Navratri is a time for fasting, prayers, and festive food. Sweets are often made for prasad as well. So, they don’t always have to be complicated.
If you want to prepare something different each day, you can make several simple Navratri sweet recipes with familiar ingredients. Here are nine ideas, from rajgira ladoos and makhana kheer to halwa, barfi, and peda.
9 Navratri Sweets for 9 Days
Day 1: Rajgira Ladoo
Rajgira ladoos need only a few ingredients and take little time to prepare.
- Melt the jaggery in a pan.
- Add the popped rajgira and mix while it is still warm.
- Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Take small portions and shape them into ladoos.
- Add a little ghee if the mixture feels difficult to shape.
Tip: Keep the ladoos small, so they are easy to serve as prasad.
Day 2: Makhana Kheer
Makhana kheer is a good choice if you want something creamy rather than a dry sweet.
- Roast the makhana until lightly crisp and let it cool.
- Crush some of the makhana and keep some pieces whole.
- Add it to the milk and cook until it thickens.
- Stir in sugar and cardamom.
- Finish with chopped nuts before serving.
Tip: Set aside some roasted makhana and add it just before serving for extra texture.
Day 3: Coconut Ladoo
Coconut ladoos are handy for days when you want a sweet you can prepare quickly.
- Cook grated coconut with your chosen sweetener.
- Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts leaving the pan.
- Let it cool enough to handle.
- Roll the mixture into small balls.
- Top with saffron or chopped pistachios.
Tip: Roll the ladoos in a little desiccated coconut for a simple finish.
Day 4: Dry Fruit Barfi
Dates and figs give this barfi its natural sweetness, while the nuts add texture.
- Grind the dates, figs, almonds, cashews, and walnuts.
- Cook the mixture briefly if it needs more softness or binding.
- Add a little ghee if the mixture feels too dry.
- Press it into a greased or lined tray.
- Let it set before cutting it into small pieces.
Tip: Chill the set barfi briefly before cutting to get neater pieces.
Day 5: Singhara Halwa
Singhara halwa is made with water chestnut flour and works well as a warm Navratri sweet.
- Roast the singhara flour in ghee.
- Slowly add water or milk, stirring constantly.
- Cook until the mixture thickens.
- Add sugar and cook for a few more minutes.
- Top with chopped nuts and serve warm.
Tip: Serve the halwa soon after cooking while it is still soft and warm.
Day 6: Sabudana Kheer
Sabudana kheer is another creamy fasting option.
- Soak the sabudana until the pearls become soft.
- Drain it and cook with milk over low to medium heat.
- Stir occasionally so the milk does not stick to the pan.
- Add sugar, cardamom, and saffron.
- Add chopped nuts once the sabudana is soft.
Tip: Use a heavy-bottomed pan to reduce the chances of the milk sticking while it cooks.
Day 7: Samak Rice Payasam
Samak rice, also called barnyard millet, can replace regular rice in this payasam.
- Rinse the samak rice and add it to the milk.
- Cook slowly until the grains become soft.
- Add sugar or jaggery and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add cardamom for flavor.
- Finish with raisins and chopped nuts.
Tip: Serve the payasam warm for a thinner consistency or chilled for a thicker one.
Day 8: Peanut Chikki
Peanut chikki has a crisp texture and needs to be handled quickly once the jaggery syrup is ready.
- Roast the peanuts and remove their skins.
- Prepare the jaggery syrup and cook it to the required consistency.
- Mix in the peanuts.
- Spread the mixture immediately on a greased surface.
- Flatten it and cut it into pieces while it is still hot.
Tip: Lightly grease the rolling surface beforehand so the hot chikki doesn’t stick.
Day 9: Kesari Peda
Kesari peda is a simple sweet for the final day of Navratri.
- Cook the khoya, sugar, and saffron together.
- Keep cooking until the mixture becomes thick enough to shape.
- Let it cool slightly.
- Divide it into small portions and roll them between your palms.
- Gently press each portion into a peda shape.
- Finish with saffron or chopped pistachios.
Tip: Press a small indentation into each peda and add a saffron strand for a neat finish.
Conclusion
These Navratri sweets for 9-days let you try different treats without making the same thing every day. From rajgira ladoos and coconut ladoos to kheer, chikki, and peda, you can choose recipes based on your time and what your family enjoys.
Keep the portions small if you are preparing them for prasad, and make any changes needed to suit your family’s fasting practices.
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