Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: A celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi is never complete without a platter of freshly prepared modaks. The festivities will come back in 2026 on September 14 Monday and go on for about 10 days until Anant Chaturdashi on September 25.
Modak is still strongly related to Lord Ganesha but this sweet has evolved a lot in the homes along with the traditional steam modak, one gets creative with the cashew, pistachio, chocolate, Oreo, seviyan and even paan flavoured modaks. This year instead of preparing the same mithai again and again, why not try out 7 different types of modaks in your house?
Here is a collection of recipes which one can prepare at home.
Traditional Ukadiche Modak Recipe
The authentic version of Ukadiche Modak can serve as the base and the thin layer of rice flour encloses a mixture of coconut, jaggery, cardamom and sometimes poppy seeds or nuts. As far as making the filling, one has to mix grated coconut and jaggery, heat them up until they acquire a slightly stiff consistency meanwhile, make a dough using rice flour, hot water, salt and some ghee. Make small portions of the dough, flatten them and put the filling in the middle. Make pleats along the edges and steam the modaks for about 10-12 minutes.
Note: Keep the dough warm and covered while shaping. Dry rice dough is one of the quickest ways to end up with cracked modaks.
Kaju Katli Modak Recipe
Since you have already tried kaju katli, making it into a modak is going to be very simple for your family during any festive occasion. Just grind the cashews to a fine powder and make sugar syrup and put the cashew powder in it and keep cooking on a low flame till it forms a dough.
Add cardamom and some ghee to it and cool the dough down slightly and then pour it into a greased modak mold. Some strands of saffron or even a silver leaf would give you that authentic mithai shop touch. The key here is timing because the dough needs to be pulled out from the heat source when it is still pliable.
Seviyan Malai Crunch Modak Recipe
This one is for all those who enjoy contrasts in texture and crunchiness is provided by roasted seviyan, while a soft center is achieved through a malai filling. Roast the broken vermicelli in some ghee till golden brown while mix it with the chocolate and use this combination to make the outer shell of the modaks in a silicone mold.
To make the filling, you need to whip cream with condensed milk, powdered milk, cardamom and chopped pistachios. Fill the shells and seal the top portion with the chocolate and vermicelli mixture and refrigerate till firm. This modak should be served cold and the sooner it is consumed, the better.
Oreo Cloud Modak Recipe
The Oreo modak has an unusual modern taste and is perfect for the young generation in the family and break down the chocolate sandwich biscuits and save some for the decorations. Make a shell out of white chocolate in the silicon mold and let it harden entirely.
The filling can be prepared by mixing chilled whipped cream with condensed milk, vanilla extract and biscuit crumbs. Put the filling into the shells and close them using white chocolate again and refrigerate it. It needs nothing else except some more biscuit crumbs for decoration.
Shahi Pista Modak Recipe
The trio of pistachio, khoya and saffron is definitely suited for use in preparing festive mithai. Khoya is cooked along with ground pistachios. Sugar, cardamom and saffron milk are added to the mixture and stir continuously till it forms a soft mass and leaves the sides of the pan.
Allow the mixture to cool down and shape it in a greased mould. Sprinkle chopped pistachios and saffron on top of it while one should be very cautious while cooking the mixture since excessive cooking may make the modak dense.
Paan Gulkand Modak Recipe
For something a little different, you might want to try paan and gulkand while this one consists of betel leaves, pistachios, gulkand which resembles roses and fennel. First, blend washed paan leaves along with milk. Cook khoya, pistachio powder, sugar and the paan mixture in low heat.
To form the inner filling, mix gulkand with chopped pistachios, shredded coconut and fennel seeds. Roll a portion of the inner filling with the paan mixture and shape it. Remember not to use too much gulkand, since a very moist filling will make it hard to seal the modak.
Surprise Modak Recipe
This modak will have you all excited about your family get together, just because of its secret fillings. It looks like a regular milk modak from the outside, but it has chocolate and nuts inside.
First of all, make a smooth filling of milk powder, condensed milk, cream and cardamom while make another filling of khoya, nuts and chocolate. Now take some of the first filling, roll it out into a ball, place some of the second filling inside and close it properly. Place the ball inside a modak mold and the filling should be kept small so that it can fit inside.
What Are the Essential Baking Equipment for Making Modaks?
You do not need a professional baking setup. A few basic tools are enough for most varieties.
- Modak mould: Useful for consistent shapes and faster preparation.
- Silicone mould: Particularly convenient for chocolate-based modaks.
- Heavy-bottomed pan: Helps control heat while cooking mithai mixtures.
- Silicone spatula: Useful for stirring and scraping mixtures from the pan.
- Digital kitchen scale: Helps maintain consistent ingredient quantities.
- Mixer grinder: Needed for cashew, pistachio, almond and biscuit powders.
- Mixing bowls: Keep separate bowls ready for fillings and chocolate.
- Double boiler or heatproof bowl: Useful for melting chocolate gently.
