Gajar Halwa Recipe (Carrot Halwa)
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Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa) is one of the most sought-after traditional Indian desserts. It is made with red carrots, milk, khoya, and sugar. You would easily spot it on the dessert counters at popular festivals, weddings, or special occasions. Make the best gajar ka halwa at home using my easy recipe.
If you love red carrots, here are some of my other recipes you can try: Carrot Milk, Carrot Raita, and Gajar Methi Sabji.
There are some recipes you want to hold on to, and my mom’s Gajar ka Halwa is one of them. I personally believe that these classic recipes deserve to be prepared in a traditional manner.
This recipe for carrot halwa might look intimidating at first, but trust me, the use of proper ingredients in the right quantities and the effort that goes into making it make a significant difference in the result, which is totally worth it.
I do suggest that you eat this halwa in moderation so you can enjoy it to the fullest.
While every house has its own recipe for carrot halwa, I can assure you that I receive numerous accolades for this recipe, which was passed down to me by my mom. I am glad I learned her recipe and am now sharing it with you all to try.
About Gajar Halwa
Gajar Halwa (Carrot Halwa, Indian Carrot Pudding) is a popular North Indian and Pakistani winter dessert made with red carrots. People have given it many lovely names in their own language, including gajrela, gajar pak, or gajorer halwa.
This dessert is made mostly in winter when red carrots are in season. You will find all the sweet shops in Northern India selling this delicacy during winter. People also make it at home as the taste of homemade halwa is unmatchable, and you are sure of the ingredients that go into making it.
Ingredients
Carrots – The best gajar halwa is made using red carrots, which are available only in winter. These carrots are also known as Delhi carrots or Desi gajar. They are sweet and give the halwa a nice red color.
Check your nearby Indian grocery stores to buy them. They are mostly available from November to February.
This gajar halwa recipe can also be made using black carrots, but they are not very easily available. So if you get a hold of them, you can try this recipe using them.
Use orange carrots to make this halwa only if red carrots are unavailable, as the taste of carrot halwa made using orange carrots is not the best.
Granulated White Sugar – I prefer my carrot halwa to be mildly sweet, and the sugar measurement is adjusted according to my taste. However, you can adjust the sugar according to your sweet preference. You can also replace the granulated white sugar with brown sugar or powdered jaggery.
Milk and Khoya – I always use whole milk (full-fat milk) to make this recipe.
Khoya (also known as Khava or Milk Solids) is traditionally used to make this halwa recipe. You should be able to find it at an Indian grocery store near you.
If you are unable to obtain Khoya, you can mix milk powder with milk to create a thick dough and use it as a substitute for Khoya.
Ghee adds richness and makes this gajar halwa even more delicious. I would not suggest making this in oil; always opt for ghee.
Nuts – You would love this halwa with lots of slivered almonds and pistachios. They give a nice crunch to soft halwa. You can also add cashew nuts and raisins to your recipe.
I use freshly ground cardamom powder to flavor the halwa.
Saffron strands add a nice, rich flavor to the halwa, so I always recommend them.
How To Make Carrot Halwa Recipe – Step By Step
Preparation
Start with the carrots. Wash (1 lb) 500 g of red carrots with water and peel their outer skin using your vegetable peeler.
Then, grate the peeled carrots using the medium-holed box grater. Discard the top, which is hard to grate. You can also use a food processor fitted with a grater attachment to do this.
Now, grate 120 g of khoya using the medium-holed box grater.
Gather all the remaining ingredients.
Make The Halwa
Step 1: Add grated red carrots and 2 cups of whole milk to a heavy-bottomed pan and mix well.
Step 2: Cook the mixture on medium-low heat until all the milk is absorbed, stirring frequently. It will take about 20-25 minutes.
Step 3: Once the milk is absorbed and the carrot mixture looks thick, add 60g of ghee to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 4: Next, add 120 g of sugar to the pan and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Note: You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar to your liking. I like very lightly sweet halwa, and this measurement is perfect for that.
Step 5: Once the sugar has dissolved well in the halwa, add 120 g of grated khoya to the pan and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate from the sides of the pan. Continue to stir the mixture frequently throughout the cooking process.
Step 6: Add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder and 4 tablespoons of slivered almonds and pistachios, and mix well.
Step 7: Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Never fry the carrots in ghee. It might turn their color and make the halwa black. To avoid this, add carrots and milk to the pan and cook until the milk is reduced. Add the ghee later.
If you don’t cook the cattor with milk enough to evaporate the water, then your halwa will be watery.
Yes, you can easily make a vegan version of this recipe by making a few simple changes. Replace dairy milk with plant-based milk like almond milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk. Ghee can be replaced with coconut oil.
In place of Khoya, you can use vegan condensed milk or vegan evaporated milk, or you can make it without it as well.
Gajar ka halwa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave until nicely hot before serving.
You can also freeze it for upto 2 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Gajar Halwa tastes its best when served hot. You can reheat it in a pan or in a microwave. I usually serve it on its own, but sometimes I pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if I am looking for something more indulgent.
You can also serve this halwa at room temperature.
For extra crunch, top it with a generous amount of slivered nuts just before serving. To make it extra indulgent, top it with some grated khoya. You can also garnish it with edible silver or gold foil.
This halwa can also be eaten during your vrat (Hindu fasting days).
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Gajar Halwa Recipe (Carrot Halwa)
Ingredients
- 500 grams red carrots
- 2 cups whole milk (full-fat milk)
- 60 grams ghee
- 120 grams sugar
- 120 grams khoya (mawa) (grated)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 4 tablespoons slivered nuts (I used almonds and pistachios)
Instructions
- Wash the carrots with water and peel them using a vegetable peeler.
- Then, grate the peeled carrots using the medium-holed box grater. Discard the top, which is hard to grate. You can also use a food processor fitted with a grater attachment to do this.
- Add grated red carrots and milk to a heavy-bottomed pan and mix well.
- Cook the mixture on medium-low heat until all the milk is absorbed, stirring frequently. It will take about 20-25 minutes.
- Once the milk is absorbed and the carrot mixture looks thick, add ghee to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Next, add sugar to the pan and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Note – You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar as per your liking. I like very lightly sweet halwa and this measurement is perfect for that.
- Once the sugar has dissolved well in the halwa, add khoya to the pan and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes, until the ghee starts to separate from the sides of the pan. Continue to stir the mixture frequently throughout the cooking process.
- Add cardamom powder and slivered almonds and pistachios and mix well.
- Serve hot.
I love gajar halwa and when I was in Delhi that used to be our winter dessert !!! Unfortunately it is so so hard to find red carrots here in the States and I am so glad you mentioned the importance of red carrots. I have had gajar halwa made of orange carrots and it is horrible !! No one makes good carrot halwa here in the states. Have yet to find anyone making it as it was made when I was a kid in Delhi !!
Can i use jaggery here instead of sugar?
If yes, do the cooking process change then?
Yes, you can use powdered jaggery. The process will remain the same.
thanks for sharing!
What to do if colour of halwa started turning dark brown while cooking??? Again is it good to eat further?
It’s good to eat.Follow the instructions I have mentioned to avoid the darkening of halwa.
Can we add sugar in the first place or not? Why in every recipe we add sugar when the milk evaporates? Do you know? It’s my husband’s query ????
Sugar stops the cooking process. So it’s added only when the ingrdients are cooked well.
carrot halwa A Perfect dessert for the winter session. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes step by step with such good images. I’ll Definitely try this at home.
Thnx
Yummy.I love this halwa
It’s a crowd fav 🙂
Good recipe
It’s my Mom’s recipe which never fails 🙂