The celebration of the auspicious Raksha Bandhan Festival in India, signifies the beautiful bond between brothers and sisters. This time it falls on August 30, 2023. While you gear up with the festivities and rituals, here is my signature list of top 30 Sweet Recipes for this day.
No festival in India is complete without mithai (sweetmeats). This compilation is going to help you select the best ones for your siblings and family. So, get ready, choose your favorite and make this year’s Raksha Bandhan, a super special one.
Significance of Raksha Bandhan Festival
One of the most significant ones for Hindus, Raksha Bandhan Festival is celebrated by brothers, sisters and even siblings. On this auspicious day, a sacred thread called ‘rakhi’ is tied on the wrist of the brother by his sister.
She even does a tilak on his forehead, which is sometimes followed by an aarti as well. While doing so, she wishes a life of happiness, prosperity and abundance for him. In return, he showers his love and blessings on her and promises to devotedly protect her in good and bad times.
Brothers also gift their sisters presents. This customary ceremony eventually ends with the sister feeding her brother sweets and their favorite food, and vice versa. On this day, not just siblings, but the entire family comes together and celebrates with joy and full fervor.
In India, Raksha Bandhan celebrations are quite grand. Hence, the sweets that are a part of the celebration, should also be exceptional. This post with my personal selection of 30 Sweet Recipes is specially curated for this day. It will surely enhance the merriment and make this day memorable.
Sweets for Raksha Bandhan Festival
Before you actually jump onto the recipe list, read on to know what exactly is in store for you within each of these 30 Sweet Recipes, that are especially put together for your Raksha Bandhan Festival revelries.
Ladoo and Barfi
This section has the traditional Indian sweet of ladoo and barfi. Ladoo are sweet balls that are made with cereal and lentil flours, grains, nuts and seeds. While barfi is a fudge like sweet that is made with milk, nuts and even lentils or their flours.
I have here listed most of the popular laddu varieties like Besan Ladoo, Motichoor Ladoo etc. If you like sweets made with besan (gram flour), do check Mysore Pak and Besan Ka Halwa.
If you like Rava Laddu and more sweets with semolina, do try Rava Kesari, Milk Kesari and Kesari Bath. Other than these, this collection of Ladoo Recipes will also give you more ideas.
The barfi list has the basic barfi with khoya or mawa; the quintessential coconut barfi and the unique 7 cup barfi with 7 measurements of ingredients.
Kheer, Payasam and Halwa
The trio of Kheer or Payasam and Halwa can be categorized as sweet puddings. This section of sweet puddings include the most popular rice Kheer; the creamy Seviyan or Vermicelli Kheer and it’s South Indian variant Semiya Payasam.
I also list the very North Indian saffron and cardamom flavored style Phirni; and the 4 ingredient South Indian counterpart of the Rice Kheer called Paal Payasam.
In the halwa list, you’ll find the famous Suji ka Halwa with the South Indian variation called Rava Kesari and everyone’s favorite Carrot Halwa. Other well-known choices are Badam Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa and Wheat Halwa.
Popular Indian Sweets
The sweets in this list are some of those that are a preferred choice for both me and my family. It includes Gulab Jamun, Kaju Katli, Milk Peda, Sandesh, Kalakand and Rasgulla. I also share chocolate based desserts like cake, pudding and fudge. You can even try more decadent chocolate desserts from this list of Chocolate Recipes.
So take your pick and make any of your preferred Raksha Bandhan sweet or dessert on this Rakhi Festival. Wish you a Happy Rakshan Bandhan Festival.
Raksha Bandhan Sweets
Ladoo and Barfi Recipes
Moderate
15 minutes
Make coconut ladoo with three recipes. The first one is a quick 3 ingredient recipe made with fresh coconut, milkmaid and cardamom powder. The second recipe has 2 ingredients – desiccated coconut and condensed milk. The third recipe is made with desiccated coconut and sugar.
Moderate
30 minutes
Motichur laddu are soft, delish melt in the mouth ladoo made mainly with gram flour, sugar, and spices.. One of the most popular Indian sweet.
Moderate
30 minutes
Besan Ladoo or Besan ke Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made during festivals. These are round sweet balls made with gram flour a.k.a besan, powdered sugar and clarified butter (ghee).
Moderate
30 minutes
An easy method to make rava laddu for Diwali or any festival. This rava ladoo also known as suji ke laddu is made with rava (sooji or semolina), coconut, powdered sugar, dry fruits and ghee.
Easy
20 minutes
Easy Dry fruits laddu recipe without any added sugar or fats like ghee or oil. Packed with nutrients, good fats and fibre, these energy balls are made with dates, figs and various nuts. Dry fruit laddu recipe gets done quickly and comes together under 20 minutes.
Moderate
1 hour 25 minutes
This Coconut Burfi is a delish, melt in the mouth fudge made with sweetened condensed milk, milk, and desiccated coconut.
Moderate
20 minutes
This easy, delicious Indian sweet is a quick Barfi Recipe. This Mawa Barfi is made with khoya/mawa (evaporated milk solids), sugar, nuts and some flavorings. It comes together in 20 minutes, right from the preparation to the cooking.
