17 Must-Try North Indian Mithai

Northern India, consisting of the states Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and sometimes Uttar Pradesh, has historically been an invaluable crossroads for global trade. In the 11th century, Persian traders found their way to India, and a couple of centuries later, in the 16th century, the Mongolian empire spread south as well. With them, the Mongolians and Persians brought many spices, recipes, and foods that still influence Indian cuisine today. With a varying landscape that goes from the great Indo-Gangetic Plains to the striking Himalayas, northern India is home to deep history, culture, and of course, a vast array of sweets, also known as mithai. (via Encyclopedia)

Some of the mithai from northern India are unique to their particular region and state, while others can be found across the country in different variations. Also, northern Indian mithai are heavily influenced by eastern and western Indian sweets. Therefore, you will see a similar technique between the mithai but with ingredients that are more suitable for the cooler, northern climate. With mouth-watering flavors and irresistible textures, there is undoubtedly a dessert for everyone on this enticing, must-try list of northern Indian mithai.

One of the most famous, and beloved desserts across India, gulab jamun are delicious soaked doughnuts that are soft, sweet, fatty, and bursting with flavor and syrup. While not specifically from the north of India, gulab jamun is a beloved dessert that it's a must-try for everyone.

Gulab jamun is usually made from a mawa and flour dough that has been deep-fried. The deep-fried balls are soaked in various syrups such as cardamon, rose water, or saffron. Sometimes sugar is mixed into the dough, which makes a variety known as kala jamun, which is darker in color (via Times Food). You can also make vegan gulab jamun so that every diet can enjoy these delicacies.

Influenced by Persian sweets, gulab jamun today resembles Luqmat-Al-Qadi, a fried dessert popular in the Levant and Gulf countries. In fact, in the Middle East and worldwide, gulab jamun and its variations are very popular and essential for any celebration.

Motichoor ladoo is very similar in technique, taste, and look to boondi ladoo. Both of these sweets are made from boondi, small pearls of fried gram flour or chickpea flour. Boondi can be eaten sweet or salty, but when they are made into ladoo or ball desserts, they are always sweetened with syrup. The boondi is mixed with saffron or cardamom and soaked in a sugar syrup until the boondi is soft and able to be rolled into ladoo (via Hebbar's Kitchen).

To make the boondi you need a special, large slotted spoon to drip the batter into the hot oil. This ensures that the boondi will be uniform, small, and crunchy. The difference between motichoor ladoo and boondi ladoo depends on who you ask. Motichoor ladoo is more commonly eaten in the north, while boondi ladoo comes in many variations depending on the region of India you are in. Boondi ladoo can also contain nuts, seeds, and other spices, making it a versatile and delicious mithai (via Dassana's Veg Recipes).

While thandai is the perfect summer drink, falooda is the perfect summer dessert drink. This beloved and world-famous drink is not only special to India but also parts of the Levant and western Asia. In Iran, faloodeh is very similar to Indian falooda in that both desserts have vermicelli noodles swimming in a sweet syrup, usually flavored with rose. Falooda variations are also found in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar (via NPR).

In India, falooda comes in many variations, and like other mithai on this list, it is not specifically from the north. Nonetheless, falooda is so irresistible that it belongs on all the lists. North Indian falooda often incorporates kulfi, an ultra-creamy version of ice cream made from milk that has been boiled till it is very thick. This creamy combination, along with the texture of the vermicelli noodles, makes falooda a refreshing and bright dessert.

Aate ki pinni looks like many other ladoo mithai, but do not be deceived; they are unique in their own way. Ladoo is the Hindi word for ball-shaped sweets, while pinni is the Punjabi word. According to Ruchi from Ruchi's Kitchen, aate ki pinni is a traditional mithai from Punjab and is considered a quintessential winter food. Made from whole wheat flour, semolina, nuts, and plenty of ghee, pinni are the perfect winter snack and dessert to give you energy during the cold season.

Pinnis come in many variations across Punjab and India, including additions like cashews, melon seeds, or ground ginger. The ginger is especially great as it brings warmth and a much-welcome immunity boost during the winter.

All across India, in fact, ladoos and pinnis have medicinal roots. Originally created with peanuts, jaggery, and sesame seeds in the 4th century by a physician, ladoos have since transformed all across the country. Today, it is still very common for these ball snacks to be viewed as medicinal, considering that many of the staple ingredients are mentioned in Ayurveda for aiding with blood pressure, digestion, and immunity (via The Better India). Therefore, aate ki pinni are not only a comforting snack but also warming and nutritious for your body, making them the perfect mithai option.

Shahi tukra, also spelled shahi tukda, stems from what is now known as Pakistan but was under the Mughal empire at one point. Shahi, meaning royal, and tukra, meaning piece, is a truly fitting name for this regal dessert. The classic shahi tukra consists of crips pieces of bread that have been doused in rabri, then garnished with nuts. According to DNA India, today, you can find many shahi tukra variations popping up across the country and the world.

Some chefs are playing around which shahi tukra, which DNA India calls "India's eggless bread pudding," by adding in mascarpone or making the rabri into panna cotta. Some chefs also add fruit for some acidity and brightness to help contrast the richness of the rabri and toasted bread. From all of these variations, it is clear that shahi tukra is a very versatile, delicious, and crowd-pleasing dish that is the perfect way to conclude your next meal.

Traditional boondi are fried bits of chickpea flour that are used to top many dishes, such as pani puri. These boondi are savory and sometimes slightly spicy, but another version that is incredibly popular is sweet boondi. Similar to boondi ladoo, sweet boondi, or meethi boondi are boondi that have been soaked in sugar syrup to transform this once savory snack into a dessert.

Meethi boondi, according to The Flavours of Kitchen, must be made using a special ladle that has perforated holes so that the perfect-sized drops of besan, or chickpea flour, the batter can drip through. These drips drop right into hot oil or ghee and are fried. To make meethi boondi, you must then soak the boondi in sugar syrup until they are soft and sweet. The boondi is now delicious, but they are even more delightfully tasty when paired with sev for a sweet, savory, crunchy, soft combination.

This special mithai, usually only consumed during festivals such as Holi and Janmashtami, is a delightful combination of crispy, chewy, and soft. Made of small pancakes that have been deep-fried and then dipped in sugar, malupa are just as decadent as they sound.

Historically, malupas, originally known as apupa, were made from barley flour which is notoriously dense and nutty. The dough was then shaped into a pancake and fried. While today the ingredients have changed, the method of preparation has stayed the same, with some variations popping up over the years. It is possible to find malupas stuffed with various fillings like jaggery or made with other additions like mawa and egg. Regardless of how it is made, malupas are an indulgently sweet and crispy dessert that is best served warm with some fresh cream or rabri (via Harilal's).

This wonderful Diwali dessert is simple yet incredibly elegant. With only a few ingredients that come together into an irresistible stew, this brightly colored halwa is a brilliant way to use carrots, the main element of gajar ka halwa. To make this Diwali mithai, grated carrots are stewed with milk and spices until it turns into a soft and sweet stew-like dessert.

In India, special carrots are used to make gajar ka halwa. These carrots contain almost no bitterness, making the final gajar ka halwa very sweet and rich. Adding in jaggery makes this dessert even more irresistible because it melts the jaggery into a sweetness that resembles caramel. To spruce up your gajar ka halwa, you can add in nuts, ghee, dried fruit, or seeds. These garnishes pair beautifully with the warm spices of the gajar ka halwa to make it even more comforting and delectable.