13 Ganesh Chaturthi Sweet Recipes

Our beloved Ganpati Bappa is here marking the beginning of the festive season! And as excited as we are, the thought of preparations and guests might already seem exhausting - so to give your stress some relief, here are 13 Ganesh Chaturthi sweet recipes. Sometimes we have enough ingredients to create another tasty dish but we only think of it in retrospect. Sometimes we spend an entire day sorting out in our mind what to offer Bappa as a bhog. And, for the first timers the question is always - how to make modak? NoNgs community will not only offer you suggestions of traditional Ganesh Chaturthi food, we will provide you the recipes, and also the ingredients.

Ukadiche Modak 

When you imagine Bappa, other than his royal charismatic appearance and his beloved mushak, the first thing that will come to your mind is modak. No matter what you offer, the traditional Ganesh Chaturthi food, Ukadiche modak should be the top priority. Offering twenty one of these dumplings is considered to be a sacred ritual. Don’t forget to use only boiling to knead the fine rice flour to achieve crack free shell. And it’s completely alright if you struggle hand-pleating the delicate dough, use a specialized mold with warm ghee. Free once you have made the shape and once it’s ready steam directly. Learn how to make Ukadiche modak with NoNgs Community.

Mango Modak 

Modak made of the king of fruits for the king Lord Ganesha himself brings a very delicious touch to the bhog platter. Using mango modak to replace use of a refined sugar is an amazing idea to keep the sweet lighter amongst other rich delicacies. Tip: Use store brought mago pulp or make fresh puree before mixing it with mawa or coconut. If you are not feeling confident about the dish, try to prepare the sweet dough a day in advance and refrigerate it overnight for effortless molding. If you want to full details, check how to make mango modak. 

Dry Fruit Modak 

Talking about traditional modak recipe for Bappa, dry fruit modak is certainly one of the simpler naivedyam. To make the filling crunchy, pulse the roasted cashews, almonds, and pistachios in small sizes instead of making fine powder. If you are worried about the molding, warm the dates in a pan with small amount of ghee until soften into a paste. Learn how to make dry fruit modak the right away before you try your hands on it.

Fried Modak 

For the Ganesh Chaturthi festive menu, the most delicious staple is the classic golden-brown Fried Modak. The combination of whole wheat exterior with the gooey coconut and cardamom interior beautifully complement each other. Fried Modak is also a good gifting recipe as it doesn't spoil quickly. Note: To avoid making the shell hard, rub a table spoon hot ghee into the flour until it seems like breadcrumb, then add water to knead. Be very carefully with the edges, seal it properly with milk or water. If it leaks even a little the jaggery will burn and ruin the oil. Here’s how to make fried modak!

Kozhukattai 

The South Indian steamed dumpling, Kozhukattai is another traditional food of Ganesh Chaturthi and naivedyam. You don’t need any extra ingredient to make the favorite food of Ganesh, Kozhukattai requires the simple jaggery, coconut, and the rice flour. If you have tried a few times to make a proper Kozhukattai but end up making it rubbery - add a splash of sesame oil into the boiling water before whisking in the rice flour. You can’t go wrong with the priority dishes for Bappa, so here’s how to make Kozhukattai.

Rava Modak 

When it comes to Ganesh Chaturthi we wonder - How to make modak? Can I make a traditional modak for Bappa? The answer is yes, you can only if you are certain of what you want to make, with this list of different types of modak for Ganesh Chaturthi we are providing you several options. And here is one, you can’t go wrong with - Rava Modak. Note: Roast the fine semolina on low heat but make sure they don’t turn brown. Add a splash of warm milk to not the mixture dry out and revive the dough’s pliability. 

Chocolate Modak 

If guests are arriving to your celebration or you have a younger lot celebrating Bappa’s arrival, you must try Chocolate Modak. The universal acceptance of chocolate and the friendly spirit of Lord Ganesha will make it more of a birthday celebration than traditional puja. In order to get the best texture of the chocolate modak, use a base of unsweetened mawa with high-quality melted dark chocolate instead of cocoa powder. Modak for Ganesh Chaturthi is not the easiest recipes to make so try to let it freeze or sit in room temperature the previous evening. Explore how to make chocolate modak before offering it to Bappa and sharing it with the younger devotees.

