Makar Sankranti is right around the corner, occurring on 14th January, 2026. The festival is a time of marking new beginnings and celebrating good times with delicious food. From Puranpoli to Tilgul, Makar Sankranti has been a time of serving delicious foods made using the winter harvest traditionally. So we’re highlighting the five best famous sweets of Makar Sankranti across India.
Must-Try Delicacies For Makar Sankranti 2026
1. Tilgul
If Makar Sankranti had a signature sweet, a tilgul would definitely wear the crown. Especially popular in Maharashtra and Gujarat, tilgul is made using roasted sesame and jaggery, shaped into laddoos or into brittle squares. The ingredients are humble, but the ritual surrounding them is anything but. Beyond symbolism, they’re also practical as their ingredients generate heat in the body. This makes them ideal for winter consumption.
Traditionally, families exchange tilguls on the day of Makar Sankranti while wishing each other, “Tilgul ghya, god god bola”. This translates to “accept this sweet and speak sweetly”. It’s less of a greeting and more of a gentle reminder to keep one’s tone warm, sweet, and kind in the coming year.
2. Puran Poli
Soft, butter-y, and unapologetically indulgent, puran poli is a crowd-favorite among most Maharashtrians. The sweet flatbread is made by stuffing a thin wheat dough with ‘puran’, a rich filling of boiled and mashed split chickpeas (chana dal), jaggery, cardamom, and nutmeg. While baking it on a flat tawa, a lot of ghee is used to make the puran poli silky smooth and luscious. It is served with warm nutmeg- and cardamom-infused milk or a spicy lentil curry depending on your preference.
While the recipe looks easy, making a puran poli is a tough task! In fact, in many traditional families, a new bride’s culinary skills are judged on the basis of how good of a puran poli she can make.
Puran poli is considered to be a symbolism of abundance and good karma. It’s the kind of food that demands time and effort but rewards you with a rich, indulgent delicacy in the end.
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3. Pongal
While Maharashtra has its tilgul and puranpoli, Tamil Nadu finds its comfort in a Pongal. In fact, the Pongal festival has been named after the dish made during these days. A pongal is made from freshly harvested rice and lentils simmered in milk in a large earthen pot. It contains either jaggery, ghee, and dried fruits (Sakkarai Pongal) or black pepper, cumin, curry leaves, and ginger (Ven Pongal).
An important part of making a pongal is the moment when the dish overflows and pours out of the vessel. This process is considered to be the most crucial and spiritually signifies abundance, prosperity, and generosity.
The Pongal is not just a dish, it brings families together. Signifying abundance, the pongal stands at the center of the 4-day harvest festival in Tamil Nadu.
4. Bajra Laddoos
In North India, particularly in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and other regions, bajra laddoos take center stage during Makar Sankranti celebrations. The laddoos are made using pearl millet flour, jaggery, and ghee. Some recipes also include chopped nuts for a nutty texture to the laddoos. With just three ingredients, this sweet dish is an easy-to-make, nutritious, and deeply comforting dish.
Bajra Laddoos are rooted in the region they’re made in, especially at the end of the harvest season. Bajra is a crop grown abundantly in North India and is a dietary staple in regions that receive scarce rainfall. It’s rich in iron and fiber and is a natural body-warmer, thanks to its ability to fight against the cold and provide warmth to the body.
Also Read: Pongal: A Complete Guide to the Harvest Festival of South India
5. Gur Ki Gajak
Crunchy, sticky, and nutritious, the Gur ki Gajak is a winter staple during Makar Sankranti in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The recipe involves dry-roasting sesame seeds and peanuts and grinding them into a powder. Then, jaggery is melted in generous dollops of ghee. Once completely melted, the brittle powder is added and the mixture is constantly stirred until a thick paste is formed. Once cooled, it is rolled out flat and cut into handy square shapes!
Gur ki Gajak is one of the must-try delicacies for Makar Sankranti 2026 as it is warm and packed with energy. Have a bite and you’ll instantly forget fancy protein bars and energy bars!
Summing Up
In this article, we’ve listed down the famous sweets of Makar Sankranti across India. From tilgul to gur ki gajak, the listicle contains immunity-boosting winter sweets with jaggery and tons of winter-appropriate goodness. So whether you’re someone who craves the crunchy, brittle texture of laddoos or indulges in the soft, ghee-rich goodness of puranpoli, we’ve got you covered!
