Kaju Katli
Kaju katli is a classic Indian sweet made with finely ground cashews, sugar, and cardamom. These soft, fudgy cashew burfis have a lovely melt-in-your-mouth texture and are cut into pretty diamond shapes.
This is my mother’s recipe, and one thing I love about it is the addition of milk powder. It makes the burfi extra rich, with a delicious khoya-like flavor. Super simple to make at home, this easy kaju katli is a favorite mithai for Diwali, festive gatherings, and gifting.
Looking for more easy Diwali sweets? Then you must try my easy gulab jamun recipe, chena murki, and besan burfi.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make at home. The ingredient list is short, and the steps are straightforward.Â
- Soft and fudgy. Milk powder gives this kaju katli a wonderful soft texture.
- Great for gifting. Add some edible silver foil, cut into diamond shapes, and you’ll have beautiful homemade mithai, perfect for festive gifting.
- Make-ahead friendly. This kaju katli stays well in an airtight container, so you can easily make it ahead for festivals and celebrations.
Recipe Ingredients
Cashews: Use raw, unsalted cashews. Bring them to room temperature (if you keep them in the fridge or freezer) before grinding. Sift the finely ground cashews to remove any large pieces.Â
Milk powder: Adds extra richness and gives the cashew burfi a soft texture and khoya-like flavor, just as it does in my coconut ladoo recipe and chocolate peda recipe.
Sugar: Use regular granulated white sugar. This keeps the kaju katli light in color.
Cardamom: Ground cardamom adds a lovely warm flavor to the kaju burfi.
Silver leaf (vark): Optional, but it gives kaju katli its classic festive look.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make It
Recipe Video
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Grind the cashews in your food processor or coffee grinder to a fine powder. Mix in the milk powder and cardamom powder. Make sure there are no lumps.
Step 2: Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a kadai or wide pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the syrup reaches one-string consistency.
Step 3: Turn the heat off and add the dry ingredients. Mix well till a dough is formed.
Step 4: Transfer the dough to a thali or plate, very lightly greased with ghee. Let it cool for a few minutes. As soon as it's cool enough for you to handle, knead briefly to get a smooth, pliable dough.
Step 5: Transfer the kaju katli dough to a plate or thali, greased with ghee. Pat it and spread evenly or use parchment paper to smooth the dough.
Step 6: On the still-warm cashew burfi dough, place vark (silver leaf), if using, and let the burfi set for an hour.
Step 7: Cut into diamond shapes and serve.
Top Tips
- Don’t over-grind the cashews. Pulse in short bursts. Stop as soon as you have a fine powder. Over-grinding can cause the cashews to release their oils and become a paste.
- Sift the cashew powder. This removes large pieces and gives a smoother kaju burfi.
- Measure both sugar and water precisely.
- Keep an eye on the sugar syrup. One-string consistency is important. If the mixture is not cooked enough, the dough can stay sticky and not set properly.
- Turn the heat off when testing the sugar syrup for the correct consistency. Otherwise, it may go to the next stage while you are testing.
- Knead while the dough is warm. It should be comfortable to handle but still warm. A short knead makes the dough smooth and easy to roll or spread in the pan or plate.
- Grease your hands with ghee before kneading the dough. This will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
- To check if the mixture is ready, take a small piece of the dough and make a small ball. If the ball is dry and non-sticky, your mixture is ready to be rolled out or spread on a plate.
- You can roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment or butter paper. But I find it easier to transfer the cashew burfi dough to a thali or plate, spread it, and then pat it evenly. For a smoother finish, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the mixture and then smooth the dough.
How To Store
Since this cashew burfi has milk powder, like my almond burfi, I store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Place butter or parchment paper between layers.
Recipe FAQs
How do I know when the sugar syrup has reached one-string consistency?
Boil the sugar and water for 3-4 minutes. Take a spoonful out and let it cool for a few seconds. Touch the syrup with your forefinger and thumb and slowly pull them apart. The syrup should form a thin, unbroken string between them. Be careful, this mixture is extremely hot! See the recipe video for the visuals.
Can I make kaju katli without milk powder?
Yes. Traditional kaju burfi is made with just cashews, sugar syrup, and cardamom. You can make this recipe without the milk powder.
Why is my kaju katli sticky?
The cashew mixture may be undercooked, or the sugar syrup may not have reached one-string consistency. Return the mixture to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, on low heat, stirring constantly.
What if my kaju katli is dry and crumbly?
Return the kaju burfi dough to the pan, add a tablespoon or two of water or milk, and cook for a few minutes on low heat until the dough comes together.
More Easy Burfi Recipes You'll Love
Recipe
Kaju Katli
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cashews
- 1/2 cup Milk powder
- 1 tsp Cardamom powder
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/3 cup Water
- Silver leaf / Vark optional
- Ghee, for greasing
Instructions
- Grind the cashews in your food processor or coffee grinder to a fine powder.3 cups Cashews
- Sift them once to make sure there are no big pieces.
- Mix in the milk powder and cardamom powder. Make sure there are no lumps.1/2 cup Milk powder, 1 tsp Cardamom powder
- Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a kadai or wide pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the syrup reaches one-string consistency.1 cup Sugar, 1/3 cup Water
- One string consistency is when the sugar syrup forms a single thread between your thumb and forefinger.
- At this point, turn the heat off and add the dry ingredients. Mix well until a dough is formed.Transfer the dough to a plate or tray lightly greased with ghee.
- Let it cool for a few minutes. As soon as it's cool enough for you to handle, knead briefly to get a smooth, pliable dough.You can lightly grease your hands with ghee before kneading.
- To check if the mixture is ready, take a small piece of the dough and make a small ball. If the ball is dry and non-sticky, your mixture is ready to be rolled out or spread on a plate.
- Transfer your dough to a greased plate or thali. Spread it out evenly. I used an 8-inch thali. A bigger plate or thali will give you thinner burfi.Place parchment or butter paper on top and press down to smooth the top. You can also roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment or butter paper.
- Cover with silver leaf or vark, if using.
- Let this set for 1 hour. Cut into diamond shapes and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t over-grind the cashews. Pulse in short bursts. Stop as soon as you have a fine powder. Over-grinding can cause the cashews to release their oils and become a paste.
- Sift the cashew powder. This removes large pieces and gives a smoother kaju burfi.
- Measure both sugar and water precisely.
- Keep an eye on the sugar syrup. One-string consistency is important. If the syrup is not cooked enough, the mixture can stay sticky and not set properly.
- Turn the heat off when testing the sugar syrup for the correct consistency. Otherwise, it may go to the next stage while you are testing.
- To check if the mixture is ready, take a small piece of the dough and make a small ball. If the ball is dry and non-sticky, your mixture is ready to be rolled out or spread on a plate.
Hey! I love all of your recipes. Especially the sweet intro at the beginning. I have just started baking and I was wondering how ingredients are measured without a scale?
Natasha Author
Hi Harsh, thank you so much and welcome to the world of baking! You should invest in a set of measuring cups ( for dry ingredients), measuring spoons, and a liquid measuring cup. These are easily available online. Hope this helps 🙂