apulia ★ 3.6
  106. 5,314 Rame di Napoli Cookie Catania ★ 3.6
  107. 5,354 G Gelato al torrone Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.6
  108. 5,376 Schiacciata di Pasqua Sweet Bread Tuscany ★ 3.6
  109. 5,396 A Amaretti (Molise) Cookie Molise ★ 3.6
  110. 5,397 A Amaretti (Lazio) Cookie Lazio ★ 3.6
  111. 5,398 Biscotti della monaca Cookie Metropolitan City of Catania ★ 3.6
  112. 5,400 Torrone di Cremona Dessert Cremona ★ 3.6
  113. 5,471 B Bostrengo Cake Marche ★ 3.6
  114. 5,571 Crema di caffè Dessert Italy ★ 3.6
  115. 5,599 Pan di Spagna Cake Genoa ★ 3.6
  116. 5,619 Torta ricotta e pere Cake Amalfi ★ 3.6
  117. 5,713 Brioche con gelato Dessert Sicily ★ 3.6
  118. 5,864 Schiacciata con l'uva Dessert Tuscany ★ 3.6
  119. 5,875 Pampepato di Terni Chocolate Cake Province of Terni ★ 3.6
  120. 5,957 Zeppole Sweet Pastry Campania ★ 3.6
  121. 5,959 Semifreddo Frozen Dessert Italy ★ 3.6
  122. 5,989 Mousse al Mascarpone Dessert Italy ★ 3.6
  123. 5,991 Torta di tagliatelle Dessert Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.6
  124. 6,029 Schwarzplententorte Cake South Tyrol ★ 3.6
  125. 6,043 Gelato al melone Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.6
  126. 6,058 Bensone Dessert Province of Modena ★ 3.6
  127. 6,059 Granita di gelsi Frozen Dessert Sicily ★ 3.6
  128. 6,061 G Gelato all'amarena Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.6
  129. 6,103 Torta della nonna Sweet Pie Tuscany ★ 3.6
  130. 6,109 Montebianco (Mont Blanc) Dessert Italy ★ 3.6
  131. 6,159 Biscotti al cocco Cookie Italy ★ 3.6
  132. 6,200 Biscotti Regina Cookie Sicily ★ 3.6
  133. 6,329 Pan di ramerino Sweet Bread Tuscany ★ 3.5
  134. 6,356 Mandorlotti Cookie Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.5
  135. 6,402 B Biscuit Tortoni Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.5
  136. 6,409 Certosino Sweet Bread Bologna ★ 3.5
  137. 6,530 Gelato di caffè Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.5
  138. 6,556 Bonèt Dessert Piedmont ★ 3.5
  139. 6,598 Biancomangiare Dessert Italy ★ 3.5
  140. 6,626 Granita di caffè Frozen Dessert Messina ★ 3.5
  141. 6,670 Tozzetti Cookie Lazio ★ 3.5
  142. 6,700 P Penia Sweet Bread Italy ★ 3.5
  143. 6,739 Nadalin Sweet Bread Verona ★ 3.5
  144. 6,782 Delizia al limone Dessert Campania ★ 3.5
  145. 6,787 Cantuccini Toscani Cookie Tuscany ★ 3.5
  146. 6,793 Budino Pudding Italy ★ 3.5
  147. 6,863 Amaretti di Saronno Cookie Saronno ★ 3.5
  148. 6,877 Baci di Alassio Cookie Alassio ★ 3.5
  149. 6,880 Castagnaccio Cake Lucca ★ 3.5
  150. 6,901 Krumiri Cookie Casale Monferrato ★ 3.5
  151. 6,912 Salame di cioccolato Chocolate Dessert Italy ★ 3.5
  152. 6,983 Canestrelli Novesi Cookie Piedmont ★ 3.5
  153. 6,991 Presnitz Cake Trieste ★ 3.5
  154. 7,020 Pizza de Pasqua de Civitavecchia Cake Civitavecchia ★ 3.5
  155. 7,073 Torta Margherita Cake Italy ★ 3.5
  156. 7,104 Biscotti Cookie Province of Prato ★ 3.4
  157. 7,162 Brutti ma buoni Cookie Gavirate ★ 3.4
  158. 7,185 Pandoro Sweet Bread Verona ★ 3.4
  159. 7,195 Chiacchiere (Campania) Sweet Pastry Campania ★ 3.4
  160. 7,205 Bisciola Sweet Bread Valtellina ★ 3.4
  161. 7,315 Zaletti Cookie Venice ★ 3.4
  162. 7,359 Ciambella Cake Italy ★ 3.4
  163. 7,367 Gelato alla vaniglia Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.4
  164. 7,504 Buccellato Cake Sicily ★ 3.4
  165. 7,539 Torta di riso Dessert Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.4
  166. 7,555 Gelato alla pesca Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.4
  167. 7,599 Torta Sbrisolona Dessert Mantua ★ 3.3
  168. 7,622 Buccellato di Lucca Sweet Bread Lucca ★ 0.0
  169. 7,638 Zuccotto Cake Florence ★ 3.3
  170. 7,653 Roccoco Cookie Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 3.3
  171. 7,693 Mpanatigghi Cookie Modica ★ 3.3
  172. 7,710 Pignoccata Sweet Pastry Palermo ★ 3.3
  173. 7,770 Gubana Cake Natisone Valleys ★ 3.3
  174. 7,804 Ferratelle Dessert Abruzzo ★ 3.3
  175. 7,840 Chiacchiere Sweet Pastry Italy ★ 3.3
  176. 7,847 Spumoni Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.3
  177. 7,881 Pastiera Tart Naples ★ 3.3
  178. 7,940 Biscotti di mandorla Cookie Province of Syracuse ★ 3.3
  179. 7,952 Pandolce Cake Genoa ★ 3.2
  180. 8,005 P Pan di Spagna di Dipignano Cake Dipignano ★ 0.0
  181. 8,012 Aranzada Dessert Sardinia ★ 3.2
  182. 8,033 Sanguinaccio Pudding Italy ★ 3.2
  183. 8,041 Frutta martorana Dessert Palermo ★ 3.2
  184. 8,077 Papassini Cookie Sardinia ★ 3.2
  185. 8,089 Zeppola di riso Deep-fried Dessert Catania ★ 0.0
  186. 8,100 Tartufo di Pizzo Ice Cream Pizzo ★ 3.2
  187. 8,168 Anicini Cookie Italy ★ 3.2
  188. 8,182 Pampapato di Ferrara Cake Ferrara ★ 3.2
  189. 8,227 Struffoli Sweet Pastry Naples ★ 3.1
  190. 8,252 C Ciarduna Sweet Pastry Palermo ★ 0.0
  191. 8,258 Occhio di bue Cookie Italy ★ 3.1
  192. 8,307 Zuppa Inglese Dessert Ferrara ★ 3.1
  193. 8,323 Canestrelli Cookie Italy ★ 3.1
  194. 8,335 Agnello pasquale Cake Favara ★ 3.1
  195. 8,355 Colomba Pasquale Sweet Bread Milan ★ 3.1
  196. 8,379 Sise delle Monache Dessert Guardiagrele ★ 0.0
  197. 8,399 Italian Meringue Dessert Italy ★ 3.0
  198. 8,430 Gelato alla fragola Ice Cream Italy ★ 3.0
  199. 8,433 Panforte di Siena Cake Siena ★ 3.0
  200. 8,472 Melanzane al cioccolato Chocolate Dessert Amalfi ★ 0.0
  201. 8,490 Cavallucci Cookie Siena ★ 3.0
  202. 8,521 Crescionda Chocolate Cake Spoleto ★ 0.0
  203. 8,541 Mustacciuoli Cookie Campania ★ 2.9
  204. 8,610 Biscottini di Novara Cookie Province of Novara ★ 0.0
  205. 8,617 Cassata Cake Sicily ★ 2.8
  206. 8,619 Giurgiulena Dessert Sicily ★ 0.0
  207. 8,622 Amaretti Cookie Italy ★ 2.8
  208. 8,627 Macaroons Cookie Italy ★ 2.8
  209. 8,691 Panettone Sweet Bread Milan ★ 2.6
  210. 8,730 Torrone Dessert Italy ★ 2.5
  211. 8,793 G Gelato di campagna Dessert Sicily ★ 0.0
  212. 8,794 Muccunetti Cake Mazara del Vallo ★ 0.0
  213. 8,801 Nougat Dessert Italy ★ 2.1
  214. 8,876 Ciambella Ferrarese Cake Province of Ferrara ★ 0.0
  215. 8,898 Baci di Cherasco Dessert Cherasco ★ 0.0
  216. 8,903 Petrafennula Dessert Sicily ★ 0.0
  217. 8,995 Susamielli Cookie Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 0.0
  218. 9,147 Sfinci di San Giuseppe Sweet Pastry Sicily ★ 0.0
  219. 9,208 Schiaccia briaca Cake Elba ★ 0.0
  220. 9,239 Testa di Turco Sweet Pastry Sicily ★ 0.0
  221. 9,303 O Ofelle di Parona Cookie Parona ★ 0.0
  222. 9,334 F Fichi mandorlati Dessert Apulia ★ 0.0
  223. 9,449 Torta Mantovana Cake Prato ★ 0.0
  224. 9,453 Sacripantina Cake Genoa ★ 0.0
  225. 9,459 Stroscia Cake Pietrabruna ★ 0.0
  226. 9,472 Torta Osimhen Chocolate Cake Naples ★ 0.0
  227. 9,500 Rocciata Sweet Pastry Umbria ★ 0.0
