Sweetooth? These 10 Traditional Balinese Desserts Are Made For You!

When you think of Bali, you might picture beaches, lush rice fields, and temples  but the island’s sweet treats are just as rich in culture.

Traditional Balinese desserts are made with humble, natural ingredients like coconut milk, palm sugar, rice flour, banana, and pandan leaves. These simple staples are transformed into fragrant, comforting sweets enjoyed daily and during sacred ceremonies.

Here are our curated lists of Traditional Balinese that will make your mouth water once you’re done reading.

Top 10 Traditional Balinese Desserts

Unlike Western desserts, Balinese sweets are less sugary and often steamed, boiled, or grilled. They carry deep cultural significance offered at temples, shared during Galungan and Kuningan celebrations, and sold at lively morning markets.

Compared to other Indonesian sweets, Balinese desserts have a distinct coconut-palm sugar aroma and a strong connection to ritual life.

Sorbet Sirsak (Soursop Sorbet)

Ingredients: Soursop fruit, palm sugar, lime, coconut milk

When to Eat: Refreshing afternoon treat

Where to Buy: Ramu Kitchen, Gelato and Ice Cream Shop

Soursop Sorbet is Bali’s tropical answer to gelato. The tangy-sweet flavor of soursop pairs beautifully with creamy coconut milk, making it light yet indulgent. It’s not a ceremonial dessert, but it’s a modern favorite with traditional ingredients perfect for cooling down after a sunny day exploring Ubud.

Ketan Bakar (Grilled Sticky Rice)

Ingredients: Glutinous rice, palm sugar, grated coconut, banana leaf

When to Eat: Morning snack

Where to Buy: Ramu Kitchen, traditional market

This sweet is made by grilling banana-leaf-wrapped sticky rice filled with sweet coconut or palm sugar. It has a smoky aroma, chewy texture, and a warm, caramel-like sweetness. A favorite among locals, it’s best enjoyed with a cup of tea.

After your dinner at Ramu Kitchen, our version of Ketan Bakar (sticky rice bakar) plus a cup of tea is one of the best ways to end your day.

Klapertaart (Coconut Tart)

• Ingredients: Coconut, flour, eggs, butter, palm sugar

• When to Eat: Dessert after meals

• Where to Buy: Ramu Kitchen, food market

Klapertaart blends Dutch colonial influences with Balinese ingredients. The flaky crust and sweet coconut filling create a unique fusion of textures and flavors. It’s not typically ceremonial but often served at family gatherings or special events.

Klepon (Sweet Rice Balls with Palm Sugar)

• Ingredients: Glutinous rice flour, palm sugar, pandan, grated coconut

• When to Eat: Morning or afternoon snack

• Where to Buy: Traditional market, food market

Klepon is a soft, chewy rice ball filled with melted palm sugar that bursts in your mouth. Rolled in grated coconut, this dessert is a market staple and often included in offerings at temples. It’s one of the most iconic sweets in Indonesia.

Bubur Injin (Black Rice Porridge)

• Ingredients: Black sticky rice, coconut milk, palm sugar

• When to Eat: Breakfast or afternoon snack

• Where to Buy: Traditional market, food market, morning market

This warm, creamy dessert has a slightly nutty flavor. The contrast between sweet palm sugar and savory coconut milk is addictive. Bubur Injin is also sometimes served during community gatherings and temple ceremonies.

Laklak (Balinese Pancake)

• Ingredients: Rice flour, coconut milk, pandan, grated coconut, palm sugar

• When to Eat: Morning snack, ceremonies

• Where to Buy: Traditional market, food market, morning market

Laklak is a soft, green pancake made from rice flour and pandan leaves. Topped with grated coconut and palm sugar syrup, it’s both fragrant and sweet. Often seen at traditional ceremonies, Laklak is a beloved part of Balinese culture.

Pisang Rai (Steamed Banana with Coconut)

• Ingredients: Banana, rice flour, grated coconut, palm sugar

• When to Eat: Daily snack or offering

• Where to Buy: Ubud Traditional Market in the morning

Pisang Rai wraps ripe bananas in a light rice flour coating, then steams them to perfection. Rolled in coconut and drizzled with palm sugar, it’s soft, sweet, and earthy, a true taste of Balinese comfort during a rainy day.

Tape Ketan (Fermented Sticky Rice)

• Ingredients: Fermented glutinous rice, yeast, banana leaf

• When to Eat: Festive occasions, snacks

• Where to Buy: Traditional market or small traditional stalls around Tegallalang

Tape Ketan is sticky rice that’s been fermented until sweet, tangy, and slightly boozy. It’s often wrapped in banana leaves and offered during cultural rituals. A unique dessert with a kick.

Jaje Batun Bedil (Glutinous Rice Balls with Palm Sugar Syrup)

• Ingredients: Glutinous rice balls, palm sugar syrup, coconut milk

• When to Eat: Temple festivals, afternoon snack

• Where to Buy: Gianyar Night Market (Pasar Senggol Gianyar), 

These chewy rice balls swim in a rich palm sugar syrup, topped with thick coconut milk. Its name, “batun bedil,” means “bullet,” inspired by the shape of the rice balls. It’s both fun to eat and rich in flavor.

Laklak Biu (Banana in Palm Sugar Coconut Milk)

• Ingredients: Banana, palm sugar, coconut milk, pandan

• When to Eat: During Ramadan, daily snacks, ceremonial offerings

• Where to Buy: Traditional snack shop like Laklak Biu Men Bayu or small food stall in traditional market.

Kolak Biu is a warm, sweet banana dessert soaked in thick palm sugar coconut milk. Though common across Indonesia, the Balinese version uses fragrant local bananas and pandan, giving it a tropical twist.

How Balinese Desserts Reflect Spiritual and Daily Life

Many desserts like Laklak, Pisang Rai, and Klepon are offered at temples during Galungan, Kuningan, and other religious ceremonies. These offerings reflect gratitude, balance, and connection to the divine.

Desserts are also a social glue shared during family gatherings, market mornings, and community events. Visiting a traditional market in Bali means witnessing how food and spirituality intertwine.

FAQ

What are the most popular Balinese sweets?

Klepon, Laklak, Bubur Injin, and Pisang Rai are among the most loved desserts, easily found in traditional markets. But if you wanna have a full experience dinner with traditional Balinese dessert, heading to Ramu Kitchen is definitely a must.

Are Balinese desserts vegetarian or vegan?

Most are naturally plant-based, using coconut milk, rice flour, and palm sugar. A few may include eggs (like Kelapa Taart).

Can I find these desserts outside Bali?

Some, like Klepon and Bubur Injin, are available across Indonesia, but Bali’s local versions are especially fragrant and authentic.

What makes Balinese desserts different from other Indonesian desserts?

They lean heavily on coconut milk, palm sugar, and pandan, with a strong ceremonial role unlike most other regions.

Final Thoughts

Bali’s desserts are more than sweet treats; they're a delicious window into its spiritual traditions and daily life. Whether you’re tasting Klepon at a morning market, savoring Laklak at a temple festival, or cooling off with Soursop Sorbet in Ramu Kitchen, you’re experiencing a piece of the island’s soul.

So next time you’re in Bali, skip the imported sweets. Go local. Go traditional. Go sweet.