Whether you're celebrating Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, these 10 traditional desserts will make your family gathering extra special. Sheer khurma, gulab jamun, kheer, zarda, jalebi, phirni, sewaiyan, halwa, and more — all the classics are here!
The best part? Most of these recipes use simple pantry staples like milk, sugar, nuts, and cardamom. They're deeply comforting, incredibly aromatic, and guaranteed to bring smiles to every face around the table.
So get ready to fill your kitchen with the sweet aroma of cardamom and saffron. These 10 traditional Eid desserts are everyone's favorites — and after one bite, you'll know exactly why. Eid Mubarak!
SWEET CELEBRATION FOR EID
10. Sheer Khurma (Eid Vermicelli Pudding)
Sheer Khurma is the most iconic Eid dessert! Creamy vermicelli pudding with milk, dates, nuts, and cardamom. No Eid morning is complete without it!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup vermicelli (seviyan), broken
- 4 cups full-fat milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup ghee
- 2 tablespoon chopped dates
- 2 tablespoon almonds, cashews, pistachios, sliced
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- Pinch of saffron strands
Instructions:
- Heat ghee, fry vermicelli until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Boil milk with cardamom and saffron until reduced slightly. Add sugar.
- Add fried vermicelli and cook 5 minutes. Add nuts and dates. Serve warm or cold.
9. Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun are soft, spongy milk dumplings soaked in rose-scented sugar syrup. Warm, melt-in-your-mouth, and absolutely irresistible!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 3-4 tablespoon milk (to make dough)
- Oil for deep frying
- Syrup: 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 4 cardamom pods, 1 teaspoon rose water
Instructions:
- Boil sugar, water, cardamom until slightly sticky. Add rose water. Keep warm.
- Mix dry ingredients, rub in ghee, add milk to form soft dough. Roll into smooth balls.
- Deep fry on low heat until golden brown. Soak in warm syrup for 2 hours. Serve warm.
8. Kheer (Rice Pudding)
Kheer is the ultimate comfort dessert! Creamy rice pudding made with slow-cooked milk, basmati rice, sugar, and cardamom. Topped with nuts — pure bliss!
Kheer is the ultimate comfort dessert! Creamy rice pudding made with slow-cooked milk, basmati rice, sugar, and cardamom. Topped with nuts — pure bliss!
- ½ cup basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes
- 5 cups full-fat milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tablespoon almonds and pistachios, sliced
- Pinch of saffron (optional)
Instructions:
- Boil milk with cardamom and saffron. Drain and add rice.
- Simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
- Add sugar and cook 5 more minutes. Garnish with nuts. Serve chilled or warm.
7. Zarda (Sweet Saffron Rice)
Zarda is a vibrant, fragrant sweet rice dish made with saffron, sugar, nuts, and dried fruits. Golden, festive, and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cup ghee
- Pinch of saffron soaked in milk
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 tablespoon almonds, cashews, pistachios
- 2 tablespoon raisins, orange food color (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook rice until 70% done. Drain and set aside.
- Heat ghee, fry nuts and raisins. Remove and set aside.
- Layer rice, sugar, saffron milk, cardamom, fried nuts in the same pot. Cover and dum cook on low for 15 minutes. Fluff and serve.
6. Jalebi
Jalebi are crispy, juicy, orange spiral treats soaked in sugar syrup. Crunchy on the outside, syrupy on the inside. Pure happiness!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup yogurt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of saffron or yellow food color
- Oil for deep frying
- Syrup: 1 cup sugar, ½ cup water, 4 cardamom pods, 1 teaspoon rose water
Instructions:
- Mix flour, cornstarch, yogurt, baking powder, color, and water to make a flowing batter. Ferment 2 hours.
- Make syrup by boiling sugar, water, cardamom until sticky. Add rose water. Keep warm.
- Fill batter in a piping bag or jalebi cloth. Pipe spirals into hot oil. Fry until crispy. Soak in syrup for 1 minute. Serve warm.
5. Phirni (Creamy Ground Rice Pudding)
Phirni is a rich, creamy rice pudding made with ground rice instead of whole grains. Served chilled in clay pots — so elegant and delicious!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup basmati rice, soaked 2 hours and ground coarse
- 5 cups full-fat milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tablespoon chopped almonds and pistachios
- Pinch of saffron strands
Instructions:
- Boil milk with cardamom and saffron. Reduce heat to low.
- Add ground rice slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook 15-20 minutes until thick.
- Add sugar and cook 5 more minutes. Pour into serving cups. Chill 4 hours. Garnish with nuts before serving.
4. Sewaiyan (Vermicelli Kheer)
Sewaiyan is a quick and delicious vermicelli pudding made with roasted seviyan, milk, and sugar. Popular for Eid breakfast across South Asia!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup thin vermicelli (seviyan)
- 4 cups milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoon ghee
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tablespoon mixed nuts, raisins
Instructions:
- Heat ghee, fry nuts and raisins. Remove and set aside.
- In same ghee, roast vermicelli until golden brown.
- Add milk, cardamom, and sugar. Cook until vermicelli is soft and milk thickens. Garnish with nuts and raisins. Serve warm.
3. Ras Malai
Ras Malai is soft, spongy paneer balls soaked in chilled, sweetened, cardamom-flavored milk. Topped with pistachios — pure luxury!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups milk for paneer
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cups milk for rabri
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- Pinch of saffron
Instructions:
- Make paneer: boil milk, add lemon juice to curdle, strain. Knead into smooth dough. Shape into small balls. Cook in sugar syrup until they float.
- Make rabri: boil 4 cups milk with cardamom and saffron until reduced to half. Add sugar.
- Soak cooked paneer balls in chilled rabri. Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with pistachios before serving.
2. Sooji Ka Halwa (Semolina Halwa)
Sooji Ka Halwa is a warm, comforting, and aromatic dessert made with semolina, ghee, sugar, and cardamom. Often made as a prayer offering on Eid!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sooji (semolina)
- ½ cup ghee
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 tablespoon almonds, cashews, raisins
Instructions:
- Heat ghee, fry nuts and raisins. Remove and set aside.
- In same ghee, roast sooji on low heat until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil water with sugar and cardamom. Add to roasted sooji. Stir quickly to avoid lumps. Cook until ghee separates. Garnish with nuts. Serve warm.
1. Baklava
Baklava is layers of buttery phyllo dough, honey-sweet nuts, and fragrant syrup. Crispy, sticky, and absolutely irresistible. A perfect Eid sweet!
Ingredients:
- 1 package phyllo dough, thawed
- 2 cups mixed walnuts and pistachios, finely chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions:
- Mix nuts with cinnamon. Layer phyllo in a pan, brushing each sheet with butter, sprinkling nuts every few layers.
- Cut into diamonds. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until golden.
- Boil sugar, water, honey, vanilla, lemon juice into syrup. Pour over hot baklava. Cool completely before serving.
FAQs
What is the most popular Eid dessert?
Sheer khurma and gulab jamun are the two most popular Eid desserts worldwide!
How long does sheer khurma last in the fridge?
Sheer khurma stays fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve cold or warm.
Can I make gulab jamun ahead of time?
Yes! Make gulab jamun a day ahead and keep them in the syrup at room temperature.
What's the difference between kheer and phirni?
Kheer uses whole rice grains. Phirni uses coarsely ground rice and is always served chilled.
Can I freeze baklava?
Yes! Unbaked baklava freezes well for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen.
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