Must-Try Cambodian Desserts

When it comes to Southeast Asian sweets, Cambodian desserts stand out with their unique mix of textures and flavors. Also known as Khmer desserts, these treats blend sticky rice, coconut milk, and tropical fruits into sweet, chewy, and creamy creations. You’ll find local favorites like Num Ansom Chek (banana sticky rice cake), Cha Houy Teuk (colorful jelly dessert), and Nom Kong (crispy Cambodian donuts) across street markets and family kitchens.

10 Traditional Cambodian Desserts to Try

When traveling through Cambodia, it’s easy to be surprised by the majestic Angkor temples or the bustle of Phnom Penh’s riverside, but there’s a quieter, sweeter charm hiding in plain sight, Khmer desserts. Rich with coconut, sticky rice, tropical fruits, and palm sugar, Cambodian sweets are as much a part of the local culture as its sacred pagodas or traditional dance.

When traveling through Cambodia, it’s easy to be captivated by the majestic Angkor temples or the bustle of Phnom Penh’s riverside, but there’s a quieter, sweeter charm hiding in plain sight, Khmer desserts. Rich with coconut, sticky rice, tropical fruits, and palm sugar, Cambodian sweets are as much a part of the local culture as its sacred pagodas or traditional dance.

• Check out best Cambodian street foods

1. Cha Houy Teuk (Sweet Jelly)

One of the most eye-try Khmer desserts is Cha Houy Teuk, a vibrant sweet jelly served in layers, often topped with mung beans or coconut cream. Light and refreshing, it’s particularly popular on hot days when locals seek something cool and hydrating. The flavor is mildly sweet with earthy tones from pandan leaves and red beans, harmonized by the rich aroma of coconut milk.

The main ingredients include agar-agar jelly, mung beans, coconut cream, sugar, and pandan essence. The jelly is prepared by dissolving agar-agar in boiling water with sugar and flavorings, poured into molds in layers. Between each layer, you wait for the jelly to set before adding the next one. It’s usually served chilled.

You can find Cha Houy Teuk in local markets, especially in Phnom Penh’s Central Market or Siem Reap’s night markets. It’s typically sold in plastic cups or bowls for $0.50 to $1.00, making it a cheap and cheerful street snack.

2. Num Chak Kachan (Khmer Palm Cake)

Num Chak Kachan is a silky, steamed layer cake made with rice flour and coconut milk, traditionally dyed in green and white layers. The taste is subtly sweet and slightly chewy, with the scent of pandan giving it a pleasant floral undertone.

The ingredients are simple: rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, coconut milk, and pandan juice for the green hue. The batter is poured one layer at a time into a pan, steamed until set, then repeated for multiple layers. Once cooked, it’s sliced into diamond or rectangular shapes.

You’ll find this dessert at roadside stalls or sold by street vendors near schools and pagodas, especially during festivals. A piece usually costs under $1.

3. Nom Plae Ai (Sticky Rice Sweet Balls)

Nom Plae Ai is a popular snack among local children. It features glutinous rice balls filled with palm sugar and rolled in grated coconut. When you bite into one, molten sugar oozes out, creating a rich flavor that perfectly balances chewy and sweet.

Cooks fill rice flour dough with a chunk of palm sugar, roll it into balls, and boil them until the balls float, showing they’re ready. After cooking, they roll the balls in freshly grated coconut.

People usually make these at home, but you can also find them at morning markets in rural areas. Each serving includes three to five balls and costs about $0.50 to $0.75.

4. Nom Akor (Steamed Rice Cake)

Nom Akor is a spongy white steamed cake made from fermented rice flour, often topped with grated coconut. It has a slightly sour note due to the fermentation, balanced by the sweetness of the sugar and the creamy coconut topping.

Cooks mix rice flour with sugar and let the mixture ferment overnight. Then, they pour it into small molds and steam it until it becomes light and fluffy.

You can find Nom Akor in local markets like Psar Chas in Siem Reap or Psar Thmei in Phnom Penh. It’s an everyday snack, usually sold in sets of four to six for under $1.

5. Nom Korng (Cambodian Donuts)

Nom Korng, Cambodia’s take on a donut, features deep-fried rice flour dough shaped like a ring. Cooks top it with sesame seeds and sometimes brush it with palm sugar syrup. The flavor is rich and slightly nutty, with a crisp outer layer and soft center.

Made from sticky rice flour and coconut milk, the dough is formed into rings and fried until golden. Some versions include mashed bananas or sweet potatoes in the mix.

