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    Home » Indian Snacks

    Best Holi Recipes

    Published: Feb 18, 2023 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Celebrate the festival of colors with these best holi recipes. From traditional thandai drinks to holi sweets like gujiya and snacks like kachori, I have covered all the recipes you can easily make at home.

    collage of best holi recipes.

    March is the season of colors. If it is the colors of spring in the United States, it's the colors of holi in India welcoming spring. The Holi festival is celebrated over two days. Choti holi or Holi Dahan and Rangwali Holi. Holi marks the victory of good over evil, positive over negative, and light over darkness.

    Jump to:
    • Holi Special Dishes
    • Sweets and Drinks
    • Snacks
    • FAQs
    • More festival recipes you'll love
    • Recipe card
    • Holi Recipes
    • User Reviews

    Holi Special Dishes

    Holi dishes are specially prepared in the Northern parts of India. This festival is incomplete without thandai or gujiya.

    To celebrate the festival of colors, Indian chaats, puran poli, dahi vada, malpua, and chana masala are made for the holi party. You can plan your menu ahead of time so that you can make preparations in advance and be stress-free on the day of the event. For example, Thandai powder which is a common ingredient in holi recipes, can be prepared ahead and stored for at least 1 week.

    Sweets and Drinks

    As mentioned earlier, holi means drinking refreshing glasses of thandai and snacking on an endless supply of different varieties of gujiya, the two important traditional food items that are a must for this occasion. However, other delicacies include kalakand, gulab jamun, milk barfi, puran poli, kheer, and ladoo.

    I have given detailed steps for all of these, plus make ahead and storage instructions for each of these recipes. If you try holi mithai from our list, do let us know if you liked it in the comment section below.

    Thandai Recipe | Traditional Indian Holi and Maha Shivratri festival Drink.

    Thandai - Traditional Holi Drink

    Thandai or Shardai is a traditional and refreshing Indian cold drink made using dry fruits, seeds, aromatic spices, milk, and sugar. This drink is prepared during Indian festivals like Holi and Maha Shivratri in the North Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab. This drink can be prepared in less than 30 minutes!
    Check out this recipe.
    gujiya, traditional indian festival sweet recipe for holi, ganesh chaturthi, diwali, teej #gujiya

    Gujiya or Karanji

    Gujiya is an addictive, flavorful, and delicious Indian sweet recipe that is crispy and flaky on the outside with melt-in-mouth filling on the inside. Gujiya is specially prepared for Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Teej, and Diwali.
    Check out this recipe.
    Traditional Indian kalakand sweet slices (Indian milk cake or cheesecake) garnished with nuts.

    Kalakand

    Kalakand is a soft and creamy, popular Indian sweet made with milk and flavored with saffron or cardamom. Kalakand sweet is prepared during Indian festivals like Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Raksha Bandhan.
    Check out this recipe.
    thandai burfi, milk thandai barfi, barfi with milk powder #holirecipes #Indiansweets #barfi #burfi

    Thandai Milk Barfi

    Thandai Burfi or Thandai Milk Barfi is a delicious Indian Holi festival sweet recipe prepared using fresh homemade thandai powder, milk, milk powder, powdered sugar, and ghee. This burfi can be prepared in 20 minutes!
    Check out this recipe.
    thandai nankhatai, thandai cookies, bakery style Indian biscuits #holi #thandai #indiansweets

    Thandai Nankhatai

    Thandai Nankhatai is a classic and rich, melt-in-mouth Indian cookie or bakery-style biscuits that are a perfect treat for Holi this year.
    Check out this recipe.
    Puran Poli Recipe, Holige, Bele Obbattu, Ubbati, bobbatlu, vedmi, traditional Indian sweet recipe

    Puran Poli

    Puran Poli (Obbattu, Holige) is a traditional Indian sweet lentil stuffed flatbread recipe that is soft, light, and highly addictive. This dessert is prepared using chana dal (split yellow chickpeas or kadle bele), jaggery (brown sugar), cardamom powder, and flour. 
    Check out this recipe.
    Best Besan Ladoo Recipe (Besan Ke Laddu or Bandar Laddu) - Popular Indian Sweet.

