✔ Updated · 127 desserts, sorted by category
Desserts that start with M include macarons, mochi, madeleines, molten chocolate cake, marble cake, Mississippi mud pie and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
M is one of the best letters for sweets, so this list covers cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, frozen treats, pastries and candy, plus favorites from Japan, the Philippines, India, Mexico and Eastern Europe. Every entry is a real, named dessert with a short note on what it is and where it comes from.
Desserts that start with M, from everyday favorites to rare finds. The most popular:
Cakes That Start With M
Layer cakes, loaf cakes and chocolate cakes that start with M.
Madeira Cake
A firm, buttery English sponge flavored with lemon, traditionally served with a glass of Madeira wine in the 1800s.
Marble Cake
A butter cake with vanilla and chocolate batters swirled together, so each slice shows a marbled pattern.
Molten Chocolate Cake
Also called lava cake: a small, rich chocolate cake baked so the center stays warm and runny.
Mississippi Mud Cake
A dense Southern chocolate sheet cake topped with melted marshmallows and a fudgy chocolate pecan frosting.
Mug Cake
A single-serving cake mixed and cooked in a coffee mug in the microwave in about one minute.
Mousse Cake
A cake made mostly of light, set chocolate or fruit mousse over a thin sponge or cookie base, served chilled.
Mocha Cake
A chocolate cake flavored with coffee or espresso, layered with coffee buttercream or mocha frosting.
Mandarin Orange Cake
A Southern yellow cake made with canned mandarin oranges and topped with a pineapple pudding and whipped cream frosting.
Malakoff Torte
An Austrian refrigerator cake of ladyfingers soaked in coffee or rum and layered with almond buttercream.
Mohnkuchen
A German poppy seed cake with a thick, sweet poppy seed filling, often on a yeast or shortcrust base with crumb topping.
Mille Crêpe Cake
A tall French-inspired cake of twenty or more thin crepes stacked with layers of light pastry cream.
Moravian Sugar Cake
A soft yeast coffee cake from the Moravian communities of North Carolina, dotted with pools of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Magic Cake
A custard cake made from one thin batter that separates while baking into three layers: dense, custardy and spongy.
Mayonnaise Cake
A moist chocolate cake that uses mayonnaise in place of eggs and oil, popular since the 1930s.
Mahogany Cake
An old Southern chocolate layer cake with a deep reddish-brown color, made with coffee and buttermilk.
Marjolaine
A French layered cake of almond and hazelnut meringue with chocolate ganache and praline buttercream, made famous by chef Fernand Point.
Cookies & Bars That Start With M
Cookies, brownies and bars that start with M. Millionaire’s shortbread is my holiday-tin showstopper.
Macarons
Delicate French sandwich cookies of almond flour meringue shells with ganache, buttercream or jam in the middle.
Macaroons
Chewy mounds of sweetened shredded coconut and egg white, often dipped in chocolate, popular at Passover.
Madeleines
Small, buttery French sponge cakes baked in shell-shaped molds, with a crisp edge and a hump on the back.
Molasses Cookies
Soft, chewy spiced cookies made with molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, rolled in sugar so the tops crackle.
Millionaire's Shortbread
Scottish bars of buttery shortbread topped with thick caramel and a layer of chocolate.
Magic Cookie Bars
Layered bars of graham crust, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips and nuts, also called seven-layer bars.
M&M Cookies
Soft, chewy chocolate chip-style cookies studded with colorful candy-coated chocolate pieces, a bake-sale and lunchbox favorite.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Buttery, crumbly pecan or walnut balls rolled in powdered sugar, also known as Russian tea cakes or snowballs.
Monster Cookies
Big flourless cookies made with peanut butter and oats, loaded with chocolate chips and candy-coated chocolates.
Moravian Spice Cookies
Paper-thin, crisp molasses cookies spiced with ginger, cloves and cinnamon, a Christmas tradition in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Mandelbrot
Jewish twice-baked almond cookies, similar to biscotti but softer, often with chocolate chips or dried fruit.
Melomakarona
Greek Christmas cookies made with olive oil and orange, soaked in honey syrup and topped with chopped walnuts.
Maamoul
Middle Eastern semolina shortbread cookies filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts, pressed in wooden molds for Eid and Easter.