Often sold by street vendors in the morning, especially outside schools or on motorbike carts, Nom Korng usually costs about $0.50 per piece.

6. Sankhya Lapov (Pumpkin Custard)

Sankhya Lapov is a traditional dessert often served on special occasions. Cooks hollow out a whole pumpkin, then fill it with a custard made from eggs, palm sugar, and coconut milk. They steam the entire pumpkin until the flesh turns tender and the custard sets. After it cools, they slice it into wedges. Its flavor blends the earthiness of pumpkin with the creamy, sweet, and slightly nutty taste of coconut custard.

This dish is more common during Pchum Ben or Khmer New Year, often made at home but sometimes sold at dessert shops or upscale local restaurants. One slice may cost around $1.50 to $2.50.

7. Nom Lort (Cambodian Pandan Coconut Dessert)

Nom Lort is Cambodia’s version of cendol, a green, worm-like jelly served in sweetened coconut milk with crushed ice. It’s incredibly refreshing and loved during the hot season. The flavor is sweet and creamy with a pandan fragrance and a cool, slushy texture.

To make Nom Lort, cooks mix rice flour with pandan extract and press the dough through a special mold into boiling water to form jelly noodles. They then cool the noodles and serve them with palm sugar syrup and coconut milk.

You can find it at street drink stalls or dessert carts, especially in Phnom Penh and Battambang. A serving costs around $1.

8. Tub Tim Grob

Although it’s a Thai dessert, Tub Tim Grob has made its way into Cambodian dessert culture, especially in touristy areas. It features red water chestnuts coated in tapioca flour, served in sweet coconut milk with crushed ice. Crunchy, chewy, and refreshing, it’s a popular treat among locals.

Cooks dice the water chestnuts, dye them with red food coloring or beet juice, coat them in tapioca flour, and boil them until translucent. Served over ice and sweetened coconut milk, it’s a perfect blend of texture and temperature.

You’ll find it in cafes or dessert stalls in Phnom Penh, usually priced between $1.50 and $2.

9.Banh Ja’neuk (Khmer Glutinous Rice Ball)

Banh Ja’neuk is a comforting dessert made with sticky rice balls filled with mung bean paste, served in a warm coconut cream broth. Sweet and soothing, people often enjoy it in the evening or during cooler weather. Cooks shape glutinous rice dough around the mung bean filling, then simmer the balls in sweetened coconut milk. Some serve it hot, while others chill it before serving.

Common in home cooking, you might also spot it at traditional dessert stalls in local markets. A bowl typically sells for about $1.

10. Num Ansom Chek (Rolled Banana Cake)

Cooks wrap Num Ansom Chek, a sticky rice dessert, in banana leaves and fill it with banana and sometimes black beans. They steam it until tender and often serve it during Buddhist holidays. The flavor is sweet, with a slightly caramelized banana core surrounded by sticky, aromatic rice.

Cooks soak glutinous rice to give it a chewy texture, then mix it with coconut milk and salt. They place a ripe banana in the center, wrap it tightly in a banana leaf, and steam it until cooked through.

It’s a must-have during Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben, but is also available daily in markets. One roll usually costs $0.50 – $1.

Where to Find the Best Cambodian Desserts

You can find most Cambodian desserts at local markets and street stalls, but for the freshest taste, try them in the morning or late afternoon. Many of these sweets are naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly, thanks to the heavy use of rice, coconut milk, and tropical fruits.

If you’re sensitive to sugar, be cautious that Cambodian sweets can be quite sweet for foreign palates. Always look for clean and busy stalls to ensure hygiene. Trying desserts during local festivals is a great way to experience them in their most authentic and celebratory forms. Whether you’re wandering through a village market or dining at a Khmer restaurant, you shouldn’t miss these traditional treats on your culinary journey through Cambodia.

Final Thoughts: Why Cambodian Should be on Your Food List

Cambodian desserts are more than just sugary bowls to eat. They are a great way to check out with local cultures and way of life. Each one, from the steamed softness of Num Akor to the chilled delight of Nom Lort, tells a story rooted in tradition and family recipes passed down through generations.

• Check out Luxury Cambodia tours

Whether you’re sipping on coconut-laced jelly under a sweltering sun or enjoying a warm banana cake during a local festival, these sweets leave a lasting impression. So on your next trip to Cambodia, make sure to explore beyond the temples and landscapes. Also, take the time to savor the rich, colorful world of Khmer desserts. It’s a journey of taste you won’t forget.