Besan Halwa (Indian Chickpea Flour Dessert)

Made using chickpea flour, ghee, and lots of dry nuts and fruits, Besan Halwa is a traditional, rich North Indian sweet dish favorite for celebrations, festivals, and pujas. It’s easy to make, comes together in 25 minutes, and makes for a delicious dessert (vegetarian, gluten-free).

Halwa makes for an amazing dessert after your weekend meals. Try some other halwa recipes too – Lauki Ka Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, Sooji Ka Halwa, Bread Halwa, Beetroot Halwa, Aate Ka Halwa, Carrot Halwa, and Aloo Ka Halwa.

Jump to:

• About Besan Halwa
• Ingredients
• How To Make Besan Halwa
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Pro Tips By Neha
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Suggestions
• You Might Also Like
• Recipe Card

About Besan Halwa

Besan Halwa (Indian Chickpea Flour Pudding) is a delicious Punjabi sweet dish prepared using chickpea flour (besan, gram flour), ghee, sugar, and dried nuts and fruits.

It is a thick and creamy sweet dish made for weddings, special occasions, pujas, and festive occasions like Holi and Diwali.

Like other Indian besan sweets like besan ladoo, besan burfi, Mysore pak, etc., this chickpea flour halwa recipe is also a classic.

This delicious besan ka halwa comes together in under 25 minutes using a handful of ingredients. It is a great sweet dish to make when you want something super delicious and quick.

Some recipes ask for making sugar syrup separately, but my recipe to make this besan ka sheera is super simple and one-pot. Do try!

This besan halwa recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. You can easily double or triple it too.

Ingredients

To make this besan halwa recipe, you will need a few basic ingredients like besan flour (gram flour, chickpea flour), ghee, sugar, milk, water, and cardamom powder. All the ingredients are available at any Indian grocery store.

Use whole milk (full-fat milk) for the best results. Having said that, you can use skim milk and low-fat milk too.

Make the halwa only in ghee and not oil.

White granulated sugar can be replaced with brown sugar or coconut sugar.

Do not forget to add cardamom powder, which adds a unique flavor. You can crush and add green cardamom seeds if you do not have cardamom powder.

Finish off the halwa with some almond and pistachio slivers. You can also add cashews and raisins to it.

To make besan ka halwa recipe even more indulgent and give it a royal touch, add 15-20 saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon milk for 30 minutes.

How To Make Besan Halwa

Heat ½ cup ghee in a heavy bottom pan at medium heat.

Once the ghee is melted, add ¾ cup chickpea flour and fry until it turns dark brown and aromatic (10-12 mins), stirring continuously to avoid the flour from burning at the bottom of the pan.

Note – The color of the final halwa will depend on how well you have roasted the flour. You want the flour to be dark golden brown but not burn it. It goes from perfectly browned to burnt in a few seconds. So keep a close eye while roasting it.

Once the chickpea flour is browned well, add 1 cup water and ½ cup milk to the pan and mix well. Cook until the liquid is absorbed by the flour, stirring continuously.

Now add ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cardamom powder to the pan and mix well.

Cook for 5-6 minutes until the ghee starts to separate from the sides of the pan. Stir continuously while cooking.

Once done, garnish with almond and pistachio slivers and serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pro Tips By Neha

Try to make besan ka halwa only in ghee, and do not reduce the amount of ghee.

Fry the besan on medium heat. If you fry on high heat, the besan might get burned.

Ensure to fry the besan until it turns dark brown and a nutty aroma starts. If not fried properly, the besan will taste raw.

You can replace water with milk for a richer halwa. You can also use half water and half milk.

Add some whole wheat flour or sooji (semolina) to the besan mixture to make different variations of besan ka halwa.

Serving Suggestions

Serve besan halwa warm or at room temperature. Garnish it with dry fruits, nuts, and dried rose petals.

It is a great dessert for festivals, special occasions, or get-togethers.

Besan halwa is also considered a great dish to eat during pregnancy and for growing kids and is said to be a sure-shot remedy to comfort the severest cold.

You can make it a little thinner by adding more milk if you plan to serve it as a medicine for a cold or sore throat.

Storage Suggestions

Besan ka halwa tastes best when made fresh. But if you still have leftovers, refrigerate the halwa for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

Reheat it in a pan or microwave until nice and warm. If you feel it has become thick after refrigerating, add milk or water and adjust the consistency.

You can also freeze this delicious Indian dessert for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge or over the counter for a few hours. Heat in a microwave and serve.

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