10 Traditional Kerala Sweets & Desserts with Recipes

The coastal state has a lot to offer when it comes to Kerala sweet dishes. From the simple payasam to the indulgent Ada Pradhaman, every single dish tells the tale of the rich culinary heritage of the region. Be it the Onam Sadya feast or any other auspicious occasion, Palada Payasam is always a favorite.

And the best part is, most of the items are considered healthy as well. Thanks to the natural ingredients like jaggery, coconut milk, rice flour, banana, and aromatic spices. Besides the sweet dishes, the coastal cuisine also includes fried snacks and unique regional delicacies.

Kerala Sweets: The Essence Of The Cuisine

In Kerala, the sweet offerings are as irresistible as its picturesque tropical landscape. Every single dessert makes one feel like entering a tropical heaven with every single bite. Kerala's sweet dishes aren’t only about pleasing the taste buds. They’re wholesome experiences on their own.

Try The Payasams: The Heart Of Kerala Sweets

Palada Payasam

Be it the Onam Sadya feast or any other auspicious occasion, Palada Payasam is always a favorite Kerala Sweet Dish. This is an integral part of the traditional Kerala sweets platter. It is also known as ‘pink payasam’ for its signature light pink color coming from the homemade caramel.

Ingredients

• ½ cup small rice flakes
• 6-7 cups of full-fat milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• Some cashews and raisins

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by rinsing rice ada thoroughly. Once done, soak it in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain it well and keep aside.
2. Take a heavy-bottomed pan to boil the full-fat milk. Once it starts boiling, add the soaked ada. Cook them for 15-20 minutes.
3. Next, mix in the sugar and cook until the mixture thickens, turns creamy, and is slightly pink. Add cardamom powder.
4. Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee for that added flavor. Garnish the payasam with them.
5. Once ready, put them in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes and serve them chilled.

Ada Pradhaman

Ada Pradhaman is the queen of Kerala’s dessert kingdom, ruling with her own grace and decadence. Made with flat rice flakes (ada), coconut milk, and jaggery, this dish is all about a rich, syrupy dream.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of rice ada
• 2 cups of jaggery
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 ¼ cup Coconut milk extract
• ½ tablespoon cardamom powder
• Cashews
• Raisins

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by boiling water and cooking the Ada until soft. Once done, drain and wash it with cold water to prevent sticking.
2. In a saucepan, melt jaggery in water. Strain it well to remove impurities and bring to a boil.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins. Set them aside.
4. Add the cooked ada to the jaggery syrup. Add the second extract of coconut milk. Let it simmer until the mixture thickens and the flavors marry beautifully.
5. Pour in the first extract of coconut milk. Sprinkle some cardamom powder on top.
6. Garnish with the fried cashews and raisins. Stir well and serve it warm.

Parippu Payasam

This dessert brings together the goodness of roasted moong dal, the sweetness of molten jaggery, the richness of coconut milk, and the aroma of cardamom powder. Often prepared during festivals and occasions, this payasam is nothing but a comforting milky delight served in a bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow moong dal
• 2 cups of powdered jaggery
• 1 cup of thin coconut milk
• 1 cup of thick coconut milk
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon of dry ginger
• 1 tablespoon of cardamom powder
• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• Cashews and raisins

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by dry roasting the split yellow moong dal until light brown.
2. Next, pressure cook the roasted dal. Wait until it turns soft and mushy (around 3 whistles).
3. Now, melt the jaggery and strain it well to remove lumps and impurities. Add the pressure-cooked dal to it.
4. Take the thin coconut milk, dry ginger, and cardamom powder to the mixture. Keep cooking until a thick consistency is achieved.
5. Next, slowly add the thin coconut milk. Cook for a few minutes before turning off the heat.
6. In a shallow pan, fry the cashew nuts and raisins in ghee until golden brown. Garnish the payasam with them and serve it warm.