Motichoor Laddu

The quintessential temple prasad Motichoor Laddu is the best bhog offering for Lord Ganesha and also for the attending guests. The gram flour pearls soaked in saffron syrup makes this sweet a premium melt-in-mouth must have for any Indian celebrations. To achieve the tiny pearls at home, you will require jhara, a specialized ladle. In case you don’t have it and feel a little underconfident, fry larger boondi. After soaking them in warm sugar syrup, let the mixture sit for two hours and allow the pearls to absorb the syrup completely. Explore how to make Motichoor Laddu with NoNgs community!

Besan Laddu 

If you think Maharashtra amongst many things, two things that certainly come to your mind are Ganapati Bappa and the tasty besan k laddu. The ghee laden delicious sweet will be the absolute cherry on top of your menu. As you may have heard, the best foods are cooked slowly, so be patient as you need to keep stirring the besan in low flame for about 25 minutes until it turns golden brown and releases ghee. Learn how to make besan laddu - CLICK HERE!

Suji Halwa 

If you are worried about naivedyam, Suji Halwa is the best recipe for Bappa. The warm semolina pudding tastes sweets with just water and sugar but to elevate the taste for the celebration you must add milk and your preferred nuts to it. A warm bowl of Suji Halwa as a bhog and later on the plates of the guests is absolutely what you need for the day because it is one of the simplest dishes in this list of Ganesh Chaturthi sweet recipes. 

Chhena Kheer

Chhena Kheer is a Bengal-inspired dessert and considered to be a traditional Ganesh Chaturthi food. It is also known as Angoori Rabdi. It contains spongy cottage cheese dumplings in rich sweetened milk. If you are someone who strictly avoids fried sweets, chhena kheer is certainly for you. Before rolling the mini ball, kneed the chhena properly with the heel of your palm until it is completely smooth. And before adding them in the sweetened milk, lightly boil them in the sugar syrup first so they don’t break completely while in the thickened milk. Offer this delicious bowl of dessert to Bappa before serving to you and your family and enjoy Ganesh Chaturthi. Explore how to make Chhena Kheer for Ganesh Chaturthi.

Makhana Kheer 

While we decide the bhog for Bappa, we also wonder if this will fit completely in the platter for the guests. Don’t worry here is a list of 10 complete menu for Ganesh Chaturthi! And then we wish to create something filling but at the same time a little different. Makahan Kheer could be a special Ganesh Chaturthi recipe. It is also regarded as pure naivedyam for devotees observing strict dietary rules during the ten-day period. Note: Since makhana is a raw lotus seed, it tend be a little chewy which is not one expects in a kheer. So, ensure that you slow roast the makhana for 10 minutes in a tablespoon of ghee. And in case you want to avoid using rice flour or cornstarch to thicken the milk base, make a powder of the roasted makhana. Nongs Community suggestion: Check the recipe and learn how to make Makhana Kheer.

Fruit Salad 

If you think of bhog prasad, evening snack, or what to offer Bappa throughout the period, make sure you have fresh fruits. A bowl of unadulterated and nicely chopped apples, melons, bananas, pomegranate is not only going to make the bhog platter complete but also bring a lot of colors to your offering. Note: If you are planning to use a dairy base to create a proper bowl of salad, don’t mix citrus fruits such as oranges and grapes as it will turn bitter. 

To keep the Ganesh Chaturthi sweet recipes delicious and diverse, NoNgs Community suggests picking a combination of modak, laddoo, kheer, and a bowl of fruit salad. If you want suggestions of No Onion No Garlic recipes for your daily life, don’t forget to explore NoNgs Community - we are here to make your life a little easier, tastier, and healthier. Ganpati Bappa Morya!