Are you waiting for Diwali just like a puppy waiting for a treat?

Talking about treats, with the onset of Diwali season, our cravings for sweets and snacks hikes up. Being a cooking enthusiast, I can not let the Diwali season go without having a blast in the kitchen (not the literal one).

I have looked up on the internet and shortlisted a lot of sweets and snacks recipes. Although I am yet to narrow it down, how about I share them with you in this article?

Diwali Sweets Recipes

Let us start with what’s the synonym for Diwali: Diwali Sweets. If puja completes Diwali, then so do the sweets. Let’s accept that we are no longer fans of store bought sweets so we like to prepare our lot at home. So, here are some of the easiest recipes to try at home this Diwali:

1. Gujiya Recipe

The one mithai that’s the queen of Diwali and Holi is Gujiya and not just any Gujiya, Khoya wali Gujiya. Let’s look at the easiest way to prepare these:

Roast 1 cup suji (without oil or ghee) and 250 grams khoya separately.
Roast and crush kaju and badam, 30-40 grams each.
Combine khoya and desi khand (¾ cup or to taste) in a bowl.
Add suji gradually to make a filling, until it’s semi dry.
Knead maida combined with salt and oil into a soft to dry dough.
Roll maida into thin sheets, put it on the gujiya khancha and add filling in it.
Apply water on the edges of the gujiya and press the khancha to make gujiya.
Fry these gujiya on a medium flame until golden brown and crispy.

2. Gulab Jamun Recipe

Diwali sweets recipes Gulab Jamun — Gulab Jamun

‘Gulab’ means rose whereas ‘Jamun’ means berries. Many of us don’t even know that gulab jamuns are traditionally supposed to be dipped into rose flavoured sugar syrup. Without wasting much time, let us see how we can make the perfect gulab jamun at home:

Grate 125 grams of khoya, 2 tablespoons of paneer and add 2 and a half tablespoons of maida in it.
Add 1/4th teaspoon of baking powder and cardamom powder in the mix.
Knead into a soft crack-free dough but do not overdo it.
You can use milk to soften the dough but only if needed.
Add 1 and a half cup of sugar and ¾ cup of water in a saucepan.
Let it bowl until it turns sticky that you can check by pressing a drop between your fingers.
Add 1 tablespoon of rose water and 1 and a half teaspoons of lemon juice in it and keep aside. You can add half teaspoons of cardamom powder too.
Now, make small balls with the dough and fry them in desi ghee for best flavour.
Remember that these balls double their size when fried and further doubles when soaked in sugar syrup.

3. Ras Malai Recipe

Diwali sweets recipes Ras Malai — Ras Malai

There is no match to the homemade gulab jamuns but ras malai is a dreamy delicacy which should be in our bowl on the Diwali night. Let us look at the delicate process of making this mouthwatering sweet that should not go wrong:

Pour 3 cups of milk in a heavy bottom pan and bring it to a boil on a low to medium flame.
Add kesar strands and about 3/4th cup of sugar or to taste.
Let it sit on the flame until it is reduced to half of its quantity.
Ensure to keep stirring it every 3 to 4 minutes and scraping the malai from the sides into the milk.
Divide this into two parts and keep one in the fridge.
Now add 5 cups of milk to another saucepan and bring it to a boil.
If you are using locally sourced milk or non-homogenized milk, then take it off the heat and add vinegar after 5 minutes to curdle it.
If you are using packet milk or homogenised milk, then add curd, lemon juice or vinegar when it comes to a boil.
Keep stirring the milk to curdle it into chhena properly where milk solids should separate from the water content.
Drain the entire thing through a muslin cloth which should collect the milk solids.
Tie the solids in the cloth and put it under running water to clean it thoroughly.
Hang it for 45 minutes so that the water from the solids can drain out.
Knead the milk solids into a soft dough and create small disks or patties.
Now combine 3 and a half cups of water with 1 cup of sugar and bring it to a boil.
Add cardamom powder upon boiling and add the milk solid discs in the boiling water.
Boil them for exactly 9 minutes and then remove the water off the heat.
Let them sit in there for 20 minutes, and also note that they double in size while going through this process.
Now gently squeeze the water out of these discs without breaking them apart.
You can do this by keeping a disc on the spatula we use for frying and pressing it with another flat spatula.
Now add these to the warm rabri we made and we kept outside.
Add chopped nuts like badam, kaju and pista.
Add the rabri from the fridge and serve it chilled.

