11 Delicious Diwali Sweet Recipes For Children

Diwali is a festival children eagerly look forward to; they are most excited about indulging in some delectable sweet treats on this special day. Hence, if you want to explore some delicious Diwali sweet recipes for children, we have you covered.

Dressing up, decorating the house with lights, stocking the pantry with cupcakes, gulab jamuns, jalebis, and pastries, and sharing the joy with delicious sweets – children love it all. And the fun of making Diwali sweets at home is doubled with your family around.

So, this Diwali, surprise your little ones with their favorite sweet delicacies. To help you, we have listed some tasty and delightful sweet recipes for Diwali that will add to the festivities and surely be relished by your children.

In This Article

List Of Easy Diwali Sweets Recipes For Children

1. Pistachio Kulfi:

Pistachio kulfi diwali sweet recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • ½ cup of sugar
  • 3 liters of milk

For The Kulfi Paste:

  • ¼ cup of cashew
  • ¼ cup of almonds, blanched and peeled
  • ¼ cup of pistachios
  • 2 teaspoons of cardamom powder
  • 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds
  • 8 to 10 whole black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder

How To:

  1. Take all the ingredients of the Kulfi paste and grind it finely in the mixer. You can also make a paste of it using some water.
  1. Take a heavy bottom saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once the milk boils, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until it comes down half its quantity. Now add sugar and mix until it dissolves completely.
  1. Add the Kulfi paste and give it a nice whisk.
  1. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
  1. Pour the mixture into Kulfi molds until ¾th full and refrigerate for 15 to 20 hours.
  1. When done, take out the Kulfi from the molds and serve.

protip_icon Quick tip
As the milk boils, stir it often, so it does not scorch or burn at the bottom of the pan.

2. Malpua:

Malpua, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of milk powder
  • 3 tablespoons of yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons of khoya, crumbled
  • Ghee for frying

For Sugar Syrup:

  • ¼ cup of water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 strands of saffron
  • Juice of ½ lemon

How To:

  1. In a bowl, mix flour, milk, sugar, fennel seeds, milk powder and crushed cardamom pods.
  1. Now add yogurt and khoya to the flour mixture and stir well. Add some water to give the batter a smooth consistency. Leave the mixture aside for 30 minutes.
  1. To make the sugar syrup, add water and sugar in a heavy bottom pan and simmer until the sugar melts completely.
  1. When the sugar dissolves, add the saffron strands and lemon juice and stir well to combine. The sugar syrup must be sticky now.
  1. In another pan, heat two tablespoons of ghee and pour a spoonful of batter on it. Gently spread to form small sized pancakes. Cook the malpuas until they are golden brown in color.
  1. Take the malpua off the heat and dip in the sugar syrup. Repeat the same procedure for other malpuas.
protip_icon Quick tip
Mash an overripe banana and add to the mixture. It will make the malpua softer and reduce the need to add sugar.

3. Badam Halwa:

Badam halwa, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 1 ½ cups almonds, blanched
  • 2 cups of water
  • 5-6 green cardamom, crushed
  • 4 strands of saffron
  • ½ cup of sugar
  • ½ cup water or milk
  • ¼ cup of coconut oil

How To:

  1. Blend the almonds with 2 cups of water to make a smooth paste.
  1. In a heavy bottom pan, cook the almond paste until it thickens.
  1. Now add sugar and combine well.
  1. Add water or milk and keep stirring.
  1. Now add coconut oil and stir until the mixture becomes thick and lumpy.
  1. Finally, add saffron and cardamom and stir again.
  1. You can stir the halwa straight away or cool and cut into diamond shape.

Isn’t it a simple diwali sweets recipes for children?

4. Gajar Ka Halwa:

Gajar ka halwa, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 2 ½ cups grated carrots
  • 8 tablespoons of sugar
  • 2 ½ cups of milk
  • 5-6 of cardamom, powdered
  • ⅓ cup of evaporated milk/khoya
  • 8-10 chopped cashews
  • 12-15 raisins
  • 7-8 pistachio, chopped
  • A pinch of saffron
  • 2½ tablespoon ghee

How To:

  1. In a wok, mix grated carrot with milk and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
  1. Now add cardamom powder and stir.
  1. When the mixture starts thickening, add ghee and sugar.
  1. Now add the dried fruits, saffron, and almond paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  1. Serve the halwa warm. It is an easy diwali sweets for children to make.

5. Milk Pedha:

Milk pedha, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 200 grams of condensed milk
  • ½ tablespoon of ghee
  • ¾ cup of milk powder
  • A pinch of nutmeg powder
  • A pinch of saffron
  • 3-4 green cardamoms, crushed

How To:

  1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix condensed milk, milk powder, and ghee. Microwave on high for one minute.
  1. Add crushed cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg powder and microwave for another two minutes or until the mixture thickens.
  1. Now apply some ghee on your palm and shape the dough into small balls. Flatten slightly and refrigerate.