Mantecados
Crumbly Spanish Christmas shortbread made with lard, almonds and cinnamon, wrapped in paper, especially from Estepa.
Marranitos
Mexican pig-shaped gingerbread cookies sweetened with piloncillo, soft and cakey, sold in panaderÃas.
Melting Moments
Soft, buttery cookies made with cornstarch so they melt in the mouth, often sandwiched with lemon buttercream.
Matrimonial Bars
Canadian date squares: a sweet date filling between two layers of buttery oat crumble.
Mostaccioli
Diamond-shaped Neapolitan Christmas cookies spiced with cinnamon and clove and covered in a chocolate glaze.
Mandelhörnchen
German almond horns: chewy almond paste crescents rolled in sliced almonds with chocolate-dipped ends.
Macadamia Nut Cookies
Chewy butter cookies packed with macadamia nuts, usually paired with white chocolate chips.
Meringues
Light, crisp cookies of egg whites whipped with sugar and baked slowly until dry, sometimes with a chewy center.
Mint Brownies
Fudgy brownies topped with a green mint buttercream layer and a thin chocolate glaze.
Mud Hens
Old Southern bar cookies with a butter cookie base, chocolate chips and nuts under a brown sugar meringue topping.
Pies & Tarts That Start With M
Pies and tarts that start with M. Mississippi mud pie is the one I bake for birthdays.
Mississippi Mud Pie
A chocolate cookie crust filled with fudgy chocolate filling and pudding, topped with whipped cream.
Marshmallow Pie
A light chiffon-style pie of melted marshmallows folded with whipped cream in a graham or chocolate crust.
Mince Pies
Small British Christmas pies filled with mincemeat, a spiced mix of dried fruit, apple, suet and citrus peel.
Maple Syrup Pie
Tarte au sirop d'érable, a rich Quebec pie with a gooey filling of maple syrup, cream and eggs.
Milk Tart
Melktert, a South African tart of creamy milk custard in sweet pastry, dusted with cinnamon.
Mazarin
Swedish almond tartlets of shortcrust filled with almond paste filling and topped with a thin white icing.
Mock Apple Pie
A Depression-era pie where buttery crackers soaked in lemon and cinnamon syrup stand in for apples.
Millionaire Pie
A Southern no-bake pie of sweetened condensed milk, whipped topping, crushed pineapple, coconut and pecans.
Mulberry Pie
A juicy summer pie made from sweet black or purple mulberries picked from backyard trees.
Maids of Honour
Small English puff pastry tarts from Richmond with a curd cheese and almond filling, linked to the Tudor court.
Manchester Tart
An English tart of shortcrust spread with raspberry jam, filled with thick custard and sprinkled with coconut.
Montgomery Pie
A Pennsylvania Dutch pie with a sticky molasses and lemon layer under a light cake topping.
Muscadine Hull Pie
A Southern pie made from the thick skins of muscadine grapes, cooked with sugar until tender and jammy.
Puddings & Custards That Start With M
Puddings, mousses and custards that start with M.
Mousse au Chocolat
French chocolate mousse: melted dark chocolate folded with whipped egg whites or cream into a light, airy dessert.
Malva Pudding
A South African baked sponge pudding with apricot jam, soaked in a hot cream and butter sauce.
Mango Pudding
A Hong Kong dim sum dessert of mango puree, evaporated milk and gelatin, set in molds and served with milk.
Mont Blanc
A French and Italian dessert of sweet chestnut puree piped in strands over meringue and whipped cream, like a snowy mountain.
Marquise au Chocolat
A dense, chilled French chocolate dessert made of chocolate, butter and eggs, set in a loaf pan and sliced.
Mahalabia
A Middle Eastern milk pudding thickened with cornstarch or rice flour, scented with rosewater and topped with pistachios.
Mazamorra Morada
A Peruvian purple corn pudding cooked with dried fruit, pineapple and cinnamon, often served with rice pudding.
Majarete
A Puerto Rican and Dominican pudding made with rice flour or fresh corn, coconut milk and cinnamon.
Mämmi
A dark Finnish Easter pudding of rye flour and malt baked slowly, eaten cold with cream and sugar.
Mohnpielen
A Silesian Christmas Eve dessert of bread or rolls layered with sweetened poppy seeds soaked in milk.
Manjar Blanco
A thick Peruvian and Chilean milk caramel, similar to dulce de leche, eaten on its own or used in pastries.