- Steamer: Essential for traditional Ukadiche Modaks.
- Airtight containers: Important for storing finished sweets.
For a first-time cook, the most useful combination is a modak mould, non-stick or heavy-bottomed pan, spatula, mixer grinder and weighing scale.
How to Store Different Types of Modak
Storage depends heavily on the ingredients and moisture content.
- Ukadiche Modak: Refrigerate leftovers and consume within about 1 to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.
- Kaju Katli Modak: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container and ideally finish within 4 to 5 days.
- Shahi Pista Modak: Refrigerate and consume within approximately 4 to 5 days.
- Oreo Cloud Modak: Because of the cream filling, keep chilled and consume within 2 to 3 days.
- Coffee or chocolate cream modaks: Refrigerate and keep them protected from heat and moisture.
- Seviyan Malai Modak: Refrigerate, but remember that the crunchy coating will gradually soften.
- Paan Gulkand Modak: Keep refrigerated and consume within roughly 3 to 4 days.
Do not seal warm modaks immediately. Allow them to cool first to reduce condensation inside the container.
Which Modak Should You Try This Ganesh Chaturthi?
There is no single winner. The best choice depends on who will be eating them.
- For tradition: Choose Ukadiche Modak.
- For classic mithai lovers: Make Kaju Katli Modak.
- For nut lovers: Try Shahi Pista Modak.
- For children: Oreo Cloud or Surprise Modaks are playful choices.
- For adventurous eaters: Paan Gulkand is worth trying.
- For texture lovers: Seviyan Malai Crunch offers the most contrast.
- For gifting: Kaju Katli and Shahi Pista look particularly festive.
If you have time, make two varieties rather than trying to prepare everything in one day. Pairing one traditional recipe with one modern flavour gives the platter more character.
Tips for Making Perfect Modaks
- Keep milk and khoya mixtures on low heat.
- Remove cooked mithai mixtures before they become completely dry.
- Allow mixtures to cool until warm before handling.
- Grease moulds lightly rather than coating them heavily.
- Keep stuffed fillings small enough to seal properly.
- Grind nuts using short pulses to prevent them becoming oily.
- Let chocolate shells set completely before unmoulding.
- Keep rice-flour dough covered so it does not dry out.
- Steam Ukadiche Modaks only until the outer layer turns soft and glossy.
- Make cream-filled varieties close to serving time.
- Use fresh nuts and good-quality chocolate for noticeably better flavour.
- Do a small test batch before making a large quantity for guests.
Top 20 Modak Varieties to Try at Home
- Ukadiche Modak
- Fried Modak
- Kaju Modak
- Chocolate Modak
- Dry Fruit Modak
- Mawa Modak
- Pista Modak
- Kesar Modak
- Rava Modak
- Coconut-Jaggery Modak
- Paan Gulkand Modak
- Oreo Modak
- Seviyan Malai Modak
- Rose Modak
- Almond Modak
- Besan Modak
- Date and Nut Modak
- Coffee Modak
- Mango Modak
- Strawberry Modak
These include both traditional and modern flavours while current 2026 recipe roundups also feature varieties such as fried, rava, chocolate, kesar, dry-fruit, rose-pista and date-almond modaks.
Frequently Asked Questions About Modak
Which modak is traditionally associated with Ganesh Chaturthi?
Ukadiche Modak is among the most traditional versions, particularly associated with Maharashtra.
When is Ganesh Chaturthi in 2026?
Ganesh Chaturthi falls on Monday, September 14, 2026.
When is Ganesh Visarjan in 2026?
Anant Chaturdashi, associated with the main 10-day festival culmination, falls on Friday, September 25, 2026.
Can modaks be made without a mould?
Yes. Traditional Ukadiche Modaks can be shaped entirely by hand.
Why do homemade modaks crack?
Dry dough or an overcooked mixture is usually responsible. Stuffed varieties can also crack when they contain too much filling.
Why do chocolate modaks break?
The shell may be too thin or insufficiently chilled. A second chocolate layer can provide extra strength.
Which modak is easiest for beginners?
Kaju Katli and Oreo-style modaks are relatively straightforward because they rely on moulding rather than hand-pleating.
Can modaks be prepared ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi?
Yes, although dry mithai-style varieties generally handle advance preparation better than steamed or cream-filled versions.
How long do homemade modaks last?
It varies by recipe. Cream-filled and steamed varieties have shorter storage windows, while drier nut-based sweets generally last longer when refrigerated correctly.
Can modaks be frozen?
Some dry mithai varieties may tolerate freezing, but cream-based and steamed modaks are generally better kept refrigerated and eaten fresh.
Ganesh Chaturthi is ultimately less about having a perfect sweet platter and more about bringing people together whether your family reaches first for a traditional Ukadiche Modak or a chocolate Oreo version, homemade modaks have a way of turning preparation itself into part of the celebration.
Disclaimer: This article is for general culinary information. Storage times can vary, so use fresh ingredients and follow safe food-handling practices.
