List of Indian sweets and desserts


This is a list of Indian sweets and desserts, also called mithai, a significant element in Indian cuisine. Indians are known for their unique taste and experimental behavior when it comes to food. Many Indian desserts are fried foods made with sugar, milk or condensed milk. Ingredients and preferred types of dessert vary by region. In the eastern part of India, for example, most are based on milk products. Many are flavoured with almonds and pistachios, spiced with cardamon, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper, and decorated with nuts, or with gold or silver leaf.

North

East

South

West

NameImageMain ingredientsCategory
AamrasMango, milk
AnarsaSlightly fermented rice flour, jaggery, khus-khus seeds
BasundiSugar, milk
BebincaFlour, sugar, ghee, egg yolk, coconut milkBaked layered Christmas sweet
DhondasCucumber, ravaBaked cake
DoodhpakMilk, rice, sugar, dry fruitsMilk-based
Kaju katliCashews, ghee
Mahim halwaSemolina, sugar
ModakRice flour, coconut jaggery stuffingFried
MohanthalBesan, ghee, sugar and nuts
PatoleoRice flour, coconut jaggery and grated coconut stuffingWrapped in turmeric leaves and steamed
Puran poliWheat flour, gram, jaggeryBread
ShankarpaliSugar, ghee, maida flour, semolina
ShrikhandA creamy dessert made out of strained yogurt, often served with dried fruits such as mangoes.Yogurt-based
Sutar feniMaida, sugar, ghee

Pan-Indian

NameImageMain ingredientsCategory
BarfiMilk PowderBarfi
HalvaCorn FlourBoiled
KheerMilk, vermicelli, sugar, nutsMilk-based, called Payasam in Southern parts of the country
LaddooMilk, flourLaddu
Peda Milk, sugar, saffronMilk-based