30 + Easy Indian Dessert Recipes for Dinner Parties

This post contains a collection of the best Indian dessert recipes for dinner parties for any special occasions or the festive season!

I have included easy Indian dessert recipes and some showstopping classic sweets and Indian fusion creations too. Most can be made ahead of time and the recipes are simple to follow.

Indian sweets are integral to Indian culture though Indian cuisine is mostly associated with curry dishes.

These sweets or mithai, are often made from humble ingredients with stunning results and are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet cravings! The desserts are a great way to round off a delicious Indian meal.

Indian sweets can be traditional but upcoming recipes have a modern twist like these Indian Fusion Desserts

Quick Indian dessert recipes are great for last minute preparations or mid-week dinner parties as they have few main ingredients.

A couple of ingredients you will probably need available are ghee - I use homemade from butter, sugar, milk, ricotta cheese mawa, fresh homemade paneer (cottage cheese) and nuts.

You can find a list of Indian Milk Sweets/Desserts too.

Check out this Diwali Dinner Party Menu for inspiration to curate your own bespoke menu

When to serve these Indian sweets recipes:

• At festive occasions such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Republic Day and Holi

• At Indian weddings

• Special occasions such as birthdays and celebrations

• Dinner parties with families, work colleagues or friends

• During weeknights - most of these easy recipes do not need much time

Easy Indian Desserts (Quick recipes)

Some of the best dinner party dessert recipes are easy to make. When preparing for a dinner party, the last thing you want is to be rushed off your feet!

You are guaranteed to find something you'll love in this list of sweet recipes. Most posts contain plenty of helpful hints and tips so be sure to read it all the way through!

Kaju Katli / Kaju Barfi - made with a handful of ingredients - cashew flour and a simple sugar syrup is all that is required for this sweet treat! It is also easy to adapt to suit those following a vegan diet

Bhapa Doi - this perfect make ahead dessert is a type of yogurt pudding consisting of baked yogurt topped a spiced orange syrup spooned on top. Alternatively, serve with fresh fruits or dry fruits. You can either make individual portions or make in a large skillet.

Mango Panna Cotta without gelatine - This Vegetarian Panna Cotta is a layered panna cotta that combines exotic Mango and silky cream. It is a light and airy pudding requiring few ingredients

Coconut Ladoo - Coconut ladoos are hugely popular during Indian festivals. These easy ladoos are made using only 3 ingredients – desiccated coconut, milk, and sugar.

Besan Barfi - is made from gram flour and has a wonderous melt in the mouth texture. It can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. It is an easier sweet to prepare compared to mysore pak which has more complicated techniques.

Sutarfeni - my cheat version of Sutarfeni uses kataifi pastry and the help of the air fryer! You can have gorgeous sutarfeni doused in sugar syrup in minutes.

Baklava Barfi - Want to wow your guests with an Indian sweet they won't find anywhere else? This unique fusion sweet is made with plain white barfi and ribbons of nuts. Fusion desserts are also a great talking point at dinner parties!

Sugar free Boondi - these little balls of gold are a classic. If you're looking for sugar free indian sweets, this is the one. This boondi made with only natural sweetener and has no added refined sugar. It is a great alternative to the original recipe of boondi ladoo if you have guests that are avoiding sugar.

Besan ladoo - crumbly and nutty, these Besan Ladoos are just like the ones you buy at the mithai shop. Make plenty, because these will be gone fast!

Kheer - this is a spiced Indian rice pudding made with whole milk and basmati rice. It can be served warm or chilled. If made in the instant pot, this delicious dessert can be on the table in a jiffy!

Basundi - for a creamy finish to your meal, chilled Basundi is the way to go. You need full-fat milk for perfect creamy basundi, the recipe is easy but it does take up some time. You can optionally add flavourings such as rose water

Cardamom Chai Kulfi - this kulfi recipe is so quick thanks to the use of milk powder. You just need to mix the ingredients together and freeze! If you don't like chai, you can flavour it however you want!

Rose and Pistachio Puff Pastry Cream Cones - this recipe looks amazing but is so easy to make thanks to ready-made puff pastry. The cones are stuffed with a rose flavoured shrikhand.

Almond Butter Barfi Bars - if you want to serve up something unique, this delicious sweet is the way to go. A layer of almond butter barfi is sandwiched between a biscuit base and white chocolate ganache.

Gulab Jamun Mix Cake - this elegant cake is so quick to make as it uses packet gulab jamun mix. It is a great dinner party dessert for when you want indian flavours in a modern dessert

Rajgira Sheera - This Farali Halwa is safe to serve during Hindu fasting periods. It is a halwa made from amaranth flour and is gluten-free.

Shrikhand - shrikhand is a very easy recipe that does not require any cooking! It is My secret ingredient is whipped heavy cream that adds a silky soft finish.

Mango Peda - for a colourful end to your dinner party, try these milk powder peda which are flavoured with mango and saffron.

Pumpkin Kalakand - Pumpkin Kalakand is an exotic take on the traditional Indian sweet kalakand recipe. Perfect during Autumn/Fall.

Aate Ka Halwa - This decadent classic dessert is one of the most easy Indian sweet you can make without spending long time in the kitchen. The best part, it comes together in less than in 20 minutes and it is one the easy dessert recipes from North India. I have made this halwa recipe extra rich by adding milk solids and flavoured with cardamom powder.

Gujarati Mango Ras - there are few summer desserts as good as this one! Serve chilled homemade mango pulp as part of a Gujarati thali and wow your guests!

Biranj - this sweet rice has similarities to zarda rice - it is a Gujarati recipe made with basmati rice and chana dal and can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Serve it a the end of the meal or alongside a thali.

Puran Poli - This recipe is not a dessert and probably a better recipe to serve alongside a homely curry. Nevertheless, it is included here as it is a wonderful, sweet flatbread.

Traditional Indian Dessert Recipes

These recipes take time and skill but are well worth the effort! If you want to pull out the stops, these are the desserts to choose from!

Gulab Jamun - This is a classic Indian recipe consisting of fried balls of all-purpose flour and milk solids which are doused in a sugar syrup. Gulab Jamun are delicious served at room temperature. A firm British Asian restaurant favourite however, is to serve these warm alongside vanilla ice cream. These Indian milk balls are one of my favourite recipes!

Kala Jamun - this is a recipe for guests who have a sweet tooth! Kala Jamun is similar to Gulab Jamun except the balls are made from paneer. This sleek dessert is an absolute beauty.

Ras Malai - Ras Malai is an Indian milk dessert made with cottage cheese balls which are soaked in a sweet milk cream. Ras Malai remains a top contender as one of the best Indian desserts!

Gajar ka Halwa - a delicious North Indian dessert made with grated carrots, milk and sugar. It is most often served during the winter months thanks to its warm and the season of Indian carrots. Carrot Halwa is the perfect sweet dish to complete a North Indian feast.

Moong Dal Halwa - This rich dessert is made with yellow split lentils, plenty of ghee and sugar. It is perfect during Diwali or other festive occasions.

Shahi Tukra - a type of Indian bread pudding, this recipe involves frying bread pieces in ghee then soaking in a thick rabri or sweetened milk.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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