Pastries come in all shapes and sizes – light, flaky, buttery, dense, syrup-soaked or filled with cream. But behind every great pastry lies a specific dough or technique that gives it its signature texture. Whether you’re a baker seeking inspiration or a foodie on a cultural deep-dive, you should know these different types of sweet pastries. Eat your heart out!
Choux Pastry
A unique dough cooked before it’s baked, resulting in a crisp shell and airy interior perfect for fillings.
Bienenstich (Bee Sting)
This German pastry, translating to ‘bee sting’, is a luscious treat made from sweet yeast dough, filled with vanilla custard and topped with a crunchy caramelised almond topping. It’s typically served during special occasions or as a celebratory cake, offering a delightful contrast of textures from the creamy filling to the crispy almond crust.
Churros
Originating in Spain, churros are deep-fried, doughnut-shaped pastries dusted in cinnamon sugar. These crispy treats are often enjoyed as a snack or dessert in Spain, Latin America and the U.S., especially when dipped in rich hot chocolate. They’re also a popular street food, often sold at markets.
Éclairs
A French classic, éclairs are made from choux pastry, filled with rich custard or whipped cream, and topped with a layer of glossy chocolate icing. These pastries are perfect for any celebration and are often served as a refined dessert at dinner parties or in cafés.
Karpatka
This Polish pastry features two layers of choux pastry filled with a creamy custard. Karpatka is a popular dessert in Poland, especially during holidays like Christmas and Easter, and is known for its crisp and creamy texture combination.
Profiteroles
These small, round pastries made from choux dough are filled with whipped cream or ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Profiteroles are a popular French dessert, enjoyed at celebrations like weddings or holiday dinners.
Try these Profiteroles filled with Biscoff Crème Pâtissière.
Vanilla Cream Puffs
Light, airy choux pastry filled with a smooth vanilla custard, these are often served at special occasions or dinner parties.
Zeppole
Italian fried choux-like pastries filled with cream, jam or chocolate. Often eaten during holidays like St. Joseph’s Day, these light treats are dusted with powdered sugar.
Enriched Doughs
Yeast-leavened doughs made soft and rich with the addition of eggs, butter, sugar and milk.
Anpan
A soft, sweet bun from Japan, filled with anko (sweet red bean paste). It’s a popular snack found in bakeries across Japan, often enjoyed with a cup of green tea. This little treat strikes a perfect balance between savoury and sweet and is deeply rooted in Japanese culinary tradition.
Alfajores
These South American delights have crossed borders and generations. Alfajores are shortbread-like cookies, filled with dulce de leche and dusted with powdered sugar. Whether enjoyed as an everyday treat or during festivities like Christmas and Easter, alfajores offer a taste of Argentina, Peru and Uruguay’s sweet culture.
Doughnuts
While doughnuts may seem quintessentially American, their origins trace back to Dutch settlers. These sweet, fried dough treats can be simple or extravagant, filled with jam, cream or chocolate and topped with glaze or sprinkles. Whether enjoyed with coffee in the morning or as an afternoon treat, doughnuts are a global delight.
Discover the different types of doughnuts from around the world.
Gulab Jamun
Often considered a dessert, but due to its fried nature and sweet syrup, gulab jamun falls into the pastry category. This Indian treat, made of milk solids and deep-fried, is soaked in a fragrant rosewater-sugar syrup. Common during festivals like Diwali, it’s a festive indulgence.
Honey Buns
Originating from the Southern U.S., Honey Buns are sweet, sticky rolls, glazed with honey syrup and often flavoured with cinnamon. These pastries are popular for breakfast, served warm and fresh, often accompanied by a cup of coffee or tea.
Irish Barmbrack
A traditional Irish barmbrack is a sweet fruit bread, often associated with Halloween in Ireland. It’s made with sultanas, raisins and other dried fruits. They can also include hidden charms for good fortune, adding an element of fun and mystery to the treat.
