Top 20 Sweets in Uttrakhand You Must-try

Uttarakhand is the best place for travel , trips and short holidays in the northern region of India, 

but when you end up there you just go blank when the waiter gives you the menu. 

When you are in this heaven as uttarakand, you must go back to having a delightful treat. Today, we have listed you top 20 Uttarakhand sweet delicacies that you can cherish when you are there, but before we learn about it let’s learn reasons Why explore Uttarakhand sweets? 

Why explore Uttarakhand sweets? 

Uttarakhand is an heavenly abode which exists in the peaks of himalayan region in the north west frontier of india. The state is a blend of two different regions Kumaoni and Garhwali, that are famous for its vibrant subcultures and festivities, cuisine and dances.  

Trying some of the sweet delicacies from this region will give a mix of flavour and texture that you might not find in any other place or the state of India . The sweets made here have recipes that come with the delicious twist and tweaking like Kamoni halwa and Gulgula, which are different from the common recipes of the rest of the Indian states. 

 The land of Uttarakhand is closely related to the stories in the puranas and have close connection with king Bhagirath and ganga river, the festival celebrated involve mass distribution of the expensive sweets in the form of prasad like Bal mithai, that can be seen be in temples during the local festivals.

Top 20 sweets in uttarakhand you must-try 

The sweets are lip smacking delight melting in your mouth, having it amidst the adventure just amplifies the essence of its sweetness. Today in this blog, we have listed you top 20 sweets in Uttarakhand you must-try. 

1. Bal Mithai: Bal Mithai is one of the Kumaoni delicacies of uttarakhand. It is a delight of caramelized milk covered in poppy seeds that melts into sweet milkiness, its texture is soft and is made by simmering khoya on low flame. It is made in the puja and maha pujas ceremonies in the temple, holy shrines and usual household. 

2. Chocolate bal mithai : Chocolate Bal mithai is a delicious burfi in uttarakhand, it is made by adding all the Bal Mithai ingredients with chocolate. It's a tasty treat  for kids and is  loved by  kids in the state.

4. Gulgula: Gulgula is a simple yet mesmerising sweet available in all the regions of the uttarakhand, it's a sweet fried dough easily available in the roadside shacks or the near trekking points or camping sites; it is made by frying a sweet dough prepared by adding sugar/jaggery powder to the wheat batter, and frying it shape of dough balls.

5. Arsa: Arsa is an alternative version of gulgula, it is made up of rice flour rather than wheat flour and has a finer texture and dark brown colour. You can  enjoy it almost everywhere, in  rest houses, homestays and Airbnb villas, it's a common sweet made on almost every occasion. You can savor the cuisine on request to the local chef

6. Roat : Roat are the fat sweets rotis prepared in the wooden stencils, these roats are made  by mixing jaggery powder/sugar powder in the wheat batter and deep fried on the hot oil pan till golden brown and pressing the dough  between the stencil. The roasts are baked on every harvest festival and local ceremonial. You can savour it in any local fair or function. 

7. Rotana: Rotana is  just like Roat, the fat Indian sweets bread prepared in the wooden stencils, but has a comparatively larger size. They have a clearer flower pattern imprint on them, which comes out beautifully when freshly fried.Rotana are Usual day to day cuisine, it is a midnight craving meal of the uttarakhand youth. 

8. Jhangora ki Kheer: Jhangore ki kheer is one of the best cuisines to have in uttarakhand, It is millet kheer, made with mixing sugar, jaggery  milk and simmer boiling, it all with the millet grains. It tastes delicious and fun fact is, you can get it for free in the mandir as it's an auspicious prasad (Hoii meal) served after offering it to the deity. 

9. Kumaoni Halwa: Kumaoni halwa is one of the surprising cuisines you can ever encounter, in the hilly region of kamoun you will might come across halwa that look like everyday suji ka halwa, but does look little different, due to addition ingredient  indian curd. Kamoni halwa is made like  simple suji ka halwa but it's slightly dry roasted for a longer period and has a distinguished star-like flaky texture that can be spotted even from a distance. 

