Dessert is a way to bring people together, share something sweet, and, at its most powerful, make a celebration or even a rough day feel worthwhile. As with other culinary trends, they come in and out of popularity. From the classics to a few sweet surprises, here are some of the most popular desserts Americans have enjoyed in recent years.
1. Oreo Cookies
For well over a century, Oreos have been an American favorite. Consisting of two chocolate wafers wedded together by a layer of white fondant into a miniature sweet sandwich, Oreos deliver just the right combination of crunch and creaminess.
Since Nabisco debuted Oreos in 1912, they’ve tried all sorts of variations, such as double-stuffed, bite-size, red velvet, strawberry, birthday cake, Neapolitan, and dulce de leche. After all this time and through every variation, the cookies remain a classic.
2. Cheesecake
Cheesecake can be traced all the way back to ancient Greece. Even so, Americans have most definitely embraced it as one of our own. A staple on most restaurant and diner dessert menus, cheesecake is a rich, tasty dessert we can’t get enough of.
3. Cupcakes
While cupcakes never really went out of style, they have enjoyed a renaissance since the Beverly Hills bakery Sprinkles opened in 2005 and began selling its signature cupcakes. Sprinkles’ elaborate cupcakes with beautiful decorations and exotic flavors got everyone talking from coast to coast, and the once lowly cupcake has evolved into a sophisticated dessert that serves as the perfect palette for culinary innovation.
4. Cake Pops
Ever since their emergence as a genre-bending food fad over two decades ago, cake pops have proven their staying power. Perhaps because they’re bite-sized and portable, folks still can’t get enough of these micro-cakes dressed in frosting and studded with sprinkles that come in lollipop-sized portions.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are a true American classic. With countless variations to hold our attention, there are now entire businesses centered on gourmet chocolate chip cookies. Some restaurants even use them for more elaborate dishes. But even if it’s just the classic from mom’s oven, we still can’t get enough of these delightfully delicious morsels.
6. Apple Pie
How many times have you heard the phrase “as American as apple pie?” Although apple pie originated in Britain in the 14th century, it later morphed into the ultimate all-American dessert. The classic version calls for a sturdy crust on the bottom, a lattice crust on top, and a filling consisting of sliced Granny Smith apples and brown sugar.
Over time, however, apple pie has remained such a favorite due to the ability to try new variations involving cinnamon sugar crumbles, cheddar cheese, and, of course, ice cream.
7. S’mores
For roughly a century, Americans have been captivated by the combination of chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers. S’mores began as a humble, rugged dessert that can easily be made over a blazing campfire. But over the years, chefs and entrepreneurs have added many fascinatingly delectable twists to this campfire classic, including chocolate coating, caramel, cookies, ice-blended coffee, and even s’mores charcuterie boards.
8. Jell-O
Ever since its debut in 1897, Jell-O has been a pantry staple. Whether used as a quick sweet snack or an ingredient for more complex desserts, such as fruit salads or various creations involving cottage cheese, Jell-O remains an enduring favorite.
9. Brownies
Denser than cakes and heavier on chocolate, brownies somehow manage to combine the body of cakes and the richness of fudge while still very much being their own thing. Even better, brownies also lend themselves to versatility.
Over the years, variations like blondies, made with brown sugar and/or vanilla rather than chocolate, have become popular. More recently, exotic twists like red velvet brownies and avocado brownies have made their way to our plates, too.
10. Fondue
For centuries, families across Switzerland enjoyed the simple pleasures of fondue, which mainly involves melted cheese or chocolate for dipping. Then, in the 1960s, Americans started to discover this Swiss comfort food and couldn’t get enough of it. For a while, the fondue fad faded, but with renewed interest in fondue-centric restaurants, it’s making a comeback.
11. Anything with Nutella
For decades, Italian company Ferrero made this humble spread with hazelnuts, sugar, and a touch of cocoa that gradually gained popularity across Europe. But when it started to become more widely available across the Atlantic, Americans rushed to scoop up this fancy-sounding spread and add it to everything from toast to ice cream to make anything come across as more refined.
