As the year draws to a close and the season of merry-making is upon us, desserts play a vital role in capturing the essence of Yuletide celebrations. While Christmas fruit cakes, cookies, and gingerbread towers signify the quintessential Christmas dessert spread, India adds its own twist to the celebration with a melange of ‘desi’ Christmas sweets. Here, we highlight a few that are often considered local Christmas desserts in different parts of the nation.

Nevries/ Nevreo/ Neurio

This Indian dessert is considered a delicacy in Goa and Karnataka. Offered to Lord Ganesha during Ganesh Chaturthi, it is a must-have during the Christmas season as well. These crescent-shaped sweets feature a moist filling of cardamom-infused coconut, semolina, and even dry fruits. Crafting this dessert is a labor of love, requiring significant effort and patience. Once filled with a generous mixture, the moon-shaped parcels are properly sealed and then dipped and fried in hot oil, resulting in a soft and moist interior with a crispy exterior.

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Kulkuls

You won’t be able to stop at just a few of these; extremely addicting, this sweet delicacy is a Goan specialty and can also be found in Maharashtra. A part of every Christmas platter, these small, rolled or curved curls are deep-fried in oil and then rolled in sugar to give them a crunch. Made of semolina, coconut milk, sugar, flour, and eggs, these bite-sized sweets can be made at home or are readily available in shops.

Rose Cookies

Regarded as Achappam in Kerala, if you have not tried this yet, we recommend that you get your hands on it as soon as possible. This Anglo-Indian cookie uses rose-shaped molds, and that’s why it is so popularly known as the rose cookie. Made using a straightforward rice flour batter, they are deep-fried and can be the perfect snack option along with your tea or for gifting guests some local Kerala delicacies.

Ariselu

Popular as a festive delicacy in several parts of India, it is known by several names, including Kajjaya in Kannada, Anarsa in Marathi, and Neyyappam in Kerala. Made using simple ingredients like rice flour, jaggery syrup, sesame seeds, and cardamom, this Indian dessert is a must-have during Christmas in these regions.

Bebinca

Will this article be complete if we do not dedicate Bebinca as the mandatory Christmas dessert? A true Goan delicacy, no Christmas festival would be complete without this. A layered cake or pudding, it is a beauty to behold and is regarded as the Queen of Goan Desserts. Named after its creator, Bebiana, this dessert is made with very few ingredients like egg yolks, sugar, flour, and coconut milk.

In conclusion, these Indian desserts will give you the real feel of what Christmas is all about, apart from a jolly old and good plum cake!

Also Read: How do you balance your studies during the Christmas break?