  228. 9,501 B Brustengolo Dessert Province of Perugia ★ 0.0
  229. 9,502 Zelten Cake Trentino-South Tyrol ★ 0.0
  230. 9,504 M Mustazzoli Pantelleria Cookie Pantelleria ★ 0.0
  231. 9,505 B Bacio di Pantelleria Deep-fried Dessert Pantelleria ★ 0.0
  232. 9,507 P Pan di sapa Cake Sardinia ★ 0.0
  233. 9,592 C Crema del re Frozen Dessert Ruvo di Puglia ★ 0.0
  234. 9,593 R Ricotta stregata Frozen Dessert Italy ★ 0.0
  235. 9,594 C Crema reggina Frozen Dessert Province of Reggio Calabria ★ 0.0
  236. 9,595 G Gelato alla crema fiorentina Ice Cream Metropolitan City of Florence ★ 0.0
  237. 9,611 A Amaretti di Carmignano Cookie Carmignano ★ 0.0
  238. 9,612 Mandorlini del ponte Cookie Ferrara ★ 0.0
  239. 9,613 B Biscotti dei poveri Cookie Italy ★ 0.0
  240. 9,627 T Torrone gelato Dessert Province of Reggio Calabria ★ 0.0
  241. 9,628 T Torrone di Guardiagrele Dessert Guardiagrele ★ 0.0
  242. 9,631 O Occhi di Santa Lucia Cookie Apulia ★ 0.0
  243. 9,636 A Amaretti Casperiani Cookie Casperia ★ 0.0
  244. 9,647 C Canestrelli di Avosso Cookie Avosso ★ 0.0
  245. 9,648 C Canestrello di Brugnato Cookie Brugnato ★ 0.0
  246. 9,649 C Canestrelli (Piedmont) Cookie Piedmont ★ 0.0
  247. 9,675 Fregolotta Cake Veneto ★ 0.0
  248. 9,737 T Torta colonne Tart Apulia ★ 0.0
  249. 9,739 C Crostata al torrone Tart Sarnano ★ 0.0
  250. 9,760 Corollo Cake Elba ★ 0.0
  251. 9,877 Berriquocoli Cookie Siena ★ 0.0
  252. 9,878 C Ciambelle all'uovo Cookie Lazio ★ 0.0
  253. 9,887 P Panini di Sant'Antonio Sweet Bread Tuscany ★ 0.0
  254. 9,901 O Orecchie di Amman Sweet Pastry Tuscany ★ 0.0
  255. 9,904 Sandy Cake (Torta sabbiosa) Cake Veneto ★ 0.0
  256. 9,905 Pinza Veneta Cake Veneto ★ 0.0
  257. 9,937 R Resta di Como Sweet Bread Province of Como ★ 0.0
  258. 9,997 Bersaglieri Cookie Metropolitan City of Catania ★ 0.0
  259. 10,001 C Ceremito Cookie Elba ★ 0.0
  260. 10,060 Baci di Pantelleria Sweet Pastry Pantelleria ★ 0.0
  261. 10,062 B Baxin Cookie Albenga ★ 0.0
  262. 10,063 C Ciambella di San Cataldo Cookie San Cataldo ★ 0.0
  263. 10,065 M Mustazzola Cookie Sicily ★ 0.0
  264. 10,066 P Pevarini Cookie Venice ★ 0.0
  265. 10,068 H Honey-Nut Sticks (Dolce con miele e noci) Dessert Tuscany ★ 0.0
  266. 10,070 Caviadini della Valsassina Cookie Cassina Valsassina ★ 0.0
  267. 10,074 Tortionata Cake Lodi ★ 0.0
  268. 10,075 R Rotelle di Borzonasca Cookie Borzonasca ★ 0.0
  269. 10,077 P Pesche Scaligere Dessert Veneto ★ 0.0
  270. 10,105 S Susumelli Cookie Abruzzo ★ 0.0
  271. 10,155 Biscotin de Prost Cookie Prosto ★ 0.0
  272. 10,162 C Ciambella (Molise) Dessert Molise ★ 0.0
  273. 10,163 B Budino Margot Dessert Italy ★ 0.0
  274. 10,164 M Mulun Dessert Talamona ★ 0.0
  275. 10,172 C Chifferi Cookie Liguria ★ 0.0
  276. 10,173 T Torta di fioretto Cake Valtellina ★ 0.0
  277. 10,220 Sùgoli Pudding Veneto ★ 0.0
  278. 10,234 Pinza Bolognese Sweet Pastry Bologna ★ 0.0
  279. 10,250 P Pangiallo Cake Lazio ★ 0.0
  280. 10,259 F Frittelle di riso di San Giuseppe Deep-fried Dessert Tuscany ★ 0.0
  281. 10,266 C Chiavi di San Pietro Cookie Palermo ★ 0.0
  282. 10,278 S Sminuzzata imperiale Dessert Friuli-Venezia Giulia ★ 0.0
  283. 10,295 Zuccherini di Vernio Cookie Vernio ★ 0.0
  284. 10,311 Tartra Custard Piedmont ★ 0.0
  285. 10,319 A Arsumà Custard Biella ★ 0.0
  286. 10,320 Lattacciolo Custard Abruzzo ★ 0.0
  287. 10,327 Panficato Dessert Giglio Castello ★ 0.0
