Malaysia has a wonderful selection of traditional sweet treats, which are referred to as either Kuih or Kue. This wide selection of confectionery can be eaten as a snack during the morning or throughout the day, and are a particularly important feature during festive occasions. We have personally tasted each and every one of these 25 Malaysian sweet treats and we suggest you do the same!
PISANG GORENG (FRIED BANANA)
This has got to be one of our favourites! The bananas are usually soft, sweet and still warm inside the crispy batter. One of the best ways to eat your fruit!
APAM BALIK
Possibly our second favourite sweet street-side snack! Apam Balik is a light and sweet pancake, traditionally filled with peanuts, sweetcorn and sugar. We prefer the ones that do not contain sweetcorn, but only peanuts and sugar. You can also find a coconut version of these which are equally delicious.
AIS KACANG (SHAVED ICE)
Made mostly from shaved ice, this is a popular Malaysian dessert as it is always so hot and this is a great way to cool down. The shaved ice is topped with a variety of red beans, peanuts, ice cream, chocolate, local fruits, jelly and coloured syrup.
CENDOL
Cendol has supposedly been declared a Malaysian heritage food by the Malaysian Department of National Heritage - that is enough reason to have to give it a try! The shaved ice is topped with bright green pandan and coconut jelly noodles, red beans, coconut milk and palm sugar. It’s sweet, a little chewy and refreshingly cold.
ANG KU KUEH
Literally translated to “Red Tortoise Cake” in Hokkien, these actually come in both red and green varieties. They are traditionally served during Chinese New Year or other auspicious celebrations such as within the first month of a newborn child (when the colour depicts the gender of the child). The tortoise-like shape is a symbol of longevity and prosperity.
ONDEH ONDEH
These tiny little green balls are made from a pandan-infused glutinous rice batter which is filled with gula melaka and covered with freshly grated coconut. They burst in your mouth releasing an absolutely delicious syrupy sweetness! Don’t even think about trying to share a bag of these, you’ll want your own!
KUIH TALAM
This two-layer dessert consists of a pandan layer on the bottom and a white coconut milk layer on top. Despite the gelatinous appearance, this is not at all jelly-like. Not overly sweet, the creamy top layer complements the slightly chewier bottom layer and the different textures make the two-layered combination work really well.
EGG TARTS
Most traditional in Portugal, these small egg custard pastries are definitely a hit in Malaysia and you will find them at many stalls and bakeries. Perhaps not that typically Malaysian, they remain a tasty tea time treat.
KUIH BINGKA UBI
Unlike most of the other treats, this has a rather dense and stodgy, slightly cake-like texture. Made with tapioca and coconut milk, this tasty treat is both chewy and slightly crispy on the browned edges.
KUIH KETAYAP
Definitely another one of our favourites! These light and fluffy bright green rice flour pancakes are filled with a blend of pandan, grated coconut and palm sugar. They are sweet, juicy and chewy all at the same time!
DODOL
These jelly-like mounds are sweet and sticky and come in a variety of different colours and flavours. We tried both green and brown varieties and found them both to have an underlying toffee flavour.
PULUT TAI TAI
If you’re going to be having rice for dessert, then it needs to at least be brightly coloured! The blue colour of the rice comes from steaming butterfly pea flowers. The pretty blue and white glutinous rice mixture is served with a dollop of kaya to give it some added sweetness as the rice alone is surprisingly bland. Together it is a chewy and tasty bite, although it may look a little prettier than it actually tastes!