Rose Sandesh is a colorful twist to the evergreen Bengali Sweet recipe. This no-bake easy dessert/mithai can brighten up any festival or party! Plus, it can literally be made in 15 minutes! Save this recipe, it's a keeper!
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What's A Sandesh
West Bengal, India is known for many things and sweets or mithai is one of them. They have a myriad of sweet dishes that can make anyone go weak in their knees. Sandesh is one of the most popular desserts from this cuisine. This bite-sized mithai/dessert is smooth, soft, and has a fudge-type consistency.
They are usually made from thickened milk (paneer/khoya/mawa) or chhena, which is mixed with sugar and other flavoring agents.
It's normally white in color but now there are many varieties of Sandesh that use different flavoring ingredients that make it colorful. You can make this easy no-bake dessert and that too in different colors!
Beetroot Halwa 🎥
Love rose-flavored desserts
I love adding rose flavor to desserts! I love the color and the fragrant flavor it brings to the dish, especially to a dessert!
I always have rose syrup and essence in my kitchen. This way, I can cook something up impromptu when the craving hits.
Looking at the collection of recipes here with rose flavor in them, no one can deny my obsession with it.
Raspberry Rose Hot Chocolate, Rose Coconut Ladoo, Rose Ladoo, Rose Basundi, Rose Lemonade, and Rose Gulkand Ice Cream are just some of my favorite recipes that you can make in rose flavor.
We love our mithai
Yes, as a country, we Indians love mithai which is the Hindi translation for desserts. We serve sweets on any and every happy occasion!
Sometimes we don't even need an excuse to eat something sweet! That's why all our regional cuisines have a plethora of dessert recipes and most of them are made from milk and milk products.
I have tried to include some desserts from each Indian region on my blog. There's Paal Payasam from the south, Shrikhand from the west, Jhajhariya from the north, and now Rose Sandesh from the East of India!
If you want to check out all the desserts on Cookilicious, head over to this Desserts page.
Why make this
You will find many different Sandesh recipes online but this is how I make it. I prefer this Sandesh recipe because the traditional recipe is more tedious and time-consuming.
- Can be made in 15 minutes
- Needs just 4 basic ingredients plus a flavoring ingredient
- It's an easy no-bake, no-cook dessert recipe
- This dessert is worth the minimum effort and is sure to be a hit with people of all ages.
- Can be made in different colors/flavors
- No artificial color or condensed milk needed
Ingredients needed 🧾
Paneer - It is the main ingredient in this recipe. I have used store-bought paneer. You can use homemade paneer or chenna as well. Using paneer reduces the cooking time immensely. The traditional Sandesh recipe calls for making it from scratch.
Rose syrup - I have used Rooh Afza in this recipe but you can use any rose syrup available to you. I always keep a bottle handy in my pantry because it's so good! You can also add pure rose essence or extract and/or gulkand in addition if needed.
Alternate flavoring ingredients that can be used are mango pulp or khus syrup. All these ingredients can be easily found in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
Sugar - I prefer white powdered sugar for this recipe. Powdered sugar blends well with the paneer.
Cardamom - Indian desserts are incomplete without the hint of cardamom flavor. Just a pinch goes a long way.
Nuts - Feel free to use any kind of nuts for garnish. Besides the ingredients, you just need a grater, mixing bowl, and a mixer grinder to make this easy no-bake, no-cook dessert.
How to make it 🔪
As promised, this Bengali sweet rose sandesh recipe is mess and fuss-free and of course very delectable!
- If using frozen paneer, transfer it to the fridge the previous night. On the next day, let it thaw over the countertop till it softens. Then grate or crumble paneer.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar to it.
- Then add cardamom powder.
- Mix it all together.
- Transfer the contents to a mixer grinder jar. Add rose syrup and pulse for 10 seconds or until smooth. This is just to bring the mixture together evenly.
- Transfer the mixture back to the mixing bowl. Shape them into your desired shape and place them on a platter.
Serving Suggestions 🍽
You can shape this mixture as desired. Feel free to use different molds or shape them with your hands. Get creative! I shaped them as lemon-sized balls and then flattened them lightly. Place an almond or pistachio in the center.
You can also garnish them with dried rose petals to make this Rose Sandesh mithai look even more visually appealing. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes and then serve this easy no-bake dessert!
The texture of this Rose Sandesh is so smooth and soft that it will melt in your mouth immediately, not to mention the tantalizing aroma of rose that will make your tastebuds tingle!
Serve this easy Indian dessert at your next house party, or on a festive occasion like Holi, Diwali, Valentine's Day, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Baby Shower, Birthdays, or Anniversaries. They also make great gifts for the holidays.
In case you are looking for more dessert recipes for Holi, check out this roundup post.
Top recipe tips 💭
Ensure that the paneer is soft when you begin the recipe. That is key. If the mixture turns dry, just add a few drops of milk. If it becomes too thin, add some more paneer and grind it until smooth.
While I have not tried it, but Ricotta cheese is a great substitute for paneer because of its similarity in texture. You will need to cook it with condensed milk, sugar, and cardamom to get the desired consistency.
If you don't want to use rose syrup but still want this beautiful color, you can add beetroot juice/powder or organic pink food color. You can also make Rose Sandesh without the khoya stuffing. That will make it a no-cook recipe. You can also add the khoya mixture to the blender jar along with the paneer and combine it together.
