Making and eating sweets for Diwali  or any other festival is nothing new; we’ve been doing it for ages and continue to do so. Gulab Jamuns, Kalakand, Burfi, Katli, Kheer, Phirni – these are common names we hear around festival time and sweet shops and kitchens are brimming with them.

While that is all very well and good, why not give these classic Indian desserts a slight twist this year? Indian recipes are surprisingly versatile and you’ll be amazed at how these traditional dishes can take on a whole new avatar with a few tweaks here and there!

10 Unique and Colorful Dessert Recipes for Diwali

So here are 10 unique and colorful dessert recipes for Diwali that you absolutely must try this year. Whether it’s to serve your guests and family or to gift, these are a treat for the eyes and the taste buds! So get out your best mithai platters – you’re going to need it! Click on the links to view the dessert recipes for Diwali.

1. Gulab Jamun Parfait

You’ve had gulab jamuns several times before, I’m guessing, but what about a Gulab Jamun Parfait? Easy Cooking with Molly makes this recipe look really easy and of course, gorgeous! Did you know that gulab jamuns are the most sold Indian sweet outside India? Makes you look at those little balls differently!

2. Paan Coconut Laddoo

When you think of paan, the image of little stalls on the side of the road come to mind, with a guy behind it, ready to serve you any paan combo of your liking. This recipe from Cooking with Manali is more sophisticated, with coconut, condensed milk and the surprise ingredient – gulkand! Looks and sounds mouthwatering!

3. Gulab Phirni

This gulab phirni from Whisk Affair is a light, gentle dessert that’ll make you feel like time stood still. With chopped rose petals and rose water along with an assortment of nuts, this recipe is a lovely take on an Indian classic.

4. Chocolate Diya Sandesh

Diwali can’t be complete without diyas – even if we’re talking of the edible variety here! Scratching Canvas has a full and detailed tutorial on making these adorable chocolate diyas, complete with pictures. The main ingredient is khoya, with cocoa powder and condensed milk taking it to mithai heaven!

5. Beetroot Kalakand

Are you worried about the seeming lack of vegetables in this list? Well this breathtakingly beautiful beetroot kalakand from Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey should solve that problem! Don’t you just love it when you know that all that gorgeous color isn’t from any chemical coloring but from pure nature instead?

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6. Pistachio Burfi

Can you believe that you need all of four ingredients to make this little nutty treat? Yes, Archana’s Kitchen shows us how simple ingredients like pistachios and coconut can come together to create something that is indeed magical. Just look at that beautiful color!

7. Gulab Jamun Cheesecake

How pretty is this gulab jamun cheesecake from Savory and Sweet Food? A no-bake recipe made with paneer and hung yogurt – very typical Indian ingredients – to create something that’s so global! Cut into the cake to get a yummy piece of gulab jamun in your slice!

8. Sweetened Boondi

Boondi is a very common ingredient in Indian cuisine, and is used in both sweet and savory dishes. The colorful beads you see in the picture above are sweetened boondi, made at Cooking Good Food. As they mention, adding color is completely optional, but I think it makes the dish totally festive!

9. Paneer Malai Laddoo

If you like dishes that just melt in your mouth, you’re bound to love these paneer malai laddoos from Yummy Tummy Aarthi. The main ingredients are just paneer and condensed milk, and if you’re not a fan of the pink, you can go ahead and make it any color you like!

10. Kaju Lotus Sweets

The lotus has special significance during the festival of Diwali, as this is the time the Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped, who is directly associated with this flower. So it’s only fitting that you make these yummy kaju lotuses from Chitra’s Food Book, perfectly in time for Diwali!

Quite a collection there, isn’t it? These sweets are great for gifting, and an assortment of multicolored treats would look real good in a gift box. Just tie it up with pretty ribbon and you have a gift that’ll beat all the others!