Koesisters
A proudly Cape Malay pastry from South Africa, koesisters are spiced, deep-fried doughnuts soaked in syrup and rolled in coconut. Soft, syrupy and warmly spiced with ground cardamom, orange zest, aniseed and ginger, they’re often served on Sunday mornings or during family gatherings.
Koeksisters
Another South African classic, koeksisters are plaited, golden pastries deep-fried until crisp and then drenched in ice-cold syrup. Unlike the Cape Malay version, these are super-sweet, crunchy on the outside and sticky inside – often enjoyed with tea or sold at church bazaars.
Lussekat
Known as ‘Swedish Lucia buns’, lussekat are saffron-flavoured sweet rolls shaped in twists or loops. These pastries are traditionally baked to celebrate St. Lucia’s Day in Sweden, filling homes with warmth and the scent of saffron during the cold winter months.
Oliebollen
Oliebollen are Dutch deep-fried pastries, often filled with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar. Traditionally served during New Year’s Eve, these fritters are a beloved winter treat in the Netherlands, symbolising warmth and festivity.
Poffertjes
These small, fluffy Dutch pancakes are typically served with powdered sugar and butter. Poffertjes are a beloved street food in the Netherlands, often enjoyed during festivals and fairs.
Rum Baba
A rich, yeasted pastry soaked in rum syrup. Rum Baba originated in France but has roots in Poland. It’s a popular dessert at French cafés, served with whipped cream or fresh fruit.
Tulumba
A Turkish pastry, Tulumba is deep-fried dough soaked in sweet syrup. These small, crunchy pastries are enjoyed as a snack and are common in Middle Eastern bakeries.
Ube Ensaymada
A Filipino twist on the Spanish Ensaymada, this version is made with ube (purple yam) for a vibrant, unique flavour. Topped with butter, sugar and cheese, it’s a delicious treat.
Welsh Cakes
A traditional Welsh pastry, these are small, round cakes with currants or sultanas, griddled rather than baked, and served warm with butter.
Phyllo Pastry (Filo)
Paper-thin layers of dough brushed with butter or oil and layered for a light, shattering crunch.
Baklava
Baklava is the ultimate sweet indulgence from the Middle East, Greece and the Balkans. Layers of thin, buttery phyllo dough sandwich a filling of crushed nuts – usually walnuts or pistachios – and are drenched in fragrant honey syrup. It’s a sweet pastry best enjoyed with a strong Turkish coffee or as part of a grand feast during religious holidays like Ramadan.
Puff Pastry
Made by encasing butter in dough and folding it repeatedly to create hundreds of flaky layers.
Apple Strudel
Synonymous with Austria, the apple strudel or ‘apfelstrudel’ is a classic pastry, beloved for its delicate, paper-thin layers of dough wrapped around spiced apples, raisins, and cinnamon. The comforting flavours of this iconic pastry make it a perfect treat for cold winter evenings or festive occasions like Christmas. Often served with a dusting of powdered sugar, it’s a true taste of European comfort.
Croissants
These iconic pastries are made from buttery, flaky dough that’s rolled into a crescent shape. Whether plain, filled with chocolate, croissants are a staple in French bakeries and are enjoyed globally, especially for breakfast with a hot espresso or café au lait.
Eccles Cakes
A beloved pastry from the UK, Eccles cakes are small, round pastries filled with currants and sugar, traditionally made in the town of Eccles in England. These flaky, sweet treats are often enjoyed with tea or as a snack. They are also sometimes made with a shortcrust pastry.
Galette des Rois
This French pastry consists of a golden puff pastry filled with almond cream. It is served during the Epiphany celebration (in Easter Christian tradition) and is typically enjoyed with family, where a hidden trinket inside the pastry brings good luck.
Jalousie
Jalousie, or ‘French turnover’, is a pastry made from puff pastry with a sweet filling, such as fruit or almond paste. It’s a light, crispy treat, often served at cafés across France and Europe.
Mille-Feuille
Mille-Feuille are made from layers of puff pastry, custard and icing. This classic pastry is a part of French tradition, often enjoyed in patisseries and during special occasions.
