Badam halwa recipe (almond halwa)

Updated: September 1, 2022, By Swasthi

Badam halwa is an Indian sweet made with almonds or almond meal, sugar, ghee and cardamoms. Make this delicious festive dessert under 30 mins, the traditional way using whole almonds or the quick way using store bought meal. You can cook this in a saucepan or in the instant pot with my recipe. Halwa is a go-to-dessert for a lot of Indians and you will find so many kinds of halwas being made across India. We make halwa with semolina, flour, lentils, veggies and even with fruits & nuts.

badam halwa

Recipe Comments

You will find some or the other kind of halwa being made for every occasion – festivals, celebrations and even for a simple meal.

About badam halwa

Badam halwa is a traditional pudding like dessert where the whole almonds are soaked, peeled, ground and cooked with ghee, milk or water & sugar. It is flavoured with cardamoms and saffron. “Badam” is the Hindi word for “almonds” hence the name.

Badam halwa is a rich and delicious dessert more popular in South Indian sweet shops and tiffin centres serving Karnataka foods.

If you attend lavish South Indian celebrations like weddings, baby showers, naming ceremonies, house warming ceremonies etc you are more likely to be gifted with a few packs of badam halwa.

Badam halwa is a classic but still it is not made often in the households because it is time consuming and requires patience.

If you love halwa, you may love these
Carrot halwa
Moong dal halwa
Suji hawa
Lauki halwa

My recipe

In this post I share with you 2 ways to make the badam halwa – 1. Using whole almonds. 2. With store bought almond meal. For years I have made the traditional way with whole almonds until I found a few years ago that making it with the store bought meal is much easier as you don’t need to soak, peel and grind the almonds.

Apart from almonds or meal, you will need pure ghee, cardamoms, saffron strands and water or milk to make this delicious and rich halwa.

In Sweets shops and restaurants, badam hawla is made with food color but since I don’t use artificial colors I have used saffron. You may look for organic natural food color if you don’t saffron flavour. You are also free to skip it.

Edible camphor is also used in a lot of tiffin centres and sweet shops for a unique festive flavour.

More Indian recipes using almonds
Badam burfi
Indian Badam milk
Badam kheer

Related recipes: Diwali Sweets Recipes and Diwali Snacks

Photo Guide

How to make badam halwa (stepwise photos)

Preparation

1. Soak almonds for about 3 to 4 hours. To quicken the process, you can also boil 2 cups of water. Then add almonds to it. Leave for 2 mins and drain the water. Then soak in fresh water for 30 to 40 mins.

soak badam for halwa

2. Peel off the skin and rinse them. Its easy to peel the skin if they are soaked well.But do not over soak them, the halwa turns sticky if soaked for very long.

Peel off the skin

3. Add almonds, water or milk, skinned cardamoms and saffron to the blender jar. I also added sugar at this stage as it helps to blend the almonds easily and prevents the badam halwa from turning lumpy.

Add almonds

4. Make a slightly coarse paste like rava. Badam halwa is usually of a fine rava texture.

Make a slightly coarse paste

Making badam halwa

5. Heat a heavy bottom pan or preferably nonstick pan. Add ghee.

Heat a heavy bottom pan

6. Pour the ground almond paste.

Pour the almond paste

7. Constantly stir and cook.

stir and cook

8. Very soon the badam will begin to leave the sides. Add the sugar at this stage if you have not added while blending.

Add the sugar

9. If you have used saffron, you will begin to see the halwa getting better color as it is cooking and blending well with sugar.It got a better color now after cooking for about 8 minutes. When it thickens, add little more ghee and stir. Add ghee in intervals twice or thrice. You should not stop stirring to prevent burning.

almond halwa cooking and blending well with sugar

10. Keep cooking until badam halwa leaves the sides of the pan. Then turn off the stove. The halwa thickens when it cools down.

Keep cooking badam halwa

Badam halwa is ready. Garnish with sliced cashews.

badam halwa recipe

Badam halwa with almond flour

1. I have used instant pot here. You can use a regular heavy bottom pot. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons ghee to the pot and heat it.

2. When the ghee melts add 1 cup almond flour.

3. Saute this for 2 minutes stirring often. If using instant pot, press cancel.

4. Add half cup sugar.

5. Pour 1 cup water if making in pot. If making in instant pot, add 1¼ water. Add 1 pinch saffron (kesar), this is optional.

6. Give a good mix until the sugar dissolves. Cook on a low heat, covering the pot partially as it begins to splatter a bit.

7. If cooking in instant pot, secure the lid and pressure cook for 0 minutes.

8. When the Ip beeps, press cancel and release the pressure manually.

9. Stir and continue to cook until the badam halwa leaves the sides of the pot. Add more another 2 to 4 tbsps ghee and ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and mix well. If you prefer you can add a pinch of edible camphor or rose water too.

badam halwa almond halwa

Pro Tips

  • Almonds: Choose fresh sweet almonds and avoid bitter almonds. Please taste test before using. Do not use rancid tasting nuts. If using almond meal look out for blanched almond flour or meal. Please taste test first and use. I use Bob’s red mill flour.
  • Ghee: Use fresh ghee or homemade if possible. It is freshness and quality of ghee that imparts a great flavour to any halwa. Traditional badam halwa is made with 1:1 ratio of almond:ghee which helps to retain the loose consistency for longer. But I have not used so much here.
  • To make the recipe vegan, you may use any neutral or flavorless oil like coconut oil.
  • Saffron: You can skip the saffron and add a large pinch of turmeric or organic food color. Do not add a lot for a deep color as it may alter the flavour of the halwa.
  • Cardamoms: Most Indian desserts are flavored with cardamom powder. However you can also use a tsp of edible rose water or kewra water for the fragrance.

