Potlucks are the perfect way to gather and celebrate with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. They’re also an opportunity to show off your culinary skills, hence the difficulty you have deciding on the perfect dish or dessert to contribute. If you want to bring something that guests will rave about—before they pester you for the recipe, of course—think outside the box. And outside of the brownie pan or cookie tray. Try your hand at one of the five Asian dessert recipes and you’ll have a bite of cultural knowledge to serve up alongside your holiday treat. 

Chapssal Banana Dduk (Sweet Rice Cake with Banana)  While Koreans don’t typically indulge in dessert, this sweet treat is served on special occasions, like holidays and birthdays.

Eight Treasures Rice Pudding A traditional Chinese New Year pudding, this Asian dessert is topped with eight different kinds of dried fruits and sweets. Why eight? In Chinese culture, it’s a lucky number that signifies wealth.  

Green Tea Cheesecake  While we think of it as mainly a beverage in the United States, green tea is a very popular dessert ingredient in Japan, where it’s mixed into cakes, ice cream, and cookies.

Sago Gula Melaka (Sago Pudding) This popular Malaysian dessert is made by boiling pearl sago (sago is found in tropical palm stems) in water and serving it with coconut milk and gula melaka, a syrup made from palm sugar.

Creamy Mandarin Orange and Almond Dessert Soup  Inspired by classic Chinese foods and flavors, this delicious-looking dessert is perfect for the holidays. Oranges, almonds, ginger, and mint blend beautifully to give this pudding a seasonal taste and smell. 

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