Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026, and in many homes the kitchen starts filling with faral (festive sweets and snacks) a week or two before. Here are five traditional favourites and a day-by-day plan, so most of the work is done before the festival weekend. Every recipe keeps well, and each one tells you how far ahead you can make it.
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The Diwali faral list: 20 sweets and snacks
Faral is the Marathi word for the sweets and savoury snacks made at home before Diwali and shared with family, neighbours and guests. A good faral plate balances the two. Here are 20 of the most loved items, where they come from, and roughly how long each one keeps in an airtight box. Items with a link have a full recipe on Bananuts.
Sweet faral
Savoury faral
Keeping times are a guide for homemade faral stored airtight at cool room temperature unless the fridge is mentioned. Anything made with milk, khoya or paneer belongs in the fridge.
The five faral recipes
Besan Ladoo
Slow-roasted gram flour ladoo that keep for two weeks.
Quick Coconut Barfi
One pan and about 15 minutes at the stove.
Gujiya (Karanji)
Crisp half-moons with a khoya and nut filling, fried or baked.
Shakarpara (Fried or Air Fryer)
Lightly sweet crisp diamonds, fried or air-fried.
Roasted Poha Chivda
The savoury crunch for the snack tin, made with little oil.
Too busy for Diwali faral? Make it quick, or swap it smart. Each traditional sweet and snack gets a quick replacement, ready in 20 minutes or less. Ready-made plans, one shopping list and gift labels in one printable 20-page PDF.
Get the printable planner, ₹199Make-ahead plan for Diwali 2026
Start with what keeps longest and finish with what needs the fridge. The cooking is spread over two weekends and a few weeknights.
How long each one keeps
Always store faral fully cooled, in airtight tins, away from the stove and sunlight. Keep sweet and savoury items in separate tins so the snacks stay crisp.
Short on time? Easy swaps instead of ordering in
Busy week?Quick Diwali Sweets and SnacksSix full recipes, each ready in 20 minutes or less →If you work long days, you do not need all five recipes. These shortcuts still give you a homemade plate, with far less time at the stove.
For a Diwali evening with guests
Serve the faral with a few hot starters and drinks you can prep in the afternoon.
Paneer Tikka Skewers
Prep in the afternoon, grill as guests arrive.
Crispy Paneer Pakoras
Hot, crisp and perfect with chutney and chai.
Chilli Paneer Bites
An Indo-Chinese starter that disappears fast.
Masala Chai Latte
A warm cup for the evening.
Mango Lassi
Something cool for anyone who wants it.
Packing faral as gifts
Diwali faral FAQ
What is Diwali faral?
Faral is the Marathi word for the festive sweets and savoury snacks made at home in the days before Diwali. A typical faral plate mixes sweets such as ladoo, karanji and chirote with savoury chakli, chivda and shev, and the plates are shared with family, neighbours and guests.
What should be on a Diwali faral list?
Most Maharashtrian faral plates include besan or rava ladoo, karanji, chakli, poha chivda, shankarpali and anarse. Other regions add kaju katli, mathri and namak pare. If you are making faral for the first time, start with two sweets and two savoury snacks.
When should I start making faral for Diwali 2026?
Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026. Dry, fried snacks such as chakli, chivda and shankarpali can be made 10 to 14 days ahead, from around 25 October. Make besan ladoo about a week before, and keep anything made with milk, khoya or paneer for the last 2 to 3 days.
How long does homemade faral last?
Dry fried snacks like chakli, chivda, shev and shankarpali keep about 3 weeks in an airtight box. Besan ladoo keeps about 2 weeks at room temperature. Milk, khoya and paneer sweets such as barfi and kalakand need the fridge and keep 4 to 7 days.
How many faral items should I make?
Four to six items is plenty for most homes: two sweets, two savoury snacks, and one or two extras for gift boxes. It is better to make fewer items well than to rush ten.
Can I make faral in an air fryer?
Some items, yes. Our shakarpara and masala makhana recipes include air fryer methods. Classics like chakli, anarse and chirote are traditionally deep-fried, and frying gives them their usual crisp, flaky texture.
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Too busy for Diwali faral? Make it quick, or swap it smart. Each traditional sweet and snack gets a quick replacement, ready in 20 minutes or less. Ready-made plans, one shopping list and gift labels in one printable 20-page PDF.
Get the printable planner, ₹199Short on time? Diwali Faral in Under 2 Hours has ready-made plans and one shopping list.
Save it for later and follow Bananuts for a new recipe every few days.
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