Food & Drink
Pakistani Sweets & Desserts
Traditional Pakistani mithai and desserts — from syrup-soaked jalebi to fragrant kheer, representing centuries of culinary artistry.
pakistansweetsdessertsfood & drink
15 of 15 rows
Name↕ | Region↕ | Main Ingredients↕ | Texture↕ | Occasion↕ | Description↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulab Jamun | Nationwide | Khoya (dried milk), flour, sugar syrup, cardamom, rose water | Soft, spongy | Eid, weddings, all celebrations | Golden-brown fried milk balls soaked in rose-scented sugar syrup — Pakistan's most beloved mithai |
| Jalebi | Nationwide | Flour batter, saffron, sugar syrup | Crispy, syrupy | Breakfast, street food, festivals | Bright orange spirals of deep-fried batter dipped in warm sugar syrup, best eaten hot and fresh |
| Barfi | Punjab / Nationwide | Khoya, sugar, pistachios, almonds, silver leaf | Dense, fudge-like | Eid, Diwali, gifting | Firm milk fudge squares available in many flavors — pistachio, almond, coconut, and chocolate |
| Halwa Puri | Punjab / Lahore | Semolina, sugar, ghee, nuts (for halwa); flour, oil (for puri) | Soft halwa, crispy puri | Sunday breakfast tradition | Iconic Lahore breakfast combo — sweet semolina halwa with fluffy deep-fried puri bread and chana |
| Ras Malai | Punjab / Sindh | Paneer (cottage cheese), cream, sugar, cardamom, saffron, pistachios | Soft, creamy, melt-in-mouth | Weddings, dinner parties | Flattened paneer discs floating in sweetened, saffron-infused cream — a premium dessert |
| Kheer | Nationwide | Rice, milk, sugar, cardamom, almonds, raisins | Creamy, pudding-like | Religious gatherings, Eid, family dinners | Traditional rice pudding slow-cooked in milk, flavored with cardamom and topped with nuts |
| Gajar ka Halwa | Punjab / Nationwide | Grated carrots, milk, sugar, ghee, khoya, almonds | Soft, moist, slightly grainy | Winter season, weddings | A beloved winter dessert of carrots slow-cooked in milk and ghee until rich and caramelized |
| Shahi Tukray | Mughlai / Punjab | Bread, milk, cream, sugar, saffron, cardamom, pistachios | Soft, custardy, soaked | Weddings, formal dinners | Royal bread pudding — fried bread slices soaked in sweetened saffron milk, the 'king's pieces' |
| Lab-e-Shireen | Nationwide | Vermicelli, milk, cream, fruits, nuts, jelly, rose syrup | Creamy, fruity, mixed textures | Engagement ceremonies, celebrations | Sweet mixed fruit and vermicelli dessert drink traditionally served to announce engagements |
| Sohan Halwa | Multan | Wheat sprout extract, sugar, ghee, almonds, pistachios, cardamom | Dense, chewy, crunchy nuts | Gifting, special occasions | Multan's legendary dense, translucent halwa — a must-buy souvenir from South Punjab |
| Rabri | Punjab / Sindh | Whole milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron | Thick, layered cream | Summer dessert, served with jalebi | Thickened sweetened milk with layers of cream, often paired with jalebi for an iconic combo |
| Phirni | Punjab / Nationwide | Ground rice, milk, sugar, cardamom, rose water, pistachios | Smooth, creamy, set custard | Eid, religious events | Chilled ground-rice pudding served in clay pots, lighter and smoother than kheer |
| Kulfi | Nationwide | Condensed milk, cream, cardamom, pistachios, saffron | Dense, creamy, frozen | Summer treat, street food | Traditional South Asian frozen dessert, denser than ice cream due to no air whipping |
| Zarda | Punjab / Nationwide | Rice, sugar, ghee, saffron, food coloring, nuts, raisins, cardamom | Fluffy, sweet, aromatic | Weddings, Eid, celebrations | Sweet saffron rice dish with bright yellow/orange color, a staple at Pakistani wedding feasts |
| Kulfi Falooda | Nationwide | Kulfi, falooda (vermicelli noodles), rose syrup, basil seeds, milk | Mixed — frozen kulfi, chewy noodles, liquid | Summer street food, dessert | A layered dessert drink combining kulfi, rose-flavored milk, thin vermicelli, and sweet basil seeds |
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