✔ Updated · 27 desserts, sorted by category
Desserts that start with Z include zeppole, zabaglione, zucchini bread, zebra cake, zuccotto, zuppa inglese and Zimtsterne.
Z is the rarest letter for desserts, so this list includes every real Z dessert we could verify and nothing invented to pad it out: Italian custards and pastries, German and Swiss cakes and cookies, Turkish and South Asian sweet rice, a Russian confection and a few classic American candy bars. Each entry says what the dessert is and where it comes from.
Desserts that start with Z, from everyday favorites to rare finds. The most popular:
Cakes That Start With Z
Cakes and tortes that start with Z. Zucchini bread is how I use up my August garden glut.
Zucchini Cake
A moist cake made with grated zucchini, often chocolate or spiced, usually topped with cream cheese frosting.
Zebra Cake
A cake made by spooning vanilla and chocolate batters into the center of the pan in turns, so each slice shows zebra stripes.
Zuccotto
A dome-shaped Florentine dessert of sponge cake, often brushed with liqueur, filled with sweetened cream, nuts and chocolate, then chilled.
Zuger Kirschtorte
A Swiss cake from Zug of nut meringue layers and sponge soaked in kirsch cherry brandy, covered in buttercream; it contains alcohol.
Zwetschgenkuchen
A German plum cake of yeast or shortcrust dough topped with rows of halved Italian plums, called Zwetschgendatschi in Bavaria.
Zitronenkuchen
A German lemon loaf cake made with lemon zest and juice, finished with a tangy lemon glaze.
Zuckerkuchen
A German sugar cake: a flat yeast sheet cake dimpled with butter and sprinkled with sugar before baking.
Zserbó
A Hungarian layered slice of shortcrust pastry, ground walnuts and apricot jam, topped with dark chocolate, named for the Gerbeaud café.
Zebra Domes
Small dome desserts of chocolate cake and coffee mousse coated in white chocolate with dark stripes, from Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Cookies & Bars That Start With Z
Cookies and bars that start with Z.
Zimtsterne
German Christmas cinnamon star cookies made from ground almonds, cinnamon and sugar, topped with a crisp white meringue glaze.
Zaletti
Venetian cornmeal cookies studded with raisins soaked in grappa or water, with a pale yellow color and a crumbly bite.
Zucchini Brownies
Fudgy chocolate brownies made with grated zucchini, which keeps them moist without changing the chocolate flavor.
Puddings & Custards That Start With Z
Custards, puddings and sweet rice dishes that start with Z. I make zabaglione when I want something fancy in ten minutes.
Zabaglione
Also spelled zabaione: an Italian custard of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine whisked until frothy, served warm with berries; it contains alcohol.
Zuppa Inglese
An Italian trifle of sponge cake or ladyfingers soaked in red alchermes liqueur and layered with vanilla and chocolate custards.
Zerde
A bright yellow Turkish pudding of rice cooked with sugar and saffron, decorated with pine nuts, currants and pomegranate seeds.
Zarda
A sweet South Asian rice dish cooked with sugar, saffron or food coloring, ghee, cardamom, nuts and raisins, served at weddings.
Pastries & Sweet Breads That Start With Z
Pastries, fritters and sweet breads that start with Z. I never skip zeppole at an Italian street fair.
Zeppole
Italian fried dough puffs dusted with powdered sugar; for Saint Joseph's Day they are filled with pastry cream and topped with a cherry.
Zucchini Bread
A sweet, moist quick bread made with grated zucchini, cinnamon and often walnuts, sliced like banana bread.
Zimtschnecken
German cinnamon snails: soft yeast dough rolled with butter, cinnamon and sugar, sliced into spirals and baked.
Zalabia
Crisp spirals of fried batter soaked in sugar syrup or honey, eaten in North Africa and the Middle East during Ramadan.
Zelten
A dense Christmas fruit bread from Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, packed with dried figs, raisins, nuts and candied fruit.
Zwetschgenknödel
Austrian plum dumplings of potato or quark dough wrapped around whole plums, rolled in buttery breadcrumbs and sugar.
Candy & Confections That Start With Z
Candies, candy bars and snack cakes that start with Z.
Zagnut
An American candy bar of crunchy peanut butter brittle coated in toasted coconut, sold since 1930.
Zero Bar
An American candy bar of caramel, peanut and almond nougat coated in white fudge, first made in the 1920s.
Zingers
Small cream-filled snack cakes with a frosted top in vanilla, chocolate and raspberry-coconut flavors, sold since the 1960s.
Zefir
A soft Russian confection similar to a marshmallow, made from whipped fruit puree, sugar and egg whites set with pectin.
Zuccata
A traditional Sicilian candied squash, cut in green-tinged cubes and used in cassata, cannoli and other pastries.
Did You Know?
- Zabaglione is the Italian original of the French sabayon: egg yolks, sugar and sweet Marsala wine whisked over gentle heat until light and foamy.
- Zuppa inglese means English soup in Italian, and it is thought to be an Italian take on the English trifle.
- Zimtsterne, German cinnamon stars, contain no flour at all; they are made from ground almonds and topped with a crisp egg white glaze.
- The Zagnut candy bar, a peanut butter crunch coated in toasted coconut, was introduced in 1930 by the D. L. Clark Company of Pittsburgh.
Quick List: All 27 Desserts That Start With Z
Handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories. The full list, A to Z:
Zabaglione, Zagnut, Zalabia, Zaletti, Zarda, Zebra Cake, Zebra Domes, Zefir, Zelten, Zeppole, Zerde, Zero Bar, Zimtschnecken, Zimtsterne, Zingers, Zitronenkuchen, Zserbó, Zuccata, Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Brownies, Zucchini Cake, Zuccotto, Zuckerkuchen, Zuger Kirschtorte, Zuppa Inglese, Zwetschgenknödel, Zwetschgenkuchen
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular dessert that starts with Z?
Zeppole, the Italian fried dough puffs, are the most popular dessert that starts with Z. Zucchini bread, zabaglione, zebra cake and zuppa inglese are also well known, along with German Zimtsterne at Christmas.
What is zabaglione?
Zabaglione is an Italian dessert of egg yolks, sugar and sweet Marsala wine whisked over simmering water until thick and foamy. It is served warm, often over fresh berries, and is called sabayon in France. It contains alcohol.
What are zeppole?
Zeppole are Italian fried dough balls dusted with powdered sugar, sold at Italian-American street fairs. For Saint Joseph's Day on March 19, bakeries make a richer version of choux pastry filled with pastry cream and topped with a cherry.
Can you make dessert with zucchini?
Yes. Grated zucchini adds moisture without much flavor, so it is used in zucchini bread, zucchini cake and zucchini brownies. Squeeze out some of the water first so the batter is not too wet.
Why are there so few desserts that start with Z?
Very few English dessert words begin with Z, so most Z desserts come from Italian and German, like zeppole, zuccotto, Zimtsterne and Zwetschgenkuchen, or are named after zucchini or zebra stripes.
More desserts by letter:
