A roundup of Indian sweets and Indian desserts to inspire you to whip up a tasty treat! I’ve included my favorite traditional recipes and Indian fusion creations. I hope this post gives you some new inspiration to create in the kitchen. Whether you are a pro or a beginner, there is something here for everyone.
All recipes are vegetarian on my site. Where possible, I also offer alternative vegan options.
If you are looking for popular Indian sweets, I got you covered! Mithai means Indian sweet dishes.
There are festivals and holidays all throughout the year celebrated in India. It is custom to make sweets and desserts to celebrate. While some holidays have specific sweets associated with them, for the most part there is a HUGE variety of desserts, from milk sweets to kulfis, and people make what they like best. This list includes some easy Indian sweets and desserts. I’ve also included some of the most popular Indian desserts such as jalebi, gajar ka halwa and kaju katli.
Scroll through to find a traditional Indian dessert recipe or one of my Indian fusion creations!
Table of Contents
Traditional Indian Sweets
30-Minute Easy Jalebi Recipe
Using my mother’s traditional recipe, once you try these homemade instant jalebis you will never go back to store-bought! They come out crispy, juicy and so flavorful every time. With only 30 minutes of time required, this recipe is easy to prepareand so delicious!
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How to Make Easy Kaju Katli (Kaju Barfi) Mithai
This recipe for homemade, kaju katli (kaju barfi) is delicious. It is smooth, creamy and halwai jaisa texture and made with only 5 ingredients. It’s one of those sweets you can’t just have one of! Boxes of kaju katli, amongst other Indian sweets are often gifted during Indian holidays.
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Popular during Holi!
Gajar Ka Halwa – Indian Carrot Pudding
Gajar ka halwa is a traditional India dessert made of shredded carrots flavored with cardamom and sugar. Made with no khoya. The carrot halwa is a easy dessert that can be served on its own or even with ice cream.
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Doodh Peda (Milk Peda) Recipe
Doodh (milk) pedas are popular Indian sweets that take only 5 ingredients. They are made of sugar, milk and given a slight flavor with cardamom. Popular for Indian festivals and gift giving. Ready under 30 minutes.
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Easy Khajur Burfi or Dry fruit barfi (Date Nut Roll)
Dry fruit barfi or khajoor barfi or date roll burfi is so easy and a healthy sweet treat. It is a dates sweet or date burfi that is sweet, crunchy and delicious. This dry fruit burfi is made of nuts, dates, cardamom and coconut. There is no added sugar and it comes together in minutes! Great option for a healthier mithai option to serve.
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Coconut Rose Jalebi
Classic jalebis are given a new taste with rose flavor and sweetened coconut shreds for a fun new spin on a popular Indian dessert
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Rose Chikki
Chikki made with gur (jaggery). All it takes is five ingredients: gur (jaggery), ghee, mixed nuts, rose water and rose petals. This particular version of rose chikki is based on a well-known type we would get during trips to Lonavala, a hill station outside of Mumbai.
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Churma Ladoo No Frying
Delicious traditional Gujarati churma laddoo recipe made without frying! These ladoos arehearty and often prepared for Ganesh Chaturthi. These authentic Gujarati churma ladoo are popular Indian sweets, especially amongst the brahmin community. They can be served as part of a Gujarati thali or on their own during festival time
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Instant Greek Yogurt Shrikhand Recipe
Shrikhand is a popular Indian sweet from Western India that is yogurt based and easy to make! I love making it with greek yogurt. Best served chilled and to give the flavors some time to soak in.
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Quinoa Kheer
A healthy alternative to a classic Indian rice pudding type dessert using quinoa to make quinoa kheer. Kheer is a type of rice pudding usually made with – rice! This version uses quinoa, a healthy alternative. The smaller grains lend to more flavor for the sweet milk and cardamom flavor to come through.
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Vegan Gajar Ka Halwa
Vegan carrot halwa or gajar ka halwa is a popular traditional Indian dessert made of shredded carrots. The carrot halwa is a easy dessert that can be served on its own or even with plant based ice cream.
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Beetroot Halwa Recipe
This beetroot halwa recipe is an easy to make creamy Indian dessert flavored with a bit of cardamom. Made with milk powder instead of khoya.
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Kesar Milk
Kesar milk or saffron milk is a quick treat flavored with saffron, crushed almonds and a hint of cardamom. A traditional Indian drink!
