Food · Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Sweets: Curd, Treacle, Watalappan and More

By Days of Iru and Opa

Sri Lankan sweets lean on coconut, jaggery (palm sugar) and spices rather than heavy cream and refined sugar. They are the perfect cool-down after a spicy meal, and many double as festival treats.

The classics

Buffalo curd drizzled with kithul treacle is the everyday favourite. Watalappan, a rich coconut and jaggery custard scented with cardamom, is the celebration dessert.

Sweet snacks

Look for kavum (oil cakes), kokis (crisp deep-fried patterns) and aluwa around festival time, plus coconut-heavy toffees and milk-based sweets year round.

Where to try them

Bakeries, sweet shops and family kitchens make the best versions. Around Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April, sweet tables appear everywhere.

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