    Besan Ladoo

    Besan Ladoo or Besan Laddu is a popular, best, and easy Indian sweet recipe prepared using gram flour (besan or chickpea flour), ghee, and sugar. These laddus are served or distributed to friends and family during special occasions and festivals such as Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Holi.
    Check out this recipe.
    Rice kheer, Chawal ki kheer or payasam recipe - Classic Indian rice pudding dessert recipe.

    Traditonal Kheer

    Rice Kheer is a delightful and luxurious, traditional old-fashioned Indian rice pudding prepared using rice, milk, nuts, and aromatic spices. This is dessert meant for the royals!
    Check out this recipe.
    Quick and Simple Homemade Gulab Jamun using Milk Powder served in a glass bowl.

    Gulab Jamun

    Gulab Jamun is a very popular, soft and melt-in-mouth milk-based Indian sweet recipe that consists of deep-fried dumplings or doughnuts that are prepared using khoya or milk powder and soaked in saffron cardamom flavored sugar syrup. One of the best desserts or mithai served during Indian festivals like Diwali, Navratri, Holi, Ramzan and Christmas or during any special occasions and parties. Each jamun is under 130 calories, and can be prepared in about 40 minutes.
    Check out this recipe.
    Best coconut ladoo (easy nariyal ke laddu), Stack of Indian coconut balls - coconut sweets.

    Easy Coconut Ladoo

    Coconut Ladoo, popularly known as Nariyal Ke Laddu, is a quick & easy to make, soft & melt-in-mouth instant Indian sweet prepared using three simple ingredients from your kitchen in less than 15 minutes. These laddus are gluten-free and can be easily made vegan.
    Make this traditional coconut ladoo for Raksha Bandhan, Independence day, Janmashtami, Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Varamahalakshmi, or any special occasion any time of the year. It is very simple and easy to make and loved by all.
    Check out this recipe.
    recipe for best and easy homemade carrot halwa or gajar ka halwa Indian sweet and dessert.

    Carrot Halwa

    Carrot Halwa, popularly known as Gajar Ka Halwa or Gajar Halwa, is a classic and rich, decadent melt-in-mouth Indian pudding dessert packed with dry fruits and nuts. A dessert that will impress everyone.
    Check out this recipe.
    Perfect, best and easy to make motichoor ladoo, motichur laddu recipe

    Easy Motichoor Ladoo

    Motichoor Ladoo is a popular Indian sweet recipe that is soft, flavorful, and will melt in your mouth. This Indian dessert is mainly prepared during special occasions and festivals like Diwali, Navratri, and Raksha Bandhan.
    Check out this recipe.
    Indian atta halwa (wheat halwa) or gurudwara style kada prasad sweet on a serving bowl.

    Atta Halwa

    Atta Halwa is a classic and rich, soft, and delicious melt-in-mouth Indian dessert prepared using three ingredients (wheat flour or atta, desi ghee, and sugar) in less than 20 minutes. This Indian sweet is prepared during auspicious occasions and festivals like Navratri, Diwali. Wheat halwa is also known as atte ka halwa, karkala cake, or kada prasad. 
    Check out this recipe.
    Best Falooda Recipe (Indian Royal Rose Faluda Ice cream dessert drink).

    Falooda

    Best Falooda Recipe you will make at home. This is a delicious Indian dessert drink or ice cream float with a unique combination of flavors from rose syrup, sweet basil seeds, falooda noodles or sev, chilled milk topped with vanilla ice cream, and tutti frutti.
    Check out this recipe.
    Indian Milk Barfi Sweet Recipe | Milk Powder Burfi | Popular Indian Dessert, Doodh Ki Mithai.

    Milk Burfi - Sweet for all occasion.

