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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
6 Min
01/12/2025
Winter in India is almost like the warmth propagated in family dramas like ‘Hum Saath - Saath Hain’, with the likes of gajar ka halwa and gind ke laddoo popping up to warm the body and the soul. The kitchen fills with scents of roasted sesame seeds and hot ghee, as sweets take centre stage during this season. Each sweet, no matter how rich in calories, carries warmth, tradition, and a touch of cinematic magic.
It may seem impossible to imagine a sweet delicacy that can replace the joy of licking ice cream in the summer, but these winter sweets certainly give tough competition. Step into any Indian kitchen in winter, and you’re greeted with the heady aroma of ghee, cardamom, and jaggery. Classics like panjiri and pinni warm the soul, syrupy sweet malpuas grace little bowls and plates that look straight out of a food travel vlog. Move away from the softer ones, the crunchy gajak and til laddoo take over with their aromatic roasted ingredients. Each sweet has almost healing properties and uses the season’s best produce, which uses recipes known to families for several generations.
Most recipes will give you the lowdown on how to make gajar ka halwa with ease. And while that suffices, some little hacks might be missed out. Winter special halwa needs to use the long, fresh, in-season red carrots (they’re sweeter and have more moisture). They should be grated on the thick side of a grater to avoid a mushy texture. The carrots should also be cooked slowly on a low flame in lots of ghee, and with full-cream milk to yield a richer batch. Patience is key here; you need to let the liquid evaporate gradually so the halwa deepens in colour and flavour.
The key to an aromatic panjiri batch is roasting the whole-wheat flour (and semolina, if used in the recipe) in desi ghee on low heat. The mixture should release a nutty smell and turn light brown. Make sure this dry roasted mix cools down properly before you add the sugar or jaggery, to avoid them from melting and turning the mixture damp. But, before this entire thing, the gond (edible gum) should be fried until it fully puffs up before being ground.
Roasting sesame (til) seeds is vital for sweets like gajak and even sesame-seed-centric ones like til laddoo. Roast the seeds lightly, on a lower heat so they don’t burn or darken beyond recognition. You also need to be careful when it comes the the jaggery and how you melt it. Keep the flame low and stir continuously, then mix in the roasted til and even chopped dry fruits immediately so everything bonds well.
Besides gajar ka halwa, there are more desserts, like moong dal halwa, that are prepared during the winter months to warm the insides. Make sure to soak moong dal well before grinding. Then roast the dal paste in plenty of ghee, stirring non-stop. Use a coarse grind rather than a smooth one to get a textured halwa. As you add milk (or water) and sugar, keep stirring until it thickens slowly; this gradual build-up will give the halwa its signature silky yet dense texture.
Like for panjiri, for gond ke laddoo too, fry the gond (edible gum) in ghee until it puffs up completely. This one step is crucial to the laddoo’s structure and mouthfeel. Make sure to use a low flame when frying both gond and dry fruits so they don’t burn. Then, once the flour mixture cools, mix in the sugar or jaggery so the laddoos bind nicely. Because gond expands when fried, you get a good lightness and crunch without it being heavy.
Pinnis is high in calories and known to keep you warm for longer, so be generous with the use of ghee; don’t skimp on it. The ghee helps bind everything and makes the pinni rich and moist. When sautéing the wheat flour, keep the flame low and roast until you smell that nutty aroma and the flour starts releasing ghee from its sides. Let the roasted mixture cool fully before adding the sugar or jaggery. Otherwise, you will have a sticky mass that will be difficult to work with and will ruin the texture.
The key to delicious malpuas is the batter consistency. It needs to be exactly as thick as the pancake batter. To get the right amount of crisp edges to spongy centre, use a mix of maida and semolina. Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes (some even rest it 1-2 hours) to give the semolina time to absorb the moisture, which improves texture and helps achieve that perfect golden‑brown and light malpuas. When deep-frying them, keep the oil (or ghee) at medium heat so the malpuas cook evenly: the final touch is the sugar syrup. It needs to reach a one-string consistency and be warm when the malpuas are dipped.
Crafting these sweets is part technique, part love, and all magic. With careful attention to roasting, frying, and sticking, every dessert can hit that perfect balance of aroma, texture, and flavour. From family gatherings to festival tables, these treats warm the heart, delight the senses, and carry the timeless charm of winter into every bite.