9 Traditional Indian Monsoon Sweets you Must Try this Rainy Season

Monsoon in India is more than just rain, it is a season of nostalgia, warmth and indulgence. Across regions, families celebrate the rains with traditional sweets that are best enjoyed alongside steaming cups of chai. From deep-fried delicacies to coconut-rich offerings, these recipes are crafted to provide comfort and balance against the damp chill of the season. Here are nine unique Indian monsoon sweets that tell tales of heritage, harvests, and festive joy.

1. Anarse ki Goli

Originating from Uttar Pradesh and other parts of North India, Anarse ki Goli is a bite-sized delight prepared during monsoons and festive occasions. Made primarily with rice flour, jaggery, and poppy seeds, the sweet carries a distinct nutty and caramelised flavour. The damp climate of the monsoon makes freshly harvested rice suitable for such preparations, giving the dish its seasonal connection. 

These golden fried spheres are chewy on the inside and crisp outside, often served warm with tea. Families traditionally prepare them in bulk, as the jaggery preserves well in humid weather. The dish embodies rustic simplicity, relying on minimal ingredients yet bursting with richness. Anarse ki goli also holds cultural significance, symbolising prosperity which often coincides with the rains.

Famous Places To Try:

• Haji Sweet Shop, Nakkhas Tiraha, Old Lucknow: Family-run traditional sweet shop serving authentic Lucknowi delicacies for over five decades with original recipes
• Kedarnath Prem Chand Halwai: An old sweet shop in Purani Dilli specializing in authentic regional Indian sweets using traditional methods and ingredients

2. Ghewar

Ghewar is a Rajasthani specialty that comes into its prime during the rainy season and Teej festivities. This honeycomb-like disc is made from refined flour batter, which is deep-fried in ghee and then soaked in sugar syrup. Its porous, spongy texture is perfectly suited to the heavy monsoon, offering a decadent balance to the dampness. Often garnished with silver varq, pistachios, or saffron, ghewar is both festive and indulgent. Traditionally, ghewar-making is timed with the rains, as the humidity aids in achieving its airy structure.

Across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, households and sweet shops bring out trays of ghewar to mark monsoon festivals, weddings, and Raksha Bandhan. Its rich, syrup-soaked bite reflects not just culinary mastery but also a sense of seasonal abundance, making ghewar an iconic sweet of the Indian monsoon.

Famous Places To Try:

• LMB (Laxmi Misthan Bhandar), Jaipur:Heritage sweet shop since 1727 in Johari Bazar, world-famous for special paneer ghewar and Rajasthani delicacies
• Rawat Kachori, Jaipur: Iconic Jaipur eatery established in 1960s, renowned for traditional Rajasthani snacks, sweets and authentic local flavors

3. Taler Bora

Taler bora, or sugar palm fritters, are a beloved Bengali delicacy made during the late monsoon when ripe tal (sugar palm fruit) becomes available. The pulp of the fruit is mixed with rice flour, coconut, and jaggery to create golden, fragrant fritters. The fruit itself ripens during this season, making taler bora an inherently monsoon sweet. Families in Bengal prepare these during Janmashtami and other rainy-day gatherings, filling homes with the sweet aroma of palm fruit. The fritters are crisp outside yet soft and gooey within, carrying a deep caramelised flavour unique to tal. 

Best served piping hot with tea, they provide warmth against grey skies and damp evenings. Beyond taste, taler bora carries ritualistic importance, with offerings often made to deities before being enjoyed by families. This seasonal indulgence is a nostalgic marker of Bengal’s monsoon landscape.

Famous Places To Try:

• K.C. Das, Kolkata: Legendary Bengali sweet house founded in 1930, creators of sponge rasgulla with four generations of expertise
• Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, Kolkata: Century-old traditional Bengali sweet makers known for authentic seasonal specialties and artisanal preparation methods since 1885

4. Sweet Boli

Sweet boli, a Tamil Nadu delicacy, is a thin, golden flatbread stuffed with chana dal, jaggery, cardamom, and ghee. Though not strictly a monsoon-exclusive dish, it is often prepared during Avani Avittam, a festival that typically falls in the rainy season. Families enjoy it as part of festive spreads that bring warmth and sweetness to damp monsoon days. Its soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture and rich filling make it an indulgence that pairs beautifully with hot milk or coffee.

The jaggery provides energy, while the ghee lends comfort, making sweet boli an ideal treat against the backdrop of grey skies and heavy rains. Beyond taste, it symbolises festivity and family togetherness, and while eaten year-round, its prominence during seasonal festivals secures its place as a beloved monsoon indulgence in Tamil homes.

Famous Places To Try:

• Velacherry Venkateshwara Boli, Chennai: Popular South Indian sweet shop serving traditional Tamil delicacies with consistent quality
• Mami's Boli Shop, Nanganallur: Established 70+ year old shop famous for authentic South Indian sweets, snacks and traditional festival specialties nationwide

5. Narali Bhaat

Narali bhaat, or sweet coconut rice, is a Maharashtrian monsoon dish traditionally prepared on Narali Purnima, the full moon festival dedicated to the sea god. Fisherfolk communities make offerings of coconuts and prepare this dish to mark the beginning of the fishing season after the monsoon storms. Cooked with fragrant basmati rice, grated coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and ghee, narali bhaat has a comforting, mildly sweet profile. The use of freshly harvested coconuts ties the dish firmly to the season. Its golden hue, often enhanced with saffron, mirrors the festive spirit of the day.