Recipe FAQs 📖
If you have the time and enthusiasm, you can prepare paneer from scratch and then use it to make this Bengali sweet. The taste is amazing when it's made using homemade paneer.
However, in that case, cook the paneer in a pan to remove the raw flavor. It should become softer and come together to form a dough. Also, ensure that the milk you use to make paneer is full-fat.
Freshly made paneer or chenna is best for this recipe. However, even store-bought paneer is fine and that is what I always use to make this famous Bengali sweet.
In place of powdered sugar, you can use any other variety. However, keep in mind the color may change a bit if using jaggery powder or brown sugar.
Also, powder it first. It will then easily mix with the paneer. You may also try adding honey. But add it gradually till it reaches the desired level of sweetness.
Instead of rose flavor, you can give it many alternate flavorings. Add 2 tablespoons of mango pulp and make Mango Sandesh.
Similarly, you can add cocoa powder/chocolate sauce to make Chocolate Sandesh or add Khus syrup to make Khus Sandesh! The options are many, so feel free to get creative.
In fact, if you are making this dessert for a festival like Holi, then you can prepare a mix of all these flavors. It would be a visual treat for all that's perfect for this colorful festival.
BTW, you can also make it plain without adding any flavoring. That is actually the basic Bengali sweet recipe.
You can store them in the fridge, in an airtight container. They stay well for a week. You may also freeze them if needed. Just thaw to room temperature and serve. You can also make them 2-3 days in advance and store them in the fridge.
I am yet to veganize this Rose Sandesh mithai recipe. Since paneer is a dairy product, this mithai is not for vegans. While I haven't tried it, you can use soft tofu or sweet potato along with almond flour and coconut.
Mash and saute them along with sugar and cardamom till they are well combined. Add any flavoring ingredient like rose syrup or mango pulp. Mix and then shape them as desired.
BTW, you can also use paneer to make this dessert called Instant Sweet Paneer Gujiya Shells! They are yum!
More no-bake easy desserts
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Recipe 📖
Rose Sandesh - Bengali Sweet Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Khoya Stuffing
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 180 gms khoya
- 2 tablespoon fine sugar
- 2 tablespoon gulkand
To Make The Sandesh
- 12 oz paneer
- ½ cup fine sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoon rose syrup
- 2 tablespoon chopped nuts for garnish
- 1 tablespoon edible rose petals for garnish
Instructions
To Make The Khoya Stuffing
- Thaw the store-bought khoya by leaving it on the counter atleast for 3-4 hours. Then grate it finely. You can also crumble it.
- Add ghee to a pan and when its hot enough, add the grated khoya. Cook on a low flame. Khoya will begin to melt. This will take 2-3 minutes.
- Then add the fine sugar and gulkand.
- Mix and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes. Eventually, the mixture will no longer stick to the pan and will resemble a crumbly dough. The khoya stuffing is ready. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
To Make The Paneer Sandesh
- If using frozen paneer, transfer it to the fridge the previous night. On the next day, let it thaw over the countertop till it softens. Then grate or crumble paneer. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Add fine sugar and cardamom powder.
- Mix it all together. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
- Transfer the contents to a mixer grinder jar. Add rose syrup and pulse for 10 seconds or until smooth. Do not grind. This is just to bring the mixture together evenly. You can also knead it with your hands. It's just more time consuming.
- Transfer the mixture back to a plate. Knead it a bit to make a smooth dough. Divide and Shape them into lemon-sized round balls and make a cavity in the middle.
- Take a teaspoon measure of khoya mixture and stuff it in the middle.
- Close the paneer ball and shape them evenly using your palm. Flatten it slightly if you want or keep them in round shape.
- Garnish with nuts and rose petals. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes and then serve this easy no-bake dessert.
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Chitra says
Hi... These r not cookies, but soft melt in the mouth kind of indian sweet.
Priya says
Yes, they are not cookies.. I never said that anyway 🙂
Ramya says
I have been following ur recipes on fb lunch box group...the recipes n photographs are beautiful indeed!
Priya says
Thank you so much. It means a lot.
Aarthy says
Looks delicious! Can I use store bought paneer and just crumble it ? Or we need to cook paneer first. Iam not familiar with paneer dishes much. Thankd
Priya says
I used store-bought paneer. 🙂 You don't need to cook it. Just bring it to room temperature and crumble it.
Harshita Sajjanhar says
Hi! I really want to try this one.. seems really easy and gorgeous looking sweet. I have a question though.. what is the difference between rose syrup and rose essence? I have rose syrup which has great fragrance but it is colorless. I don't think I will find the rose essence. what can I use instead? How did you get the pink color? Do you mean rooh-afza by rose syrup?
Priya says
Hey, you can use rooh-afza rose syrup for the color.
Amy @ The Cook Report says
These are so adorable, lovely recipe
Jenn Kosar says
The color on these is just amazing! I have loved the unique flavors of indian desserts ever since my first visit many years ago, can't wait to try these.
Patty @ Spoonabilities says
Not only gorgeous cookies but I bet delicious! These would be so perfect for a bridal shower 🙂
Kelly Lloyd says
Wow - this looks delicious! I have saved the recipe will give it a go this weekend!
savorthebestcooks says
these are stunning and they sound delicious, I have used rose water in baking before and love the flavor and smell