You are a winter lover if you feel a sense of inner peace and serenity when you cover yourself with a warm blanket as soon as you hop on the bed after a long day. The cozy sweaters, nippy weather, and morning fogs are just so glorious for the human eye. In India, as soon as the winter arrives, there are a variety of delightful dessert items that we just can’t ignore. The warmth, mild sweetness, and oozing flavors are too good to describe.
Let’s check out the 13 heartwarming Indian winter sweets one by one:
1. Peanut Chikki
A winter-special item, this chikki has the goodness of roasted peanuts and jaggery with a good amount of crunch and delightful flavors. Every local mithai shop in India is stocked with these chikkis as soon as winter arrives. It offers a bunch of health benefits with its great ingredients. It is savored in winter for the intense feeling of warmth while soaking in the sun.
2. Gajjak
Gajjak is a popular North Indian delight that is made out of sesame seeds, loaded with jaggery, and the perfect crunch. It is especially savored in winter as it keeps the body warm from the inside and keeps us safe from any cold. Every occasion of Makar Sankranti and Lohri is just incomplete without these beautiful treats.
3. Revdi
These utterly addictive and delectable coin-shaped little crunchies are too good to be missed. This sweet meat is immensely adored by all the Indians during winter. The brittle, crunchy, and crusty taste of these little treats is undoubtedly binge-worthy.
4. Gajar Ka Halwa
Who doesn’t crave a big bowl of gajar ka halwa and its brimming sweet flavors? The traditional dish of North India, gajar ka halwa, is such a wholesome and satisfying dessert that we can go short of words for it. The grated carrots are cooked in milk and sugar with utmost love, with the fragrance of cardamom, and loaded with dry fruits, which bring such a succulent and enchanting taste!
5. Gond Ke Laddu
These laddus look tiny but are little balls with a nutrition blast and a mesmerizing taste. It has edible gum, lots of dry fruits, desi ghee, and whole wheat flour. All the ingredients come together to form these energy balls that are rich in protein, iron, and calcium. It is an absolute favorite food item with great medicinal value, especially during chilly winters.
6. Malai Makhan
This is another iconic sweet dish that originates from Lucknow, the city of Nawabs. Malai refers to cream, and Makhan means butter, and the combination of these two thick, frothy, and creamy substances creates this ultimate masterpiece. All the ingredients, including nuts and saffron, are simmered overnight so that the flavors blend into it, and the magical flavors emerge. You must be drooling already.
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7. Patishapta
The Bengali rice harvest festival, Poush Sankranti, is celebrated with various Bengali special dishes like Patishapta. It is made from date palm that is exclusively available in winter and then mixed with coconut, milk, and flour. The soothing taste of these flavorful crepes is every bong’s dream. You can pair it with kheer to brighten the taste and flavors.
8. Til Ke Laddu
During winter, every household uses some very basic ingredients like jaggery, sesame seeds, peanuts, and lots of ghee to make goodies that are luscious, nutrient-dense, keep the body warm, and regulate the body temperature. These laddus are made with crushed sesame seeds with jaggery and peanuts and dipped in lots of ghee for good fats.
9. Imarti
Every rich, juicy, sugar-dipped Imarti is always better than a Jalebi. They are made by piping urad daal into the thick sugary batter and later made in round crusty imartis. It needs skills and practice to make these ring-shaped imartis, and Indian mithaiwalas are a pro at it. The rich, succulent taste of these imartis tastes much better when served with hot badam or almond milk.
10. Moong Daal Halwa
A North Indian delight, it is always a yes for moong daal halwa at any time and at any point of the day. The rich, delectable taste of the halwa gives us the ultimate sense of satisfaction. The irresistible flavors of moong daal, its sugary sweetness, and the ghee infused in it will compel you into giving a break to calories and sinking your teeth into this lip-smackingly amazing dish.
11. Panjeeri
This dry sweet dish hails from Punjab and Haryana and has great nutritional properties, especially in winter, as it fights off the cold, cough, and any uneasiness that we have in winter. It produces heat in the body and keeps the body warm and cozy all day long. This nutritional package consists of whole-wheat flour, ghee, dry fruits, and edible gum. It helps in boosting immunity and gives aid from any wintry aches and pains in the body.
12. Shakarkandi Rabdi
Shakarkandi or sweet potatoes are known as a superfood for their highly great nutritional content, healing properties, and antioxidants; plus, they taste way better than you think. This shakarkandi rabdi is not just finger-licking good but will act as a barrier that protects from the harsh chilly winds. This rabdi includes a handsome amount of ghee and sugar to add taste and healthy fats. Garnish with some honey syrup for some extra flavors.
13. Nolengurer Sandesh
A pure Bengali delicacy made with just two ingredients, i.e., freshly made paneer or Indian cottage cheese and date palm sugar. This Bengali dessert is so smooth and soft that it will glide down your mouth in no time, leaving you spellbound. This recipe is quite a time-taking one as it requires making the paneer from scratch for the soft fudginess, and then the sugar is added to prepare this mouth-watering dessert.
Buckle (or bundle) up to try these superfoods. They are more than a dessert as they provide innumerable health benefits during the winter season!
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