 "Indie Bites - 54.5% Dark Chocolate Kaju Katli - Bombay Sweet Shop")
Traditional Indian sweets are getting a lavish makeover this festive season, with evolving consumer tastes driving innovation. From rose-infused kaju katli to hazelnut besan laddoo, sweet-makers are serving up gourmet renditions of classic favourites — at prices that range from indulgent to extravagant.
While a typical box of sweets costs around Rs 800, some artisanal creations this year are commanding prices that go well beyond imagination. Take Jaipur-based Tyohaar Sweets, for instance, which has unveiled Swarna Prasadam, a barfi made with pine nuts and saffron, infused with edible 24-karat gold and topped with gold vark. It is priced at a staggering Rs 1.11 lakh per kilogram.
That’s not the only showstopper on the menu. “We have a golden series of mithai, which includes the Swarna Bhasma Bharat, made with niche quality almonds, golden ashes, and ayurvedic herbs, besides gold vark sourced from a nearby Jain temple. It sells for Rs 85,000 a kg,” says Anjali Jain, founder of Tyohaar Sweets. “The series also features Swarna Bhasma Rasmalai, made of chhena and crafted with edible gold and saffron, priced at Rs 10,000 a kg.” Yes, these sweets have buyers, she says, but does not reveal how many boxes sell.
In Mumbai, Bombay Sweet Shop is blending nostalgia with playful innovation. A note from the company says that its festive platter this year promises sweets that “take patrons down memory lane, but surprise with a cheeky, contemporary twist”.
On offer are creations such as the nutty dodha barfi — a rich, slow-cooked caramelised milk sweet studded with cashews and almonds, lifted with rose and orange zest — and the hazelnut besan laddoo, where the traditional roasted besan laddoo gets an upgrade with hazelnuts, pistachios, and cashews.
Other inventive offerings include the gulab saffron roll, where saffron katli wraps around gulkand katli and is topped with poppy seeds; the kaju khubani barfi, which layers classic kaju katli with apricot, pistachios, and rose; and the Biscoff Mathura peda, a desi-meets-global creation that combines the fudgy sweetness of the traditional peda with the warm spices of Biscoff. With five outlets across Mumbai, the brand is also delivering its festive treats pan-India.
Up north, at Delhi-based Khoya by Sid Mathur, the festive spirit is rooted in nostalgia. “The way we give a twist to mithai is a little different. We don’t like getting into Nutella or Biscoff. For us, it’s about bringing back flavours that are nostalgic,” said Mathur.
Among Khoya’s highlights this season are its reimagined chikki thins, inspired by Jordan’s traditional sweets, a kaju katli infused with rose and fine chocolate, and a white chocolate aam papad barfi that marries silky white chocolate with the tangy sweet notes of aam papad. Over the years, Khoya has also collaborated with luxury houses such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Cartier, and Dior to create bespoke mithai experiences.
Joining the festive flavour parade is Indian craft chocolate-maker Manam, whose Diwali collection explores unique profiles — from coconut and curry leaf to hazelnut praline, birthday cake, and lemon cheesecake.
Even global food brands are tapping into the mithai zeitgeist. Tata Starbucks has rolled out a limited-edition Diwali menu that infuses festive Indian ingredients like saffron, rose, pistachio, and marigold into its beverages. Think saffron latte, crafted from the brand’s Diwali Blend espresso and topped with saffron-flavoured cream foam and rose crumbs, or Marigold Oat Vietnamese Cold Brew, shaken with oat and condensed milk and layered with marigold drizzle.
The coffee chain has also reimagined desserts for the season. Its Saffron Pista-misu is a pistachio-and-badam-milk take on tiramisu, while the Saffron Malpua Cheesecake brings together a saffron-rich cheesecake base topped with malpua and pistachios — a nostalgic yet modern indulgence.
“Diwali is one of the most special times for our customers, and this year we wanted to celebrate it with flavours that truly reflect the festival,” says Mitali Maheshwari, head of product and marketing at Tata Starbucks. “By infusing saffron, rose, marigold, and pistachio into our beverages and reimagining mithai into modern desserts, we’ve created a menu that feels rooted in Indian tradition yet surprising in its innovation.”
As traditional Indian sweets step into the gourmet spotlight, it’s clear that this Diwali, tradition is not being replaced, just luxuriously reinvented.
