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Short on time but not on festive indulgence? Try these seven easy mithai recipes that come together in just 15 minutes.
From creamy malai pedas to rich anjeer rolls, these quick homemade sweets will make your Bhai Dooj celebrations even sweeter.
No Indian festival celebration is quite complete without mithai, and Bhai Dooj is no exception. Celebrating the beautiful bond between brothers and sisters, the occasion brings families together for prayers, the traditional tikka ceremony, heartfelt wishes and, naturally, plenty of delicious food. While the playful sibling banter is practically guaranteed, a plate of homemade sweets is one way to make the celebrations even more special.
Now, we know that preparing an elaborate festive spread can be quite a task. But who says homemade mithai has to involve hours of roasting, stirring and waiting around the kitchen? From creamy malai pedas and melt-in-your-mouth kalakand to rich anjeer rolls and golden bread malpua, there are several delicious treats you can put together in just 15 minutes.
So, before you reach for that last-minute box of store-bought sweets, here are seven easy Bhai Dooj dessert recipes that deserve a place on your festive menu.
7 Delicious Sweets You Can Make In 15 Minutes For Bhai Dooj
1. Instant Kalakand
If there is one mithai that can make any festive platter look instantly more inviting, it is kalakand. With its soft, grainy texture and rich milky flavour, this traditional Indian sweet is a favourite across generations. While the conventional recipe requires considerable time and patience, an instant version using paneer and condensed milk makes things considerably easier.
To prepare this, you will need 200 grams of fresh paneer, ½ cup condensed milk, 2 tablespoons milk powder, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios. Crumble the paneer and combine it with condensed milk and milk powder in a non-stick pan. Cook over a low flame, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and starts coming together. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a greased plate or shallow tray, spread evenly and garnish with chopped pistachios. Allow it to cool and set before cutting into small squares. The result is a deliciously creamy kalakand without the long hours of preparation!
2. Malai Peda
Soft, creamy and delicately flavoured with cardamom, malai peda is one of those classic mithai varieties that rarely needs an introduction. These little milk-based treats are perfect for Bhai Dooj, particularly if your sibling enjoys traditional Indian sweets. The best part? You can make a quick version with just a handful of ingredients.
For this recipe, take 1 cup milk powder, ½ cup condensed milk, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon ghee and ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. Combine the milk powder, condensed milk and milk in a non-stick pan. Add ghee and cook over a low flame, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and forms a soft dough-like consistency. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Allow it to cool slightly before greasing your palms and shaping the mixture into small, flat pedas. Press a chopped pistachio or almond into the centre of each peda for that classic mithai-shop finish. Let them cool before serving.
3. Coconut Barfi
There is something wonderfully nostalgic about coconut barfi. Its delicate sweetness, soft texture and unmistakable coconut flavour make it a festive favourite, and it is surprisingly simple to prepare at home. If you want a homemade sweet that looks pretty on a festive platter without demanding too much of your time, this one is worth trying.
You will need 2 cups desiccated coconut, ¾ cup condensed milk, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder, 1 tablespoon ghee and 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and add the desiccated coconut. Lightly roast it for a minute, taking care not to brown it. Add condensed milk and cardamom powder, mixing continuously until the ingredients come together into a thick mixture. Transfer it to a greased tray, spread evenly and sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top. Allow it to cool and firm up before cutting into neat squares. You can also add a few saffron strands for a richer festive touch.
4. Instant Bread Malpua
Who needs an elaborate dessert when a few slices of bread can turn into something this indulgent? Instant bread malpua is a clever shortcut to the traditional Indian sweet, combining crisp, golden bread with fragrant sugar syrup. Add a little rabri on top, and you have a dessert that looks considerably more elaborate than the effort it requires.
