Badam Halwa Recipe | Rich South Indian Almond Halwa

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Badam halwa is a rich, decadent, nutty South Indian style melt in the mouth halwa made mainly with 3 ingredients – blanched almonds, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. This badam halwa recipe will make for one of the best almond halwa. It will surely remind you of the badam halwa that one gets in the South Indian sweets shops.

badam halwa served on a white plate with a brass spoon

About Badam Halwa

I have had badam halwa from Krishna sweets in Chennai. First bite and their halwa was too sweet for my taste buds, but the texture was fabulous and simply melt in the mouth.

I wanted to make a badam halwa having the same texture as theirs. So I tried and experimented to make a perfect badam halwa many times to get the same texture and yet tasted not overly sweet.

I am sharing this recipe after a lot of trials. In my experimentation, at times I would end with badam pudding and at times with a dense textured halwa. So after many trials, I have finally managed to make a badam halwa which tastes like the halwa you get in South Indian sweet shops.

The recipe gives a really good badam halwa, which has the right balance of sweetness and a lovely texture that is neither too soft nor firm but a kind of between – which follows a middle path. One which gives a heavenly feeling when you savor the halwa. This is a heavy dessert and just a few spoons of it is enough.

badam halwa served on a white plate with a brass spoon by the side

If possible use mamra almonds as they make for a really good halwa. Though you can use any good variety of almonds.

I have here used mamra almonds. In fact for recipes where badam is the main ingredient, I use mamra almonds.

There is some handwork involved in the recipe as you have to stir and stir, but not like the stirring involved in Moong dal halwa. The recipe can be doubled too easily.

Since this is a rich halwa with ghee and dry fruits, it is best made and served during festivals and special occasions.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Badam Halwa

1: Rinse the almonds once or twice in fresh water. Then in a bowl, soak ½ cup badam in 1 cup boiling hot water. Cover and blanch the badam for 30 to 45 minutes. If you want, you can even soak the badam overnight in water.

soaked badam in water

2. Also in a small bowl, soak ⅛ teaspoon saffron strands in 1 tablespoon warm or hot water. The addition of saffron is for the color and its aroma.

If you don’t have saffron you can skip it and swap with ½ teaspoon cardamom powder. You will have to add cardamom powder once the halwa is cooked.

saffron strands in hot water in a bowl

3: Drain the almonds of all the water. Now just press each almond and the skin comes out easily. Peel all the almonds this way.

peeled almonds in a plate

4: Now add the blanched and peeled almonds in a grinder or blender.

peeled almonds in a grinder

5. Add ⅓ cup water and grind the almonds to get a fine rava or sooji (cream of wheat) like consistency. Grind in parts or you can use the pulse option in the grinder. Grind for some seconds, scrape off the sides and add unground whole pieces of almonds in the grinder jar.

This way grind till you get a rava like consistency in the almond paste. Do not make it too fine.

almonds paste

Making Badam Halwa

6. Heat a thick bottomed pan and keep the heat to a low. Now take of all the almond paste in a pan. Scrape of the sides as well as the bottom jar with a silicon spatula or spoon to get the almond paste.

almonds paste in the pan

7. Continuously stir the almond paste and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes till you get their aroma.

cooking almonds paste in the pan

8. Then add ½ cup sugar.

adding sugar to almond paste

9. With a spatula stir very well, so that the sugar is mixed evenly with the almond paste.

mixing sugar with almond paste

10. The sugar will start melting.

sugar starting melting

11. Keep on stirring and cook this mixture.

continue cooking the mixture

12. The mixture will thicken and start to come together. After adding sugar cook on a low flame for 5 to 6 minutes.

continue cooking the mixture for another 5 to 6 minutes

13. Now add the soaked saffron solution.

adding saffron strands

14. Mix it very well.

mix the mixture well

Adding ghee in badam halwa

15. Now we will begin adding ghee (clarified butter) in batches. First add 2 tablespoons of ghee.

ghee added to the mixture

16. Stir and mix it very well.

stir and mix ghee

17. Cook till this ghee is absorbed by the halwa mixture. This will take about 1 to 2 minutes.

cook till ghee is absorbed

18. Now add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee.

add more ghee

19. Again stir and mix it very well, till all the ghee is absorbed.

stir and mix ghee again

20. This way keep on adding ghee in batches. Continue to cook the halwa on a low heat.

continue adding ghee in parts and mix

21. After adding all the ⅓ cup ghee in batches, keep on stirring the halwa and cook till the mixture thickens.

continue cooking almond badam

22. Do stir often.

continue cooking almond badam and stir

23. The halwa will thicken and begin to leave the sides of the pan. You will also see holes in the halwa, when you stir it.

badam halwa thickening

24. Stir and cook till the halwa starts lumping around itself and leaves the sides of the pan.

stir and cooking almond halwa

25. Here is a pic of the badam halwa almost done. Just 1 minute before I switched the flame off.

badam halwa almost done

Testing badam halwa

26. To test take a tiny portion of halwa mixture. Its hot so be careful. Let it cool a bit and form into a ball. It should form a smooth soft ball and not be sticky or wet. It took me 10 minutes to get the right consistency of halwa after adding ghee.

testing doneness of badam halwa

27. Switch off the flame once the halwa is done. Pour all the badam halwa in the container and then let it set. You can then scoop out the halwa and serve. Or else you can spread the halwa on butter paper. Fold and then serve when cooled.

