Japanese 7-Eleven convenience stores offer a wide variety of products, from lunch boxes to daily necessities. During the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer, the amazing variety and quality of products available charmed reporters. Among these, 7-Eleven sweets are one of the most popular categories, with new products being released frequently.

For the benefit of our readers who may feel like satisfying their sweet tooth at a Japanese 7-Eleven, here are ten must-try sweets ranked according to the personal preferences of a gourmand writer at our sister site Grape.

And to make sure the selections won't become irrelevant past this season, we've included some standards you're likely to find all the time, in addition to some trending seasonal sweets.

So, here are the sweets that he personally tried and found to be delicious.

Ten Must-Try 7-Eleven Sweets

The writer bought a collection of sweets that were either trending online or that he had been recommended by word of mouth.

He also bought a few others, including currently trending sweets like the Maritozzo-style dorayaki which we introduced in August, but these are the ten which made the final cut.

There are also some standard sweets that you may have tried before, such as An'nin Dofu (almond pudding) and mitarashi dango.

The most expensive item costs 354 yen, including tax. Most of the products can be bought for around 200 yen, making them very affordable sweets!

So, let's dive into our selection!

1. Pumpkin Pudding

This was the writer's favorite!

• Japanese name: 『とろ生かぼちゃプリン』
• Pronunciation: toro nama kabocha purin
• Calories: 183
• Price: 213 JPY (tax included)

As soon as you take a bite, you experience the rich flavor of pumpkin. The pudding itself is so soft that it melts in your mouth, but you can still feel just a bit of the pulpy texture of the pumpkin. The sweetness and flavor are strong. Everything was "pumpkin" from start to finish. A true delight for pumpkin lovers!

The whipped cream on top is just right, but if there is one thing the writer could critique about this dessert, it would be the bitterness of the caramel layer at the bottom that he felt detracted somewhat from the flavor of the pumpkin.

If you want to avoid that, he recommends eating the pudding part first without plunging your spoon down into the caramel and mixing it.

2. French Toast

Of the ten sweets, the only frozen treat, "French Toast," came in second place!

• Japanese name: 『しっとり染み込んだフレンチトースト』
• Pronunciation: shittori shimikonda furenchi tōsuto
• Calories: 349
• Price: 354 JPY (tax included)

"Frozen French toast? I don't know about this one..." This is what the writer was thinking before he tried it, but he changed his mind after trying it.

Inside the package, you'll find a thick piece of French toast with syrup to go with it.

The writer recommends heating it up in the microwave for about 3 minutes at 600 W, and then grilling it on your stovetop for about a minute to make the surface a little crispier. Pour the syrup over the French toast and try it... yum!

It was so moist and tasty that he couldn't believe it was frozen food. When he bit into it, he could taste the soft fusion of egg and bread.

At 354 yen including tax, it's a bit expensive for a convenience store treat, but it's large enough to satisfy your hunger.

3. Custard Cream & Chocolate Eclair

Coming in at No. 3 is the Custard Cream & Chocolate Eclair.

• Japanese name: 『こだわりチョコのカスタードエクレア』
• Pronunciation: kodawari choco no kasutādo ekure'a
• Calories: 233
• Price: 140 JPY (tax included)

What surprised the writer when he took a bite was the richness of the chocolate on the eclair. You can really tell they chose good quality chocolate for this dessert. The custard is rich with the taste of egg, and just sweet enough, not cloyingly sweet. It really matches the chocolate!

The dough is thin, fluffy, and soft, so there is a risk of crushing it... You should be careful when taking it home.

4. Classic Cheesecake

In fourth place was the Classic Cheesecake (although it only says "Cheesecake" in English on the package). It's relatively expensive for its size at 214 yen including tax.

• Japanese name: 『クラシックチーズケーキ』
• Pronunciation: kurashikku chīzukēki
• Calories: 211
• Price: 214 JPY (tax included)

This Classic Cheesecake has a well-balanced mix of cheese and sweetness that complements it. Although the texture is a bit firm, it quickly melts in your mouth, allowing you to fully enjoy the rich cheese flavor.

Each portion is rather small, but the taste makes up for it and will satisfy you. You can enjoy it with a cup of tea.

