Easy Sooji ka Halwa recipe for Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali, and festive season 2025
No festival is complete without the sweetness of sooji halwa! From Navratri prasad to Diwali celebrations, this melt-in-the-mouth dessert brings joy to every occasion. Made with roasted semolina, ghee, and dry fruits, sooji halwa is quick, divine, and simply unforgettable.
New Delhi: We Indians can never let go of sweets. Even after having a full meal, there is always a special place left in our stomachs for dessert. With the upcoming festival season, all Indian households are refilling their stocks to prepare the tastiest of sweet delicacies. This is the perfect time to give due respect to one of the classic desserts of India – Sooji ka Halwa. No Indian festival is complete without the sweetness of Sooji ka Halwa. It is often offered to deities as prasad during Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali, or Satyanarayan Katha. It also served as a warm dessert to guests.
The simplicity, rich taste, and divine aroma of Sooji ka Halwa make it one of the most cherished traditional dessert recipes of India. Sooji halwa, also called sheera or rava kesari in different parts of the country, is not just a dessert — it’s a festive ritual. Made with roasted semolina, ghee, sugar, and dry fruits, this dish symbolises prosperity and purity, which is why it is widely used as an offering to the deities. The best part? It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, yet delivers unmatched comfort and joy.
This festive season, let’s revisit the classic sooji halwa recipe and prepare it in the most authentic way.
Simple Sooji ka Halwa recipe to try this festive season 2025
Ingredients
1. 1 cup semolina (sooji/rawa)
2. ¾ cup sugar (or as per taste)
3. 2 cups of milk
4. 1 cup of water
5. 6 tbsp ghee
6. 4 tbsp roughly chopped dry nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, and others)
7. 4-5 cardamom pods (elaichi), crushed
8. 3 tbsp of milk saffron
Step-by-step Sooji ka Halwa for upcoming festivals
1. In a pan, pour 2 tbsp of ghee and let it warm up.
2. Once the ghee is heated, roast the roughly chopped nuts till it has a nice golden-brown coat. Once done, keep it aside.
3. In the same pan, pour the rest of the ghee.
4. Now, add semolina and roast on a medium flame until it turns golden brown and aromatic. Tip: Continuously stir the semolina to avoid burning it.
5. In a separate pan, boil water, milk, and sugar. Mix well.
6. Once the water, milk, and sugar are mixed well and warmed up, add cardamom powder and saffron milk into it.
7. Keep this mixture hot and ready to add to the roasted sooji.
8. Now, slowly pour the hot liquid mix into the roasted sooji while stirring to prevent any lumps.
9. Mix well and cook on a low flame until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
10. Once done, add the roasted dry nuts and give it a final stir.
11. Serve hot, garnished with finely sliced almonds and a pinch of cardamom powder.
From temples to homes, sooji halwa has been a constant companion of Indian festivals for generations. Its melt-in-the-mouth texture, combined with the richness of ghee and nuts, makes it a dish loved by all age groups. This festive season, prepare this classic dessert with devotion and love, and let its sweetness fill your celebrations with joy and blessings.