7 cup burfi recipe – an easy 7 cup cake or 7 cups sweet made with besan, sugar, coconut, cardamom powder & milk. This barfi recipe gets its name “7 cup burfi” since 7 cup of ingredients are used to make it. It tastes very close to the traditional Mysore pak but with an additional taste & aroma of coconut.

7 cup burfi tastes very delicious and is good to make only for occasions like festivals or celebrations as it has high amount of sugar in it.
To make this 7 cup burfi, we don’t need to check sugar syrup consistency which means it is easy even for beginners.
You can also check this complete collection of over 100 diwali recipes.
This recipe is made with 1 cup each of besan, milk, ghee, coconut and 3 cups of sugar.
The 7 cups sweet recipe I have shared here is a modified version that has less sugar in it. There is no standard cup size to follow, we can just use any cup.
Using the traditional recipe, the 7 cup burfi turns out overly sweetened and that’s how it is made. I made it a few times before and each time i tried reducing 1/4 cup of sugar.
This time i made it with 2 cups instead of 3 cups and it turned out just right in taste, sweetness and texture.
The color of the burfi can be slightly different if the flour is roasted a bit more and more sugar is added.
This can also be made to a soft set burfi, do check the notes mentioned in the recipe below.
Making 7 cups burfi is a bit of arm work as you have to continuously stir the heavy mixture nonstop.
If you are someone who really cannot handle heavy mixture then please do not try the recipe.
For more Barfi recipes you can check
Coconut barfi
Rava burfi
Badam barfi
Chocolate burfi
Almond barfi with jaggery
Mawa burfi
Preparation for 7 cups burfi recipe:
- Grease a tray or an aluminium foil to pour the mixture. You can also use a parchment paper. Set this aside.
- Grease a knife and set aside.
- You can also add tiny chunks of cashews or pistachios to this, if you like to use, chop them and keep them ready.
- Do read the notes mentioned in the recipe card if you like to try the recipe.
7 cup burfi recipe
1. Measure ½ cup ghee and melt it in a heavy bottom pan. Transfer this to a bowl or cup & Set aside.

2. Add ½ cup besan to the same heavy bottom pan and begin to roast until it turns fragrant on a medium flame. Do not let it brown. Keep stirring constantly.

3. Add ½ cup coconut or cashew powder and mix well. To make cashew powder you can just pulse ½ cup cashews in a mixer to a coarse powder. Do not blend at a stretch otherwise it will release oil.

4. Lower the flame and roast for 2 to 3 minutes. Again do not let the flour discolor.

5. Add 1 cup sugar.

6. Pour ½ cup milk.

7. Pour ¼ cup ghee from the melted ghee.

How to make 7 cup burfi
8. Mix well. Put on the flame to medium. The sugar melts and the mixture turns gooey. Keep stirring from here to the end without interrupting else the mixture gets burnt.
It takes around 10 to 12 minutes for the mixture to reach the final stage, but do not go by the time. Just for an approximation i mentioned it.

9. After few minutes, you will see the mixture begins to bubble. Continue stirring.

10. Add cardamom powder. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture thickens.

11. When you see the consistency of the mixture thickens, add ¼ cup hot ghee. Preferably hot this time to get a porous texture.
If you want a soft burfi then you can add ghee just as it is. Stir well again for the mixture to absorb the ghee.

12. You will find the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan. But still quite runny. Continue to cook.
Be attentive as it is going to reach the final stage. Adjust the flame if needed.

13. The mixture thickens and you can see lot of pores (bubbles) in the mixture. The mixture completely leaves the sides now. If you cook past this stage, burfi will break or become powder.

Setting 7 cup burfi
14. Quickly pour the mixture to a greased tray. Level it with a greased flat spatula or a cup or bowl. While the 7 cup cake is still hot, draw lines carefully with a greased knife.
After a while, cut them deeply with a knife. When it cools down completely , cut them to pieces.

I doubled the recipe so I got many pieces.
Store 7 cup burfi in a air tight jar. When it cools completely the color lightens.

Tips to make 7 cups burfi
- Choose good quality besan or gram flour. Taste the flour first & then use it. Store bought gram flour goes rancid too fast & tastes bitter. If you have a flour mill near by then you can also mill chana dal.
- I have used fresh coconut in the recipe. You can also use the same amount of desiccated coconut or cashew or almond powder. To make the nut powder simply pound them in a spice jar or blender. Do not over blend as the nuts release oils.
- My mom always made 7 cups burfi that has a slight crunch like the traditional mysore pak. That is the texture the recipe yields. Pouring hot ghee to the bubbling mixture will give that texture.
- To make a soft set burfi, just use ghee at room temperature.
- You can also garnish the 7 cup cake with some finely sliced almonds and cashews.