    Milk Barfi or Milk Powder Burfi is a popular, easy to make melt in mouth Indian dessert recipe prepared using five basic ingredients from your kitchen in less than 30 minutes—a perfect Indian sweet recipe to make for Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Holi, or any special occasion.
    Check out this recipe.

    Snacks

    Colorful snacks for a colorful festival make your table looks bright and beautiful. The first thing that comes to my mind for colorful food is definitely Indian chaats like dahi bhalla, dahi aloo, chana chaat, kachori, and vada pav. But we also have samosa, chole bhatura, pakora, dhokla, and more. Plan your menu with these easy recipes for your holi party.

    dahi bhalla, dahi vada, how to make #indianchaat #dahichaat #dahibaray #dahivada #dahibhalle #chaat

    Dahi Bahlla (Vada)

    Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada is a popular and delicious Indian snack recipe where vadas or lentil fritters are soaked in lightly sweetened thick yogurt and then garnished with chutney, sev, coriander leaves, pomegranate and spices.
    Check out this recipe.
    Samosa recipe, how to make best and perfect Indian samosa with video, #sambusa #singara #Streetfood #snack #appetizer

    Samosa

    Make crispy and flaky samosas with melt-in-mouth filling at home any time of the year when you are craving these delicious bites following this simple samosa recipe. This samosa recipe is vegetarian/vegan and can be served as an appetizer, snack, or finger food with mint chutney, dates chutney, or tomato ketchup.
    Check out this recipe.
    Aloo Pyaz Kachori / Indian Snack / Indian Street Food / Indian Chat

    Easy Kachori

    Aloo Pyaz Kachori or Onion Potato Dumplings are popular Indian snack with crispy and flaky texture on the outside and spicy, delightful and flavorful filling on the inside. A perfect snack item to prepare during Diwali and Holi!
    Check out this recipe.
    Banana Pakora, pakoda, bajji, fritters, Indian snacks, besan, paneer, aloo, cauliflower, vegetarian, vegan, keto

    Pakoras

    Banana Pakora is an easy-to-make, spiced and crisp Indian fritter that is addictive and so delicious that you just can’t stop eating one. This recipe is vegan. gluten-free, dairy-free, and keto friendly.
    Check out this recipe.
    street style dahi aloo chaat recipe with mint (pudina) & tamarind (imli) chutney #chaat #indiansnack

    Dahi Aloo Chaat

    Dahi Aloo Chaat is a popular, lip-smacking Indian street-style snack recipe that has sweet, spicy, and tangy – all flavors in every single bite.
    Check out this recipe.
    instant dahi bhalla or dahi bread #Indiansnacks #chaats #eveningsnacks #dahichaat #diwali #holi

    Instant Dahi Bhalla

    Instant Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Bread is a super easy-to-make yet delicious, addictive, and filling Indian chaat recipe that you should try whenever you have a craving for street food.
    To make this chaat, all you need is the bread of your choice, green mint chutney, and tamarind or date chutney with sev, onion, and pomegranate for garnish. Instant Dahi Bhalla is one of the best and easiest snack recipes to try for your Holi and Diwali parties.
    Check out this recipe.
    Indian street style aloo chana chaat, vegan chickpea potato salad recipe for weight loss

    Aloo Chana Chaat

    Aloo Chana Chaat  or Potato Chickpea Salad is a sweet, spicy and tangy - all in one Indian chaat recipe that can be served as a starter or even had as an evening snack. One of the best dishes that you can make this Diwali, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
    Check out this recipe.
    Chana masala recipe | Punjabi Chole Masala | Vegan Chickpea Curry for breakfast, lunch, dinner.

    Chana Masala (Chole Bhatura)

    Chana Masala (Chole Masala) is a popular North Indian vegetarian curry prepared using chickpeas (channa) and aromatic spices. Serve this classic Punjabi chole with bhatura, naan, chapati, paratha, or steamed rice.
    Check out this recipe.
    Dhokla (Khaman Dhokla) is a soft and fluffy Gujarati recipe for breakfast or snack using besan.

