243 Italian Pastry Names With Meanings and Origins

Italian pastry names include classic favorites, regional specialties, filled pastries, cookies, cakes, and sweet treats enjoyed across Italy. This list features 243 Italian pastry names with short descriptions to help food lovers, bakers, restaurant owners, writers, and anyone exploring Italian desserts. Discover traditional recipes, famous bakery treats, and regional sweets while finding delicious inspiration for your next dessert adventure.

Classic Italian Pastry Names

• 1. Cannoli – Crispy pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cream.
• 2. Sfogliatella – Layered Neapolitan pastry with a rich, textured filling.
• 3. Babà – Soft, yeast-leavened cake traditionally soaked in rum syrup.
• 4. Cornetto – Italian breakfast pastry similar to a croissant.
• 5. Bombolone – Italian doughnut commonly filled with custard or jam.
• 6. Zeppole – Fried or baked dough pastries, often topped with cream.
• 7. Bignè – Small choux pastries that can be filled with cream.
• 8. Profiterole – Cream-filled choux pastry usually covered in chocolate sauce.
• 9. Millefoglie – Layered puff pastry dessert with cream.
• 10. Crostata – Italian tart made with pastry and a sweet filling.
• 11. Pastiera Napoletana – Neapolitan tart made with wheat, ricotta, and citrus.
• 12. Torta della Nonna – Custard tart traditionally topped with pine nuts.
• 13. Torta Paradiso – Light, buttery Italian sponge cake.
• 14. Torta Caprese – Chocolate and almond cake associated with Capri.
• 15. Torta Sbrisolona – Crumbly almond cake from Mantua.
• 16. Diplomatica – Layered pastry combining puff pastry, sponge cake, and cream.
• 17. Maritozzo – Soft Roman bun traditionally filled with whipped cream.
• 18. Frittelle – Italian fritters made in several regional styles.
• 19. Strudel di Mele – Apple strudel popular in northern Italy.
• 20. Torta di Mele – Italian-style apple cake.
• 21. Torta di Ricotta – Cake or tart featuring ricotta cheese.
• 22. Torta di Mandorle – Almond cake found in different Italian regions.
• 23. Torta di Nocciole – Hazelnut cake associated with northern Italian baking.
• 24. Torta di Riso – Rice cake made in several regional traditions.
• 25. Torta di Pere – Pear cake or tart.
• 26. Torta di Ciliegie – Cherry cake or tart.
• 27. Torta di Limone – Lemon cake with a bright citrus flavor.
• 28. Torta di Arance – Orange cake made with fresh citrus.
• 29. Torta di Cioccolato – Chocolate cake in Italian baking traditions.
• 30. Torta di Fragole – Strawberry cake or tart.

Italian Pastry Names With Cream Fillings

• 31. Bignè alla Crema – Choux pastry filled with pastry cream.
• 32. Bignè al Cioccolato – Choux pastry filled with or topped with chocolate.
• 33. Bignè alla Panna – Small pastry filled with whipped cream.
• 34. Éclair all’Italiana – An Italian-style interpretation of the cream-filled éclair.
• 35. Cannoncini alla Crema – Crisp, horn-shaped puff pastries filled with custard.
• 36. Cannoncini alla Panna – Pastry horns filled with whipped cream.
• 37. Bignè di San Giuseppe – Traditional Roman pastries associated with Saint Joseph’s Day.
• 38. Zeppole di San Giuseppe – Pastries topped or filled with custard and often decorated with a cherry.
• 39. Maritozzo con la Panna – Roman cream bun filled generously with whipped cream.
• 40. Sfogliatella Riccia – Crisp, shell-shaped pastry with a layered exterior.
• 41. Sfogliatella Frolla – Neapolitan pastry with a shortcrust-style shell.
• 42. Diplomatica alla Crema – Layered pastry featuring custard cream.
• 43. Torta Chantilly – Cake filled or decorated with Chantilly cream.
• 44. Torta Mimosa – Sponge cake with cream and crumb-like cake pieces.
• 45. Zuccotto – Dome-shaped dessert traditionally filled with cream and other ingredients.
• 46. Torta Saint Honoré – Italian pastry-shop version of the classic cream and choux dessert.
• 47. Bomba alla Crema – Filled doughnut-like pastry with custard.
• 48. Krapfen alla Crema – Filled fried pastry popular in parts of northern Italy.
• 49. Fagottino alla Crema – Folded pastry parcel filled with cream.
• 50. Treccia alla Crema – Braided pastry filled with cream.
• 51. Cornetto alla Crema – Italian breakfast pastry filled with custard.
• 52. Cornetto al Cioccolato – Cornetto filled with chocolate.
• 53. Cornetto alla Panna – Cornetto served with whipped cream.
• 54. Sfoglia alla Crema – Puff pastry with a creamy filling.
• 55. Torta alla Crema – Tart or cake centered on pastry cream.

