This Burfi, also known as Mawa Burfi, is a delicious, melt-in-the-mouth treat that is incredibly easy to prepare. It is one of the popular Indian sweets and is made during festivals.

Making the Burfi requires only two main ingredients: mawa (or khoya) and sugar. Further, I have flavored it with cardamom and rose extract.
Delicious Mawa Burfi
Burfi is a traditional Indian sweet that I grew up having for every festival we celebrate in India. However, we primarily use it to celebrate Diwali and the Gujarati New Year.
But, after moving to Canada, I somehow feel that the taste of store-bought burfi is different from what I used to have in India. The solution to this is to make barfi at home.
Making Mawa Burfi is a quick and straightforward process. Additionally, we can add sugar to our preference and flavor it as we like. It takes only 15-20 minutes to make this Mawa Burfi from start to finish.
This burfi recipe is a basic recipe with Mawa and sugar as the main ingredients. Because of using Mawa, the barfi comes out with a slightly granular texture.
Why You Will Love This Indian Sweet
- Burfi is a delicious, fudgy, and melt-in-the-mouth treat.
- It is made with only two core ingredients.
- The Burfi recipe is easy to follow.
- This sweet is flavored with cardamom and rose.
- It is perfect for various festivals and celebrations.
Ingredients and Notes
- Mawa (Khoya): I have used store-bought khoya, which is available as a block, and it is hard. We need to grate the Mawa before using it in the recipe. I will highly recommend grating the Mawa rather than crumbling it for quick and uniform cooking. Instead of store-bought khoya, you can also use homemade khoya. Also, you can use softer Mawa, but it will take a little longer to make burfi.
- Sugar: I have used white granulated sugar and added 10 tablespoons of it. However, if you prefer a very sweet barfi, add up to 12 tablespoons (¾ cup) of sugar, or as needed. You can use raw or cane sugar instead of white sugar, but please note that the color of the burfi will be darker.
- Ground Cardamom: Burfi is also available without any flavors and made with only milk solids and sugar. But I love cardamom powder in Indian sweets, and I have added it to this Mawa Burfi. However, you can skip it if you prefer a plain burfi.
- Rose Extract: I like to add a floral note to some sweets, and burfi is one of them. But it is optional, and you can skip it. Instead of rose extract, you can also use Kewra extract.
- Pistachios: I have garnished burfi with chopped pistachios. However, chopped almonds can also be used to decorate or keep the burfi plain, if you prefer.
How To Make Khoya Burfi
Preparations
- If your Mawa is placed in the fridge, take it out and bring it to room temperature.
- This step is optional, but it will help to make the cooking procedure faster.
- Then grate or crumble the Mawa.
- However, I will recommend grating it for an even texture.
- Grease a pan with Ghee, and set it aside.
Making The Burfi
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over low to medium heat and add the grated Mawa to it.
- Cook khoya on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Soon, Mawa will start to release moisture, and it will reduce in volume.
- Add sugar to the khoya and mix until well combined.
- I have added 10 tablespoon of sugar, and it makes a moderately sweet barfi.
- After adding the sugar, taste the mixture and add more sugar if necessary.
- As soon as the sugar starts to melt, the consistency of the mixture will change.
- It will become slightly thinner, smoother, and like a paste.
- Stir the mixture continuously.
- Continue cooking the khoya mixture until it becomes slightly thicker, leaves the sides of the pan, and forms a smooth, cohesive lump.
- It will take about 7-8 minutes.
- However, the time may vary slightly depending on the utensil you use and the intensity of the heat.
- Do not overcook this mixture, as it will become chewy and hard.
- Turn off the heat, add cardamom powder and rose extract.
- Mix well.
Setting The Burfi
- Pour the Mawa mixture into a prepared pan and spread it evenly, maintaining a thickness of at least one inch.
- Using the spatula or the back of a spoon, smooth the top of the mixture and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
- Let the Mawa Burfi cool down completely.
- Then, cut it into the desired shape and size.
- Serve the Burfi immediately or refrigerate it in an air-tight container for up to a week.
Storing Suggestions
Mawa Burfi stays fresh for up to a week when stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before serving, if desired. We like khoya barfi straight from the fridge; however, cold barfi will be firmer in texture.
Mawa Burfi freezes well. Place it in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Defrost it before serving.
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Recipe Card
Burfi Recipe / Mawa Burfi / Khoya Barfi
Video
Ingredients
- 350 g unsweetened Mawa or Khoya
- 10-12 tablespoon granulated sugar (or add to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2-3 drops of rose extract
- 8-10 pistachios chopped for garnishing
Instructions
Preparations
- If your Mawa is placed in the fridge, take it out and bring it to room temperature. This step is optional, but it will help to make the cooking procedure faster.
- Then grate or crumble the Mawa. However, I will recommend grating it for an even Barfi texture.
- Grease a pan or container with Ghee, and set it aside.
Making The Burfi
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over low to medium heat and add the grated Mawa to it.
- Cook khoya on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously. Soon, Mawa will start to release moisture, and it will reduce in volume.
- Add sugar to the khoya and mix until well combined. I have added 10 tablespoon of sugar, and it makes a moderately sweet burfi.
- After adding the sugar, taste the mixture and add more sugar if required.
- As soon as the sugar starts to melt, the consistency of the mixture will change. It will become slightly thinner, smoother, and like a paste. Stir the mixture continuously.
- Continue cooking the burfi mixture until it becomes slightly thicker, leaves the sides of the pan, and forms a smooth, cohesive lump. It will take about 7-8 minutes. However, the time may vary depending on the utensil you use and the intensity of the heat.
- Do not overcook the burfi mixture, as this will cause the burfi to become chewy and hard.
- Turn off the heat, add cardamom powder and rose extract. Mix well.
Setting The Burfi
- Pour the burfi mixture into a prepared pan and spread it evenly, maintaining the thickness of at least one inch.
- Using the spatula or the back of a spoon, smooth the top of the mixture and sprinkle chopped pistachios.
- Let the Mawa Burfi cool down completely. Then, cut it into the desired shape and size.
- Serve the Burfi immediately or refrigerate it in an air-tight container for up to a week.
Storing Suggestions
- Burfi stays for up to a week, stored in an air-tight container and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before serving, if desired. We like burfi straight from the fridge; however, cold burfi will be firmer in texture.
- Mawa Burfi freezes well. Place it in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Defrost the burfi before serving.
Burhan nawaz khan says
Need khoya barfi