Diwali Sweets with Ghee: 6 Traditional Recipes for the Festive Season

By Thaaro Foods · 8 October 2026

Besan ladoo, moong dal halwa, crisp shakarpara and more: six festive sweets the way they are made at home, and the ghee that suits each one.

Diwali falls in early November in 2026, and in most homes the sweets are made days ahead: the kitchen smells of roasting besan and warm ghee long before the diyas are lit. Here are six classics, written for a home kitchen. Buffalo ghee gives sweets a rich body; cow ghee a lighter, nutty taste. Use what your family prefers.

1. Besan ladoo

Makes about 15. 2 cups besan (gram flour), ¾ cup ghee, 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp cardamom powder, chopped almonds and pistachios.

1. Melt the ghee in a heavy kadhai on low heat and add the besan.
2. Roast, stirring all the time, for 20–25 minutes until it turns golden and smells nutty. Do not rush this: raw besan tastes bitter.
3. Take it off the heat and let it cool until just warm.
4. Mix in the sugar, cardamom and nuts, then press into round ladoos.

2. Atta ladoo

Makes about 15. 2 cups whole wheat flour, ¾ cup ghee, 1 cup powdered jaggery or sugar, 2 tbsp edible gum (gond, optional), dry fruits.

1. If using gond, fry it in a little hot ghee until it puffs, then crush it.
2. Roast the flour in the rest of the ghee on low heat until deep golden, about 20 minutes.
3. Cool until warm, mix in the jaggery, gond and dry fruits, and shape into ladoos.

For a Rajasthani twist, see our recipe for panjiri.

3. Moong dal halwa

The king of winter sweets in Rajasthan, and worth the slow stirring. Soak yellow moong dal, grind it coarse, then cook it in generous ghee until golden and grainy before adding sugar syrup or milk. Our full method is in the moong dal halwa recipe.

4. Shakarpara

A crisp sweet for the snack tin. 2 cups maida or atta, 4 tbsp melted ghee, ½ cup sugar dissolved in ½ cup warm milk.

1. Rub the ghee into the flour until it holds when pressed.
2. Knead into a firm dough with the sweet milk and rest it for 20 minutes.
3. Roll thick, cut into diamonds and fry on low-medium heat until golden and crisp.
4. Cool fully before storing in an airtight tin.

5. Coconut barfi

Quick and fuss-free. 2 cups grated coconut, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup milk, 2 tbsp ghee, cardamom.

1. Warm the ghee, add the coconut and roast for 3–4 minutes without colouring.
2. Add the milk and sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
3. Spread on a greased plate, cool a little and cut into squares.

6. Churma

A Rajasthani favourite. Knead a stiff dough of coarse wheat flour with a little ghee, shape it into fists and fry or bake them slowly until cooked through. Crush them, mix with warm ghee, powdered jaggery or sugar, cardamom and nuts, and serve as it is or press into churma ladoos.

Tips for festive sweets

• Roast on low heat. Flour, besan and dal need patience; high heat browns the outside and leaves them raw inside.
• Add sugar off the heat. Sugar added to very hot mixtures melts and makes ladoos sticky.
• Store sweets in airtight tins, separately from savoury snacks, so they keep their own aroma.

Making sweets for the whole family? Bilona buffalo ghee comes in jars up to 5 L, and A2 cow ghee in 500 ml and 1 L. For gifts, see our Diwali gift ideas.

Questions

How long should I roast besan for ladoo?

Usually 20–25 minutes on low heat, stirring all the time, until it turns golden and smells nutty.

Why are my ladoos not holding shape?

The mixture may be too dry: add a spoon of warm ghee. If it is too soft, let it cool a little before shaping.

How long do homemade ghee sweets keep?

Dry sweets like ladoo and shakarpara keep for about one to two weeks in an airtight tin. Milk-based sweets like barfi are best eaten within a few days.