  288. 10,330 B Barchiglia Tart Apulia ★ 0.0
  289. 10,429 C Collorelle Sweet Pastry Caltagirone ★ 0.0
  290. 10,437 T Torta alla Monferrina Cake Altavilla Monferrato ★ 0.0
  291. 10,544 G Gobbeletti Cookie Liguria ★ 0.0
  292. 10,590 Ginetti Cookie Calabria ★ 0.0
  293. 10,595 N Nocciolini di Chivasso Cookie Chivasso ★ 0.0
  294. 10,597 M Masigott Sweet Bread Lombardy ★ 0.0
  295. 10,598 P Pan di sorc Sweet Bread Provincia di Udine ★ 0.0
  296. 10,599 S Sportella Sweet Bread Rio nell'Elba ★ 0.0
  297. 10,600 B Biscotto di Sant'Anselmo Sweet Bread Bomarzo ★ 0.0
  298. 10,601 B Biscotto di Sant'Antonio Sweet Bread Province of Viterbo ★ 0.0
  299. 10,645 Pastissus Dessert Sardinia ★ 0.0
  300. 10,673 B Biscette di Solva Cookie Alassio ★ 0.0
  301. 10,687 M Maccheroni con le noci Dessert Umbria ★ 0.0
  302. 10,696 C Curnat Dessert Valtellina ★ 0.0
  303. 10,713 T Torta Pedrocchi Cake Padua ★ 0.0
  304. 10,722 T Torta degli addobbi Dessert Metropolitan City of Bologna ★ 0.0
  305. 10,798 Nevole Dessert Abruzzo ★ 0.0
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Questions, Answered

Italian desserts & sweets, frequently asked, answered from 7,248 ratings.

What is the best Italian dessert?
By our diners' ratings it's gelato, Nº 15 worldwide, the dense, slow-churned Italian ice cream. Behind it come the coffee-and-mascarpone tiramisù, the custard-filled pasticciotto of Salento, and pistachio gelato made with Sicilian Bronte nuts.
Which country has the most desserts?
Italy, and it isn't close: 305 ranked desserts and sweets, ahead of the United States (155) and France (114). No nation fields a deeper bench. But depth is not the peak: Italy's best is gelato at Nº 15, while the single top-rated sweet on earth is Algerian.
What is the most famous Italian dessert?
By number of ratings, tiramisù, the espresso-soaked mascarpone layer cake, is the most-reviewed Italian sweet, ahead of gelato and cannoli. Barely fifty years old, it has become the country's signature dessert abroad.
Which region of Italy has the best desserts?
By our data Sicily has the deepest dessert tradition, with 22 ranked sweets, from cannoli and cassata to granita and its famous gelato. Tuscany follows with 12 and Piedmont with 10, home of the hazelnut gianduiotto of Turin.
What is gelato?
Gelato is Italian ice cream, but churned slower and with less air and less fat than the American kind, so it tastes denser and more intensely of its flavour. Served a touch warmer and softer, it is the top-rated frozen dessert in the world at Nº 15.
Where else should I look for great desserts?
Especially the pastry nations: worldwide the department runs to 2,151 sweets from 154 countries, topped not by Italy or France but by Algeria's almond makroud at Nº 8. Nearer home, France fields 114 ranked desserts and Spain 80. See Desserts & Sweets worldwide.

This Department, Elsewhere

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

SpanishDesserts & Sweets80CroatianDesserts & Sweets74PortugueseDesserts & Sweets53GreekDesserts & Sweets49SerbianDesserts & Sweets17SlovenianDesserts & Sweets14MalteseDesserts & Sweets10BosnianDesserts & Sweets10MacedonianDesserts & Sweets5CypriotDesserts & Sweets4AlbanianDesserts & Sweets4SammarineseDesserts & Sweets3KosovarDesserts & Sweets1
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