Try The Authentic Fried Snacks

Unniyappam

Move over donuts, because Kerala’s Unniyappam is here to take the crown. These bite-sized fried dumplings are sweet, slightly crunchy on the outside, and soft like clouds on the inside.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups rice flour
• ¾ cup jaggery
• 1 large ripe banana (preferably Nendran)
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds
• ¼ cup ghee
• ¼ cup coconut pieces (chopped)
• ½ cup water
• A pinch of baking soda

Procedure

1. Banana party: Mash the banana with a fork until it’s smooth and creamy. We’re looking for baby food consistency here.
2. Melt the jaggery in water over low heat until it dissolves into a rich syrup. Let it cool down a bit because nobody likes burnt hands or syrup splashes.
3. In a bowl, combine the rice flour, mashed banana, jaggery syrup, cardamom powder, and black sesame seeds. Stir until you get a smooth batter. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but not runny.
4. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the coconut pieces until golden brown. Add these crispy bits to the batter.
5. Add a pinch of baking soda to the batter and let it sit for about 30 minutes. The batter should get light and airy.
6. Heat oil in an unniyappam pan (or any deep frying pan with little cavities). Pour a small amount of batter into each cavity.
7. Fry until they’re golden brown and crispy on the outside. Now, bite into one and savor the sweet, spongy goodness.

Neyyappam

Kerala has a lot to offer when it comes to delicious fried snacks. And Neyyappam indeed is one of them. Made with rice flour, jaggery, and coconut, this one features a crispy exterior encasing a soft and sweet interior. Be it a temple prasad or a festive delicacy, these easily fit into any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• ¾ cup melted jaggery
• 1 banana
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
• 2 tablespoons fried coconut slices
• A pinch of baking soda
• 2-3 tablespoons of ghee

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by soaking the rice for a few hours. Once done, grind the rice with the melted jaggery. Make sure a banana is added to achieve a thick, smooth batter.
2. Next, mix in the cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, a pinch of baking powder, and the fried coconut slices. Give everything a good mix. Let the batter rest for some time.
3. In a frying pan, heat hee over a medium flame. Add a few ladlefuls of batter into the ghee. Fry until one side turns golden brown. Flip it and repeat the same for the other side.
4. Drain excess ghee on an absorbent paper and serve them hot.

Pazham Pori

This beloved, deep-fried, crispy Kerala snack is all about a simple and comforting pairing of nendran banana with a sweet and thick flour batter. Often enjoyed with evening chai, this one is full of nostalgic appeal wth every single bite.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Nendran bananas
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Oil for deep frying

Step-by-step guide

1. In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, rice flour, sugar, turmeric powder, and water. Give everything a good mix to form a thick batter.
2. Take the bananas and slice them lengthwise into 3 to 4 thick pieces.
3. Next, dip the banana slices into the batter to form a thick coating.
4. In a frying pan, eat oilmover a medium flame and deep-fry the coated banana slices until golden brown on both sides.
5. Once done, drain the excess oil on paper towels and serve hot.

Kerala Desserts: Explore The Regional Specialties

Kozhikodan Halwa

This iconic Kerala sweet is a rich, chewy halwa originating from the Sweet Meat Street of Kozhikode. This legendary sweet is famous for its long shelf life. Made from coconut oil, flour, jaggery, and nuts, this dessert carries a unique aroma and taste.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of soaked wheat milk
• 5 cups of crushed jaggery
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 4-5 tbsp ghee
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• Water as required
• Chopped cashew nuts and raisins
• chopped dry coconut

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by dissolving jaggery and bring it to a boil in a pan. Add the wheat milk. Keep stirring continuously on medium heat.
2. Add coconut oil, ghee, cardamom, and chopped cashew nuts when it thickens.
3. Cook the mixture until the halwa starts leaving the sides of the pan
4. Pour the halwa into a tray and let it cool for a few hours before cutting it into pieces and serving.

Steamed Delicacies

Ela Ada

This steamed sweet features the goodness of rice flour dough, grated coconut, and jaggery, all wrapped in a banana leaf. This guilt-free, healthy dessert has a classic, nostalgic appeal and is a festive staple. It is also a popular breakfast option on the coastal state.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of melted jaggery
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 cup water
• A pinch of salt
• Banana leaf pieces

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by roasting the grated coconut. Once done, mix it with the melted jaggery.
2. Next, add cardamom powder and ghee. Cook the mixture until it turns thick. Allow the filling to cool completely.
3. Boil some water with a pinch of salt and a little ghee. Turn off the heat and add rice flour. Give it a good mix before kneading it into a soft, smooth dough.
4. Take the banana leaf pieces. Grease them with some oil or ghee. Take a small portion of the rice flour dough and flatten it into a disc. Add some coconut-jaggery filling to it and seal the edges.
5. Steam it for 10-15 minutes on medium heat until the dough is firm.
6. Serve it warm.