Italian Cookies and Biscotti Names

• 56. Biscotti di Prato – Twice-baked almond biscuits from Prato, Tuscany.
• 57. Cantucci – Crunchy Tuscan almond biscuits often served with Vin Santo.
• 58. Amaretti – Almond-flavored cookies with a chewy or crisp texture.
• 59. Ricciarelli – Soft, almond-based cookies from Siena.
• 60. Baci di Dama – Two hazelnut biscuits joined with chocolate.
• 61. Brutti ma Buoni – Rustic nut cookies whose name means “ugly but good.”
• 62. Savoiardi – Light sponge biscuits commonly used in tiramisu.
• 63. Canestrelli – Delicate, often flower-shaped shortbread biscuits.
• 64. Cialde – Thin wafers made in different Italian styles.
• 65. Torcetti – Twisted, buttery biscuits associated with Piedmont and the Aosta Valley.
• 66. Krumiri – Ridged butter biscuits from Casale Monferrato.
• 67. Zaletti – Venetian cornmeal biscuits often made with raisins.
• 68. Fave dei Morti – Small traditional sweets prepared for All Souls’ Day.
• 69. Ossa dei Morti – Bone-shaped or bone-inspired sweets associated with All Souls’ Day.
• 70. Mostaccioli – Spiced biscuits made in several Italian regional traditions.
• 71. Cuddureddi – Traditional Sicilian sweets whose forms and recipes vary by locality.
• 72. Paste di Mandorla – Sicilian almond-paste cookies.
• 73. Pizzicotti di Pasta di Mandorle – Almond-paste cookies with pinched surfaces.
• 74. Pabassinas – Sardinian cookies traditionally made with raisins, nuts, and spices.
• 75. Papassini – Another spelling for traditional Sardinian pabassinas.
• 76. Esse di Raveo – S-shaped butter biscuits from Friuli.
• 77. Baci di Alassio – Chocolate and hazelnut biscuits from Alassio, Liguria.
• 78. Amaretti di Saronno – Crisp almond-flavored biscuits associated with Saronno.
• 79. Amaretti di Sassello – Soft almond cookies from Sassello, Liguria.
• 80. Biscotti al Limone – Lemon-flavored Italian biscuits.
• 81. Biscotti al Cioccolato – Chocolate biscuits.
• 82. Biscotti alle Nocciole – Hazelnut biscuits.
• 83. Biscotti al Pistacchio – Pistachio biscuits.
• 84. Biscotti all’Arancia – Orange-flavored biscuits.
• 85. Biscotti al Burro – Butter biscuits.

