What Dessert Goes With Chili? (12 Tasty Ideas)

Thick, hearty, and delicious chili: it’s the ultimate comfort food. 

Just the thought of a piping bowl of hot chili already warms my body! The only problem with chili is that sometimes, it’s just too spicy. 

That’s why it needs the accompaniment of something refreshing to cleanse the palate. 

When it comes to palate cleansers, nothing fits the bill better than dessert! It’s the perfect way to end this hearty meal.

Plus, hello? Do you really need a reason to have dessert after a meal?

If you’re in need of dessert ideas to go with chili, then you came to the right place!

There are certain sweets that pair particularly well with spicy food, and I have 12 of them for you.

These scrumptious desserts are perfect after a sumptuous chili!

What Dessert Goes With Chili?

From apple strudel to frozen yogurt pie, these 12 refreshing desserts are the perfect ending to your bowl of spicy goodness.

1. Apple Strudel

Let’s start off with a fall favorite. This apple strudel is perfectly sweet and decadent. Not to mention, it fills the entire kitchen with such a heavenly aroma!

What’s not to love? It’s tender and crisp apples seasoned with cinnamon and sugar inside a buttery, flaky crust. Wow. That just made my mouth water. 

It requires basic pantry ingredients, so it’s very affordable as well.

Apple strudel is a fantastic treat that’s inexpensive and easy to make. Now that’s what I call the perfect dessert!

2. Cinnamon Sugar Bread

Bread is great at absorbing the spices in chili, so it only makes sense to serve it as a side dish or dessert. 

One bite of this cinnamon sugar bread is enough to soothe your burning tongue! Plus, the flavor is just fantastic.

You really can’t go wrong with cinnamon and sugar in bread. 

As for the texture, picture what would happen if a cake and a donut had a baby. That’s what the consistency of this bread is like. It’s insanely delicious!

3. Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Tart and refreshing, lemon is fantastic at toning down the spiciness of chili.

These crinkle cookies are my top choice for lemon-flavored sweets. They’re so incredibly soft and chewy! 

The lemon flavor is right on point: not too tart, not too bland. It has the perfect balance between sweet and tangy, and it’s amazing.

4. Lemon Bars

These lemon bars are yet another excellent dessert to balance out your hot chili.

With a crisp and buttery shortbread crust, a sweet and tart lemon filling, and a sweet dusting of sugar on top, it’s a refreshing way to end your meal.

If you think lemon bars require pro-baking skills, you are very much mistaken. They only require 7 ingredients to make!

They really are super easy. You’ll nail them on your first try!  

5. Peach Shortcake

Buttery and flaky shortcake biscuits topped with sweet and plump peaches in a brown sugar sauce: dessert doesn’t get any better than that.

This peach shortcake is divine. The peaches, together with tender biscuits and a fluffy whipped cream topping, is just mind-blowingly delicious! 

6. Lemon Yogurt Parfait

As I’ve said, lemon does a fantastic job of counteracting spicy food. This is why this lemon yogurt parfait makes a wonderful pair with chili!

Trust me, one spoonful of this rich and tangy parfait will give you instant relief.

It’s refreshing and delicious, to boot. The combination of sweet, creamy, and the lemon flavor is just divine. 

7. Raspberry Tiramisu

The classic tiramisu gets a makeover with lemon juice and raspberries!

This Italian favorite is already phenomenal as is, but this recipe gives it such a refreshing spin.

The difference? The ladyfingers are soaked with a sweet and tangy lemon juice and the whole thing is topped with fresh raspberries.

Oh my. I’m drooling already!

8. Key Lime Pie

Sweet and tart key lime filling resting on a crisp and buttery pie crust? Yes, please. This key lime pie is the ultimate post-chili treat!

It’s so rich and delicious, I can’t control myself with just one slice. Don’t judge me, okay? It’s the pie’s fault!

The best part is that it’s such a cinch to make. You need not even squeeze your own limes to make it!

Just get some lime juice from the store and call it a day. Trust me, you’ll save yourself a ton of time! 

9. Chocolate Lava Cake

One bite of this sinful chocolate lava cake will take you to heaven.

This dessert is every chocolate lover’s dream. The cake is fudgy and moist and the center is ooey-gooey. 

What I love about it the most is that it comes together so quickly! And unlike other cakes, there’s no need to wait for this one to cool.

YES! From the oven to my belly in just 25 minutes.

10. Fudge Brownies

These are the best brownies I’ve ever had!

My favorite brownies are the ones with a cracked surface. I don’t know why, but it just makes brownies look even more appetizing.

And yes, this recipe makes that irresistible cracked top! 

Unlike other recipes that will call for multiple bowls, this one only requires one, and you only need 5 minutes to prepare it. Easy-peasy!

11. Fried Ice Cream

Fried ice cream: because you deserve the best.

But also, you don’t want your body to suffer from all the calories in a deep-fried dessert. So, let’s give this treat a little cheat, shall we?

In this recipe, we’re only frying the cornflake coating, instead of the whole thing. That way, you’ll still get that crisp, buttery goodness minus a lot of the guilt. Smart, eh?

12. Frozen Yogurt Pie 

You may already know how obsessed I am with no-bake desserts. This frozen yogurt pie is the perfect example.

Here’s the breakdown of what goes in this pie: a graham cracker crust, flavored yogurt, and whipped cream.

That’s it! It may be simple, but boy, the flavor and texture is absolutely to die for!

It only takes 5 minutes to prepare! The hardest part is waiting as it chills in the freezer. But I promise you, those two hours of patience are worth it.