10 Traditional Oktoberfest Desserts

Complete your German feast with these Oktoberfest desserts!

For most people, Oktoberfest is all about beer, lederhosen and suspenders, beer, beautiful German women in dirndl dresses, and beer. 

However, even the staunchest beer drinkers have to eat occasionally, and without a few delicious and decadent Oktoberfest treats, the meals wouldn’t be much fun.

Don’t get me wrong; I know desserts – or any food, for that matter – will never take the place of all the other fun, alcohol-based activities happening at Oktoberfest.

However, Oktoberfest desserts are a severely underrated and underappreciated treasure! 

For that reason, I thought it was time to shed a little light on them so that everyone else can enjoy them, too.

1. Oktoberfest Dessert “Beer Mug”

After a day of beer-drinking, beer-drinking, and more beer-drinking, there’s really only one dessert that makes sense – beer! Or at least a dessert that looks like beer. 

These adorable shot glass desserts are simply sweetened Jell-O with a yogurt whipped cream topping.

There’s no alcohol in them, but they look like exact replicas of frothy glasses of beer. 

People will like them for the taste, but they’ll love them for the novelty of getting to enjoy tiny beer desserts. 

2. Black Forest Cookies

These soft, chewy cookies have all the rich, decadent flavor of a black forest cake with none of the mess.

Each bite contains plenty of chocolate and maraschino cherry yumminess. 

Plus, in addition to being tartly sweet and entirely overindulgent, they only take 20 minutes to make.

That always makes things taste better if you’re the one doing the cooking. 

3. Strawberry Bavarian Cream

All you’ll need to make this four-ingredient strawberry Bavarian cream are frozen strawberries, boiling water, strawberry gelatin, and whipped cream. 

It’s smooth, creamy, and will give you the most enjoyable case of Strawberry Overload you’ve ever had. 

It’s thicker than you might think, and the whipped cream and fresh strawberry toppings (if you choose to add them) make it even tastier. 

4. Chocolate-Covered Fruit Skewers

Are you the kind of person who absolutely goes crazy for chocolate-covered strawberries?

If so, these chocolate-covered fruit skewers are the dessert option for you. 

You can make them in practically no time, though they’ll need some time to set and harden before you serve them.

However, everyone loves them despite how easy they are to make. 

You can use whatever fruit you like – strawberries, banana slices, berries, apples, etc.

As long as you can find a way to stick it on a skewer, you can use it in this recipe. 

Once you’ve sliced your fruit and have it ready to go, simply dip it into the melted chocolate and coconut oil mixture, then add it to the skewer. 

Once the chocolate hardens, you’ll have a sweet and fruity chocolate-covered treat that’s perfect for Oktoberfest or any other occasion. 

5. Bavarian Apple Fritters

It doesn’t get much more German than apfelkrapfen, also known as Bavarian apple fritters.

They’re sweetened, deep-fried apples with a dusting of cinnamon. 

They combine the delectable deep-fried flavor of doughnuts with the sweetness of fresh apples for a warm, slightly tart flavor that’s hard to resist. 

They take about 25 minutes to prepare but only 8 to cook, so you can have them ready in a little over half an hour. 

6. Black Forest Cake

This double-layer black forest cake may be a bit messier than the black forest cookies, but it’s equally decadent and – depending on who you ask – even more delicious. 

It consists of two layers of rich chocolate cake and a layer of sweet and tangy sugared cherries in the middle. 

You’ll ice the whole thing with light whipped cream frosting, and then add the chocolate sprinkles and maraschino cherries to the top.

It tastes so good; you’ll think you’re dreaming. 

7. Gebrannte Mandeln (German Candied Almonds)

There’s a reason just about every bar in the world serves nuts. Nuts and beer just go well together. 

So if you’re looking for the ideal Oktoberfest dessert, look no further than these German candied almonds.

Requiring only six ingredients and 25 minutes to make, they’re crunchy, sweet, and yummy.

Basically, they’re almonds covered in cinnamon and sugar, and that’s precisely what they taste like.

Luckily, that taste is fantastic. (And yes, they’ll pair just as nicely with beer as peanuts do.)

8. Apple Strudel

Not to be confused with apfelkrapfen, apfelstrudel is just what it sounds like – apple strudel. 

It may not be the most attractive dessert on the list, but what it lacks in appearance, it makes up for in flavor. The crust is warm, thin, and flaky. 

The filling of spiced apples and raisins is sweet, spicy, and scrumptious. When you bite into it, you get the gooey sauce along with the chunks of apples, and it’s just divine.

It’s so good that it doesn’t need the dusting of powdered sugar on top, but if you can add another layer of yumminess to something, I say go for it!

Plus, who doesn’t love that slight tingle you get from powdered sugar touching your tongue?

9. German Pancakes

Traditionally, German pancakes are more of a breakfast item than a dessert, but they’re so sweet, fluffy, and buttery that there’s definitely some crossover. 

You’ll need only six ingredients and 30 minutes to make this giant pancake.

It won’t look like the pancakes you’re probably used to eating, but after the first bite, you won’t care.

Before serving it, I like to dust mine with powdered sugar and add maple syrup and my favorite berries (much like the one in the picture), but others prefer whipped cream, honey, or sliced bananas.

10. Rote Grütze

Rote grütze may look more like a berry-heavy cocktail than anything else, but it’s actually a popular German dessert. 

You can use whatever berries you like to make it. You’ll also need sugar, your favorite red fruit juice, corn starch, and cold heavy cream. 

It’s a thick, almost slushy dessert, and it’s absolutely, mouth-wateringly good. 

You’d think it would be too tart from all the berries, but the cold cream and sugar add an exquisite bit of sweetness that makes it good till the last bite.