Related Recipes
7 cup burfi or 7 cup cake

7 cup burfi recipe | 7 cup cake | 7 cups sweet
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for 7 cup burfi
- ½ cup besan or gram flour or kadalai maavu
- ½ cup coconut or cashew powder (can use frozen or desiccated coconut)
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup ghee (can reduce by 1 tbsp)
- 1 cup sugar (can increase to 1¼ cups)
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder or elaichi
Instructions
Preparation for 7 cup burfi
- Grease a tray and set aside. Please read the notes before you try.
- You can also use a parchment paper or greased foil.
- Grease a spatula or the base of the cup to level the barfi.
- To a heavy bottom pan, add half cup ghee. Melt it and transfer to a cup or bowl. To the same pan, add ½ cup besan.
- On a low to medium flame fry until it turns aromatic.
- Then add ½ cup coconut or cashew powder.
- Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.
- Keep stirring continuously to prevent burning.
How to make 7 cup burfi
- Next add 1 cup sugar.
- Pour ½ cup milk and ¼ cup melted ghee. Stir well.
- Cook on a medium heat until it begins to bubble well.
- Add cardamom/ elaichi powder.
- Continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Pour 4 tbsps (¼ cup) of hot ghee. Hot ghee yields a burfi with lot of pores like mysore pak. For a soft set burfi just add melted ghee.
- Stir well and cook.
- Be attentive as it reaches the final stage. The mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan and it turns porous (visible bubbles).
Finishing 7 cup burfi
- Pour this to the greased tray immediately. Level it with a greased cup or spatula.
- Using a greased knife, draw lines on the 7 cup burfi when still hot.
- After a while, cut deeply. When cooled down, cut to pieces.
- Store 7 cup burfi in a air tight jar.
Notes
- If using 1¼ cups of sugar, the final consistency of the burfi mixture will be a bit more gooey than you see in the step by step picture.
- If you like a soft set burfi and not one with pores, add all the ghee at one time in the beginning
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

