Kaju Katli is a popular Indian sweet made from finely ground cashew nuts cooked with sugar syrup to form a smooth, pliable dough. This dough is rolled thin and cut into signature diamond shapes, often adorned with silver vark for a premium, festive look. In this recipe, I’ll share a few halwai-style tips and tricks to help you recreate sweet shop-style Kaju Katli at home. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and you can prepare 1 kg of kaju katli on a budget.
Celebrated for its melt-in-the-mouth texture, subtle nutty sweetness, and elegant appearance, this mithai is a festive favorite—especially during Diwali and Raksha Bandhan, where it symbolizes good fortune and is gifted as a token of love. Enjoy its delightful taste with friends and family!
Key Tips for Making Perfect Kaju Katli
- Grind Cashews Carefully
Grind the cashews (kaju) using the pulse function in a mixer to avoid releasing oil. Sieve the ground cashew powder to ensure a fine, smooth texture—essential for perfect kaju katli. - Add Mawa for Softness
I like to add a small amount of milk mawa (khoya) to the mixture. This gives the katli a soft, moist texture, just like the ones you find at sweet shops. - Sugar Syrup Consistency
Cook sugar with a little water until it reaches one-string consistency. At this stage, add the mawa so it blends smoothly into the syrup. Then add the cashew powder and cook the mixture until it thickens and begins to leave the sides of the pan. - Finishing Touches
For a festive, market-style presentation, garnish with edible silver vark. This is optional, but it gives the sweet a premium, celebratory look. - 5. Storage Tips
Store kaju katli in an airtight container at room temperature for 15–20 days. For a longer shelf life, refrigerate it—it can last up to a month in the fridge.
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Recipe video
Kaju katli recipe | halwai style kaju katri | kaju barfi – tips and tricks
Ingredients
- 500 grm or 4 cup kaju - cashews pieces
- 300 grm or 1.5 cup sugar
- 500 milk or ½ cup milk based mawa
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Garnish with silver vrak
Instructions
- Take 500 grams of kaju pieces and grind them in a mixer jar using pulse grinding so that oil does not release from the cashews.
- Sieve the ground kaju powder. If there are any big pieces, grind them again to make a fine powder. (Refer to video)
- Now, in a pan, add 500 ml milk. Stir continuously and cook until it thickens to a mawa-like consistency. This takes around 15–20 minutes.
- Transfer the prepared mawa to a bowl and let it cool down.
- Then, in a pan, add 1.5 cups or 300 grams of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix well and heat on medium flame until the sugar dissolves.
- Cook the sugar syrup until it reaches one-string consistency. (Refer to video)
- Add the prepared mawa and ½ tsp cardamom powder to the sugar syrup and mix well.
- Now add the cashew powder and mix thoroughly. Cook the mixture on low flame until it thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
- Grease a plastic sheet with ghee, transfer the mixture onto it, and knead it for 2–3 minutes until smooth.
- Roll out the mixture on the sheet to a medium thickness. Apply a little ghee on top and place silver vark over it.
- Let the mixture rest for 2–3 hours or until it is perfectly set.Cut into diamond shapes.
- Serve or store the kaju katli in an airtight container. It stays good for 15 days at room temperature and up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Grind cashews (kaju) using the pulse setting to prevent the release of oil.
- Sieve the ground cashew powder to ensure an even texture.
- Mawa adds softness to the kaju katli.
- Cook the sugar until it reaches a one-string consistency.
- To check, drop a bit of the syrup—if it stays in place without spreading, it’s ready.
- Add mawa to the boiling sugar syrup so it melts and blends well into the mixture.
- After adding the cashew powder, cook the mixture on a low flame until it thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
- Knead the kaju katli mixture while it is still warm to achieve a smooth texture.
- Roll the mixture to medium thickness.
- Kaju katli stays good for 15 days at room temperature and up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
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