Italian Regional Pastry Names

• 86. Cassata Siciliana – Sicilian cake featuring ricotta, sponge cake, and decorative icing.
• 87. Cannolo Siciliano – A Sicilian version of the crisp, ricotta-filled cannolo.
• 88. Frutta Martorana – Marzipan sweets shaped and painted like realistic fruit.
• 89. Buccellato Siciliano – Sicilian ring-shaped pastry filled with dried fruit and nuts.
• 90. Cuccidati – Sicilian fig-filled cookies traditionally made during the holidays.
• 91. Pignolata – Small fried dough pieces coated with honey or icing, depending on the version.
• 92. Minne di Sant’Agata – Sicilian pastries associated with Saint Agatha and shaped symbolically.
• 93. Iris – Sicilian fried pastry commonly filled with sweet ricotta cream.
• 94. Genovesi Ericine – Shortcrust pastries from Erice, Sicily, filled with custard.
• 95. Sfinci di San Giuseppe – Sicilian fried pastries filled or topped with ricotta cream.
• 96. Cartocci Siciliani – Fried, tube-shaped pastries filled with sweet ricotta.
• 97. Granita con Brioche – Sicilian granita served with a soft brioche bun.
• 98. Pasticciotto Leccese – Shortcrust pastry from Lecce filled with custard.
• 99. Bocconotto – Small filled pastry found in several southern Italian regions.
• 100. Parrozzo – Abruzzese cake made with almonds and coated in chocolate.
• 101. Ferratelle – Thin patterned wafers from Abruzzo, cooked in an iron.
• 102. Sfogliatelle Abruzzesi – Regional layered pastries whose recipes vary across Abruzzo.
• 103. Cartellate – Puglia’s thin, flower-like fried pastries, often finished with honey or vincotto.
• 104. Sporcamuss – Small puff-pastry squares filled with cream, associated with Bari.
• 105. Tette delle Monache – Soft, rounded cream-filled sponge pastries associated with southern Italy.
• 106. Struffoli – Tiny fried dough balls coated with honey, popular in Naples at Christmas.
• 107. Roccocò – Firm, spiced Neapolitan biscuits traditionally eaten at Christmas.
• 108. Susamielli – S-shaped Neapolitan Christmas biscuits flavored with spices and honey.
• 109. Divino Amore – Traditional Neapolitan almond sweets covered with icing.
• 110. Mostaccioli Napoletani – Diamond-shaped, spiced Neapolitan biscuits coated in chocolate.
• 111. Migliaccio – Neapolitan semolina and ricotta cake traditionally associated with Carnival.
• 112. Torta Tenerina – A soft-centered chocolate cake from Ferrara.
• 113. Pinza Bolognese – A filled pastry roll from Bologna, traditionally containing a sweet preserve.
• 114. Raviole Bolognesi – Bologna-style sweet pastry pockets, often filled with jam or mostarda.
• 115. Torta Barozzi – A rich chocolate and nut cake from Vignola.
• 116. Amor Polenta – Lombard cake made with cornmeal and almonds.
• 117. Torta delle Rose – Rose-shaped sweet bread or cake from the Mantua area.
• 118. Sbrisolona Mantovana – Crumbly almond cake from Mantua.
• 119. Torta di Tagliatelle – Emilian cake combining pastry, almonds, and thin strands of pasta.
• 120. Spongata – Filled pastry cake associated with Emilia and other northern Italian areas.

Italian Pastry Names for Breakfast

• 121. Cornetto Semplice – Plain Italian breakfast pastry, often enjoyed with coffee.
• 122. Cornetto Integrale – Whole-wheat-style cornetto.
• 123. Cornetto al Miele – Cornetto flavored or filled with honey.
• 124. Cornetto alla Marmellata – Cornetto filled with fruit jam.
• 125. Cornetto al Pistacchio – Cornetto filled with pistachio cream.
• 126. Cornetto alla Nutella – Cornetto filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• 127. Treccina Dolce – Small braided sweet breakfast pastry.
• 128. Girella – Swirled pastry that may contain raisins or cream.
• 129. Pain Suisse all’Italiana – Italian bakery-style take on a custard-and-chocolate pastry.
• 130. Fagottino al Cioccolato – Folded pastry parcel with chocolate filling.
• 131. Fagottino alla Mela – Folded pastry filled with apple.
• 132. Veneziana – Soft, domed sweet bun often topped with sugar or icing.
• 133. Brioche Siciliana – Soft Sicilian brioche, often served alongside granita.
• 134. Brioche Col Tuppo – Sicilian brioche with a small rounded top.
• 135. Ciambella – Ring-shaped cake or sweet dough, depending on the recipe.
• 136. Ciambellone – Large ring-shaped Italian cake.
• 137. Ciambellina – Small ring-shaped sweet cake or biscuit.
• 138. Pangoccioli – Soft sweet buns containing chocolate chips.
• 139. Pan Gocciole – A bakery-style name for chocolate-chip sweet bread; naming varies by producer.
• 140. Focaccia Dolce – Sweet focaccia, made in different regional styles.
• 141. Pan Brioche – Soft enriched bread that may be served as a sweet breakfast pastry.
• 142. Pan di Ramerino – Tuscan sweet bun traditionally flavored with rosemary and raisins.
• 143. Veneziana alla Crema – Sweet bun topped or filled with pastry cream.
• 144. Trecce Dolci – Braided sweet pastries.
• 145. Girella alla Crema – Swirled pastry filled with cream.

