Gujiya, Malpua, Peda And More:10 Sweet Ideas For Holi
Written by jheelum basu | February 26, 2026
Celebrated in March every year, Holi marks the arrival of spring with colors. It blends colors, sweets, traditions, and laughter like no other festival. The two-day-long festivities mainly include events like bonfire night (Holika Dahan) and playing with colored powders (gulal) and water.
While nothing brings the Holi celebrations to life more than the vibrant pink, purple, red, and yellow colors, the celebrations always remain incomplete without sweets. Deeply intertwined with the tradition of sharing joy, love, and celebrating the arrival of spring, the Holi-special desserts always complete the celebration. This festival always carries that sweet little sense of nostalgia and the essence of childhood Holi celebrations.
Why Holi Celebration Is Incomplete Without Sweets
Homemade sweets are an integral part of Holi celebrations. Iconic Holi treats likeGujiya, malpua, and thandai sweets often represent the onset of spring, it is also part of the cultural significance and the ritual of exchanging sweets with friends, family, and neighbours.
From gujiya, malpua, and kheer to Thandai-flavored sweets, gulab jamun, and rasmalai, the options are nearly endless to try at home during Holi.
List Of 10 Sweet Ideas For Holi
Mawa Gujiya
Mawa Gujiya and Holi celebrations go hand in hand in India. It is best defined as a deep-fried crescent dumpling with a crispy, flaky crust made of all-purpose flour and a rich filling of sweetened milk solids (mawa), nuts, and dried fruits.
Malpua with rabri
This is a quintessential rich and classic Indian dessert, particularly for festivals like Holi and Diwali. It features soft, shallow-fried pancakes (malpua) soaked in sweet sugary syrup. Often, they are served with a generous dollop of thick, sweetened, and reduced rabri.
Peda
Peda is another traditional, thick, milk-based festive sweet popularly served during Holi. The delicious sweet treat is made by simply simmering khoya and thickened milk solids with sugar. For added flavoring, cardamom and saffron are used.
Gulab Jamun
No festive celebration is complete in India without a plate of hot gulab jamun. Here, the deep-fried round balls are made from milk solids, paneer, and flour. After that, they are soaked in a syrup flavored with sugar, cardamom, and saffron.
Rasmalai
This is one of the most popular luxurious Indian festive desserts featuring soft, spongy paneer or flattened chhena dumplings soaked in a rich, thickened, and sweetened milk syrup. Be it Holi or any other festival, a bowl of freshly made rasmalai never disappoints a sweet lover.
Chocolate Gujiya
Chocolate Gujiya brings in a modern, indulgent, chocolatey spin to the traditional gujiya recipe. This twisted version is all about a crisp, flaky, golden-brown outer shell with a rich, molten chocolate filling. One may simply blend some tkhoya (milk solids), nuts, and coconut in it as well for some added taste.
Kesar Shrikhand
Kesar Shrikhand features a creamy, thick, and smooth pudding made from strained yogurt or hung curd. It is then sweetened with sugar and flavored with saffron and cardamom. The aroma of kesar makes this a popular choice for the Holi celebration.
Thandai Kalakand
Holi celebration is never complete without some thandai. And these days, bedised being served as a Holi drink, the thandai flavor is also infused in sweets like kalakand. This fusion sweet pairs the refreshing, aromatic flavors of thandai with the creamy, nutty, and spiced notes of kalakand.
Rice Kheer
Rice Kheer is one of the most popular desserts when it comes to festivals or any other auspicious occasions in India. This is a rich and creamy dessert typically made from rice, thickened milk, and spices with the unadulterated goodness of nuts like almonds, cashews, and pistachios. Many prefer this dessert owing to the inherent sense of comfort that comes with the rich, creamy, and nutty texture.
Phirni
Phirni is another classic, creamy Indian sweet pudding made by slow-cooking ground basmati rice, milk, and sugar. It is usually flavored with aromatic spices like cardamom, saffron, and rose water. This recipe especially uses finely ground rice for a velvety, custard-like texture, served chilled in earthen bowls.
Conclusion:
This Holi, make sure these homemade sweets get a chance to spread the joy like never before. Instead of the store-bought regular sweets, try these easy ideas at home to surprise the guests.