Kaju Katli (Cashew Burfi)

Holidays were created for sweets and desserts! Here is a recipe for your favorite Indian burfi or mithai – Kaju Katli. This is a very easy recipe and you’ll never have to run to the sweet shop again ! Kajoo Katlee made easy…

Prep time: 15 min.
Cook time: 75 min. (including 60 mins for setting)
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:

Powdered Cashews – 1.5 cups (150gms)
Powdered Sugar – 1 cup (110gms)
Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk (Milk Powder) – 1/2 cup (60gms)
Cardamom Powder – 1/8 tsp
Water – 2 tbsp
Rose Essence – 2 drops (optional)

Method:

1. Take a double-boiler (see below) and bring the water to boil.
2. Once hot, add in the Powdered Sugar and Milk Powder in the top pan.
3. Stir continously for 2-3 minutes till the Sugar and Milk Powder are warm all the way through.
4. Pour the Cashew Powder in a mixing bowl.
5. Once the Sugar and Milk Powder are done, add them to the Cashew Powder in the mixing bowl.
6. Add the Cardamom Powder and mix them all well.
7. If you are using the Rose Essence, add the 2 drops to the 2 tbsp of warm Water.
8. Start kneading by adding a little water at a time.
9. Knead till it forms a dough and the cashew starts letting oil go.
10. Grease hands and rolling pin for easier rolling.
11. Roll out the dough to the desired thickness on to a wax paper to avoid sticking.
12. Cut the rolled-out dough into desired shapes (traditionally cut into diamond shapes).
13. Allow to set at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
14. Store in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature for great taste.

Double Boiler:
1. Take a pan and add water to it and bring water to boil.
2. Take another pan that will sit well on top of the bottom pan (not submerged in).
3. The water in the bottom pan is boiled.
4. The top pan is used for cooking/heating so that it is not intense and direct heat.
5. The water from the bottom pan needs to touch the bottom of the top pan in order to be effective.
See Video for demonstration.

Tips:
1. Adding Varak gives it a very traditional and a grand look but if you don’t have it, the burfi will taste just as good.
2. We noticed that powdering the cashew is best done in a coffee grinder or an appliance meant for dry-grinding. The blender/mixie does not do a very good job and it needs to be very fine powder.

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173 thoughts on “Kaju Katli (Cashew Burfi)

  1. Hey Hetal and Anuja ,
    Tried quiet a few of your recipes and love them all. I am a diabetic and am wondering if i could make Kaju Katli using Splenda or any other Sugar substitute.
    Kindly advise.
    Thanks

    1. Hi Namrata,

      We have never tried using sugar substitutes in our recipes but we have heard that the granulated form of Splenda works just like sugar. Again, we have not tried it so please make a small batch if you decide to try.

  2. Hi A& H,
    so i had little problem making this because i tried it in the food processor and i put in little extra water since no nail was coming out, but then as i took it out of the processor..ther was bunch of oil! but in the end it turned out really well. everybody loved and are going crazy over it. So thank you.
    but one thing is that why is it chewy??? now too much though but little chewy. just wondering if that is how it is suppose to be….and once again thank you for the recpie it was great and i will be making it on diwali for sure! lots of love and wishes! 🙂

    1. Hi Poonam,

      A spice grinder works better than a food processor. Over grinding any nut will release oil. Not sure about the chewiness…maybe the addition of the water had something to do with it.

  3. Thanks a lot for so many recipes
    i have tryed couple of them turned out so good
    and professional look also that to in a easy way

    i am wandering if u gals provide me the “Karachi halwa” recipe i will be so happy,that is one of my most favorite sweet ever

    recently i find u r site and it is soooooooooooooooooooogood to c

    thanks a lot
    Susmita

  4. Hetal, Anuja- your energy was so infectious that i prepared kaju katli at 2 am!turned out super good…thanks a lot! 🙂

    1. Hi Preethy,

      For this recipe, you need the milk powder. There may be other recipes out there that use milk if you search.

  5. Hello,
    First of all, you guys rock! Your recipes are so good and simple. Love you both for inspiring a lot os us to cook.

    I have tried both the “peda” and “Kaju Katli” recipes (which call for milk powder). The problem is since milk powder(available in Walmart, Target etc) is granular and when used as-is, tends to make the peda/burfi texture rough and granular instead of smooth, melting in the mouth types, like the ones availabe in stores. Appreciate if you can provide tips to make the pedas/kaju katli smooth. Will grinding the milk powder before using it in such recipes help?

    1. Grinding the powder should help. Maybe different brands have different textures. Have you tried Carnation brand milk powder?

  6. HI Hetal/Anuja
    i am a regular visitor of your site, i have made many recipes from this site and every one turned out to be great, especially ras malai which is a hit among my family and friends :)Thanks for such great recipes.
    Just wanted to know is there any substitute for dry milk powder?
    thanks

    1. Well, there is but then it would be totally different recipe with different style of cooking (stove-top all the way)
      You will have to cook down milk or Condensed milk till it gets thick….

  7. Hi! This is the first video of yours that I’ve seen. I just stumbled across this site on google. I’m a newlywed and I’m always looking for new recipes to try out for my husband (way to a man’s heart is through is tummy they say 😉 ). I’m so inspired by this recipe I’m going out this instant to get supplies.
    @Anuja: Your chakhli spins round when you roll out rotis! I’ve seen my Gujrati friends do that and I’ve always been green!!
    I’ll let you know how it turns out and if I have any queries. G’day!
    Love.

    1. Hi Rhea,
      First of all congrats and welcome to SMTC!
      The chakli is actually a marble lazy susan. It needs some getting used to but once you do – you are spoiled for life 🙂

  8. OMG!! Never thought it was so simple. Was trying to find something to surprise hubby on V-Day and needless to say, this is his fav Indian sweet 🙂 This is gonna be FAB! Will let you know how it turns out. Wish me luck! Hopefully I resist myself till then 😉

  9. Hi, I want to make this today for my family in another city (it’s their fav), can the final product be kept without refrigerating? I need it to last a full day or two out of the fridge at least. Please let me know asap if you can as I would need to deliver it today.

      1. Hetal,

        Such a simple recipe!I love it 🙂
        I want to make this for my husband on his bday, but he stays in a different city.
        Are u saying that we could keep it outside for a day or two because dessert spoils when kept outside or do u say so because it might melt during transit?
        btw..i live in phoenix, its blazing hot here!

        Also, could you tell me which mail service offers ‘cooler’ transport?

        Thanks!

        1. Hi PD,

          Usually, sweets made with milk will spoil if kept outside in hot climates. For this reason, it is best to store it in the refrigerator. You can leave it out on the counter for an hour before serving for optimal flavor. If kept out in hot climates, it will become very soft but not really melt. We are not sure which mail service offers cooler transport. Sorry.

  10. I am almost skeptical about this working out…stuff that is this tasty is not allowed to be so simple to make 😀 I HAVE to make it this weekend!!

  11. excellent recipe…..tried and it was yummy………….today I used Almonds(without skin) instead of cashews and it turned out great

    thanks for the recipe

  12. Hi Hetal and Anuja,
    I really enjoy trying your methods since last year. I don’t have a double boiler and I made the burfi in the regular pot. It came out really soft like Halwa and please suggest me how to fix it. It is nealy Diwali time and also I don’t want to waste it.
    Thanks.

    1. Hi S,

      Honestly, we have only tried this recipe with cashews but other nuts should work. If you decide to try it, you can try a small batch before continuing (just in case). We’d love to hear your feedback.

      1. Hi Hetal n Anuja,

        Happy Diwali to you guys.

        I made Kalakand, Coconut burfi and Peda, this diwali and they were instant hit in my family and friends. I’m so happy for the easy and less time consuming recipes u give us.

        Thankyou so much.

      2. Love this easy video. Thank you for making it. It does work with other nuts. Here in South Carolina we have an abundance of pecans every other year which we collect, shell and freeze. Lightly toast the pecans, cool and grind finely in a food processor or blender. You can also omit the cardomon powder if you don’t care for the taste.

        1. Hi Brenda,

          Thanks for sharing your feedback. That is great to know! On a side note, my aunt just gave me a big bag of pecans from her tree. Any tips on shelling them? 🙂

  13. Hi…
    Can’t we try this recipe (Kaju Katli) with the same ingredients as mentioned above…through microwave???
    Microwaving Kaju Katli would be faster…

    For how many days can we preserve homemade kaju katli in refrigerator??? What is the life time of this recipe?
    Please advise…

  14. hi
    Hetal & Anuja,
    you guys are given us wonderful recipes. i’m talking about every recipe on show me the curry which we can make without trial. So many recipes I’ve made direct on my party
    & that never fails.
    thank you so much.

  15. Hetal and Anuja,

    Do you have a recipe for Bombay Halwa, preferably a microwave version. The red/green/orange/yellow halwa that’s studded with almonds, etc. Would love if you would include it here.

    Thanks for the great selection of Indian sweets.

  16. Dear Hetal and Anuja,
    This receipe of Kaju Katri is very easy and quick to make. Would like to know if MAVA available in Indian stores can be used instead of Not fat dry milk?

    Good luck,
    Anisha

    1. Hi Anisha,
      We are sure that it can be but we are not sure about how long that would need to be cooked and what quantity 🙁
      If you try it, let is know 🙂

      1. Dear Anuja,
        Thanxs for the reply !!! In reference to using MAVA instead of Not fat dry milk, do you think the process will be same as in your video? Pl advise if you have any other idea.

        Take care,
        Anisha

        1. Hi Anisha,
          We do heat the dry powders in the double boiler because we don’t want them to burn. Since you are using mawa, you can use a heavy bottomed skillet and keep it on low heat, keep mixing and it should work 🙂

  17. Further to my earlier comment, just watched your video and noted you specifically use powdered sugar because of the constarch in it. Then, use the powdered sugar with the cashewnuts when processing. When you lightly toast the cashew nuts and cool them, they get drier and crisper and render a finer powder. Processing with the sugar helps to grind them finer. Do give it a try.

  18. Lightly toast and cool cashewnuts. Use fine granulated sugar in stead of powdered sugar and process (in a Food Processor ) with Cashew Nuts — result:a fine powder. Coffee grinder is great but takes too long and you have to work in batches.

  19. Hi hetal & anuja;

    I did make kaju katli and blended cashew in the blender it was fine no problem. and receipe itself turned out awsome. with cookie cutter gave different shapes too. you girls keep up the good work.
    mayuri

  20. Hi hetal & anuja….

    Could u temme if ther is ny othr ways to decorate the burfi’s if u do not have a varak paper??

    Also i dint hav icing sugar so i tried powdering the regular sugar and added 1tsp cornstarch to it…the burfi did turn out great!!!!

    love your recipes!!!

    1. Hi Nishi,
      You can use any of the dry fruits (finely chopped) like pista or even cashews and spread them on top. Or you can use some colored sugar for a change! Kaju Burfis are so yummy, they will vanish without anything on top 😉
      Enjoy!

  21. Thanks Anuja and Hetal,
    i have just made this recipe and it took me only a few minutes with my food processor. Really great =)

  22. Hi guys,

    I saw non fat instant dry milk at walmart for $8.37 for 25 oz. it’s in packets though..is it too expensive and is it okay it came in packets? I read in earlier posts that u guys but it for $2…where do u buy it from soo cheap?

    1. Hi Ami,

      Usually, the store brands are cheaper than the national brands. Also, if you buy it in a box, it is cheaper than buying it in individual packets.

  23. hey there ladies!

    i made kaju katli n it was superb!my presentation was complete with the varak and my hubby thought i bought it from the sweet mart, only wen i showed him d varak sheets was he gushing out my praises. it was hilarious! thank u so much. next on my list is d mango ice-cream. but the whipped topping is gonna b a problem here in goa. so me off in search. wish me luck!

    best wishes,
    sanya

    1. Hi Sanya,

      Lol! So glad your hubby enjoyed the kaju katli. If you cannot find the whipped topping, you can even beat your own fresh heavy cream to whip it.

      1. hi hetal,

        well i found whipped topping , a pack of 2 ltrs. can u pls tell me how much do i use for 8oz for the mano ice cream.

        thanks,
        sanya

  24. hi hetal n anuja,

    thanks a bunch for ur gr8 site. its a pleasure just to watch ur simple videos. i want to make kaju katli ur way but, i hv a slight problem. i m from goa and over here we dont get the ‘instant non-fat dry milk powder’, can i use the normal nestle’s milk powder that is used for making a cup of milk or tea, its called’Nestle’s Everyday Milk Powder’? the rest of the items-kaju pwd,icing sugar,varak is available only the milk powder query. please help me out.
    thank you both in advance.
    best wishes,
    sanya

    1. Hi Sanya,

      We only get the non-fat version so we have not tried it with the full fat milk powder. Sometimes, the fat content does make a big difference in the texture. You may want to try it out on a small batch so you don’t waste too much.

      1. hi hetal,

        thank u so much for ur reply. could i trouble u to gv me a smaller batch measures. i simply cant do wothout measures. like hw many gms of kaju pwd n icing sugar, water?

        thank u,
        sanya

        1. Hi Sanya,

          Maybe you can try a half batch. Just cut all of the ingredients in half. Example: 150 g of cashew powder can be cut down to 75 g. Good luck!

  25. Hi Hetal and Anuja,

    I just wanted to say that thank you so much for posting “kaju katli” recipes. I am college student born and raised in US. And honestly speaking, I barely cook but your recipes are very easy to follow and not that time consuming. This does really inspires me to cook more often. I made “kaju Katli” for my nephew and not only he loved it but whole family praised it. So i just wanted to thank you guys, “all credit to you guys” you guys just rock.. keep up the good work…

  26. Hi…Dear Hetal n Anuja

    I tried the kaju katli ….n it tasted awesome just like the one we get at the sweet shops, my hubby loved it…it was so easy to prepare..that i couldn’t believe that i prepared kaju katli so easily n quickly…Thank u so much for this recipe…i njoy watching ur videos.keep posting such great recipes!!!

    Regards & love
    Sandhya

  27. hi anuja and hetal,
    we tried kaju katli this weekend. i jus followed ur instructions and it came out fantastic.my husband said that it tasted really good.thanx again.
    radha

  28. Hey Hetal n Anuja..
    Awesome recipe…though i encountered a slight problem..My dough was very dry n couldnt knead it like u did in the video.it kept cracking…can u tell me wot to do?

    1. Hi Ashwani,

      Cashew powder is not available in the stores, you have to make it at home. We use a coffee grinder to grind either whole cashews or pieces (pieces are usually less expensive than the whole ones).

  29. I tried the Kaju katri recipe, and I should say perfect kaju katri in 10 minutes or less. Never knew it could be simple to make kaju katri. Hetal and Anuja, thanks for your delicious recipes, they are easy to make, and the video demonstration is perfect.

  30. Wonderful recipe; it tasted just like the store bought or maybe even better! I used microwave to heat the sugar and milk powder mixture; burnt my finger while trying to mix it with my hands!

  31. Hey Hetal/anuja

    Its urgent… iam having krishna jayanthi day after tmrw…. can you tell if i can do it without the boiler… in ordinary vessel…

    regards
    Shobana

    1. Hi Shobana,

      You have to use the double boiler method, else the sugar will burn. It doesn’t have to be a fancy store bought double boiler…any small bowl or pot that fits into a larger one without going all the way in will work great. Good luck!

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