Tulsi says
Can I add one cup cashew powder also?
swasthi says
Hi Tulsi,
Use either coconut or cashew powder – only half cup
Divya Marwaha says
Hi Swasthi, Do you add hot ghee both times? Mine came out really soft, like a peda.
Thanks in advance.
swasthi says
Hi Divya,
No I add hot ghee only once at step 11 (step b step pictures).
I guess you took off a little early at the last step. Step 13 – The whole mixture becomes too thick and heavy. This is the indication.
Hope this helps
Sejal Pastagia says
First I followed exact receipe n got perfect result….but I feel little sweet
So 2nd time I made with 1 1/8 cup sugar instead of 2 cup …but it didn’t get set didn’t get proper taste n texture….n can we get same result if we use brown sugar..
Can you help me?
swasthi says
Hi Sejal,
Glad your first trial worked out well. I don’t suggest any changes to the recipe including using melted ghee & hot ghee. I have mentioned in the recipe that I have already cut down the sugar. If you cut down further it won’t work.
Kishori Kale says
Thank you for giving such a wonderful recipe. Steps are made simple, explanations and photos tell us what to expect at each step. And tip for the crunch was ultimate, that is what I was looking for.
Thanks a lot.
swasthi says
You are Welcome !
Glad to know you liked it. Thanks much for the comment.
Bharath Rao says
Hey Swasthi
Thanks a lot for sharing detailed recipe with great tips (like addition of hot ghee).
Tried this out on the occasion of my mom’s birthday as a pleasant throwback dish for her. It turned out very well and to put it in my mom’s words : SUCCESS 🙂
Thanks again.
swasthi says
Hi Bharath
You are welcome! So glad to know it turned out good.
Thanks for leaving a comment
Sush says
Hi, thanks for recipe
Mine 7 cup turned out to be soft. What went wrong ?
swasthi says
Hi Sush
If the additional ghee that is added later is not hot, then it will be a soft burfi. I have mentioned the same in the recipe
Sush says
Thanks Swati, today it came out well when I added hot ghee. Thanks for excellent tip
swasthi says
Glad to know!
Srivani says
Hi…. Can I use powdered sugar…. Bcoz last week I have tried mysore pak in that sugar not melted properly…please advice
swasthi says
Hello Srivani,
Yes you can use powdered sugar. I am just surprised why the sugar did not melt in the mysore pak syrup. To reach a 1 string consistency the sugar syrup comes to a rolling boil. By then the sugar should dissolve. For this recipe yes you should measure the sugar first and then powder. Hope this helps
Srivani says
OK thank you…. Next time I will try mysore pak…. For this burfi am planning to add almond powder… It will be good if we add extra cup powder….
swasthi says
Please don’t alter any recipe without asking as many don’t work out well. Extra cup of powder, not sure how it will turn out. I have already scaled down the quantity of sugar in this recipe. So not sure!
Srivani says
OK thank you
Veena says
7 cup recipe very nice, thanks
swasthi says
Welcome Veena
Veena says
7 cup recipe very nice
Sheetu says
Fabulous. It came out perfect. Thank you so much for such a fool proof recipe. Happy Diwali.
swasthi says
Hi Sheetu,
You are welcome. Glad it turned out good. Wish you all too a very Happy Diwali!
Thanks much for the comment!
Sumati naik says
Hi Swasti,
Can’t thank you enough for your recipes. I and my MIL followed your recipe today to make 7 cups burfi. Today was my FIL’s birthday. We didn’t have coconut so we powdered almonds and used. The taste was outstanding and was finished in no time. My MIL thanks you for the recipe. We also made your oats chivda. It turned out good too. Thanks a lot.
swasthi says
Hi Sumati,
You both are most welcome! So glad to know. Thanks much for the comment!
🙂
Savitha says
Dear,
I did everything as per instructions. But my burfi turned out sticky. Can you please explain where I went wrong
swasthi says
Hi Savitha,
Please mail me the pictures immediately. Or you can send me the pictures to my fb page. I can suggest if you can cook it further and fix it. Sticky burfi means the mixture hasn’t cooked enough. You may need to cook it further.
Megha says
I made 7 cup burfi for my kid’s birthday as. A return gift . It came out so good . Thank you
swasthi says
welcome Megha
Glad to know the burfi turned out good. Belated birthday wishes to your kid.
🙂
Lavanya says
Hi swasthi i tried the 7 cup sweet but everytime its becoming too soft.Iam confused that how much milk should i add in that.Plz let me know.
swasthi says
Hi Lavanya,
If you pour all the ghee at one time in the beginning then the burfi turns soft. As you can see in my recipe I have added ghee twice – half in the beginning and half towards the end (preferably hot). These 2 steps will ensure the burfi will not turn soft and get a texture similar to mysore pak with a light crunch on top. Under cooking the mixture also can make the burfi very soft. Before you take off from the stove the mixture must turn bubbly with lot of pores. Hope these help.
Sailaja says
7 cup burfi superb and Awesome!!
Anu says
Love love 💕 this Super delicious burfi. I am making it for the 3 time .
swasthi says
Thanks Anu
Ria says
I always refer your recipes before I make anything new. This 7 cups burfi was a hit at home since last year. I have made it many many times since then. I also love your paneer butter masala, paneer pyaza, aloo gobi and the list is endless. Appreciate your work.
Thank you so much
Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says
I love coconut and besan burfi.
Do you think I could reduce the sugar further to 1 cup or 1 1/2 cup? I prefer sweets that are not too sweet like the besan ladoos I used to make, but I’m afraid that this burfi won’t set without the sugar.
swasthi says
Hi Didina
Traditionally this burfi is made with 3 cups of sugar, I have actually reduced the sugar by 1 cup. Any further reduction may result in a powdery mixture. But you may try for a soft set burfi by reducing another half cup. To make the soft set burfi you will have to take off the mixture from the pan as soon as it begin to show up the pores(bubbles). You have to be very quick. But i can’t assure you it will work as i have not tried it. Hope this helps
Nagaveni says
Hi.. Burfi looks very perfect, Can i replace coconut with carrot n follow the same procedure?
swasthi says
Hi Nagaveni
No idea if it works with carrot
Jhansi says
Tried this today and it came out well.within how many days we have to consume this burfi.
swasthi says
Hi Jhansi
Happy to know burfi came out well.
It will keep good for about 10 to 15 days if made using fresh coconut. If you have used dried 0r desicatted coconut it will keep good for 3 weeks at room temperature. If you keep them in the fridge they will last for more than a month
swasthi says
Hi Jhansi
Happy to know burfi came out well.
It will keep good for about 10 to 15 days if made using fresh coconut. If you have used dried 0r desicatted coconut it will keep good for 3 weeks at room temperature. If you keep them in the fridge they will last for more than a month
Eva-Maria says
Dear Swasthi,
this is the best 7 cups recipe I have found online and your instruction is very clear. I shared it today in another group and hope many will give you top ratings here on your own page. Thank you!
swasthi says
Welcome Eva
Happy to know you liked it.
Thanks a lot for the comment and the share.
Really appreciate it.
🙂
Sumathi says
My favourite easy method of dessert.
swasthi says
Thanks Sumathi