Frozen Desserts That Start With M
Ice creams, sorbets and frozen treats that start with M. Mint chocolate chip is my forever scoop.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Cool mint ice cream, often tinted green, loaded with chocolate chips or flakes, one of the most popular flavors.
Mango Sorbet
A smooth, dairy-free frozen dessert made from ripe mango puree, sugar and lime juice.
Matcha Ice Cream
Japanese green tea ice cream made with matcha powder, slightly bitter, grassy and sweet.
Mochi Ice Cream
Small balls of ice cream wrapped in soft, chewy sweet rice dough, popularized in the United States in the 1990s.
Malai Kulfi
Dense Indian frozen dessert of slowly reduced milk with cardamom, saffron and pistachios, frozen in cone-shaped molds.
Maple Walnut Ice Cream
A classic Canadian and New England ice cream flavored with maple syrup and studded with walnuts.
Moose Tracks Ice Cream
Vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge and filled with small peanut butter cups, a popular American flavor.
Mantecado Ice Cream
A rich Puerto Rican and Latin American vanilla ice cream made with egg yolks and flavored with cinnamon or lemon.
Mangonada
A Mexican frozen treat of mango sorbet or blended mango layered with chamoy, chili-lime seasoning and a tamarind straw.
Pastries & Doughnuts That Start With M
Pastries, doughnuts and sweet breads that start with M.
Millefeuille
A French pastry of three layers of crisp puff pastry and vanilla pastry cream, topped with icing; also called a Napoleon.
Monkey Bread
Pull-apart sweet bread of dough balls rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked in a Bundt pan with caramel.
Maritozzi
Soft Roman sweet buns split open and generously filled with whipped cream, eaten for breakfast.
Malasadas
Portuguese fried doughnuts with no hole, rolled in sugar, made famous in Hawaii and often filled with custard.
Mochi Donuts
Chewy doughnuts made with sweet rice flour, shaped in a ring of connected balls and glazed in flavors like matcha.
Get the recipe →Maple Bars
Long, rectangular raised doughnuts topped with maple glaze, a favorite in West Coast American doughnut shops.
Morning Buns
Laminated croissant dough rolled with cinnamon sugar and orange zest, baked in muffin tins until caramelized.
Merveilles
Light, crisp French fried pastries cut in diamonds or twists and dusted with sugar, made for Mardi Gras.
Marillenknödel
Austrian apricot dumplings of potato or quark dough wrapped around whole apricots, rolled in buttery breadcrumbs.
Mazanec
A round Czech Easter sweet bread with raisins and almonds, marked with a cross on top before baking.
Mallorcas
Soft, spiral-shaped Puerto Rican sweet rolls dusted with powdered sugar, eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
Candy & Confections That Start With M
Candies and confections that start with M.
Marzipan
A sweet almond and sugar paste shaped into fruits and figures or used to cover cakes, famous in Lübeck and Toledo.
Marshmallows
Soft, spongy confections of whipped sugar syrup and gelatin, toasted for s'mores or floated in hot chocolate.
Moon Pies
Southern snack cakes of two graham cookies sandwiching marshmallow, coated in chocolate, made in Chattanooga since 1917.
Malted Milk Balls
Crunchy malted milk centers coated in milk chocolate, a classic movie theater candy.
Maple Candy
Melt-in-the-mouth candy made by boiling pure maple syrup and pouring it into leaf-shaped molds.
Maple Taffy
Tire d'érable, or sugar on snow: hot maple syrup poured on clean snow and rolled up on a stick as it sets.
Martha Washington Candy
Old Southern bonbons of coconut, pecans and sweetened condensed milk dipped in chocolate, made at Christmas.
Microwave Fudge
Quick fudge made by melting chocolate or peanut butter chips with condensed milk in the microwave, then chilling.
Get the recipe →Modjeskas
Louisville candies of marshmallow dipped in caramel, named after the Polish actress Helena Modjeska in the 1880s.
Mendiants
French chocolate discs topped with nuts and dried fruit, traditionally made at Christmas.
Mint Imperials
Small, hard, round white British peppermint candies with a crunchy sugar shell, sold loose in sweet shops.
Mozartkugel
Salzburg chocolate balls of pistachio marzipan and nougat coated in dark chocolate, wrapped in foil with a portrait of Mozart.