6. Kaju Katli:

Kaju katli, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • ½ cup of sugar or as required
  • 1 cup of cashews
  • 1 tablespoon of ghee
  • 5 tablespoons of water
  • 8-9 strands of saffron

How To:

  1. Grind the cashew in a coffee grinder until it acquires a powdery texture.
  1. Meanwhile, grease a tray and keep it aside.
  1. In a thick bottomed pan, heat sugar and water. When the sugar dissolves, add cashew powder and keep stirring continuously.
  1. Cook the cashew mixture for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Now add saffron and ghee to the cashew mixture.
  1. When the mixture is not enough to handle, knead the cashew mixture. Flatten the dough and place on the greased tray.
  1. When the mixture cools down, cut into diamond shapes and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

7. Besan Laddoo:

Besan laddoo, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 2 cups Besan
  • ½ cup ghee
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 green cardamoms, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon of raisins
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped cashews
  • Cashew halves to garnish

How To:

  1. Heat ghee in a wok and add besan to it. Roast for 6 to 7 minutes on low flame or until the color changes.
  1. Add sugar and mix for another 7 minutes. Make sure the mixture does not stick to the pan.
  1. Add cardamom powder and dry fruits and stir well.
  1. Leave the mixture aside to let it cool.
  1. Make small sized balls of the mixture and serve either hot or cold.

protip_icon Quick tip
Do not let the mixture cool completely before rolling them into balls; otherwise, the ball won’t form properly.

8. Coconut Laddoo:

Coconut laddoo, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 1 ½ cups of desiccated coconut
  • ½ cup of water
  • 3-4 cardamoms, powdered
  • ⅔ cup of sugar

How To:

  1. In a saucepan, mix sugar and water and simmer on low flame.
  1. When the consistency thickens, switch off the heat and add cardamom powder and desiccated coconut to the sugar solution.
  1. Stir the mixture well and turn off the flame.
  1. When the mixture comes at room temperature, make small balls of it.
  1. Serve immediately. You should not forget to include this sweet diwali recipe for children. You may flatten the laddoos and give them the look of cookies.
protip_icon Quick tip
Replace sugar with jaggery powder and add chopped roasted almond to accentuate this recipe’s taste, texture, and nutritional value.

9. Badam Barfi:

Badam barfi, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 1 ¼ cup of sugar
  • 1 ½ cups of almonds, blanched
  • 90 ml of water
  • ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder
  • Nuts for garnishing

How To:

  1. Dry roast the blanched almost and grind them in a blender.
  1. In a saucepan, dissolve sugar and cardamom powder in water and bring it to a boil. Cook the mixture on medium flame and keep stirring continuously. When the mixture turns thick, turn off the heat and leave it aside to cool.
  1. Transfer the mixture to a plate and knead to make a smooth dough. You can use warm milk to get a soft dough.
  1. Roll the dough with a rolling pin, place on a parchment paper, and make diamond cuts with a greased knife.
  1. Refrigerate for 4 hours and serve.

10. Moong Dal Halwa:

Moong Dal Halwa

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 1 cup yellow split yellow gram (moong dal)
  • A few saffron strands
  • 1tbsp warm milk
  • ½ cup ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½tsp cardamom powder
  • 2tbsp almond slivers

How To:

  1. Begin by soaking the yellow moong dal in an ample amount of water for 3 hours. Drain.
  2. Using a mixer, blend the soaked moong dal into a coarse paste, adding 1 tablespoon of water. Set the mixture aside.
  3. Dissolve saffron in 1 tablespoon of warm milk and keep it aside for later use.
  4. In a deep non-stick wok, heat ghee and add the blended moong dal paste. Cook over a medium flame for 23 to 25 minutes, stirring continuously.
  5. Add milk and 1 cup of warm water to the mixture, ensuring a thorough mix. Continue cooking over a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring continuously.
  6. Introduce sugar into the mixture, ensuring a well-blended mix, and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes over a medium flame, stirring continuously.
  7. Add the saffron-milk mixture and cardamom powder, ensuring thorough mixing. Continue cooking on a medium flame for 4 minutes, maintaining continuous stirring.
  8. Serve the warm moong dal halwa, garnished with almond slivers, or store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate.

11. Chocolate Barfi:

Chocolate barfi, diwali sweets recipes for children

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need:

  • 2 ½ cups of crumbled khoya or condensed milk solids
  • ¾ cup of sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon of cardamom powder
  • 1 teaspoon of rose water
  • 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder
  • Few drops of vegetable oil

How To:

  1. Heat the Khoya on a thick bottomed and keep stirring continuously so that it does not burn.
  1. When the khoya warms, add cardamom powder, sugar and rose water.
  1. Continue cooking until the sugar dissolves and the mixture achieves a halwa like consistency.
  1. Cook until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and becomes thick, just like a mass.
  1. Divide the dough into two parts. Knead the mixture into a smooth dough and give it a square shape. You can use a rolling pin to flatten it.
  1. Add cocoa powder to the other part and knead to make a dough.
  1. Place the cocoa layer over the first layer and gently press when needed. Freeze for about 30 minutes and then cut into small pieces.