5. Warabimochi

The Grape writer who made the selection is particularly fond of traditional Japanese sweets like warabimochi, a jelly-like mochi wagashi, usually served with kinako roasted soy flour. But this 7-Eleven sweet had a surprise he wasn't expecting.

• Japanese name: 『ひとくちきなこわらび餅』
• Pronunciation: hitokuchi warabimochi
• Calories: 222
• Price: 203 JPY (tax included)

At first glance, it looks like a normal warabimochi covered with kinako. However, one thing which usually comes with warabimochi was missing, and that was kuromitsu (a molasses-like dark syrup)...

To the writer's surprise, the kuromitsu was actually inside the pieces of warabimochi! What an ingenious solution! Since the kuromitsu is inside each piece, it doesn't spoil the kinako and there's no need to open up a packet and pour it on separately. Also, you can get a perfectly balanced mix of kinako and kuromitsu with each bite.

But in all fairness, the writer thought he would be even more satisfied if there was a bit more kuromitsu...

6. An'nin Dofu (Almond Pudding)

7-Eleven's Almond Pudding was in sixth place.

• Japanese name: 『とろけるくちどけ杏仁豆腐』
• Pronunciation: torokeru kuchidoke an'nin dōfu
• Calories: 129
• Price: 151 JPY (tax included)

The texture is super smooth and it almost melts in your mouth. In terms of balance, the dessert leans more towards a milky flavor than almond. So, if you're looking for a strong almond flavor or a firmer texture, this dessert may not be for you.

However, the taste is gentle and satisfying mild, so it's just the right size when you want a sweet bite to eat.

7. Almond Cookies

Among the many sweets that have a short shelf life, the seventh-place entry was these Almond Cookies that can be enjoyed over a long period of time.

• Japanese name: 『さっくりでほろほろの甘さアーモンドボール』
• Pronunciation: zakkuri de horohoro no amasa āmando bōru
• Calories: 302
• Price: 149 JPY (tax included)

Because it's a dry snack, it has a long shelf life and can be stored for about three months in an unopened package.

The softness of the cookies, which crumble in your mouth, combined with the crunchy texture of the almonds, allows you to enjoy both flavors at the same time.

The cookies are sweet, but not so sweet that you'll be tempted to eat all of them in one sitting ... unless you're very hungry!

8. Custard Waffles

Coming in eighth place are "Custard Waffles" (although it just says "Waffles" in English on the package) which contains four waffles in one package. It costs 203 yen including tax, but you get four waffles, so it's very satisfying.

• Japanese name: 『卵と牛乳の優しい甘さワッフル』
• Pronunciation: tamago to gyūnyū no yasashī waffuru
• Calories: 456
• Price: 203 JPY (tax included)

The waffles are soft and the custard has a fluffy whipped texture that matches it perfectly. Each waffle is only moderately sweet, letting you appreciate the rich egg flavor. You can probably eat four of them at once!

9. Mitarashi dango

Mitarashi dango is one of the most popular Japanese wagashi sweets, but they quickly harden in cold temperatures. 7-Eleven has taken this classic dessert and tweaked the formula so that they stay chewy and soft even when cold.

• Japanese name: 『冷やしみたらし団子』
• Pronunciation: hiyashi mitarashi dango
• Calories: 273
• Price: 203 JPY (tax included)

Even though the mochi isn't grilled, you can taste the unique aroma of grilled mochi. The consistency of the sauce is thin, so you may need to be careful not to let it drip from the spoon.

The writer thought a few more mochi pieces would have made him a bit more satisfied with the price.

10. Choux à la Crème (Cream Puff)

Finishing up the list in tenth place is 7-Eleven's Choux à la Crème (French for "cream puff").

• Japanese name:『シュー・ア・ラ・クレーム』
• Pronunciation: shū a ra kurēmu
• Calories: 177
• Price: 140 JPY (tax included)

The dough is thick and flavorful, and you'll find a generous amount of custard cream inside. The custard is very smooth, so if you're not careful, it may drip out when you bit into it.

The egg flavor is decent, but it could be a bit more pronounced.

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Hopefully, there's something in this list that will tickle your fancy and satisfy your sweet tooth the next time you have a chance to visit a Japanese 7-Eleven store!