Try this Vanilla & Hazelnut Mille-Feuille.
Mohnstrudel
A sweet variation of the classic strudel, mohnstrudel is filled with poppy seeds and sugar, offering a delightful crunch and a nutty, sweet flavour. It’s commonly enjoyed in countries like Austria and Germany during festive holidays.
Pain au Chocolat
A pastry that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee, pain au chocolat is a buttery, flaky croissant dough with a rich chocolate filling. Popular for breakfast or brunch in France, this pastry is also found worldwide in bakeries.
Pain aux Raisins
A spiral-shaped French pastry made with croissant dough, filled with pastry cream and studded with juicy raisins. Known for its flaky texture and rich custard swirl, pain aux raisins is a staple at French boulangeries and a popular breakfast or mid-morning pastry.
Paris-Brest
Created in France in honour of the Paris–Brest–Paris cycling race, this wheel-shaped choux pastry is filled with luscious praline cream. The pastry’s circular shape mimics a bicycle wheel, and it’s typically dusted with powdered sugar or slivered almonds for added crunch.
Pastéis de Nata
These Portuguese custard tarts feature a crisp, flaky pastry shell filled with silky egg custard, blistered on top from high-heat baking. Pastéis de nata are typically enjoyed warm, dusted with cinnamon or powdered sugar, and are a beloved treat with coffee, especially in Belém, Lisbon, where the original recipe from the Jerónimos Monastery still draws long queues.
Strudel
This famous pastry from Austria and Central Europe is made with thin layers of dough filled with sweet fruits like apples or cherries. Strudel is a classic pastry to enjoy during the colder months, particularly during Christmas and New Year’s.
Queen’s Pastry
A traditional pastry served to royalty, the Queen’s Pastry is made from fine puff pastry and filled with custard or sweet cream. It’s enjoyed at royal events or lavish dinners.
Shortcrust Pastry
Crumbly, buttery and tender – this dough is low in water and handled minimally to prevent gluten development. Think tarts, pies and sturdy yet delicate bases.
Empanadas
While empanadas are usually savoury, the sweet varieties – stuffed with fruits like apples or quince and spiced with cinnamon – are equally delicious. Found throughout Latin America and Spain, they are enjoyed at holidays, especially during festivals like Christmas.
Figolli
Figolli are almond-filled, colourful pastries, shaped into various figures, traditionally eaten in Malta during Easter. These sweet treats are decorated with icing and often carry symbolic significance, making them an essential part of the holiday.
French Tarts
French tarts come in a variety of forms, but they’re often characterised by their buttery, flaky pastry crusts filled with cream, fruit or chocolate. Whether it’s a fresh lemon tart or a decadent chocolate ganache tart, these pastries are perfect for teatime occasions.
Gâteau Basque
Originating from the Basque region in France, Gâteau Basque is a pastry with a crumbly, buttery crust filled with pastry cream or cherry jam. It’s a traditional dessert for special occasions, including holidays, and is often served with a strong coffee.
Hamantaschen
These triangular-shaped pastries are most closely associated with Purim, the Jewish holiday celebrating the defeat of Haman. Filled with fruit preserves, poppy seeds or sweetened nuts, hamantaschen is enjoyed for its symbolism and rich, buttery crust. These pastries are often baked in batches and shared among family and friends during celebrations.
Hertzoggie
A traditional South African tartlet, Hertzoggies feature a buttery pastry base filled with apricot jam and topped with a golden coconut meringue. Named after a former prime minister, they’re especially popular among Afrikaner communities and often baked for holidays or bake sales.
Jamaican Patty
While more of a savoury pastry, the Jamaican Patty can also come in sweet varieties filled with fruits like pineapple or coconut. A Jamaican staple, these pastries are known for their golden, flaky crust and spicy-sweet fillings.
