No meal is complete without a dessert and when it comes to Indians, we have a special connection with out sweet dishes.
Desserts and sweets hold an important place in Indian Cuisine. Desserts are included in the meal, it forms a part of snacks and it is served as an offering to Gods in the form of Prasadam.
Sweets and desserts also play a crucial role in each and every festival – Holi, Diwali, Navratri and Wedding ceremonies where it is served to guests as a token of love and friendship.
A majority of Indian sweets and desserts are prepared using three main ingredients – milk, sugar and khoya. Other common ingredients include ghee, nuts, jaggery, coconut, wheat flour, etc.
In this article, we bring to you some of the popular and easy Indian sweets and dessert recipes that you can prepare in your home.
20 Popular Indian Sweet and Dessert Recipes
1. Gulab Jamun
Total time – 30 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert
Cuisine -North Indian
Yield/Serves – 12 to 14 pieces
Ingredients –
- Milk powder
- All purpose flour (Maida)
- Ghee/Oil
- Milk
- Curd/Yogurt/Butter
- Baking soda
- Chopped pistachios
For Sugar Syrup:
- Sugar
- Water
- Green cardamom pods
- Rose water
The moment we think of Indian sweets, we think of hot Gulab Jamun dipped in sweet syrup. Gulab Jamun is a classic Indian sweet popular all over the country and abroad. It is made from balls of all purpose flour that are deep fired and then dipped in sugar syrup. It makes a delicious dessert at the end of a meal.
You can always use oil instead of ghee or butter to make it healthier. Yogurt or curd used in this recipe helps to make the dough soft, supple and light thanks to the live cultures present in them. You can replace milk powder with khoya if you want.
Check out the full recipe at – indianhealthyrecipes
2. Kaju Barfi/Kaju Katli
Total time – 20 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – North Indian
Yield/Serves – 12 to 15 pieces
Ingredients –
- Cashews/Kaju
- Sugar
- Water
- Ghee/Coconut oil
- Chopped rose petals (Optional)
Kaju Barfi or Kaju Katli is an extremely popular Indian dessert recipe that requires just two basic ingredients – cashew nuts and sugar. You can add other ingredients such as saffron (kesar), rose petals, ghee and pistachios for flavoring. It makes a wonderful festive treat that can be served to family and friends during Diwali.
One of the most important things to keep in mind while preparing Kaju Barfi is the consistency of the powdered cashew and sugar syrup which combine to create the cashew dough. You can use organic coconut oil instead of ghee to keep it light and low in calories.
Check out the full recipe at – vegrecipesofindia
3. Jalebi
Total time – Overnight fermentation + Cook time 40 minutes
Recipe Type – Sweets/Snack
Cuisine – North Indian
Yield/Serves – 15 pieces
Ingredients –
- All purpose flour (Maida)
- Corn flour
- Thick curd
- Cooking Soda
- Ghee
- Yellow food color
- Oil
- Ghee
For Sugar Syrup:
- Sugar
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Yellow food color
- Rose essence/Elaichi powder (optional)
Jalebi is a popular sweet street food that is prepared by deep frying a flour batter in oil and then soaking them in sugar syrup. It can be served warm or cold. The crispy and crunchy texture of the Jalebi with its sweet and juicy interiors makes you fall in love with the taste instantly. You can eat it alone or with crud or rabri.
Here also, the main trick lies in preparing and fermenting the dough which gives the crunchy and crispy texture to the Jalebi. The active cultures in the curd help to make the dough light and fluffy. You can replace ghee completely with oil if you want to keep it low in calories.
Check out the full recipe at – rakskitchen
4. Kalakand
Total time – 3 hours 15 minutes
Recipe Type – Sweets/Dessert
Cuisine – Rajasthan
Yield/Serves – 8
Ingredients –
- Milk
- Chenna (coagulated milk solids)
- Khoya (reduced milk)
- Ghee
- Sugar
- Cardamom powder
- Pistachios/Almonds
Kalakand is considered a delicacy among Indian desserts and it is mainly prepared during festive occasions such as Diwali, Holi or Navratri. Kalakand is basically a milk based fudge that has a soft, rich and creamy texture. The combination of chenna and khoya is sweetened with sugar and flavored with cardamom.