Marrons Glacés
French and Italian candied chestnuts, slowly cooked in sugar syrup and glazed, a luxury Christmas treat.
Asian Desserts That Start With M
Desserts from Japan, China, Thailand, Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines that start with M.
Mochi
Japanese rice cake made from pounded glutinous rice, soft and chewy, often filled with sweet red bean paste.
Mooncake
A rich Chinese pastry filled with lotus seed or red bean paste, sometimes with salted egg yolk, eaten at the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mango Sticky Rice
A Thai dessert of sweet glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, served with ripe mango and salty coconut cream.
Mango Float
A Filipino no-bake icebox cake of graham crackers, sweetened cream and ripe mango slices, chilled until set.
Mitarashi Dango
Japanese skewered rice dumplings, grilled lightly and coated in a sweet and salty soy sauce glaze.
Monaka
A Japanese sweet of two crisp mochi wafers sandwiching red bean paste or ice cream.
Mizu Yokan
A chilled Japanese summer jelly of red bean paste set with agar, smooth and lightly sweet.
Mango Pomelo Sago
A Hong Kong dessert soup of mango puree, coconut milk, sago pearls and pomelo pieces, served cold.
Maja Blanca
A Filipino coconut milk pudding thickened with cornstarch, studded with sweet corn and topped with toasted coconut.
Minatamis na Saging
Filipino sweetened saba bananas simmered in brown sugar syrup, eaten alone or in halo-halo.
Martabak Manis
Indonesian sweet thick pancake filled with chocolate sprinkles, peanuts, cheese or condensed milk and folded in half.
Maejap-gwa
Korean twisted ribbon cookies, fried until crisp and coated in honey or ginger syrup.
Ma Lai Go
A fluffy steamed brown sugar sponge cake served at Cantonese dim sum.
Matcha Roll Cake
A soft Japanese green tea sponge rolled around a light whipped cream filling, sometimes with red beans.
Melon Pan
A Japanese sweet bun covered with a crisp cookie crust scored to look like a melon; it usually contains no melon.
Indian Desserts That Start With M
Indian sweets, or mithai, that start with M.
Malpua
Indian sweet pancakes fried in ghee and soaked in sugar syrup, often served with rabri during festivals.
Mysore Pak
A rich South Indian sweet of chickpea flour, ghee and sugar, first made in the royal kitchen of Mysore Palace.
Motichoor Ladoo
Soft round sweets made from tiny fried chickpea-flour pearls soaked in syrup, offered at weddings and festivals.
Modak
Steamed or fried rice flour dumplings filled with coconut and jaggery, made for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Mishti Doi
A Bengali sweet yogurt made with caramelized sugar or jaggery and set in clay pots.
Milk Cake
A grainy, caramelized Indian milk fudge made by slowly reducing milk with sugar, a specialty of Alwar.
Mohanthal
A Gujarati and Rajasthani fudge of coarse chickpea flour roasted in ghee, flavored with cardamom and saffron.
Mawa Cake
A dense cardamom cake made with mawa, or reduced milk solids, a specialty of the Irani cafes of Mumbai.
International Desserts That Start With M
Desserts from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America that start with M.
Medovik
A Russian honey cake of many thin honey-flavored layers stacked with sour cream frosting and covered in crumbs.
Mazurek
A flat Polish Easter cake of shortcrust topped with nuts, dried fruit, caramel or chocolate in decorative patterns.
Makowiec
A Polish poppy seed roll: sweet yeast dough spiraled around a thick poppy seed and honey filling, glazed with icing.
Mekitsa
Bulgarian fried dough made with yogurt, often eaten for breakfast with powdered sugar, jam or honey.
Mandazi
East African fried dough triangles flavored with coconut milk and cardamom, eaten with tea in Kenya and Tanzania.
Mafroukeh
A Lebanese dessert of buttery semolina dough cooked with syrup, topped with ashta cream and pistachios.
Merengón
A Colombian dessert of crisp meringue topped with whipped cream and tropical fruits like soursop, strawberries and kiwi.
Mousse de Maracujá
A Brazilian passion fruit mousse made with condensed milk and cream, light, tangy and very easy.
Did You Know?
- Madeira cake is named after Madeira wine, which it was served with in 19th-century England; the cake itself contains no wine.