10.  Pahadi Halwa : Pahadi halwa is a regular halwa available at each stretch of uttarakhand, it is made of suji. jaggery, curd and cooked with yeast. The cuisine is the favourite evening snack of localite here. It has a mesemering taste and flavour of jaggery powder which blends with the nuttiness of the almond and current toppings that gives a cozy delight. 

11. Singori:  Sangori is khoya sweet simmer boiled  and roasted with almond,  nuts, cardamom powder and desiccated coconut, when turned into slightly slimy paste on high flame for ease in shaping the paste into a sweet. It is then wrapped into a sheet of leaf called mallu leaf ( leaves of taro root). It has an earthy nutty flavour which adds variation to its sweet flavour to it, and refreshing texture due to the boiled sheet of mallu leaf. 

12. Singhal Mithai: Singhal mithai is one of the best sweets for sweet lovers. You would see a singhal mithai almost everywhere on your road trip to dehradun or rishikesh, it is Uttrakhandi jalebi made with suji flour, jaggery mashed banana,yeast and yogurt mixture piped into a piping bag and fried on mustard oil like jalebi, it can be enjoyed with a glass of milk , cup of tea or rabadi for a short travel break.

13. Anjeer Kalakand:  Anjeer kalank is a famous Kamouni Barfi of Uttarakhand which is made by adding caramelised anjeer (fig) into boiling khoya on medium heated pan, in ghee ( unsalted indian butter) till mix is ready to be moulded into barfi. It often has coconut and pistsachio toppings but sometimes it  is enjoyed without any topping.

14. Til ke ladoo:  Til ke ladoo is a cozy winter snack which helps to acclimatize with the environment, it is made by roasting jaggery powder,  Til (sesame seeds). wheat flour in ghee on low flame till jaggery becomes slimy and is ready to act as binder; unlike other ladoos this one is given shape when it's moist and is covered with sesame seeds layer for finishing.

15. Mandua ladoo: Mandua ladoo are ragi ladoo that are made with ragi flour and assorted nuts roasted together on high flame, till the mixture is golden brown and heated on low flame in liquid ghee to make mix sticky, refined and delicious. 

16. Kale til ladoo: Kale Til ( black sesame seeds) like ladoo are winter cozy snacks made like til ke ladoo, but they are comparatively more bitter and nutty in taste and are on a warmer tone.  They help to acclimatize with the environment, and are homemade remedies to prevent cold..

17. Til barfi : Til are mass produced in uttarakhand and have a huge demand in the winter, til barfi are the best barfi one can have in the time of winter, it gives heat to the body and nourishment to the soul. It was a bar of sesame seeds bound together in the solidified jaggery paste, and a blissful crunch with wholesome sweetness. 

18. Gajak : Gajak is a solidified dessert made with  peanuts bound in the solidified jaggery syrup, shaped in the form of a circular disc. It is a hard sweet crunchy snack that localite enjoy daily in the winter season, it is easily available in local shops. 

19.  Gujiya:  Gujiya are refreshing snacks to have while travelling in the meadows of uttarakhand, gujiya are the crunchy snack to munch on the way to the favourite destination, it is made by enveloping a roasted sooji, dry fruit mixture in a sheet of fried maida. 

20. Kenchuva: Kenchuva is the best dish to have in uttarakhand. It is a sweet made by boiling condensed milk till  turned into desiccated cottage cheese like structure. The dry fruits give a decent flavour  milky sweetness. It is served on marriage functions and is made in large scale for the visitors.

Frequently asked question 

• Why explore Uttarakhand sweets? 

Trying some of the sweet delicacies from this region will give a mix of flavour and texture that you might not find in any other place or the state of India, due to diverse and distinct cultural heritage. 

• Where is Uttarakhand located?

Uttarakhand is an heavenly abode which exists in the peaks of himalayan region in the north west frontier of india.ithai is one of the famous sweets of uttarakhand. 

• Which is the  most surprising  Uttarakhand sweet? 

Kumaoni halwa is one of the surprising cuisines you can ever encounter, when you come across this halwa, you will see it is like everyday suji ka halwa, but does look little different, with indian curd.