This is more or less a healthy dessert recipe that makes use of milk products that are packed with calcium, protein and other nutrients. You can reduce the amount of ghee and substitute sugar with stevia to keep in healthy and low in calories. This is a perfect dessert for diabetics.
Check out the full recipe at – sailusfood
5. Besan Laddu
Total time – 35 minutes
Recipe Type – Sweets/Snack
Cuisine – Indian
Yield/Serves – 8 pieces
Ingredients –
- Gram flour (Besan/Chickpea flour)
- Ghee
- Powdered sugar
- Saffron strands
- Cardamom powder
- Nutmeg powder
- Sliced almonds
- Sliced pistachios
Laddu is a traditional Indian sweet that is made with a wide range of ingredients. The Besan Ladoo for example, is made from besan or chickpea flour that is roasted till golden brown, then mixed with sugar and slices of nuts and then shaped into round balls. The intense aroma of ghee, saffron and cardamom makes it simply irresistible and appetizing.
The trick to making prefect Besan Lasso is to roast the chickpea flour over a low flame, stirring constantly. Keep roasting till the dough turns golden brown and emits a mice aroma. You can make the texture crispy by using coarsely ground chickpea flour instead of smooth gram flour.
Check out the full recipe at – foodviva
6. Ghee Mysore Pak
Total time – 35 minutes
Recipe Type – Sweets/Snack
Cuisine – Mysore, South India
Yield/Serves – 6-8 pieces
Ingredients –
- Besan (Chickpea flour)
- Ghee
- Sugar
- Water
Ghee Mysore Pak is a renowned Indian sweet made from just three basic ingredients – besan, ghee and sugar. It is extremely easy to make and tastes delicious. Some of the important points to remember while preparing Mysore Pak are to be careful about the consistency of the sugar syrup and continuously stir the mixture to keep it from burning. You can also roast the besan in a non-stick pan before mixing it with ghee to get rid of the smell of raw besan.
You can use a mixture of oil and ghee instead of preparing it completely with ghee in order to keep it low in calories. You can adjust the sweetness of the dessert as per your taste by reducing the amount of sugar.
Check out the full recipe at – erivumpuliyumm
7. Carrot Halwa/ Gajar Ka Halwa
Total time – 40 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Snack
Cuisine – Punjab, North India
Yield/Serves – 2 bowls
Ingredients –
- Grated carrots
- Boiled milk
- Sugar
- Ghee
- Unsweetened Khoya (reduced milk)
- Cardamom powder
- Chopped nuts
Gajar Ka Halwa or Carrot Halwa is a famous Indian dessert item that is prepared by cooking grated carrots in milk and sugar till it gains the consistency of a pudding. It is then garnished with sliced nuts. You can enhance the flavor of the Halwa by adding a few saffron strands to it.
The best thing about Carrot Halwa is that it is a one pot dish that can be cooked in a pressure cooker. The best way to get rid of the raw carrot smell is to sauté the grate carrots in ghee. It is best to do the entire cooking on low to medium flame to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the utensil and bring out the flavors.
Check out the full recipe at – sharmispassions
8. Puran Poli
Total time – 50 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Snack/Main Course
Cuisine – Indian
Yield/Serves – 6 Poli
Ingredients –
For Stuffing:
- Toor dal/Chana dal
- Water
- Jaggery/Sugar
- Cardamom powder
- Saffron strands
For Outer Cover:
- Whole wheat flour
- Salt
- Oil
- Water
- Ghee
Puran Poli is a sweet flat bread that has its origin in South Indian and Maharashtra. The Poli or outer covering of the flat bread is stuffed with sweet lentil filling and then shallow fried in ghee. It is served before a meal with warm milk or ghee. The trick to make perfect Puran Poli is to prepare the sweet lentil filling to perfection. It is best to cook the mashed lentil and sugar mixture on low or medium flame for a long time. You should keep stirring the mixture as it thickens to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
You can use jaggery instead of sugar to give it a healthy touch. The use of whole wheat flour (Atta) instead of all purpose flour (Maida) in this recipe also increases its health quotient and supplies some complex carbs and dietary fiber to the dish.