Italian Chocolate and Nut Pastries

• 146. Tartufo al Cioccolato – Chocolate truffle-style dessert, often served as a molded sweet.
• 147. Tartufini – Small truffles made with chocolate, nuts, or other flavorings.
• 148. Baci Perugina – Famous chocolate-and-hazelnut confections associated with Perugia.
• 149. Gianduiotto – Piedmontese chocolate made with hazelnut paste.
• 150. Cremino – Layered chocolate confection traditionally associated with Piedmont.
• 151. Torrone – Italian nougat made with honey, sugar, and nuts.
• 152. Torrone Morbido – Soft nougat with a tender texture.
• 153. Torrone Duro – Firm, crunchy nougat.
• 154. Croccante alle Mandorle – Crunchy almond brittle.
• 155. Croccante alle Nocciole – Hazelnut brittle.
• 156. Cioccolatini Ripieni – Filled Italian chocolates, with many possible fillings.
• 157. Praline al Pistacchio – Pistachio pralines.
• 158. Praline alle Nocciole – Hazelnut pralines.
• 159. Torta Gianduia – Cake flavored with chocolate and hazelnut.
• 160. Torta al Cioccolato Fondente – Dark chocolate cake.
• 161. Torta Nocciola e Cioccolato – Hazelnut and chocolate cake.
• 162. Torta al Pistacchio – Pistachio cake.
• 163. Crostata al Cioccolato – Chocolate tart.
• 164. Crostata alla Nutella – Tart filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• 165. Crostata di Nocciole – Hazelnut tart.
• 166. Crostata al Pistacchio – Pistachio tart.
• 167. Baci di Cioccolato – Chocolate kisses or small chocolate sweets; the name can vary by recipe.
• 168. Mandorlato – Traditional crunchy almond-and-honey confection.
• 169. Panforte – Dense Tuscan sweet made with nuts, dried fruit, spices, and honey or sugar.
• 170. Panpepato – Spiced Italian sweet containing nuts and dried fruit.
• 171. Torta di Noci – Walnut cake.
• 172. Torta di Castagne – Chestnut cake.
• 173. Castagnaccio – Tuscan chestnut-flour cake, often made with raisins and rosemary.
• 174. Nocciolini di Chivasso – Small hazelnut meringue-like biscuits from Piedmont.
• 175. Baci di Cherasco – Chocolate and hazelnut confections associated with Cherasco.