Note: If you are adding cardamom powder in place of saffron strands, then add at this step and mix well.

cooked badam halwa in the pan

28. Serve badam halwa warm or at room temperature. This halwa stays good for 1 to 2 days at room temperature. You can also refrigerate it.

It makes for a heavy dessert so eat in moderation. But remember that it will be too tempting not to take another bite. You can eat it as is or serve it as dessert after any Indian meal.

badam halwa served in a glass bowl

More halwa varieties

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badam halwa recipe, badam ka halwa recipe

Badam Halwa Recipe | Rich South Indian Almond Halwa

Badam ka halwa is a rich, luxuruous and popular South Indian style delicious halwa made with blanched almonds, ghee and sugar. This recipe gives you one of best almond halwa that you can make.
4.94 from 15 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Course Desserts
Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

For soaking, blanching and blending almonds

  • ½ cup mamra almonds or 90 grams
  • 1 cup boiling hot water for soaking & blanching almonds
  • cup water – to blend almonds

Other ingredients

  • teaspoon saffron strands
  • cup Ghee or 70 grams ghee (clarified butter)
  • ½ cup sugar or 100 grams sugar

Instructions
 

Soaking and blanching almonds

  • Rinse almonds 1 to 2 times in water. Then in a bowl soak the almonds in hot water. Cover and blanch the almonds for 30 to 45 minutes. If you want, you can even soak the almonds overnight in water.
  • Also soak saffron strands in warm or hot water.
  • Drain the almonds of all the water. Now just press each almond and the skin comes out easily. Peel all the almonds this way.

Blending Almonds

  • Now add the blanched and peeled almonds in a grinder or blender.
  • Add ⅓ cup water and grind or blend the almonds to get a fine rava or sooji like consistency. Grind in parts or you can use the pulse option in the grinder. 
  • Grind for some seconds, scrape off the sides and add unground whole pieces of almonds in the grinder jar. This way grind till you get a rava like consistency in the almond paste. Do not make it too fine.

Making Badam Halwa

  • Heat a thick bottomed pan and keep the flame to a low. Now take of all the almond paste in a pan. Scrape of the sides as well as the bottom jar with a silicon spatula or spoon to get the almond paste.
  • Continuously stir the almond paste and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes till you get their aroma. Then add the sugar.
  • With a spatula stir very well, so that the sugar is mixed evenly with the almond paste.
  • The sugar will start melting. Keep on stirring and cook this mixture.
  • The mixture will thicken and start to come together. After adding sugar cook on a low flame for 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Now add the soaked saffron solution. mix it very well.

Adding ghee in batches

  • Now we will begin adding ghee in batches. First add 2 tablespoons of ghee.
  • Stir and mix it very well. cook till this ghee is absorbed by the halwa mixture.
  • Now add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee.
  • Again stir and mix it very well, till all the ghee is absorbed.
  • This way keep on adding ghee in batches. Do cook the halwa on a low flame.
  • After adding ⅓ cup ghee in batches, keep on stirring the badam halwa and cook till the mixture thickens.
  • Do stir often. The will thicken and begin to leave the sides of the pan. You will also see holes in the halwa when you stir it.
  • Stir and cook till the halwa starts lumping around itself and leaves the sides of the pan.
  • Here is a photo of the badam halwa almost done. Just 1 minute before I switched the flame off.
    badam halwa recipe, almond halwa recipe

Testing badam halwa

  • To test take a tiny portion. Its hot so be careful. Let it cool a bit and form into a ball. It should form a smooth soft ball and not be sticky or wet. It took me 10 minutes to get the right consistency of halwa after adding ghee.
  • Switch off the flame once the halwa is done. Pour all the halwa in the container and then let it set. You can then scoop out the badam halwa and serve. Or else you can spread it on butter paper. Fold and then serve when cooled.
  • Serve badam halwa warm or at room temperature. This halwa stays good for 1 to 2 days at room temperature. You can also refrigerate it.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Badam Halwa Recipe | Rich South Indian Almond Halwa
Amount Per Serving
Calories 467 Calories from Fat 306
% Daily Value*
Fat 34g52%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 14g
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 7mg0%
Potassium 180mg5%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 34g38%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 14IU0%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Vitamin E 6mg40%
Calcium 70mg7%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 12µg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 66mg17%
Phosphorus 116mg12%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Badam Halwa recipe post from the archives (originally published on October 2012) has been updated and republished on 20 Jun 2021.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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14 Comments

  1. I substituted water with milk and the result was amazing. Thanks for the recipe. My husband loves badam halwa5 stars

    1. thank you swathi for this super feedback and the rating. milk can be subbed with water. most welcome.

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