Do fasting days give you a hankering for something sweet and light? Navratri, which is the most sacred of Hindu festivals, is a season of devotion, discipline, and conscious eating. Starting March 30, the 9-day-long festival celebrates Goddess Durga in her various incarnations, with followers following a sattvic diet, minus grains, onions, and garlic. But merely because the food is simple does not mean that it has to be dull.
Fasting sweets are not simply a matter of indulgence; they give one energy after a long day of restraint. Old recipes make use of ingredients such as makhana, nuts, jaggery, and milk to prepare desserts that are wholesome and fulfilling. While some families stick to centuries-old recipes, others give them a modern edge through fruits, natural sweeteners, and dairy-free options. Whether you prefer something rich and warm or a chilled, light dessert, there's a vrat-friendly sweet to suit every taste. Here are 9 Navratri fasting sweets recipes that bring together purity with a hint of indulgence.
Bottle gourd (lauki) is usually relegated to savory fasting foods, but it also creates a refreshing and healthy kheer. Slow-cooked grated lauki in milk is then sweetened using jaggery or rock sugar. Cardamom and saffron add a celebratory feel to it, and chopped nuts provide a subtle crunch. Because lauki is water-rich, this kheer is refreshing and easy to digest, which is an ideal option for fasting during Navratri. Some like to serve it chilled, so the flavors mature over time.
Ladoo always remains a festival favorite, and this one miss out on white sugar, trusting dates to bring in natural sweetness. Chopped dates are ground with roasted nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts, rolled into small balls. Cardamom brings the flavor along with a subtle crunch from sesame seeds. Because dates are full of fiber and energy, these ladoos are long-lasting and therefore perfect for use as a mid-day fasting food.
Sweet potato receives a crunchy twist with this vrat-friendly chikki. Mashed and boiled sweet potatoes are combined with jaggery and lightly roasted nuts, then laid out to set like regular peanut chikki. The earthy sweetness of shakarkandi is complemented by the rich caramel flavors of jaggery, resulting in a healthy and filling dessert. This chikki can be stored for a couple of days, making it an excellent make-ahead sweet for Navratri.
A glass of kesar badam milk warm from the microwave seems comforting after a fasting day. Prepared with soaked and blended almonds, this beverage is cooked with milk, saffron, and a pinch of rock sugar. Unlike normal badam milk, this vrat-compatible version does not use artificial flavorings but rather uses the inherent richness of almonds and the delicate fragrance of saffron. Some people like to serve it thick, almost like a pudding, whereas others like it to be light, drinkable.
Singhare (water chestnut) flour is usually used in fasting recipes, and when made into soft pancakes, it forms an interesting, sweet snack. The batter, prepared from singhare atta, mashed bananas, and milk, is lightly cooked in ghee till golden. Drizzled with honey and sliced nuts on top, these pancakes are a healthy way to indulge in something sweet without going overboard. Grated coconut is added by some for a bit of a twist, making it even more celebratory.
Sabudana (tapioca pearls) is a fasting food staple, but rather than the traditional kheer, this one is served cold with a fruit mix. Cooked sabudana is mixed with chilled coconut milk, lightly sweetened with jaggery, and then garnished with chopped bananas, apples, and pomegranate seeds. The effect is a cool dessert that is hydrating and nutritious. Some prefer to add a handful of soaked chia seeds for an added boost of nutrition.
Rajgira (amaranth) is an ideal fasting grain that is protein-rich and nutritionally dense. Roasted in ghee, cooked with milk and jaggery, this grain turns into a soft and slightly nutty sheera which is both festive and filling. A pinch of cardamom brings warmth and toasted almonds or raisins contribute a subtle difference. This sheera is most sought after among those who require something that indulges yet gives them energy without a slump later.
These no-cook, easy laddus combine tropical sweetness with fasting-friendly ingredients. Grated coconut is combined with mashed ripe mango and lightly sweetened jaggery. Rolled into tiny laddus, they are then coated with dry coconut for a double dose of flavor. Not having to be cooked, they can be made in minutes, making them an ideal last-minute addition to the fasting menu. Some versions use a little crushed fox nuts (makhana) to add crunch.
This kheer provides a light but rich turn on classic vrat sweets. Crumbled paneer is heated in milk with roasted makhana, yielding a slightly sweet, protein-rich dessert. Natural sweetness comes from jaggery or rock sugar, and a festive fragrance from saffron and cardamom. Many add the makhana to a fine powder first, which makes the kheer even more silky. Served hot or cold, it is a vrat special that brings a little indulgence to the fasting food.