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Unique Indian Fusion Desserts
Cookies and Cream Burfi – Indian Fusion Dessert
Classic Indian milk burfi meets a favorite American cookie to make an Indian Fusion treat, cookies and cream burfi! Cookies and cream is a popular ice cream flavor that combines vanilla ice cream with creme filled cookie sandwiches.
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Coconut Jalebi Cupcakes
Indian fusion coconut jalebi cake or cupcakes! Easy coconut cupcakes with a saffron pudding filling and topped with toasted coconut flakes and topped with a jalebi
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Gajar Ka Halwa Cake – Indian Carrot Cake
Indian carrot cake inspired by gajar ka halwa which is carrot halwa. Cake is loaded with cardamom, carrots, nuts and raisins. Topped with easy to make whipped cardamom cream cheese frosting.
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Chikoo Fruit Mousse – Sapodilla Recipe
Easy 3 ingredient recipe makes a quick dessert using the delicious taste of chikoo fruit, which is also known as sapodilla. This hits the spot for a creamy chikoo dessert and takes about 10-15 minutes active time. It is perfect to make ahead the day before a party and refrigerate, or even whip up for last minute guests without much stress.
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No Bake Mango Cheesecake – Mango Shrikhand Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust
Creamy, mousse-y, melt in your mouth no bake mango cheesecake inspired by the popular Indian dessert, mango shrikhand! This is a fusion dessert with cardamom, saffron and pistachios to win over your guests. Eggless and gelatin free.
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Kesar Pista Cupcakes (Saffron Pistachio)
Pistachio cupcakes with a cream cheese saffron topping! Easy to make cupcakes use ground pistachios for a delicious flavor.
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Kesar Pista Milk Cake – Indian Milk Cake – Saffron Milk Cake
Pistachio cake soaked in saffron infused milk. Made with ground, roasted pistachios. Eggless recipe.
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Chikoo Cheesecake – Toasted Coconut Cardamom Parle G C
Easy, no bake chikoo cheesecake. Chikoo has delicious notes of caramel. Paired with a toasted coconut and cardamom crust.
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Indian Baklava – Thandai flavors Indian fusion
Indian flavors meet a Greek dessert in this Indian fusion sweet treat. Flavors are inspired by Thandai.
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Gajar Ka Halwa Cupcakes
Cupcakes filled with a traditional Indian sweet, gajar ka halwa (carrot halwa), and topped with a cream cheese cardamom icing
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Gulab Jamun Pancakes
Gulab jamun pancakes, an Indian fusion treat. Flavors of gulab jamun, a popular Indian dessert, infused into pancakes!
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Parle G Cookie Butter Chocolate Truffles
A heavenly sweet treat combining Parle G and chocolate! Parle G cookie butter truffles are a fun treat that has a chocolate chai flavor profile. This can be an easy homemade gift to give! The Parle G cookie butter takes only a few minutes to whip up and should be made first. The recipe includes chai spices so this is a chocolate chai cookie butter treat
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25+ Authentic Indian Sweets and Dessert Recipes: Jalebi & more
My mom's 30-minute jalebis come out crispy, juicy and so flavorful everytime! Plus, enjoy 26 more Indian sweets and dessert recipes; some Indian mithai-inspired
Equipment
- pan for frying
Ingredients
Saffron Sugar Syrup (Chaasni)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 pinches saffron generous pinches for more color
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- orange color optional, I use the natural color from saffron for the color
Jalebi
- 1 cup all purpose flour maida
- 3½ tbsp urad dal flour grind urad dal and sieve to make your own flour if you do not have it
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1½ tsp Eno
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 tbsp water note: total ⅔ cup plus 2 tbsp water total
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
Sugar Syrup (Chaasni)
- Bring 1 cup water and 2 cups sugar with cardamom and saffron to a boil. Sugar should be dissolved, stir. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes more. Turn off gas and add in lemon juice.
Jalebi
- Mix ingredients of urad dal flour, all purpose flour, eno and ghee
- Add water (⅔cup plus 2 tbsp water) to make a dough that is not too thin and not to thick. It will be on thicker side. If you need more water add 1 tbsp at a time.
- Fill squeeze bottle or piping bag with batter. Heat oil. Once oil heated make jalebi shapes in oil to fry on medium heat.
- Fry until golden brown
- Remove from syrup and garnish with pistachios. Best enjoyed fresh!
Nutrition
Calories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!