This distinctive dessert is made with a fantastic combination of bananas that are flambéed (a cooking technique where liquor is added to a hot pan to briefly set the contents afire) with a sauce of dark rum, sugar and spices then served with ice cream.  It was invented at the famous Brennan's Restaurant, established in 1946, and was one of the most popular items on the menu requiring 35,000 pounds of bananas each year!

Sometimes called a "French donut," these decadent treats were brought to Louisiana by the Cajuns. A beignet is a square piece of dough that, once fried, forms a slightly doughy, slightly crispy pillow that is then the perfect canvas for a coat of powdered sugar. Indulge in beignets and chicory coffee at the famous Café Du Monde. Or find even more varieties (including savory beignets) in our guide to the best beignets in New Orleans.  

What began as a creative way to use yesterday's bread has progressed into a popular dessert course and a New Orleans menu mainstay. Soaked in milk, eggs and sugar, the bread is baked and topped with a sweet, typically bourbon-based sauce. Local chefs add their own spin on the dish, adding white chocolate, pecans, and even Krispy Kreme donuts (Boucherie).  Find this staple at Commander's Palace and Café Reconcile.

While king cake is eaten mostly during the Mardi Gras season, you can find it any time of year at establishments like Haydel's Bakery and Sucré, both of which are known for their king cakes. King cake is essentially a huge cinnamon roll with icing colored with the Mardi Gras theme — purple, green and gold– but in recent years, bakeries have gotten even more creative with this classic, with everything from babka and croissant king cakes to savory ones. If you are lucky enough to receive the piece of cake with the plastic baby inside, you'll be continuing the festivities by hosting next year's Mardi Gras party or at least, buying the next king cake!

This dessert is a staple in New Orleans. These treats feature Louisiana-grown pecans smothered in a creamy mixture of sugar and butter that's so rich, you probably can't eat more than one. They're available (usually wrapped individually) at many gift shops in the city like Aunt Sally's Pralines, Loretta’s, or Leah's Pralines to start. If you don't want to sound like an outsider, ask for one by saying "praw-leen." 

 Sno-balls (or snowballs) are definitely not the same as snow cones. Sno-balls are freshly shaved ice making it a consistency similar to that of snow, and the juice doesn't sink to the bottom of the cup like with crunchy snow cones. Around New Orleans in the summer, sno-ball stands are packed. Each offers dozens of flavors, from wedding cake to margarita and more. You can get them "stuffed" with soft-serve ice cream or drizzled with condensed milk.

For a throwback candy with historic charm, try Roman Candy that is a chewy taffy sold in three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. It has been made and sold by the Cortese family since 1915. You can find the original mule-drawn wagon in all across the city, but your best bet is the Audubon Zoo. Long, thin sticks of the candy sell for a dollar and come wrapped in wax paper.