Italian Pastry Names With Fruit and Citrus

• 176. Crostata di Marmellata – Italian tart filled with fruit preserves.
• 177. Crostata di Albicocche – Apricot jam tart.
• 178. Crostata di Fragole – Strawberry tart.
• 179. Crostata di Frutti di Bosco – Tart filled with mixed forest berries.
• 180. Crostata di Pesche – Peach tart.
• 181. Crostata di Mele – Apple tart.
• 182. Crostata di Pere e Cioccolato – Pear and chocolate tart.
• 183. Crostata di Limone – Lemon tart.
• 184. Crostata di Arance – Orange tart.
• 185. Crostata di Fichi – Fig tart.
• 186. Torta di Frutta – Fruit cake or fruit tart, depending on the recipe.
• 187. Torta di Albicocche – Apricot cake.
• 188. Torta di Pesche – Peach cake.
• 189. Torta di Prugne – Plum cake.
• 190. Torta di Fichi – Fig cake.
• 191. Torta di Mandarini – Mandarin orange cake.
• 192. Torta al Bergamotto – Cake flavored with bergamot citrus.
• 193. Torta al Cedro – Cake featuring citron.
• 194. Torta all’Uva – Grape cake.
• 195. Schiacciata con l’Uva – Tuscan flatbread-like sweet made with grapes.
• 196. Pan d’Arancio – Sicilian orange cake, often made with whole oranges.
• 197. Ciambella all’Arancia – Orange-flavored ring cake.
• 198. Ciambella al Limone – Lemon-flavored ring cake.
• 199. Biscotti al Cedro – Biscuits flavored with citron.
• 200. Dolcetti ai Frutti di Bosco – Small sweets made with mixed berries.

Italian Carnival and Holiday Pastries

• 201. Chiacchiere – Thin, crisp fried pastries dusted with powdered sugar.
• 202. Frappe – Another regional name for Carnival pastry strips.
• 203. Cenci – Tuscan name for traditional fried Carnival sweets.
• 204. Bugie – Piedmontese and Ligurian name for Carnival pastry strips.
• 205. Galani – Venetian Carnival pastries made from thin fried dough.
• 206. Crostoli – Name used in parts of northeastern Italy for fried Carnival sweets.
• 207. Castagnole – Small, round fried sweets traditionally eaten at Carnival.
• 208. Ravioli Dolci di Carnevale – Sweet filled pastry pockets prepared for Carnival in some regions.
• 209. Frittelle Veneziane – Venetian fried pastries, often filled with raisins or cream.
• 210. Fritole – Venetian dialect name for traditional Carnival fritters.
• 211. Zeppole di Carnevale – Carnival-style fried dough pastries.
• 212. Tortelli Dolci – Sweet filled or unfilled fried pastries made for festive occasions.
• 213. Panettone – Tall, soft Milanese Christmas bread enriched with butter, eggs, and fruit.
• 214. Pandoro – Star-shaped Verona Christmas cake with a buttery, fluffy crumb.
• 215. Panettone al Cioccolato – Chocolate version of panettone.
• 216. Pandoro Farcito – Pandoro filled with cream or other sweet fillings.
• 217. Panforte di Siena – Dense Tuscan Christmas confection made with nuts, fruit, and spices.
• 218. Ricciarelli di Natale – Traditional almond cookies often enjoyed during the Christmas season.
• 219. Certosino – Rich Bolognese Christmas cake containing nuts, candied fruit, and spices.
• 220. Pangiallo Romano – Traditional Roman festive cake with dried fruit, nuts, and a golden coating.
• 221. Buccellato di Lucca – Sweet ring-shaped bread from Lucca, often flavored with anise and raisins.
• 222. Nadalin – Traditional Verona Christmas cake that predates the modern pandoro.
• 223. Gubana – Friulian spiral-shaped sweet bread with a rich nut-and-fruit filling.
• 224. Presnitz – Trieste-area rolled pastry filled with dried fruit and nuts.
• 225. Zelten – Trentino festive fruit cake, traditionally rich in dried fruit and nuts.