12. Rice Krispies Treats
Originally invented by Kellogg’s employees Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day in 1939, these sticky-sweet cereal squares made with Rice Krispies, butter, and marshmallows quickly became a cult favorite. However, it wasn’t until 1995 that Kellogg’s finally began to market Rice Krispies Treats themselves. Since then, these simple yet satisfying treats have only gained popularity.
13. Fudge
Did your mind immediately go to chocolate when you think of fudge? That may be the classic connotation, but fudge doesn’t actually have to have any cocoa in it at all. Sugar, butter, and milk are the three essential ingredients for fudge. For different variations, try vanilla, brown sugar, caramel, peanut butter, and even marshmallow fudge.
14. “Healthy” Ice Cream
Though there have been various attempts over the decades to make “healthy” ice cream popular, the DIY “life hacks” for making homemade ice cream with frozen bananas and plant-based milk not only added an interesting twist to the staple dessert but also seemed to kick off a commercial food trend that’s still going strong. Head to just about any grocery store’s frozen section and you will find ice cream that is said to be good for you.
15. Chocolate Mousse
It’s creamy. It’s rich. It’s light. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. Chocolate mousse is an edible paradox. But for hardcore chocoholics, chocolate mousse is an ideal dessert. Fairly easy to make at home, it is mainly just melted chocolate mixed with egg yolks, sugar, and whipped cream.
16. Red Velvet Cake
Cocoa, cream cheese, butter, and a bright red color? There’s just something about the dense yet velvety smooth texture of the cake itself, but when paired with an ultra-rich cream cheese-based frosting, the results are a next-level cake that’s sure to please any dessert lover.
17. Banana Pudding
This dessert has been such a staple for so long that it can be far too easy for us to forget how great it truly is. But thanks to New York City’s Magnolia Bakery and their astonishingly delicious rendition of banana pudding, it’s gradually been making its way back to hearts and bellies.
The original version calls for vanilla custard, fresh bananas, vanilla wafers, and meringue, but Magnolia’s version (with sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream) serves as a helpful reminder that change isn’t always a bad thing.
18. Birthday Cake
While classic birthday cake has never really gone out of style, it does appear that hipster bakeries like Milk Bar have gone a long way to make birthday cake cool again. The combination of vanilla or yellow cake, thick and creamy layers of frosting, and colorful confetti-esque sprinkles make for an amazing dessert that evokes child-like joy regardless of the number of candles on top.
19. Churros
Whether you grew up with churros or only ever saw them at Disneyland, it’s hard to dismiss the enduring allure of this delicious dessert. Whether you prefer to dunk it in coffee, top it with ice cream, or simply enjoy it with a dusting of cinnamon sugar, there is truly no wrong way to eat a churro.
20. Tiramisu
There is a constant ebb and flow to the popularity of this iconic Italian dessert on this side of the Atlantic. In recent years, however, tiramisu has crept its way back onto recipe blogs, social media feeds, and restaurant menus thanks to its unique flavor profile. Though the combination of mascarpone cheese, coffee, rum, and ladyfinger cookies might seem weird at first, the finished product makes perfect sense and tastes like absolute perfection.
21. Strawberry Shortcake
Here is another timeless classic that’s enjoying a comeback. This seemingly simple combination of strawberries, biscuits, and whipped cream can easily become a marvelous masterpiece with the right amount of handiwork, especially during the spring and summer months when fresh strawberries are widely available across North America.
22. Lemon Meringue Pie
At first taste, the harshly tart lemon seems like an odd ingredient for a rich, sweet dessert. But when you take lemons and add them with sugar, salt, flour, cornstarch, butter, eggs, and a few other ingredients, you end up with this incredible pie that manages to maintain the essence of lemon in a thick, rich custard while also having a layer of cloud-like meringue.
23. Crème Brûlée
Loosely based on Spain’s crema catalana, the French creme brûlée takes sweet, vanilla-enhanced custard and tops it with a layer of hardened, caramelized sugar. It’s a popular choice at restaurants, where the waiter often fires the top layer right in front of you.
24. Baked Alaska
The various conflicting stories of where Baked Alaska was first served (New York? Norway? France?) might actually be turning contemporary foodies onto this classic dessert. Involving a layer of cake and ice cream wrapped in toasted meringue, it’s a strangely satisfying way to end dinner no matter where it actually originated from.