Narali bhaat is more than just a sweet; it is a ritual, symbolising gratitude for safe seas and bountiful harvests. Enjoyed warm, it embodies the soothing, nurturing qualities of monsoon cuisine while celebrating the deep cultural connection between communities and nature.

Famous Places To Try:

• Khavayye, Majiwada, Thane West- Maharashtrian restaurant since 1950s, famous for traditional festival sweets across western India
• House of Rice by Suruchi, Mumbai - Traditional Mumbai spot specializing in Maharashtrian delicacies, festival sweets and authentic regional preparations

6. Patoleo

Patoleo, or patoli, is a traditional Goan and Konkani sweet steamed in turmeric leaves. Prepared during Nag Panchami and other monsoon festivals, it combines rice paste, grated coconut, and jaggery into a filling that is spread onto the aromatic leaves before being steamed. The monsoon is when turmeric leaves flourish, making this dish distinctly seasonal. When cooked, the leaves impart a fragrant earthiness to the sweet, creating a sensory connection to the rains. Patoleo holds deep cultural and ritual significance, offered during feasts and festive rituals.

Its method of preparation, involving family participation, also makes it a dish steeped in tradition and togetherness. Soft, fragrant, and mildly sweet, patoleo is often enjoyed hot with ghee. This delicacy beautifully captures the intertwining of harvest, climate, and cultural practices during India’s rainy season.

Famous Places To Try:

• Avo's Kitchen, Goa: Traditional homemade delicacy prepared during Nag Panchami festival by local families using ancestral recipes and techniques

7. Mawa Batti

Mawa batti is a festive sweet from Rajasthan, especially associated with Raksha Bandhan, a festival that often coincides with the monsoon season. Made from khoya, flour, and nuts, these golden dumplings are filled with dry fruits, deep-fried, and soaked in sugar syrup. While not a dish created specifically for the rains, its richness and warming quality make it a fitting indulgence for the damp climate. Families gather indoors for Rakhi celebrations, and mawa batti becomes a centrepiece, reflecting abundance and care. 

The chewy, syrupy bite feels especially comforting during rainy days, balancing nourishment with indulgence. Garnished with saffron strands or pistachios, it celebrates the spirit of festivity as much as the season. By coinciding with monsoon festivals, mawa batti earns its place among the sweets that brighten Indian rainy-day traditions.

Famous Places To Try:

• Choudhary Mohalla, Guna, Rajasthan: Traditional neighborhood sweet makers across Rajasthan preparing fresh mawa batti specifically for festival celebrations and family gatherings
• Apna Sweets, Ujjain: Sweet house offering rich festival sweets including mawa-based delicacies during Raksha Bandhan and special occasions

8. Madh Puttu

Madh puttu, a delicacy from coastal Karnataka, is intrinsically tied to the monsoon, as it is made using the medicinal creeper maddi, which grows abundantly in this season. The leaves are ground and mixed into rice flour batter, which is then layered with jaggery and steamed to create a fragrant, green-hued sweet. Madh puttu is not just about taste; it is also valued for its health benefits, believed to aid digestion and immunity during the damp weather. The steaming process infuses the dish with earthy aromas, evoking the freshness of rain-soaked soil.

Families prepare madh puttu during Kodava Panchami, highlighting its ritualistic importance. With its soft, layered texture and subtle herbal flavour, this sweet exemplifies how monsoon cuisine integrates seasonal ingredients with cultural practices, turning local abundance into cherished tradition.

Famous Places To Try:

• The IBNII, Coorg: Homemade specialty prepared by Kodava families during monsoon season using fresh maddi creeper leaves and traditional steaming techniques

9. Adhirasam

Adhirasam is a traditional Tamil sweet with origins tracing back centuries, often prepared during Deepavali and also relished in the monsoon months. Made with rice flour and jaggery syrup, the dough is fermented overnight before being shaped into discs and deep-fried in ghee. The fermentation process benefits from the humid climate, making monsoon an ideal season for its preparation. Adhirasam carries a unique chewy yet crisp texture, with a caramelised sweetness that deepens as it ages. 

Its reliance on simple yet hearty ingredients like rice and jaggery reflects its rustic charm, while its labour-intensive method makes it a dish of care and dedication. Families pass down recipes through generations, keeping alive this culinary heritage. Savoured with hot beverages, adhirasam offers both comfort and tradition, embodying the soul of Tamil sweets against the backdrop of the rains.

Famous Places To Try:

• Mylapore Ganapthys: Online South Indian sweet chain specializing in traditional Tamil delicacies.
• Nithya Amirtham, Mylapore: Established vegetarian restaurant chain famous for authentic South Indian food