- Macarons and macaroons are different: French macarons are almond meringue sandwich cookies, while American macaroons are chewy mounds of coconut.
- Mozartkugeln were created in Salzburg in 1890 by confectioner Paul Fürst, a century after Mozart died, and are still handmade at his family shop.
- Mock apple pie contains no apples at all: crackers soaked in a lemony, cinnamon syrup imitate the filling, and the recipe was printed on Ritz cracker boxes.
Quick List: All 127 Desserts That Start With M
Handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories. The full list, A to Z:
M&M Cookies, Ma Lai Go, Maamoul, Macadamia Nut Cookies, Macarons, Macaroons, Madeira Cake, Madeleines, Maejap-gwa, Mafroukeh, Magic Cake, Magic Cookie Bars, Mahalabia, Mahogany Cake, Maids of Honour, Maja Blanca, Majarete, Makowiec, Malai Kulfi, Malakoff Torte, Malasadas, Mallorcas, Malpua, Malted Milk Balls, Malva Pudding, Manchester Tart, Mandarin Orange Cake, Mandazi, Mandelbrot, Mandelhörnchen, Mango Float, Mango Pomelo Sago, Mango Pudding, Mango Sorbet, Mango Sticky Rice, Mangonada, Manjar Blanco, Mantecado Ice Cream, Mantecados, Maple Bars, Maple Candy, Maple Syrup Pie, Maple Taffy, Maple Walnut Ice Cream, Marble Cake, Marillenknödel, Maritozzi, Marjolaine, Marquise au Chocolat, Marranitos, Marrons Glacés, Marshmallow Pie, Marshmallows, Martabak Manis, Martha Washington Candy, Marzipan, Matcha Ice Cream, Matcha Roll Cake, Matrimonial Bars, Mawa Cake, Mayonnaise Cake, Mazamorra Morada, Mazanec, Mazarin, Mazurek, Medovik, Mekitsa, Melomakarona, Melon Pan, Melting Moments, Mendiants, Merengón, Meringues, Merveilles, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Microwave Fudge, Milk Cake, Milk Tart, Mille Crêpe Cake, Millefeuille, Millionaire Pie, Millionaire's Shortbread, Minatamis na Saging, Mince Pies, Mint Brownies, Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Mint Imperials, Mishti Doi, Mississippi Mud Cake, Mississippi Mud Pie, Mitarashi Dango, Mizu Yokan, Mocha Cake, Mochi, Mochi Donuts, Mochi Ice Cream, Mock Apple Pie, Modak, Modjeskas, Mohanthal, Mohnkuchen, Mohnpielen, Molasses Cookies, Molten Chocolate Cake, Monaka, Monkey Bread, Monster Cookies, Mont Blanc, Montgomery Pie, Moon Pies, Mooncake, Moose Tracks Ice Cream, Moravian Spice Cookies, Moravian Sugar Cake, Morning Buns, Mostaccioli, Motichoor Ladoo, Mousse au Chocolat, Mousse Cake, Mousse de Maracujá, Mozartkugel, Mud Hens, Mug Cake, Mulberry Pie, Muscadine Hull Pie, Mysore Pak, Mämmi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular dessert that starts with M?
Macarons, mochi and madeleines are among the most popular desserts that start with M. Molten chocolate cake, Mississippi mud pie, marble cake, millionaire's shortbread and mint chocolate chip ice cream are also big favorites.
What is the difference between macarons and macaroons?
Macarons are French sandwich cookies made from almond flour meringue, smooth on top with a frilly foot, filled with ganache or buttercream. Macaroons are chewy American mounds of shredded coconut and egg white, often dipped in chocolate.
What is mochi made of?
Mochi is made from glutinous rice, either pounded or made from sweet rice flour, which gives it a soft, stretchy texture. It is often filled with sweet red bean paste or wrapped around ice cream.
What is in a Mississippi mud pie?
Mississippi mud pie has a chocolate cookie crust, a dense fudgy chocolate filling and a layer of chocolate pudding, finished with whipped cream. The name comes from its resemblance to the muddy banks of the Mississippi River.
What are some easy desserts that start with M?
Easy desserts that start with M include mug cake, magic cookie bars, microwave fudge, mango float, millionaire pie, monkey bread and Mexican wedding cookies. Several of them need no oven at all.
More desserts by letter:
