Healthy Diwali Snacks: 15 Baked and Air-Fried Namkeen Recipes

You can fill a Diwali snack box without a kadhai of bubbling oil. Below are 15 baked, roasted and air-fried versions of classic namkeen, from chakli and mathri to chivda and masala makhana, with simple methods, batch tips and calorie-conscious habits that keep the festive taste without the heavy feeling.

Updated October 2026. Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) falls on Sunday 8 November 2026, so the recipes below are best made from about 1 to 6 November.

Quick answer: The easiest healthy Diwali snacks are roasted chivda, air-fried masala makhana, roasted chana, baked methi mathri and baked chakli. Bake most namkeen at about 170 to 180°C in an oven or air-fry at 160 to 180°C, brush or spray oil instead of deep frying, keep salt modest, and store in airtight jars once fully cool. Times vary by appliance, so check the first batch early.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease or any dietary restriction, check with your doctor or dietitian before changing your festive diet.

Why bake or air-fry your Diwali namkeen

Traditional namkeen is deep fried, often in large batches, and the same oil is commonly reused for days. The ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024) recommend preferring steam or pressure cooking to deep frying, avoiding reheating and reuse of leftover heated oil, restricting foods high in fat, salt and sugar, and limiting added salt to a maximum of 5 g a day. The FSSAI also notes that repeated frying forms Total Polar Compounds in oil and has set a 25% limit beyond which used vegetable oil should not be used by food businesses.

At home, baking and air-frying sidestep the reuse problem altogether. You still use some oil, which gives texture and flavour, but a tablespoon brushed over a tray is very different from a litre in a kadhai.

What changes in taste and texture

Be honest with yourself: baked chakli will not be identical to fried chakli. It is crisper and drier, a little more like a biscuit. Roasted chivda, masala makhana and roasted chana, on the other hand, are just as good roasted. Start with those if your family is sceptical.

Equipment and basic settings

Method	Typical temperature	Best for	Tip
Oven (OTG or convection)	170 to 180°C	Mathri, chakli, crackers, samosas	Use the middle rack; turn the tray halfway
Air fryer	160 to 180°C	Makhana, peanuts, banana chips, small batches	Do not overcrowd the basket; shake every few minutes
Heavy kadhai or pan (dry roast)	Low to medium flame	Chivda, roasted chana, murmura mix	Stir constantly; add spices at the end

All times below are guides. Ovens and air fryers vary widely, so watch your first batch closely.

Roasted and air-fried snacks (easiest)

1. Roasted poha chivda

You need: thin poha, roasted peanuts, roasted chana dal (dalia), curry leaves, green chilli, turmeric, a little sugar (optional), salt, 1 to 2 tsp oil.

Method: Dry roast thin poha on low flame for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and it breaks easily. In a separate pan, heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add curry leaves, chilli, peanuts and dalia, then turmeric. Add poha, toss for two minutes, season, cool fully before storing.

2. Air-fried masala makhana

You need: makhana (fox nuts), 1 tsp ghee or oil, pepper, chaat masala or peri-peri spice, salt.

Method: Toss makhana in oil and spices. Air-fry at about 160°C for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking twice, until they crunch when pressed. Or dry roast in a pan for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Spicy roasted chana

You need: roasted chana (bhuna chana), 1 tsp oil, red chilli powder, amchur, salt.

Method: Warm oil in a pan, add chana and spices off the heat, toss well. Ready in five minutes and high in protein.

4. Air-fried masala peanuts

You need: raw peanuts, 2 tbsp besan, 1 tbsp rice flour, chilli powder, ajwain, salt, a few spoons of water, oil spray.

Method: Coat peanuts with the spiced flour and just enough water to make it stick. Spread in the basket, spray lightly with oil and air-fry at about 170°C for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking every few minutes.

5. Murmura (puffed rice) chivda

You need: murmura, peanuts, curry leaves, turmeric, chilli, salt, 1 tsp oil.

Method: Dry roast murmura for 3 to 4 minutes to re-crisp. Temper oil with curry leaves, peanuts and turmeric, toss in murmura, season. Very light, very quick.

6. Air-fried raw banana chips

You need: 2 raw bananas, turmeric water, 1 tsp coconut oil, salt, pepper.

Method: Slice thinly (a mandoline helps), soak in turmeric-salt water for 10 minutes, pat completely dry. Toss with oil and air-fry at about 160 to 170°C in a single layer for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. Cool before storing; they crisp up further.

7. Air-fried moong dal namkeen

You need: yellow moong dal, oil spray, salt, chaat masala.

Method: Soak dal for 4 to 5 hours, drain and dry thoroughly on a cloth for an hour. Spray lightly with oil and air-fry at about 170 to 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking often, until crisp. Season while warm.

Baked namkeen (oven or air fryer)

8. Baked methi mathri

You need: 1 cup whole wheat atta, 1/4 cup sooji, 2 tbsp kasuri methi, ajwain, salt, 2 tbsp ghee or oil, water.

Method: Rub ghee into the flours until the mix holds when pressed. Add methi, ajwain and salt, knead a stiff dough with water, rest 15 minutes. Roll, cut rounds, prick with a fork. Bake at about 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden.

9. Baked chakli

You need: 1 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup besan, sesame seeds, ajwain, chilli powder, salt, 1 tbsp hot oil, water.

Method: Mix flours and spices, pour in hot oil, then knead a soft dough with warm water. Press spirals onto a lined tray with a chakli press. Brush lightly with oil and bake at about 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes until crisp, turning once if needed.