Lattice Tarts
A quintessential pastry found in many countries, lattice tarts are filled with fruit preserves, custard or cream, and topped with a criss-cross pattern of dough. These sweet pastries are often enjoyed as a dessert after meals or as part of tea-time offerings.
Lemon Bars
A popular treat in the U.S., lemon bars are a combination of a buttery shortbread crust topped with a lemon curd filling. These zesty bars are the perfect teatime treat.
Mooncake
A rich, round pastry traditionally eaten during the Chinese New Year, mooncakes are typically filled with lotus seed paste, red bean or salted egg yolk. Their ornate, stamped tops and dense filling make them a symbol of reunion and celebration.
Nusstorte
A Swiss treat from the Engadine region, nusstorte is a rich, nut-filled pastry made with a shortcrust base and a sweet, caramelised filling of nuts. It’s a traditional treat during the colder months and is typically served with coffee.
Viennoiserie
Where pastry meets bread – viennoiseries are yeasted, often laminated and enriched treats.
Beignets
Known worldwide, but especially celebrated in France and New Orleans, beignets are deep-fried dough squares, dusted with powdered sugar. Often enjoyed at breakfast with a coffee, these fluffy, crispy pastries offer a bite of Southern indulgence, with roots in French and Spanish traditions.
Danishes
Danish pastries are made from laminated dough, layered with butter and are often filled with fruit preserves, cream cheese or almond paste. These pastries, originating from Denmark, are commonly enjoyed at breakfast or as a snack in cafés around the world.
Iced Buns
These sweet, soft rolls are topped with a simple sugar icing, commonly found in the UK and Ireland. Iced Buns are often enjoyed with a hot cup of tea and are especially popular for breakfast or as a midday snack.
Joffre
A traditional French pastry named after a French general, Joffre is a delicate, layered pastry filled with dark chocolate and often glazed with chocolate icing. It’s a festive treat, ideal for celebrations and high-end dessert menus.
Kouign-Amann
Hailing from Brittany in France, Kouign-Amann is a rich, buttery pastry made from laminated dough, sugar and butter. The dough is folded repeatedly, resulting in a caramelised, crunchy exterior and a soft, buttery interior. This decadent treat is perfect with a cup of coffee and is enjoyed year-round, especially in bakeries in northern France.
Special Pastries
These delicious bakes range from delicate to syrup-drenched pastries.
Canelés
This Bordeaux dessert has a caramelised exterior and soft vanilla centre. These small, sweet treats are served with chantilly cream to balance the richness.
Cannoli
A quintessential Italian pastry, cannoli is a tube of crispy, fried dough filled with sweet ricotta cheese, sometimes adorned with chocolate chips, candied fruits or pistachios. From Sicily to the rest of the world, cannoli are a staple of Italian dessert culture, often enjoyed at Christmas and Easter.
Try these Hot Cross Bun-inspired Cannoli with Speckled Eggs.
Faworki
Also known as angel wings, faworki are light, crispy pastries that are deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar. A Polish favourite, these pastries are often eaten before Lent, especially on ‘Fat Thursday’, and are a special treat during Carnival season.
Financiers
These elegant, almond-based French pastries are small, rectangular cakes with a crisp exterior and moist, buttery crumb. Originally created by a Parisian pâtissier for wealthy financiers, they’re perfect as a refined tea-time treat or a light bite with coffee.
Try these Brown Butter & Hazelnut Financiers with Chocolate Ganache.
Rugelach
Originating from Jewish tradition, Rugelach are small, crescent-shaped pastries filled with a variety of fillings, including fruit jams, nuts and chocolate. These little treats are perfect for festive occasions, especially Hanukkah.
Sfogliatelle
These rich pastries feature a filling made from creamy ricotta cheese, often mixed with sugar, vanilla or citrus zest. Found in Sicilian bakeries, they can be shaped in many ways, including small tarts or filled croissants. Often enjoyed as part of festive occasions, these pastries bring out the warmth of Italian tradition.
Want more? Learn about these different types of pastry.
Discover traditional desserts from around the world.