4. Rasgulla Recipe

Diwali sweets recipes Rasgulla — Rasgulla

This bengali sweet, roshogulla are one of the most loved mithai all year round so there is no chance they will be left behind during the favourite festival of India. Instead of buying them from outside, let us make a batch of spongy rasgulla at home using this recipe:

Boil around 5 cups of milk and curdle it.
Locally sourced milk or non-homogenized milk should be taken off the heat and added vinegar after 5 minutes to curdle it.
Packet milk or homogenised milk should be brought to a boil and then added curd, lemon juice or vinegar.
Keep stirring to make chhena where milk solids should separate properly.
Now add ice cold water to stop the cooking process.
Pour it in a muslin cloth and tie it.
Run cold water through the chhena to clean it properly.
Hang it for 1 and half hours so that the chhena can become completely dry.
Knead the milk solids into a soft dough and make small balls out of it.
Combine sugar and water in a wide pot to cook rasgullas.
Bring it to a boil and add cardamom pods.
Remove the pods once they have infused their flavour in the water.
Add rose water in it to give it a crisp flavour.
Once the sugar syrup comes back to boil, add rasgullas into them.
Keep the flame on medium to high while they cook and not on high.
Cover the pan and boil for 9 minutes within which you need to stir the water once.
After 10 minutes, the rasgullas will double in size and you should remove them from the heat.
Do not open the lid until the rasgullas cools down to room temperature.

5. Moong Dal ka Halwa Recipe

Diwali sweets recipes Moong dal ka halwa — Moong Dal ka Halwa

The next recipe is Moong Dal ka Halwa and I am sure everybody loves it heartily but just choose ras malai over it out of pear pressure. Let us see how you can make a great moong dal ka halwa at home:

Rinse half a cup of moong dal properly.
Drain the water and blend it into a coarse paste.
Add 6 tablespoons of ghee into a kadhai.
Roast half a tablespoon of suji in it.
Roast moong dal paste in the mix on low to medium flame.
Stir it until it turns golden and aromatic.
Combine half a cup of water with the same amount of milk and a few saffron strands.
Add this concoction to the moong daal and cook till it gets semi dry.
Add 5 to 7 tablespoons of sugar (to taste) and mix well till dry.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee and half a teaspoon of cardamom powder.
Cook the halwa till it stops sticking to the pan.
Add chopped nuts once it’s ready and serve hot.

6. Coconut Barfi Recipe

Diwali sweets recipes coconut barfi — Coconut Barfi

Coconut barfi is another popular Diwali mithai that people like to prepare and eat during the festive season. It is one of the easiest recipes to make and here is how it should be prepared:

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee into a hot pan.
Roast 2 tablespoons of broken cashew nuts and remove them on a plate.
Add 400 grams of grated fresh coconut in the same pan.
Combine 2 cups of milk in the coconut and cook until it evaporates.
Add one and a half cups of sugar in the mix and cook until the moisture evaporates again.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of ghee and cook until it becomes dry.
Add half a teaspoon of cardamom powder and mix well.
Press down this mix into a container to give shape to the barfi.
Add roasted cashew and pista on the top of the barfi.
Let it sit for 3 to 4 hours and then cut the pieces.

7. Kalakand Barfi Recipe

Diwali sweets recipes kalakand barfi — Kalakand barfi

We all love barfi but we like Kalakand better. It is a sweet that is delicate and moist which melts in the mouth effortlessly. Here is how to show heaven to your taste buds:

Combine one can of condensed milk and 2 cups of grated paneer in a pan.
Stir it until it becomes thick on medium flame.
Now turn the flame to low and cook until the moisture evaporates.
Add ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder.
Set it in a container and refrigerate for an hour before cutting.

Conclusion

These were all the Diwali sweets recipes I would like you all to try at home. I will try to add more of such easy to make recipes in this article to make your Diwali festival filled with sweetness.

Make sure to try these recipes at home and serve them to your friends and family who visit you. Leave their reactions in the comments section below for us to know how much you enjoyed these recipes.