This sweet and delicious confection will leave your guests wanting more.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can children learn the cultural significance of Diwali sweets through the making and sharing of these recipes?

Diwali involves dressing up and sharing stories and snacks with neighbors and friends. The cultural variations in celebrating it make it all the more special. You can share several recipes for sweets and cakes with your neighbors and also take their recommendations. And yes, involve your children when trying these recipes.

2. What are some tips for keeping Diwali sweets safe and hygienic for children to eat?

Ensuring the freshness of ingredients used for sweets, storing sweets in clean air-tight boxes, and consuming sweets within a few days of making or refrigerating them for longer preservation can help keep Diwali sweets safe and hygienic for children to eat.

3. How can children make colorful and tasty Diwali sweets using ingredients like edible food colors or sprinkles?

Sweets like kalakand, laddoo, and barfi can be made or decorated using sprinkles or edible food colors. While making the kalakand or barfi, they may add 2 drops of any edible food color to make it colorful. While decorating, adding sprinkles on top of it will beautify the whole dish and appease the guests.

4. What are some traditional regional Diwali sweet recipes that children might enjoy exploring?

Regional Diwali sweets like anarsa from Maharashtra, babroo from Himachal Pradesh, gavvalu from Andhra Pradesh, mawa kachori from Rajasthan, mohanthal from Gujarat, shufta from Kashmir, chirote from Karnataka, and khaja from Bihar are quite popular.

5. How can children make homemade chocolate truffles or fudge for Diwali?

To make chocolate truffles or fudge at home for Diwali, you will require pure chocolate bars, heavy cream, butter, and vanilla extract. Chop the chocolate bars and pour the warm cream over them to help the chocolate melt. Refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours and then roll it into balls. You can roll the balls into various toppings like sprinkles, coconut shavings, chocolate dust, edible gold or silver dust, and even finely chopped nuts.

6. What are some fun and innovative Diwali sweet recipes that children can experiment with to add a unique twist to their celebrations?

Some fun, innovative, and must-try Diwali sweet recipes include rava laddoo, soft ghee Mysore pak, phirni, fruit custard, shankarpali, puranpoli, karanji, and basundi. These are easy recipes that children can experiment with and add their unique twist.

Every aspect of Diwali is entertaining for children. Brighten their day even more with these Diwali sweet recipes for children. Although these delectable desserts may appear complex, they are, in fact, easy to prepare. Since these sweets are made at home, you can control the quality of the ingredients. Try using organic and fresh ingredients to make the dessert recipes for kids wholesome. You can make the preparation process more fun and festive by involving every family member in the task. Furthermore, you could customize the recipes as per your children’s tastes.

Infographic: Simple Recipes Of Diwali Sweets For Children

Besides the twinkling lights, lamps, and firecrackers, sweets are one of the most lovable aspects of Diwali. Sweets play a significant role in the celebration, especially for children in the house. So, let’s look through some simple yet delicious sweet recipes you can try this Diwali with your children to increase their excitement.

yummy diwali sweet recipes that your children will surely love (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

  • Traditional sweets are an essential part of the festival of lights.
  • Popular Diwali sweets include milk peda, badam halwa, kaju katli, kulfi, and besan ladoo.
  • You can easily make these treats at home with some effort and ingredients like milk, sugar, flour, besan, and clarified butter.
  • Using organic ingredients and involving the whole family can make the process more enjoyable and help spread festive vibes.

Illustration: Easy Diwali Sweets Recipes For Children To Try

Diwali Sweet Recipes For Children_illustration

Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team

Learn how to make delicious Peanut Burfi, a Diwali special sweet yet healthy treat. Quick and easy to make, this Mungfali Mithai is sure to be a hit, especially among children!

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Dr. Sonal Dhemla, a gold medalist with four years of experience, is working with a pediatric hospital as a consultant dietitian/clinical nutritionist. She founded ‘Dr. Sonal’s Nutrittude’, a diet clinic specializing in child nutrition, complementary feeding, juvenile diabetes, celiac disease, autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, growth issues among children, different deficiencies, and much more.

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Debolina Raja
Debolina RajaMA (English)
Debolina Raja came into the writing world while she was playing around with words and participating in various literary events. She found her writing interest in various genres such as health, wellness, parenting, relationship, and brand management and gained more than five years experience in it.

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Swati Patwal
Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA
Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Lorraine is a postgraduate in Life Science from Mount Carmel College and previously worked as a freelance scientific illustrator. As a project associate and lab technician at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Lorraine received valuable insights into Covid-19, transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, and neuro-degenerative diseases.

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