Check out the full recipe at – spiceupthecurry
9. Rava Appalu / Rava Appam
Total time – 30 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Snack
Cuisine – Andhra, South Indian
Yield/Serves – 12 pieces
Ingredients –
- Rava (Sooji)
- Sugar
- Water
- Grated coconut (Dry)
- Cardamom powder
- Ghee
- Oil
Rava Appalu is a traditional South Indian sweet dish that is prepared for festive occasions. It is prepared using a few basic ingredients such as rava, sugar, grated coconut and ghee and has a soft and fluffy texture. Dry roasting the rava before preparing the dough gives it a crumbly texture and nice aroma. It is important to make sure that there are no lumps in the dough. You should fry the Appalu on low to medium flame to prevent it from burning.
Although, a deep fried recipe, you can soak out the excess oil by placing the Appalu on tissue paper after frying. The coconut gives it a nice nutty taste and slightly chewy texture.
Check out the full recipe at – ranjaniskitchen
10. Semiya Payasam/Vermicelli Kheer
Total time – 20 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert
Cuisine -South Indian
Yield/Serves – 2 Bowls
Ingredients –
- Vermicelli
- Milk
- Water
- Sugar
- Cardamom powder
- Cashew and Raisins
A South Indian meal is incomplete without Payasam. Semiya Payasam or Vermicelli pudding is a creamy and delicious dessert prepared by dry roasting vermicelli in ghee and then cooking it in milk till it develops the consistency of a pudding. The cardamom gives a appetizing aroma to the dish.
The main trick involved in Semiya Payasam is roasting the vermicelli till golden brown so that it develops a nice chewy texture and nice aroma. You should be extra careful while roasting vermicelli because it tends to burn quickly.
Check out the full recipe at – blendwithspices
11. Shahi Tukda
Total time – 30 minutes
Recipe Type – Sweets/Dessert
Cuisine – Mughlai
Yield/Serves – 2
Ingredients –
- Bread slices
- Sugar
- Water
- Almonds
- Ghee
For Rabri:
- Milk
- Sugar
- Cardamom
Shahi Tukda or Double Ka Meetha is a rich and creamy bread pudding made from fired brad slices that are soaked in milk cream and garnished with nuts and dried fruits. It is a popular dessert of Hyderabad of it has its roots in Mughlai cuisine. This dessert is extremely simple to prepare but it tastes amazing.
You must be careful while frying the bread slices. It is best to shallow fry them in low or medium heat so they turn out golden brown and crunchy. The amount of ghee, milk cream and sugar that goes into making this dish makes it a high calorie recipe and it is best to enjoy it as an occasional treat.
Check out the full recipe at – yummytummyaarthi
12. Phirni
Total time – 4-5 hours
Recipe Type – Sweets/Dessert
Cuisine – Indian
Yield/Serves – 4-5
Ingredients –
- Full cream/Full fat milk
- Rice
- Sugar
- Saffron
- Cardamom pods
- Nuts – almonds, cashew, pistachios
Phirni is a rich and creamy sweet delicacy that is served both hot and cold. It is rice pudding prepared by cooking rice flour and sugar in milk cream and then flavoring it with saffron and cardamom. Traditional Phirni is set in clay bowls called “Sakoras”. These clay bowls soak up the excess moisture and thicken the Phirni.