Moderate
30 minutes
7 cup burfi is a easy and delicious South Indian sweet made with gram flour, ghee, fresh coconut, milk and sugar. It is also known as 7 cup cake or 7 cups sweet as it is made with 7 measures of ingredients.
Moderate
30 minutes
Besan ki barfi is a traditional Indian sweet of a rich and decadent barfi made with gram flour, sugar and ghee.
Kheer, Payasam, Halwa
Moderate
50 minutes
Rice Kheer is a popular Indian sweet dessert made with basmati rice, whole milk, nuts and saffron. Kheer recipe is easy and is made with a one pan or one pot method. Rice Kheer is basically Indian rice pudding and makes for a creamy delicious sweet dessert.
Easy
20 minutes
This creamy seviyan kheer is a North Indian sweet made with wheat vermicelli, milk, sugar, dry fruits and flavored with spices. This incredibly easy recipe of semiya kheer comes together in 20 minutes and makes for an excellent dessert or sweet.
Easy
20 minutes
Semiya payasam is a creamy, sweet vermicelli pudding from the South Indian cuisine. This cardamom scented vermicelli payasam recipe comes together in 20 minutes and can be made by beginners too.
Easy
30 minutes
Phirni is a classic creamy slow-cooked sweet pudding made with ground rice, sugar, milk, almonds, saffron and cardamom powder. It is a popular North Indian sweet made during festive occasions.
Moderate
1 hour
Paal Payasam is a simple South Indian variant of a slow cooked rice pudding made with only 4 ingredients. This recipe is of a typical Tamil style Rice Payasam that is creamy and delicious.
Easy
15 minutes
Suji ka halwa or Sheera is a classic Indian semolina pudding made with sugar, ghee and dry fruits. The recipe I have shared is a family heirloom recipe. We have been making this suji halwa recipe for decades during family get togethers, special occasions & festivals. The sooji halwa recipe can be easily halved, doubled or tripled.
Moderate
1 hour 10 minutes
A Carrot Halwa recipe made in the traditional way and slow-cooked – with just grated carrots, whole milk, ghee, sugar and some nuts. You will love this evergreen and popular Gajar ka Halwa recipe. Make this rich sweet for special occasions or during festivals.
Moderate
30 minutes
Besan halwa is a delicious sweet made from gram flour, ghee, sugar and cardamom powder.
Popular Sweets For Rakhi Festival
Moderate
45 minutes
Delicious Gulab Jamun Recipe made with khoya or mawa (milk solids,) paneer and sugar in the traditional way. Gulab Jamun is a popular Indian sweet and this recipe is the classic traditional method of making these treats.
Moderate
20 minutes
These Kaju Katli are the way they are actually meant to be – thin, smooth, melt in the mouth slices of cashew goodness. A popular Indian sweet made with cashews, sugar and water.
Moderate
15 minutes
This rich peda recipe is a delightfully sweet fudge-like confection made with khoya (dried milk solids), sugar, nuts and fragrant spices. Make this simple and quick doodh peda recipe (milk peda) for any festival or celebrations.
Moderate
55 minutes
Sandesh (called Shondesh in Bengali language) is a popular milk based sweet from Bengal. It is made with chenna or paneer, sugar or jaggery, nuts and flavorings.
Easy
20 minutes
This two-ingredient, super fast recipe for Kalakand (a.k.a. Indian Milk Cake) comes together in just 15 minutes thanks to the help of a can of sweetened condensed milk.
Moderate
40 minutes
Rasgulla is a popular Bengali sweet and is also called as rosogolla. This Bengali rasgulla recipe will guide you in making soft and spongy rasgulla.
Moderate
50 minutes
Rasmalai is a popular Bengali sweet of Indian cottage cheese (chenna or paneer) balls or discs soaked in thickened, sweetened milk that has been scented with cardamom and saffron. A creamy, melt in your mouth Indian dessert sweet.
Easy
45 minutes
This easy (one-bowl!) Eggless Chocolate Cake is a simple vegan recipe you’re sure to come back to time and again. Unbelievably soft and light, you won’t believe that this decadent, chocolatey sponge cake is actually made with healthy whole wheat flour.
Easy
15 minutes
A homemade Chocolate pudding that is deliciously quick to make with only 4 ingredients. This easy eggless chocolate pudding comes together in 15 minutes and with a few hours to set it.
Easy
15 minutes
This chocolate fudge is a quick, no-bake recipe made with just 3 ingredients – chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and butter.
Easy
20 minutes
An easy recipe for no bake biscuit cake is perfect to make as a tasty and indulgent dessert. This chocolate biscuit cake features your favorite biscuits (cookies) soaked in coffee and layered with a homemade chocolate sauce
Easy
20 minutes
This creamy, light, soft chocolate mousse is made in just 20 minutes and with only 6 ingredients. An easy forgiving eggless chocolate mousse for all chocolate lovers.
Easy
35 minutes
Buttery, crisp and crunchy Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies made from whole wheat flour.
This Raksha Bandhan Sweets post from the archives first published in August 2017 has been updated and republished on August 2023.
