Every year, Diwali brings with it lights, cheers and treats for your sweet tooth. During this auspicious occasion, sweets add much more enthusiasm and elate your festive spirit. No Diwali is complete without people gorging on some of the most exquisite sweet dishes. The immensely popular festival is celebrated in nearly every part of India. It is the perfect occasion to bring friends and family together. Diwali parties are a fun extravaganza with card games, music and delicious food. Of course, pretty lights are as far as the eye can see during Diwali but the most inextricable part of this festival is the delicious sweets. Here we have a list of some of the best Indian Diwali sweets you have to get your hands on this season!

With the festival of lights just round the corner it’s time to try out a few Diwali treats. There are many that you could try your hands on, but here we have a list of Diwali sweets from all parts of the country.

Kaju Katli

Your Diwali is incomplete without everyone’s favorite – Kaju Barfi! These diamond-shaped treats are synonymous with the festival. They are made from three ingredients: cashew nut paste, ghee and sugar. This traditional Indian cashew fudge candy comes in quite a few variations. While the diamond-shaped variety is the most famous, you’ll also find Kaju rolls and mixed fruit Kaju Katli made in many homes. Kaju Katli is the best giveaway dessert for families and friends when celebrating Diwali for its worth every bite you take.

Badam Halwa

Badam Halwa is a delectable sweet dish prepared with almonds, khoya, milk and poppy seeds. It is made in different parts of India for nearly all occasions but is especially popular during Diwali. You can either make a halwa or serve as barfis decorated with silver leaves with the same ingredients. A pinch of cardamom powder and saffron is sprinkled finally to enhance its flavor. One can make this traditional dessert in under 30 minutes. Its melt-in-the-mouth creamy smooth texture makes it hard to stop after the first bite.

Shahi Tukda

Shahi Tukda’s name says it all, this Shahi (meaning royal) dish is made with bread slices that are fried first and then soaked in milk. The preparation is garnished with nuts, pistachios and almonds. It’s most definitely a royal treat! Originating in the city of Hyderabad this dessert has been a favorite since the times of the Kings and Queens, hence the name shahi which literally means “royal” in Persian. This exquisite Diwali dish can be added to your dessert list this Diwali. To get a taste of the best shahi tukda in the country, you must pay a visit to the city of Nawabs in Lucknow.

Mohanthal

Popularly made in Rajasthan and Gujarat, Mohanthal is made with gram flour with nuts and pistachios that are added for taste. It’s flavored with cardamom, saffron, and garnished with nuts. Sometimes, mawa/khoya is also added to it to get that perfect grainy texture. This fudge-like Indian dessert is cooked under low flame in ghee until it turns into a dense fudge. This dessert is essentially a form of barfi with a smooth texture that is incredibly delicious!

Ladoos

A Diwali without the mention of ladoos? No way! Diwali calls for all kinds of ladoos being prepared in every household. It is a sphere shaped sweet, with variations from across the country. Some of the most popular ladoos are motichoor, besan, boondi and coconut til ladoos. Coconut til ladoos are a favorite among the Maharashtrians and the boondi ladoos are popular in north India. There are tons of other varieties from all over India that are equally mouth-watering! These traditional sweet balls are easy to make and are super delicious.

Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun needs no introduction! Traditionally it is made with milk powder, khoya and paneer/cottage cheese. It is usually deep-fried and served with caramel or sugar syrup making it the perfect treat. No matter how full you are, there’s always some space left for this sweet dish that can instantly impress everyone! No Diwali celebration is complete without tasting these delicious khoya balls.

Rasmalai

This melt-in-mouth sweet treat Rasmalai originated in West Bengal. The word Rasmalai consists of two words, Ras and Malai. The word ‘Ras’ translates to juice and the word ‘Malai’ translates to cream. This quick and easy to make Diwali sweets is made up of cardamom, chhena, corn flour and saffron. White balls are soaked in sweet, flavored milk and given a flavor of cardamom. These white balls are made with Indian cheese and are garnished with saffron and pistachios. This rich dessert is quite the hit during festivals!