You can use a combination of condensed milk and full cream milk to help the Phirni to thicken faster. Soaking the rice for some time makes it easier to grind. You can also soak the almonds and pistachios in water to make them easy to peel and chop.
Check out the full recipe at – food-dee-dum
13. Malai Kulfi
Total time – 55 minutes + 6-8 hours of freezing time
Recipe Type – Dessert/Ice cream
Cuisine – Mughlai
Yield/Serves – 6 Kulfi
Ingredients –
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Khoya
- Dried milk powder
- Finely chopped almonds, cashews and pistachios
- Sugar
- Green cardamom pods
Rich and creamy Malai Kulfi is an Indian ice cream flavored with cardamom, saffron and nuts. It prepared by evaporating sweetened and flavored milk and then freezing it in tight sealed moulds. Kulfi is available in a variety of flavors such as malai, rose, mango, saffron, cardamom and pistachio. It can be served alone or garnished with faluda and rose syrup.
The trick to prepare perfect Kulfi is to thicken the milk to perfection by boiling it on low to medium heat. You must be careful not to burn the milk. You can use condensed milk instead of whole milk to quicken the process of reducing the milk.
Check out the full recipe at – cookwithmanali
14. Malpua rabdi
Total time – 1 hour 5 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Snack
Cuisine – Indian
Yield/Serves – 12-14 Malpua
Ingredients –
For Malpua:
- All purpose flour
- Milk powder/Khoya
- Milk
- Saffron
- Cardamom powder
- Fennel seeds
- Water
- Salt
- For Sugar Syrup:
- Water
- Sugar
- Saffron
- Cardamom powder
For serving:
- Chopped nuts
- Rabdi
Malpua is a traditional Indian dessert prepared using a mixture of all purpose flour. The light and crispy crepes are deep fried in oil and soaked in sugar syrup. It is often served with Rabdi or thickened sweetened milk. The saffron and cardamom powder used in the recipe enhances its flavors.
Make sure that the Malpua batter is thin and free flowing so that the Malpua turns out crispy. If the batter is too thick or dense then the Malpua will turn out dense. You can use crumbled khoya instead of milk powder to give a coarse creamy texture to the Malpua.
Check out the full recipe at – cookclickndevour
15. Moong Dal Halwa
Total time – 8 hours to 1 day
Recipe Type – Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – Rajasthan
Yield/Serves – 4
Ingredients –
- Split yellow Moong Dal
- Ghee
- Sugar
- Milk
- Cashew and Raisins roasted in Ghee
- Cardamom powder
- Saffron strands
Delicious and creamy Moong Dal Halwa or Yellow Lentil Pudding is a Indian dessert delicacy that served during festive occasions such as Holi, Diwali and wedding ceremonies. Slow cooking the Moong dal paste in ghee gives a velvety and creamy texture to the Halwa. The saffron and cardamom gives an appetizing aroma to the dish.
It takes a lot of patience to sauté the lentil paste on low heat for a long time otherwise the paste tends to burn. The generous use of ghee makes it a high calorie dish that should be enjoyed only as an occasional treat.
Check out the full recipe at – chefinyou
16. Doodh Peda
Total time – 17 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
Yield/Serves – 10-12 Peda
Ingredients –
- Ghee
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Milk powder
- Saffron strands infused in hot milk
- Nutmeg powder
- Cardamom powder
- Rose water (Optional)
- Pinch of salt (Optional)
Doodh Peda is a traditional Indian sweet that is served as a Prasadam during festive occasions. The sweet is made from a mixture of khoya, milk and sugar and flavored with saffron and cardamom seeds. It has a semi-soft texture and mellow sweet taste. The sweets are garnishes with spices of pistachio and almonds.
In this recipe, sweetened condensed milk and milk powder has been used instead of khoya to speed up the cooking process. But it important to mix the milk powder evenly otherwise it can result in a lumpy dough. Because it is a semi-dry sweet so you can store it in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.
