This almond halwa is a great shortcut to creating halwa without the work. It is made with almond flour! Ready in 15 minutes, it’s your new hack for surprise guests or even to feed your sweet tooth in a jiffy!
If you’ve been around long enough, you know I love putting a healthy spin on traditional desserts, such as my China Grass Pudding and Gluten-Free Cardamom Cake. I grew up eating both desserts but have since recreated them to align with my diet. This halwa is part of that collection.
When I came up with this halwa recipe, I did not know that traditional almond halwa existed. I was trying to create a gluten-free counterpart to sooji ka halwa, a dessert made with semolina. If you love sooji ka halwa but can’t have it because you’re avoiding gluten, this recipe will blow your mind! It is so similar that my family could not tell it apart!
What is Almond Halwa?
Almond halwa is a pudding-like South Asian sweet dish traditionally made with almonds, sugar, milk(or water), and saffron. It is usually made with presoaked, peeled, and ground almonds. My recipe cuts out all those tedious steps and shows you how to make it with almond flour. It is quick, easy, and healthyish, the ethos of Eat.Drink.Pure 😊.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick and easy to make. Traditional almond or badam halwa is a lengthy process. By using almond flour, you bypass all the work yet enjoy something delicious and authentic.
Minimal ingredients– Just 4 ingredients.
Much healthier than traditional halwas– There’s much less fat and alternative options to refined table sugar. More on that below.
What You’ll Need
Fat: Ghee imparts an authentic flavor, but butter or neutral oil will also work.
Almond flour: Super-fine blanched almond flour. Don’t use almond meal, as that includes the skin of the almond and will not give you the same smooth result.
Sweetener: I have used coconut and cane sugar to make this halwa with great results. If you want a similar result to traditional halwa, though, use cane sugar.
Saffron & cardamom: Saffron imparts color and richness, while cardamom infuses it with South Asian flavor.
Garnish: Crushed pistachios, slivered almonds, and dried edible rose petals all work. Optional but highly recommended for aesthetics, especially when serving to guests.
How to Make It
Toast the almond flour. In a pan, add the ghee and toast the crushed cardamom. Then add the almond flour. You want to monitor it and constantly stir it to prevent burning it.
Add sweetener. Once the almond flour is lightly toasted, add your sweetener of choice and stir to combine it.
Add water and saffron threads. Next, add the saffron threads and water. Keep stirring until the water dries and you get a sticky paste-like result. Once the oil rises to the top, the halwa is ready. Add the garnish and enjoy!
Pro Tips
Use almond flour, not almond meal, for the best results. I get almond flour in bulk from Costco. If you’re not a member, it is also available on Amazon. Trader Joe’s and Bob’s Red Mill are two other brands I would recommend.
Use caution while toasting the flour as it burns easily. Toast it on medium-high heat and then lower it to medium when toasted. Stir it constantly.
Almond flour absorbs water, and the halwa will get stiffer as it cools, so you may want to add some water or milk and even a bit of ghee when reheating it.
Storage
This almond flour halwa can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days and frozen for months. Preferably without the garnish. To reheat, thaw it and heat it on the stovetop.
Common Questions
Yes, I have tried this recipe with coconut sugar with good results. If using coconut sugar, add 1/4 cup more as coconut sugar is less sweet than cane sugar.
I have not tried it with any other sweetener, but you may want to start with 1/4 cup of your sweetener of choice and go from there.
Although the nutrition profile won’t change much, the taste and texture will. For almond halwa, you want a smooth, fine texture, and using almond meal will result in a rough texture because of the skins
I haven’t tried it myself, but you can; it will make for a thicker dessert. Adjust the ghee and sweetener as needed.
Yes, for sure. Any nut ground fine and cooked in the same way will give you a nut halwa similar to this one.
How to Eat It
You can enjoy this almond halwa on its own or serve it with a side of vanilla ice cream, heavy cream, or whipped cream to guests.
More almond flour desserts to try
If you try this recipe, I’d appreciate it so much if you could leave a review and rate it in the comments below! I love hearing feedback, and the recipe rating helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. You can also share your creations and tag me on Instagram @eatdrinkpure. Thank you!
This recipe was originally posted in April 2022 and has been updated with step-by-step pictures and instructions to help you.
Easy Almond Halwa
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 2 cardamom pods seeds removed and crushed
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar *See note
- pinch saffron crushed and added
- 1 cup water
Garnish
- rose petals
- pistachios
- walnuts
Instructions
- On medium-high heat, heat the ghee and add the crushed cardamom. Stir for about 30 seconds to help release the oils from the cardamom. Add the almond flour and stir for about 1-2 minutes so that it gets toasted. Make sure to stir it constantly and watch that it does not burn.
- Next, add the sugar and stir to combine. Add the water and crushed saffron (just take a pinch of saffron, and crush it between your fingers and sprinkle it on top of the almond flour. Stir continuously until the water dries out completely and you are left with a thick paste. About 3-4 minutes. The halwa is ready!
- Garnish with crushed pistachios and enjoy!
Video
Notes
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- Use almond flour, not almond meal, for the best results. I get almond flour in bulk from Costco. If you’re not a member, it is also available on Amazon. Trader Joe’s and Bob’s Red Mill are two other brands I would recommend.
- Use caution while toasting the flour as it burns easily. Toast it on medium-high heat and then lower it to medium when toasted. Stir it constantly.
Just made this recipe. It is quick to make, easy and delicious! Definately a must try!
Yay! I am so happy you are finding the recipes easy to make! Thank you so much for taking the time to review!