Jalebi

This popular street food is also one of the most popular desserts from the Indian subcontinent. Jalebi is made with maida flour, saffron, ghee, sugar and is mostly orange or yellow in color. The maida flour batter in pretzel or circular shapes are deep-fried in oil and then soaked in sugar syrup. They are often eaten with curd or rabri along with optional other flavors such as kewra. Jalebis taste best when served hot! While the traditional jalebi is the most famous, its variations include ‘imarti’ and ‘jahangiri’.

Peda

These delicate pedas originated from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, but are now widely seen all over the country. They are usually made with ingredients like khoa and sugar with flavorings including cardamom seeds, pistachio nuts and saffron. Usually these pedas come in different shapes and textures. Some of these Diwali sweets are made thick, while others are made semi thick. Kesar peda, made with saffron, is a popular variety in the north, while the darker Dharwad peda is very famous in south Indian state of Karnataka.

Gajar ka Halwa

Gajar Ka Halwa or carrot halwa is a sweet dish made with carrots, condensed milk, khoya and cream. It is most popular in central and northern India. The dish is garnished with dry fruits and is cooked in nearly every household during Diwali! It is one of the best Diwali sweets thali to indulge with your friends and family during this festive season.

Balushahi

In south India, Balushahi is also called as badusha or badhusha. Balushahi almost resembles a glazed doughnut, hence it’s popularly called as the Indian doughnut. It only has similar ingredients, but the taste and texture is completely different from doughnuts. While the doughnuts are soft from the outside and inside, this traditional dessert has a solid flaky texture from the outside, with a sweeter, softer center. It can be eaten just like that or soaked in sugar syrup and served.

Mysore Pak

Mysore pak is a super delicious four ingredient traditional dessert that’s very popular in south India. A mixture of a few simple ingredients like, ghee, sugar, gram flour and cardamom makes for some melt in the mouth recipe. This sweet invented in the kitchens of the Mysore palace is sure to transport you to royalty! It got its name ‘Mysore’ from the city from which it originated. Here ‘pak’ or ‘paka’ refers to sugar syrup, as the besan is cooked in sugar syrup mixed with ghee.

Chawal Ki Kheer

Chawal Ki Kheer or Rice Kheer is the Indian version of rice pudding made with basmati rice, whole milk, sugar, cashews, saffron and cardamom. It is slow-cooked to perfection until it reaches a rich, creamy texture. Rice Kheer is perhaps that perfect classic dessert for any festive or special occasions. It is very difficult to say no to a bowl full of fragrant kheer. Seviyan Kheer and Phirni kheer are other popular variations that one can give to this kheer.

Soan Papdi

Soan papdi is the most popular gifting option on Diwali. Made with a mixture of gram flour, all-purpose flour, ghee, sugar, almond, milk and cardamom, this Diwali sweet is the perfect way to finish off a heavy festive meal. Flaky from the outside, light from the inside, this dessert literally melts in your mouth. It usually comes in cube-shaped but the traditional way to serve is as flakes in butter paper cones.

Sandesh

Sandesh is a dessert that’s most popular in Bengal and Odisha. The simplest version of sandesh is created with milk and sugar. For more elaborate preparations there is a use of chhena or paneer instead of milk. Chenna is dried and pressed, flavored with fruits, colored and then molded into shapes like elephants, conch shells and fish. This dessert is both beautiful and delicious at the same time.

Also Read: Best Places To Celebrate Diwali In India

Desserts are the highlight of every celebration and if you are the one looking forward to Diwali just to treat your sweet tooth, then this is the right time. Indulge in these great Diwali sweets and celebrate the festival of lights like never before! Make some of these sweets for Diwali at home and share it with your family, friends and loved ones. Don’t forget to mention your favorite sweet in the comment section below. Happy Diwali to all!