Some of the most lip-smacking sweet dishes of Nalanda include khaja, thekua, tilkut, pedukiya, laai and anarsa. Khaja is a crisp and layered dish dipped in sugar syrup, eaten mostly during festivals and special occasions. In Nalanda, one would find khaja available in different varieties like chandshahi, round, palvidar and gandhi topa. The rectangularly shaped khaja is, however, the most popular.

Thekua is a popular snack made from wheat flour and jaggery mixed together, moulded and deep-fried. Tilkut is made from sesame seeds mixed with jaggery or sugar. Pedukiya is Bihar's version of the popular Gujia. It is made by stuffing flour with semolina, khoya or grated coconut after which the moulded dough is deep fried in ghee (clarified butter). Pedukiyas are eaten mostly during the Teej festival in Bihar. Laai is a humble sweet dish made by dipping puffed rice balls in jaggery syrup and is mostly made at homes. Anarsa is made using rice flour and jaggery, which are moulded and coated in sesame seeds before they are fried until they turn the perfect shade of red.

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