Kaju katli or kaju barfi with video. Kaju katli is a rich and delicious Indian sweet made with cashews and sugar. It has a melt in the mouth texture with mild flavours of cardamom powder or rose water. Kaju katli is usually made for festivals & celebrations. It is often shared with friends and relatives to spread the joy of festive occasions.
Traditionally kaju katli is made by boiling the sugar syrup to a 1 string consistency and then the powdered cashews are added to it. This method yields great results as the mixture doesn’t get overcooked and the burfi turns right.
The method I have shown in this post is without making a string consistency which I adapted from my Badam burfi recipe. This method also gives very nice kaju katli just like the ones in the sweet shops.
This kaju katli recipe is very easy and can be tried even by beginners as you don’t need to check the string consistency.
Tips to make good kaju katli
1. Make sure cashews are powdered as fine as possible without making the powder lumpy. Pulse the cashews in intervals and avoid running the mixer for long time.
2. Do not over cook the mixture as it dries out the kaju katli.
3. Kneading the mixture well is the key to get smooth and mouth melting kaju katli.
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Easy kaju katli or kaju barfi
Kaju katli recipe | Kaju barfi | How to make kaju katli
Kaju katli or barfi is a simple fudge made of cashews and sugar. It is one of the popular desserts made during festivals like diwali & navratri.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
Ingredients for kaju katli
- 1½ cups cashew nuts or kaju - 200 grams
- 90 ml water or 6 tbsp (refer notes)
- ¾ cup sugar plus 2 tbsp - 150 to 180 grams (optional)
- 1 tsp rose water or 1/8 tsp. cardamom powder or both
- 2 tsp ghee for cooking
- 1 tsp ghee for greasing
How to make the recipe
Preparation for kaju katli
Add cashews to a blender jar and pulse a few times until it turns to powder. Do not run the mixer for long time as the cashews begin to release oil and turn lumpy.
To ensure the powder is not very grainy sieve it and blend the coarse particles again. The cashew powder will be slightly grainy.
How to make kaju katli
Add sugar and water to a non stick pan. Heat & dissolve it well.
When the sugar melts off completely and begins to boil rapidly, add the cashew powder. Lower the heat.
Mix well to blend the sugar syrup and powder. The mixture must be smooth without any lumps.
Keep stirring and cook until slightly thick. Then pour rosewater and ghee. You can also add cardamom powder.
Cook till the mixture turns thick and begins to leave the sides of the pan. If it doesn't then drizzle few drops of ghee and mix. At this stage the mixture should not look dry but has to be moist and sticky.
Transfer it immediately to a greased plate or butter paper. Let the temperature come down to warm or slightly hot.
While the mixture is still slightly hot or warm, grease your palms and knead it for 2 to 3 mins to a smooth crack free dough. ( To fix ) If your mixture tends to stick a lot, it means it is still underdone, so add little milk powder and knead. if your mixture looks dry, sprinkle some boiled and cooled milk and knead.
Place the ball on a greased aluminum foil or a butter paper and cover it.
With the help of a rolling pin, roll it evenly to ¼ inch thickness. Cool completely and cut to desired shapes.
Store kaju katli in an airtight box. If you have used milk while kneading refrigerate and use.
Recipe Video
Watch video to make kaju katli
Recipe Notes
Notes on water: Please stick on to the quantity of water mentioned in the recipe. If you add even little more water than mentioned in the recipe, you will have to cook the mixture for longer. This will alter the taste of kaju katli.
You can also boil the sugar syrup until it reaches 1 string consistency. Turn off the stove then add the cashew powder. Mix well and add ghee. When it cools down a bit. Knead it well and follow as mentioned above.
Milk powder is not needed unless, the mixture is under cooked. To help the burfi set, use it
Before adding the cashew powder, make sure sugar has melted completely and has begin to boil well.
Preparation for kaju katli
1. Add cashews to a blender jar. I had used cashews from fridge. I split open the cashews and then dry roasted on a low flame until crunchy. I used 1 & 1/2 cups split cashews which weighed 200 grams.
2. Pulse or blend to make a powder. Do not blend at a stretch for long time as they begin to release oil and turn lumpy.
3. To make sure the powder is not too coarse I sieved it. You will need to use a spoon to pass it through the sieve.
4. I added back the coarse grains and blended again.
5. The cashew powder will be slightly grainy but not fine like flour.
Making sugar syrup for kaju katli
6. Add sugar to a non stick pan. I used 3/4 cup + 2 tbsps. I sweetness was right for us. If you prefer less sweetness then you can reduce 2 tbsp.
7. I poured 6 tbsp water.
8. Stir gently and dissolve the sugar completely on a medium heat. Sugar can scratch up the nonstick pan so be gentle. Bring it to a rapid boil.
How to make kaju katli
9. Lower the flame and add cashew powder. I added in 2 batches.
10. Mix very well to ensure there are no lumps. Scrape the sides and the spoon if the powder is stuck.
11. Keep stirring consistently and cook on a low to medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken.
12. Add 2 tsps ghee and 1 tsp rose water or cardamom powder.
13. Continue to cook stirring. As the mixture thickens it must leave the sides if not then add a few drops of ghee again.
14. With in few mins the mixture comes together and leaves the pan.
15. Quickly pour it to a greased plate or butter paper. If using unbleached parchment paper then grease it first and use.
16. When the temperature comes down to slightly hot or warm, then grease your hands and knead it well.
17. With in 2 to 3 mins the mixture turns smooth.
18. Cover the kaju barfi mixture.
19. Roll it to a oval shape of 1/4 inch thickness.
20. Cool completely and cut to square or diamond shapes. I cut them to the size of Haldiram’s Kaju katli. You can cut them slightly bigger if you like.
Store kaju katli in a air tight jar.
Gayu says
Hi swasthi.
Thank you so much for the kaju katli recipe. It really turned out well. Keep updating your skills.
swasthi says
Hi Gayu
You are welcome. Thank you so much for the comment. Glad to know it came out good.
🙂
Neeru says
Do we need to add some sooji to it?
swasthi says
No
Chandrima says
Hi swasthi,
Recipe is superb. Want to try kaju katli with 1 kg kaju for Diwali. Do you think I must make in 2 batches or can I do all in 1 go? Any inputs?
swasthi says
Hi Chandrima
Thank you. This recipe hasn’t been tested to make kaju katli using 1 kg kaju. It is good you make with half kg each timea I have made it a many times. It is easier for you to stir well. Hope this helps.
Chandrima says
Okay 👌 I will make it twice. Thank you
Pulkit says
hi swasthi
view look wise delicious kaju katli
thanks for sharing your skills
Jyoti says
Hi swasthi
Happy dusshera
I made kaju katli and rasgulla using your recipes. Both turned out so good 😊 . Your recipes are crisp and clear. Thank you 🙏 very much for the recipes.
Shwetha says
I made kaju katli for the first time. It turned out very good 🤤
swasthi says
Thanks for trying Shwetha
Mehrunisa says
Dear swasthi
Lovely recipe! I made badam kaju katli. Used half blanched almonds and half kaju. Turned out so good.
Thank you very much!!
swasthi says
Hi Mehrunisa
Thanks a lot for trying. Loved your idea of using badam in this recipe. Glad it turned out good.
🙂
Saranya says
Wonderful explanation..but I have broken cashews can I use it if so how much should I use
swasthi says
Hi Saranya
Thank you. You can use 200 grams broken cashews