Italian Meringue, Wafer, and Small Pastry Names

• 226. Meringhe Italiane – Meringues made with Italian meringue technique or in Italian bakery styles.
• 227. Spumini – Small, airy meringue-like sweets found in Italian baking.
• 228. Lingue di Gatto – Thin, crisp butter biscuits named “cat’s tongues.”
• 229. Lingue di Suocera – Thin, elongated crisp baked goods whose name means “mother-in-law’s tongues.”
• 230. Cialde Croccanti – Crisp Italian-style wafers.
• 231. Wafer alla Nocciola – Hazelnut wafer confection.
• 232. Wafer al Cioccolato – Chocolate wafer confection.
• 233. Baci di Alassio al Cioccolato – Chocolate-coated or chocolate-rich variations of Ligurian hazelnut biscuits.
• 234. Amaretti Morbidi – Soft almond cookies.
• 235. Amaretti Croccanti – Crisp almond cookies.
• 236. Meringhe alla Nocciola – Hazelnut meringues.
• 237. Meringhe al Cioccolato – Chocolate meringues.
• 238. Dischi di Meringa – Round meringue layers used in desserts.
• 239. Cestini di Frolla – Small shortcrust pastry baskets filled with cream or fruit.
• 240. Tartellette alla Frutta – Mini fruit tarts.
• 241. Tartellette al Limone – Mini lemon tarts.
• 242. Tartellette al Cioccolato – Mini chocolate tarts.
• 243. Vol-au-vent Dolci – Small puff-pastry cases adapted for sweet fillings.

How to Choose the Right Italian Pastry Name

Choosing an Italian pastry name is easier when you consider what you want to describe.

• Think about the flavor: Choose names such as Torta al Pistacchio for pistachio desserts or Crostata di Limone for lemon tarts.
• Consider the region: Sicilian, Neapolitan, Tuscan, and Venetian pastries offer distinct culinary traditions.
• Match the texture: Sfogliatella suggests crisp, layered pastry, while Maritozzo suggests a soft bun.
• Check the pronunciation: Some names, such as Ricciarelli and Sfogliatella, may be unfamiliar to English-speaking readers.
• Use authentic names carefully: If naming a bakery menu item, confirm that its recipe matches the traditional dessert before using a regional name.

What Makes Italian Pastries Special?

Italian pastry traditions vary widely by region. Sicily is known for cannoli, cassata, and almond sweets. Naples is famous for sfogliatella, babà, and pastiera. Tuscany offers cantucci, ricciarelli, and panforte, while northern regions are known for specialties such as pandoro, panettone, and hazelnut-based desserts.

Ingredients often reflect local agriculture, including almonds, hazelnuts, citrus fruit, ricotta, chestnuts, and grapes. Many pastries are also connected to religious festivals, family celebrations, and seasonal traditions.

Italian Pastry Names and Their Pronunciation

Learning a few pronunciations can make Italian bakery menus easier to understand.

• Cannoli: kahn-NOH-lee.
• Sfogliatella: approximately sfo-lyah-TEL-lah.
• Babà: bah-BAH.
• Cornetto: kor-NET-toh.
• Ricciarelli: ree-chah-REL-lee.
• Cantucci: kahn-TOO-chee.
• Maritozzo: mah-ree-TOT-tsoh.
• Pasticciotto: pah-stee-CHOT-toh.

Pronunciation can vary slightly by region. These are practical approximations rather than formal phonetic transcriptions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Italian Pastry Names

What are the most famous Italian pastry names?

Some of the best-known Italian pastries are cannoli, sfogliatella, babà, cornetto, pasticciotto, and zeppole. Panettone and pandoro are also famous Italian festive baked treats.

What is the name of the Italian pastry filled with cream?

Several Italian pastries contain cream, including cannoncini alla crema, bignè alla crema, and maritozzo con la panna. The filling and pastry shape differ depending on the dessert.

What is the traditional Italian pastry from Sicily?

Sicily is famous for cannoli, cassata siciliana, frutta martorana, and paste di mandorla. These specialties often feature ricotta, almonds, candied fruit, or citrus.

What are Italian pastries called?

Italian pastries are often called pasticcini when referring to small pastries, while pasticceria means pastry-making or a pastry shop. Individual desserts have their own names, such as cannoli, crostata, and sfogliatella.

What Italian pastries are popular at Christmas?

Panettone, pandoro, struffoli, panforte, and ricciarelli are popular festive sweets in different Italian traditions. The specific desserts vary by region and family customs.

Conclusion

These 243 Italian pastry names offer inspiration for discovering traditional desserts, regional specialties, and delicious bakery favorites. Which Italian pastry is your favorite? Share your choice in the comments!