By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026
Serves 2
376 cal · 35 min
Badam Halwa
Recipe GLPR2109813679aa33
A rich, creamy almond-based sweet halwa infused with saffron and ghee. This traditional Indian dessert features blanched almonds blended into a smooth paste, then slowly cooked with clarified butter until it becomes a dense, aromatic confection. Perfect for festive celebrations and special occasions.
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Ingredients
½ cup Almonds
1 cup Boiling water
½ cup Milk
2 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter)
to taste Saffron strands
to taste Sugar
Directions
Place almonds in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let soak for at least 5 minutes until the skins loosen slightly.
Drain the hot water completely and rinse the almonds under cold running water. Gently rub each almond between your fingers to slip off the brown skin. This should take about 5 minutes. Discard the skins.
Place the blanched almonds and milk in a blender and grind into a smooth puree. Transfer the almond puree to a bowl.
Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the almond puree and stir continuously. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until all moisture evaporates and the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Add the saffron strands and mix well throughout the halwa.
Add sugar to taste and stir until fully incorporated. The halwa will become slightly runny as the sugar melts. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5–10 minutes, until the mixture pulls cleanly away from the pan sides and ghee begins to ooze around the edges. Turn off the heat immediately.
Comments
Badam halwa is an elegant Indian almond pudding that checks most boxes for Charlotte cooks: almonds, milk, sugar, and water are easy finds at any major chain, though saffron means a dedicated stop at an Indian grocer like Patel Brothers or India Mart for quality and reasonable cost. The 35-minute estimate is honest, but ghee—often cheaper and fresher at Indian stores than at Harris Teeter—will shape your shopping trip. At roughly $3 to $4 per serving with saffron, this is a rich dessert for two, excellent for reheating gently the next day or serving cold. Budget the extra stop if you want authentic saffron rather than extract; otherwise, this is a showstopper that demands nothing fussy in technique.
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