For this recipe, take 4 slices of white bread, 3 tablespoons ghee, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder, a few saffron strands and 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios and almonds. Cut the bread into small rounds or squares. Heat ghee in a pan and shallow-fry the bread pieces until golden and crisp on both sides. Meanwhile, prepare a quick sugar syrup by heating sugar and water in another pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes slightly sticky. Add cardamom powder and saffron strands. Dip the fried bread pieces briefly in the warm syrup and arrange them on a serving plate. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve with a little ready-made rabri for an extra indulgent finish.
5. Kesar Pista Shrikhand
Creamy, aromatic and beautifully coloured, kesar pista shrikhand is a dessert that brings festive elegance to the table without requiring any cooking. A popular Gujarati and Maharashtrian sweet, shrikhand gets its signature richness from hung curd, while saffron and pistachios give it that unmistakable celebratory touch. It is also a wonderful option when you want something chilled after a heavy festive meal.
You will need 1½ cups thick hung curd, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 10–12 saffron strands, 2 tablespoons warm milk, ½ teaspoon cardamom powder, 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios and 1 tablespoon chopped almonds. Whisk the hung curd and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. Soak the saffron strands in warm milk for a few minutes and add them to the mixture along with cardamom powder. Mix well until the shrikhand develops a beautiful pale-yellow colour. Garnish with chopped pistachios and almonds, transfer to individual serving bowls and refrigerate briefly if you prefer it chilled. It is simple, delicious and practically effortless!
6. Dry Fruit Ladoo
For those who prefer their festive treats a little less sugary, dry fruit ladoos are a delicious alternative. Made with dates, nuts and a touch of cardamom, these naturally sweet bites are packed with flavour and require very little cooking. They are also easy to store and make for a thoughtful homemade addition to your Bhai Dooj mithai platter.
Take 1 cup seedless dates, ¼ cup almonds, ¼ cup cashews, 2 tablespoons walnuts, 2 tablespoons pistachios, 1 tablespoon ghee and ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. Roughly chop the almonds, cashews, walnuts and pistachios. Heat ghee in a pan, lightly roast the nuts until fragrant and set aside. Add the seedless dates to the same pan and cook briefly until they soften and become sticky. Add the roasted nuts and cardamom powder, mixing everything until well combined. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before greasing your palms and rolling it into small ladoos. You can coat them with crushed pistachios or desiccated coconut for an attractive finish.
7. Anjeer Rolls
If you have ever admired those beautifully sliced dry fruit rolls at a premium mithai shop, here is your chance to recreate them at home. Anjeer rolls are rich, naturally sweet and packed with the goodness of figs and nuts. Their attractive spiral-like appearance also makes them a lovely addition to a festive dessert platter. And unlike many traditional sweets, they do not require complicated techniques.
For this recipe, take 1 cup dried figs (anjeer), ¼ cup chopped almonds, ¼ cup chopped pistachios, 2 tablespoons chopped cashews, 1 tablespoon ghee, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut. Soak the dried figs in warm water for about 5 minutes to soften them, then drain and blend into a coarse paste. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan, add the fig paste and cook briefly until it thickens. Add the chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews and cardamom powder. Mix everything until it forms a soft, workable mixture. Transfer it to a sheet of butter paper, shape it into a log and roll it in desiccated coconut. Refrigerate briefly until firm, then slice into round pieces and serve.
Make Bhai Dooj Sweeter With Homemade Mithai
Festivals are about celebrating relationships, creating memories and making time for the people who matter most. And while your sibling might insist that they don’t need another box of sweets, we all know that a delicious homemade treat is rarely turned down! Whether you choose the comforting richness of kalakand, the nostalgic appeal of coconut barfi or the indulgence of anjeer rolls, these quick recipes make it easier to add a personal touch to your Bhai Dooj celebrations.
So, put on your apron, pick your sibling’s favourite sweet and get cooking. After all, a little homemade mithai and a generous helping of sibling love are always a winning combination!
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Ask News18For Bhai Dooj 2026, you can make several quick 15-minute sweets like instant kalakand, malai peda, coconut barfi, instant bread malpua, kesar pista shrikhand, dry fruit ladoo, and anjeer rolls.
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November 06, 2026, 18:00 IST