Check out the full recipe at – flavorsofmumbai
17. Bengali Rasgulla
Total time – 50 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – Bengal/Odisha
Yield/Serves – 20 small Rasgulla
Ingredients –
- Full fat milk
- Lime juice/vinegar
- Sugar
- Water
- Crushed pistachio
Rasgulla is an extremely popular Indian dessert made from chenna (Indian cottage cheese) that are shaped in the form of balls and soaked in light sugar syrup. The most important step in preparing Rasgulla is making the chenna. It is done by curdling milk and separating the cheese from the whey. The chenna is then mashed and shaped into balls.
You can either make the dumplings with pure chenna or add some all purpose flour to it if you want a tighter and denser consistency. Sprinkle some coarsely crushed or chopped pistachio from top and your Rasgulla are ready. You can serve the Rasgulla hot or store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Check out the full recipe at – cookingandme
18. Rasmalai
Total time – 1 hour
Recipe Type – Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – West Bengal
Yield/Serves – 6
Ingredients –
For Paneer:
- Milk
- Lime juice
For Malai:
- Water
- Sugar
- Paneer patties
For Ras:
- Milk
- Sugar
- Cardamom crushed
- Saffron strands
- Almonds and Pistachios
Rasmalai is a traditional Indian delicacy that has its origin in West Bengal. Now that you know the process to make Rasgulla, Rasmalai is a cake walk from here. Rasmalai is Rasgulla soaked in rich and creamy sweetened milk. The dumplings or patties made from chhana are soaked in malai (cream) and flavored with cardamom and saffron.
It is necessary to knead the paneer or chhana to a smooth paste in order to have soft and spongy dumplings. You can either kneed the paneer with your hands or mix it in the food processer to have a smooth and lump-free consistency. You can garnish the Rasmalai with almond and pistachio shavings and strands of saffron.
Check out the full recipe at – malabar-ruchi
19. Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand
Total time – 40 minutes
Recipe Type – Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Yield/Serves – 4
Ingredients –
- Thick curd
- Sugar powder
- Cardamom powder
- Nutmeg powder
- Warm milk
- Saffron strands
- Chopped pistachios
Shrikhand is an Indian sweet dish prepared using hung curd or strained yogurt. The hung curd is mixed with milk and sugar and flavored with saffron, nutmeg and nuts. Some popular variations of Shrikhand include Mango Shrikhand, Fruit Shrikhand, Kesar Shrikhand and Elaichi Shrikhand. Shrikhand taste best when served cool.
Shrikhand is one of the easiest and simples dessert recipes that does not involve any cooking. It is best to use full-fat yogurt or thick curd to prepare the hung curd because it gives a rich and creamy texture to the Shrikhand. Shrikhand has a good shelf life and stays fresh in the fridge for a week or longer.
Check out the full recipe at – premascook
20. Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai
Total time – 1 hour
Recipe Type – Prasadam/Dessert/Sweets
Cuisine – Tamil Nadu, South Indian
Yield/Serves – 15 Pieces
Ingredients –
For Dumpling:
- Raw rice
- Water
- Salt
- Oil
For Stuffing:
- Fresh shredded coconut
- Powdered Jaggery
- Cardamom powder
- Salt
- Ghee
- Cashew nuts
- Fried Gram dal
Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai is a popular South Indian sweet dish and the main Prasadam of Ganesh Chaturthi. This sweet is prepared by stuffing rice flour dumplings with coconut and jaggery filling that is flavored with cardamom. The stuffing also contains nuts and lentils. The dumplings are put inside a mold to give them a conical shape and then steamed for 7 to 8 minutes.
The use of powdered jaggery instead of sugar gives it a healthy touch. This sweet dish is low in sugar and calories which makes it suitable for diabetics and health conscious individuals. Kozhukattai tastes best when served warm or at room temperature.
Check out the full recipe at – kannammacooks
So, try out these traditional Indian desserts and sweet delicacies in your home and serve it to your family and guests during gatherings and festive occasions.