Puthandu Festival Sweet Recipes: Indulgent Desserts to Sweeten Your Celebrations

Festivals are about traditions, gathering together, and of course, sweets that make every household joyous. The Tamil New Year, or Puthandu, is celebrated with family, freinds, vibrant kolams, and a feast abundant in dishes steeped in history and heritage that stretches over centuries. And which feast is complete without the signature sweets that denote this sacred time.

This year, lets enter into a blend of traditional recipes and new twists to add something new to the plate. From indulgent, ghee-rich traditionals to creative novelties, these nine Puthandu sweets will make your festival that much more special. Whether you're a fan of the nutty goodness of Mysore Pak or the syrupy richness of Jangiri, there's something for all in this list.

9 Puthandu Special Sweets You Can't Miss

Akkaravadisal

Akkaravadisal is a slow-cooked, creamy rice and moong dal pudding made using milk and jaggery. It is creamed with generous amounts of ghee, cardamom, and cashews. Unlike sakkarai pongal, the recipe is cooked longer for intense flavor. The icing on the cake? It is best had with a dollop of saffron-infused milk to complete the festival experience.

Adhirasam

This fried sweet is a favorite among Tamil Nadu, prepared with jaggery and rice flour. The dough is fermented overnight, and after the flavors mature, the dough is molded into circles and fried until crispy. The exterior is crunchy, while the inside is soft and sweet, making it a favorite among Tamil festivals. Adhirasam needs patience to prepare but it is worth the effort.

Jangiri

Jangiri, which is commonly confused with Jalebi, is prepared by piping urad dal batter into delicate circular patterns, frying them, and then soaking them in sugar syrup. In contrast to its North Indian version, Jangiri is lighter and retains its shape for a longer period. This syrupy dessert is not only tasty but also brings a pop of color to any festive table with its orange color.

Kadalai Urundai

Kadalai Urundai or peanut jaggery balls are an easy but addictive snack that represents prosperity. Peanuts roasted and bonded with hot syrup of jaggery form a crunchy sweet snack. These energy-rich balls are easily stored, which is why they are a great homemade snack for Puthandu and beyond.

Palkova

A sweet prepared by concentrating full-fat milk for hours until it becomes thick and grainy in texture, with a rich sweetness. Palkova is an old Tamil sweet that needs only two ingredients—milk and sugar, but is unmatched in richness. For a variation, mix in some cocoa powder to convert it into a celebratory chocolate palkova.

Mysore Pak

This melt-in-the-mouth, ghee-rich sweet is from Karnataka but is a favorite in Tamil households during festivals. Prepared with gram flour, sugar, and lots of ghee, Mysore Pak is rich and fragrant in taste. For a contemporary twist, add a little dark chocolate to counter the sweetness and bring in a new flavor to this traditional one.

Coconut Barfi

Fresh coconut sweetened condensed milk, and a touch of cardamom are combined to create this gooey dessert. Coconut Barfi is made by cooking shavings of coconut with milk and sugar until it thickens to a mass and then molded into squares. A drizzle of melted chocolate or a sprinkle of roasted nuts can add excitement to this classic dessert.

Rava Kesari

A simple and quick semolina dessert, Rava Kesari is adored for its light but filling flavor. It has its bright orange color from saffron or food coloring and tends to be studded with cashews and raisins. A small variation? Use part of the sugar and replace it with jaggery for an added depth of flavor or add in mashed ripe bananas for a further natural sweetness boost.

Ukkarai

A lesser kown but much-loved Tamil sweet, Ukkarai consists of chana dal, jaggery, and coconut. The dal is soaked, ground, and steamed and then cooked with jaggery and ghee to produce a crumbly, tasty dish. It is lightly sweet but full of flavor, a great contrast to the richer sweets on the Puthandu menu.