Related Recipes

Recipe card

badam halwa recipe

Badam Halwa (Almond Flour Halwa)

5 from 97 votes
Badam halwa is a traditional South Indian sweet made with ground almonds, sugar, ghee, cardamoms and saffron. This festive treat is usually made for special occasions. It is also a popular return gift during weddings, baby showers and many celebrations.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time4 hours
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Servings3
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • ¾ cup badam / almonds (or 1 cup blanched almond flour)
  • ½ cup sugar (1 tbsp more for sweeter halwa)
  • 1 pinch saffron or kesar (optional) or natural food color
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder or ealichi
  • ¾ cup water or milk (1¼ cup for Instant pot)
  • ¼ to ½ cup ghee or 2 to 3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon rose water optional


Instructions

Preparation

  • You can skip this section if using almond flour. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a pot. Add badam and leave them for 2 to 3 minutes. Then drain the water and soak them in fresh water for 30 to 40 mins. Peel off the skin. 
  • Add badam to a mixer jar. Blend badam, cardamoms, sugar, saffron with milk or water to a slightly coarse paste. Usually badam halwa is slightly of fine rava texture.

How to make badam halwa

  • Heat a nonstick pan or heavy bottom pan with 3 tbsp of the ghee.
  • Add the ground badam paste & cook stirring consistently till the halwa thickens.
  • Next add the rest of the ghee & keep stirring nonstop. The mixture will begin to leave the sides of the pan.
  • Switch off when it is of pouring consistency yet thick. It will thicken further upon cooling. Lastly add a spoon of ghee.

Instant pot badam halwa

  • Press SAUTE button on the Instant pot and pour ghee to the steel insert.
  • Then add the almond flour & saute for 2 mins. Press CANCEL button & add sugar, water/ milk & saffron.
  • Whisk it well to break any lumps & to dissolve the sugar.
  • Secure the Instant pot with the lid & position the steam release vent to sealing.
  • Press PRESSURE COOK button & set the timer to 0 mins (ZERO).
  • The IP beeps when it is done. Gently do a quick release by moving the steam release vent to venting from sealing.
  • Add the cardamom powder & Press SAUTE button. Saute until the badam halwa thickens slightly. Do not leave it unattended. If needed switch to low saute by pressing the saute button again.
  • Next add the rest of the ghee & saute. The halwa will begin to release the sides of the pot.
  • Press CANCEL button when it reaches a thick yet of pouring consistency. (refer video)


Notes

  • If you have blanched almonds soak them for about 2 hours & blend.
  • To get the same runny consistency as sold in South Indian sweet stalls & tiffin centers, you will need to use upto 3/4 cup ghee. 
  • Lesser ghee in the halwa makes it too dense.
  • I doubled the recipe when I made the video.

Video

Almond Flour Halwa

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Badam Halwa (Almond Flour Halwa)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 445 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 206mg6%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 35g39%
Protein 7g14%
Calcium 74mg7%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Badam Halwa recipe first published in October 2014. Updated and republished in October 2021.

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About Swasthi

Iโ€™m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthiโ€™s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
I tried this recipe for the first time it came out really good .I used milk how long i can store and use?

5 stars
Going to try it for Ashtmi. Bit nervous. But still going to try. Thanks for sharing

Will the taste change depending on milk vs water? Want to store it for more a week and wondering if I should avoid milk.

5 stars
Loveeeeee this recipe it is sooooo tasty thank you

5 stars
I made a vegan one with coconut oil. Also used very nice clean golden jaggery from Organic India – it’s more costly but all sweets are coming out so good. My husband loved the halwa, he was smiling and happy. Takes a long time to peel almonds but worth it! I must make this for my mum, she will love this. I want to try with chocolate flavour ๐Ÿ™‚ could it work?

5 stars
came out great…thanks!!

Shall I experiment with itraw sugar (browny) ..how much sugar it requires to do .if so.???

Hi Swathi,

I love all your recipes that I have tried so far. Planning to make this for Ganesh Chathurthi. I have natural almond four (not blanched). Can I use that?

5 stars
Absolutely phenomenal outcome! Thank you so much, Swathi!!!

5 stars
I love these recipes and they keep my love of Indian food easily available to me an easy to follow and make. I always look forward to seeing this in my inbox. Thankyou so much

5 stars
Love this recipe. Thanks a lot for posting easy to make recipes. Are there any recipes using panakarkandu? Or can I use it as substitute for sugar or anything? I have huge stock since hubby brought them by mistake instead of something else I had asked

5 stars
Looks Delicious. Can I add some cashews for blending?

5 stars
Yummy ?. Love this. Will be trying this soon.

5 stars
Thank you so much it came out good

5 stars
Nice recipe. ..I tried .but it is slight sticky..pls tell me what goes wrong

5 stars
Hai it’s toooo yammy mouth watering. I should try dis

Can we use palm sugar instead of white sugar? Will we get the same result?

5 stars
Loved your collection of recipes. All are simple… Thank you so much!

Hii..can i use jaggery instead of sugar ..?

Delicious turned out great

5 stars
tasty, yummy, thank you

Do u have any coaching class.. Now a days I am more interested to learn fine traditional way of cooking.. Could u please help me swasthi