    Dhokla

    Dhokla or Khaman Dhokla is a soft, spongy, instant steamed dish made using gram or chickpea flour (besan) and a few spices. This savory cake is a popular recipe from Gujarat, India that can be served for breakfast, snack, main course, or side dish for lunch or dinner - almost for any meal.
    Check out this recipe.
    best, easy to make mumbai indian street style vada pav recipe

    Vada Pav

    Vada Pav is a popular street food snack from Mumbai, India. It has a fantastic combination of flavors where batata vada or fried potato dumpling is sandwiched between pav or bread rolls with a spread of green mint chutney, garlic chutney, and dates or tamarind chutney, green chili.
    Some occasionally refer to this snack as an Indian slider or Bombay burger 🙂
    Check out this recipe.
    Quick and Delicious Mumbai Street Style Pav Bhaji Recipe served in a white ceramic plate.

    Pav Bhaji

    Pav Bhaji is a very popular Indian street food where spicy and irresistibly delicious curry (bhaji) prepared using mixed vegetables is served with homemade warm rolls or pav that are toasted in butter. The recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and comes to about 270 calories per serving.
    Check out this recipe.

    FAQs

    Which special sweet is traditionally prepared on Holi?

    Thandai and gujiya are two popular sweets prepared for the festival of colors, Holi. Bhang thandai is a favorite variety of drinks consumed on this special day.

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    Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

    Recipe card

    Collage of best holi recipes

    Holi Recipes

    Kushi
    Celebrate the festival of colors with these best holi recipes. From traditional thandai drinks to holi sweets like gujiya and snacks like kachori, I have covered all the recipes that you can easily make at home.
    5 from 50 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Desserts, Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 8
    Calories 61 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Thandai masla powder

    • 15 to 18 Almonds or Badam
    • 15 Cashews
    • 15 to 20 Black peppercorns (Kali mirch)
    • 12 to 15 Green Cardamom pods (Elaichi)
    • 1 tablespoon  Fennel seeds (Saunf)
    • 1 tablespoon  Poppy seeds (Khas Khas or khus khus)
    • 1 ½ tablespoon  Watermelon seeds (Magaz)
    • 1 ½ tablespoon Dried rose petals
    • ⅛ teaspoon  Saffron strands (Kesar)

    Instructions
     

    • Soak almonds or badam overnight or 20 minutes in hot water before you start making thandai.
      15 to 18 Almonds or Badam
    • Peel the almonds, add them to the blender or mixie jar along with cashews, peppercorns, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, dried rose petals, saffron and blend it to a coarse powder or add 2 or 3 tablespoon of milk and make a smooth paste.
      15 Cashews, 15 to 20 Black peppercorns (Kali mirch), 12 to 15 Green Cardamom pods (Elaichi), 1 tablespoon  Fennel seeds (Saunf), 1 tablespoon  Poppy seeds (Khas Khas or khus khus), 1 ½ tablespoon  Watermelon seeds (Magaz), 1 ½ tablespoon Dried rose petals, ⅛ teaspoon  Saffron strands (Kesar)
    • Thandai masala is ready.

    Video

    Notes

    • Vary the amount of nuts, and spices to taste.
    • Poppy seeds are used to get that creamy texture. But if it is not available, substitute it with cashews or skip it. 
    • Cardamom seeds for their flavor, peppercorns for heat, fennel seeds for cooling effect are commonly used to make the thandai masala powder. You may increase or decrease the spices and adjust depending on how strong flavors you prefer in the drink.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 61kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.004gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Charah

      March 22, 2024 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      All the recipe is delicious, want to try one of these soon. thanks for sharing

      Reply
    2. Dannii

      March 22, 2024 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      So much incredible choice. I can't wait to try these.

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Sridevi! I am a Software Engineer by qualification, a full-time Food Blogger by passion, a self-published Author, and a happy person two kids (monsters) ago.

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