Gujiya isn’t just a sweet it’s an emotion tied to Holi memories, family bonding, and festive warmth. Making gujiyas at home fills the kitchen with nostalgia and turns preparation into a celebration of its own.

Mawa Gujiya

Crispy Khoya Gujiya Recipe – A Must-Have Sweet for Holi Celebrations 🌈

Holi is not just a festival of colors it’s a celebration of togetherness, joy, laughter, and of course, traditional sweets that bring everyone to the table. And when we talk about Holi desserts, Gujiya proudly tops the list.

Golden, crispy on the outside and stuffed with a rich, nutty khoya filling on the inside, gujiya is a sweet that instantly brings back childhood memories helping elders seal gujiyas, sneaking extra stuffing, and enjoying them after a long day of playing with colors.

This classic Khoya Gujiya dipped in sugar syrup is perfect for Holi parties, gifting, or simply indulging with a cup of chai. Let’s get into this timeless recipe.

What is Gujiya?

Gujiya is a traditional Indian sweet dumpling, popular during Holi and Diwali, especially in North India. It is made using a crisp flour dough, filled with roasted khoya, dry fruits, and sugar, then deep-fried to perfection and lightly soaked in sugar syrup for extra indulgence.

Ingredients

For the Dough

250 g all-purpose flour (maida)
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup water (or as required to knead dough)

For Sugar Syrup

2 cups sugar
2 cups water

For Stuffing

1 cup khoya (dried milk)
2 tablespoons almonds (chopped)
2 tablespoons cashew nuts (chopped)
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons pistachios (chopped)
2 tablespoons melon seeds
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)

For Frying

Oil or ghee, as required

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Prepare the Dough

In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour and oil. Mix well until the flour feels slightly crumbly. Gradually add water and knead into a smooth, firm dough. Cover and let it rest for 15–20 minutes.

2. Make the Sugar Syrup

In a saucepan, add sugar and water. Cook on medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup reaches a slightly thick, honey-like consistency. Turn off the heat and keep aside

3. Prepare the Stuffing

Heat ghee in a pan or wok. Add khoya and roast on low heat until it turns light golden and aromatic.
Now add all chopped nuts and raisins. Roast for about 4–5 minutes. Switch off the heat, let the mixture cool slightly, then mix in powdered sugar. Keep this stuffing aside.

4. Shape the Gujiyas

Divide the rested dough into 15–20 equal balls. Dust each ball lightly with dry flour and roll into a small disc (about the size of a puri).

Place the rolled disc on a gujiya mould (or shape by hand), add a generous spoonful of stuffing on one side, fold, and seal the edges firmly. Make sure they are tightly sealed to prevent filling from leaking.

5. Fry the Gujiyas

Heat oil or ghee in a wok on low to medium heat. Add 4–5 gujiyas at a time and fry slowly, turning occasionally. Frying on low heat ensures a crispy outer layer.

Once they turn golden brown and crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.

6. Sugar Syrup Coating

While the gujiyas are still warm, gently dip them into the prepared sugar syrup. Let them soak for about a minute, then remove. This gives them a beautiful shine and festive sweetness.

Serving Suggestions

Serve gujiyas warm or at room temperature with:

Thandai
Masala chai
As part of a Holi sweets platter

They also make perfect homemade Holi gifts when packed in festive boxes.

Tips for Perfect Holi Gujiya

Always fry on low heat for an evenly crisp texture
Let the stuffing cool before filling
Seal edges properly to avoid oil absorption
You can skip sugar syrup if you prefer dry gujiyas

Why Gujiya is Special for Holi ❤️

So this Holi, take some time off from colors, gather your loved ones, and prepare a batch of homemade khoya gujiyas because festivals are sweeter when made from scratch.

Looking for more such recipes to get some ideas for your desserts? Do not miss my Orange Muffins and Raj Bhog and the best one’s Motichoor Ladoo.

*If you ever try this recipe don’t forget to share your photos with me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or tag me on Instagram @cookingwithsapana using the hashtag #cookingwithsapana and stay connected* I would love to see your creations from my space!!

Gujiya

Sapana Behl

Gujiya isn’t just a sweet—it’s an emotion tied to Holi memories, family bonding, and festive warmth. Making gujiyas at home fills the kitchen with nostalgia and turns preparation into a celebration of its own.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Servings Pieces

Equipment

Ingredients

For dough

250 gm all purpose flour
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup water or as required to need the dough

For syrup

2 cups sugar
2 cups water

For stuffing

1 cup khoya/dried milk
2 tablespoon almonds
2 tablespoon cashew nuts
2 tablespoon raisins
2 tablespoon pistachios
2 tablespoon melon seeds
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoon ghee
oil for frying

Instructions

Make dough

Take all ingredients for dough in a bowl and knead a smooth dough.

Make sugar syrup

Add sugar and water rin a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until sugar is melted and a slightly thick honey like consistency syrup is formed.

Make stuffing

Heat clarified butter in a wok or pan and roast the khoya until it becomes slightly golden in color.
Add chopped nuts and roast them for 5 minutes and take them out.
In a bowl take all these fried ingredients ,mix with sugar powder and keep aside.

Make gujiya

Make 15 to 20 balls from the dough.Take one ball on flat board and dust it with dry flour.
Roll it slightly to the size of Puri and put it on gujia maker.
Place a heap of stuffing on one side and press it vigorously. Likewise, make all the gujias.
Heat ghee or oil fir frying in a wok, add 4 to 5 gujia at a time.
Fry from both sides for 10 minutes on low heat till a thick crust formed and color becomes golden. Repeat the same with all.
Drain on paper towel and addthem into the sugar syrup. Let them soak the syrup for a minute.
Drain on a cake rack to remove extra syrup.
Garnish with chopped pistachios and silver leaf.
Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Dough consistency: The dough should be firm but smooth. A soft dough will absorb more oil while frying and won’t turn crisp.
Resting the dough: Letting the dough rest for at least 15–20 minutes helps in rolling thin gujiyas without cracking.
Stuffing sweetness: Adjust powdered sugar according to taste. Since gujiyas are dipped in sugar syrup, keep the filling mildly sweet.
Khoya roasting: Always roast khoya on low heat and stir continuously to avoid burning.
Cooling the stuffing: Allow the stuffing to cool completely before filling, or the dough may tear.
Sealing the edges: Seal the gujiyas tightly using a little water or milk on the edges to prevent filling from leaking while frying.
Frying temperature: Fry gujiyas on low to medium heat only. High heat will brown them quickly without cooking the inside.
Batch frying: Do not overcrowd the pan—fry 4–5 gujiyas at a time for even cooking.
Sugar syrup consistency: The syrup should be slightly thick and sticky, not one-string. Overcooking will make gujiyas overly sweet.
Soaking time: Dip gujiyas in syrup for just 30–60 seconds; longer soaking may soften the crust.
Storage: Store completely cooled gujiyas in an airtight container. They stay fresh for up to 7–10 days at room temperature.
Variation tip: You can skip the sugar syrup and dust dry gujiyas with powdered sugar for a lighter version.

Keyword Gujiya, gujiya recipe, how to make gujiya, mawa gujiya

Tried this recipe?Mention @Behlsapana or tag #cookingwithsapana!

Always let me know how this recipe turned out in the comments below. I will be so excited to hear how you served your Mawa Gujiya and please do share your tips and tricks with me.

Don’t forget that you can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Mawa Gujiya

Mawa Gujiya

What is Gujiya?