10. Baked namak pare

You need: whole wheat atta (or half maida), ajwain, kalonji, salt, 2 tbsp oil, water.

Method: Knead a stiff dough, roll thin, cut diamonds. Bake at about 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes until they sound hollow and crisp.

11. Baked palak mathri

You need: atta, spinach puree (instead of water), ajwain, salt, 2 tbsp oil.

Method: Knead atta with spinach puree and oil into a stiff dough. Roll, cut, prick and bake like methi mathri. The colour looks lovely in a mixed snack box.

12. Ragi (nachni) masala crackers

You need: 1/2 cup ragi flour, 1/2 cup atta, sesame seeds, cumin, chilli flakes, salt, 2 tbsp oil.

Method: Knead a firm dough, roll very thin between two sheets of butter paper, cut squares, prick. Bake at about 170°C for 15 to 18 minutes. Thinner equals crisper.

13. Jowar or bajra crisps

You need: jowar or bajra flour, a little atta for binding, ajwain, hing, salt, oil.

Method: Knead with warm water, roll very thin, cut into strips or triangles and bake at about 170 to 180°C until crisp. Bajra suits winter festive snacking and pairs well with chai.

14. Baked oats and besan sev

You need: 1/2 cup besan, 1/4 cup powdered oats, ajwain, turmeric, chilli, salt, 1 tbsp oil.

Method: Make a soft dough, press thin sev directly onto a lined tray with a sev press. Bake at about 170°C for 10 to 12 minutes, watching closely because thin sev browns fast.

15. Baked mini samosas

You need: atta dough with a little oil, filling of spiced peas and potato (or moong dal), oil for brushing.

Method: Roll small circles, fill, seal well. Brush with oil and bake at about 190°C for 20 to 25 minutes or air-fry at about 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Best eaten the same day.

Calorie-conscious festive habits

Baked namkeen is a better choice, but it is still energy-dense. A few habits matter more than the recipe:

• Serve in small katoris, not open packets or large bowls. People eat less from a small serving.
• Pair snacks with protein and fibre. Roasted chana, makhana, moong dal and nuts keep you fuller than refined-flour snacks.
• Watch the salt and masala. Pre-mixed chaat masala and black salt add up quickly. Taste before adding more.
• Keep sweets and namkeen separate. Combining a plate of mithai with a plate of namkeen at every visit doubles the load. Choose one.
• Drink water or plain chai. Sugary drinks and sweetened cold drinks add up over a week of visiting.
• Do not skip meals to “save” for snacks. It usually leads to eating more.
• Move. A 20-minute walk after a festive lunch is easy and enjoyable with family.

Make-ahead and storage plan

Snack	Make ahead	Storage
Chivda, murmura mix, roasted chana	Up to 2 weeks	Airtight jar, cool and dry
Mathri, namak pare, crackers, chakli	Up to 2 weeks	Airtight tin after cooling completely
Makhana, peanuts, banana chips	About 1 week	Airtight jar; re-crisp in air fryer for 2 minutes if soft
Moong dal namkeen, sev	About 1 week	Airtight jar
Mini samosas	Same day (or freeze unbaked)	Bake fresh from frozen

The golden rule: cool snacks completely before storing. Warm snacks release steam and go soft in a closed jar.

A 5-day Diwali snack plan

1. Day 1 (Sunday 1 November): mathri and namak pare dough; bake both.
2. Day 2: chakli and ragi crackers.
3. Day 3: poha chivda and murmura chivda.
4. Day 4: masala peanuts, moong dal namkeen, banana chips.
5. Day 5 (Friday 6 November, Dhanteras): makhana and roasted chana; pack gift boxes.

On Diwali day itself, only make samosas or anything that is best fresh.

Packing healthy snack boxes as gifts

Homemade namkeen makes a thoughtful gift, especially for neighbours and colleagues who are tired of identical mithai boxes. Use steel or glass jars, or food-safe paper boxes lined with butter paper. Add a small handwritten label with the name of each snack and the date, and mention common allergens such as peanuts or sesame. Mixing three items (one roasted, one baked, one millet-based) looks generous without needing large quantities of any one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are air-fried snacks actually healthier than fried ones?

They use much less oil and avoid reusing heated oil, which makes them a lighter choice. They are not low-calorie by default, so portion size still matters.

Can I bake chakli without a chakli press?

You can use a piping bag with a star nozzle, though the dough needs to be slightly softer. The texture will be similar.

Why did my baked mathri turn hard instead of flaky?

Usually too little fat rubbed into the flour, or too much water. The flour should hold together when pressed in your fist before you add water.

How do I keep makhana crunchy?

Roast until it crunches when you press one between your fingers, cool completely and store in an airtight jar. Re-crisp in a pan or air fryer for two minutes if needed.

Which healthy Diwali snack is best for kids?

Murmura chivda, makhana and mini baked mathri are popular with children. Keep spice low, and watch young children with whole nuts and makhana, which can be a choking risk.

When is Diwali 2026?

Diwali and Lakshmi Puja fall on Sunday 8 November 2026, with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November, according to the Drik Panchang 2026 festival calendar.

Festive taste, lighter tins

You do not need to give up namkeen to have a lighter Diwali. Start with two or three easy wins, such as roasted chivda, masala makhana and baked mathri, then add more as your family gets used to the baked versions. Keep portions small, salt modest and the kadhai oil out of reuse, and the snack tins will still be empty by Bhai Dooj.