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Kaju katli (cashew burfi / munthiri cake) is a beloved Indian festive sweet made with cashews, sugar and ghee. Learn how to make melt-in-the-mouth, halwai-style kaju katli easily at home with this foolproof recipe, video and step-by-step photos.

Kaju katli is my family’s favourite sweet recipe. Every time we used to buy it from AAB sweet shop Bangalore & Tamil nadu even though it is costly in price. So I wanted to make it perfect just like sweet shops and tried it many times during Diwali and other family occasions. Kaju katli recipe is a very simple Indian sweet with very less ingredients. I heard milk powder, saccharine or mawa/khoya is used in sweet shops to yield more in quantity. But I don’t think it is necessary. Homemade kaju katli tastes way better and healthy as well. This was the first sweet I tried on my own (without my MIL’s help) after my marriage for Sendhil & Raksha.

Long back I had posted this recipe without much details along with some other sweets & savouries during diwali. But I want to have a separate post for kaju katli in my blog with step by step pictures, video and some tips for easier understanding especially for beginners. I have tried this recipe several times and it comes out perfect.

After I got the confidence of preparing kaju katli, I started making kaju lotus sweet which tastes very similar to kaju katli but it looks colourful. Both the sweets are very easy to prepare once you know the knack and tips for troubleshooting. So when you try this recipe, don’t forget to try kaju lotus. You will love it. For 1 cup of cashews, you can get 10 pieces using this recipe.

Check out my Easy Badam Cashew Burfi if interested!

I have updated this recipe with a full video for beginners reference. Hope you find it useful. Please watch the video below!

Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens

Cashew Quality: Whole raw unsalted cashews from Costco, Trader Joe’s or Patel Brothers work best. If stored in the refrigerator or freezer, spread them out on a kitchen towel for 30 minutes to come completely to room temperature before grinding so they stay crisp and dry.
Grinding Technique: Use the pulse setting on a dry spice grinder or high-speed blender in 3 to 4-second bursts. Sieve through a fine wire strainer and pulse only the coarse granules to keep the powder airy without releasing nut oils.
Sugar Syrup on Electric Stoves: Electric coil and glass-top cooktops retain heat longer than gas burners. Boil sugar and water on medium heat (setting 4 or 5) until frothy, then remove the pan off the burner immediately when testing for single-string consistency to avoid overcooking.
Rolling Surface: Roll the warm cashew dough between two sheets of silicone baking mats or parchment paper lightly greased with ghee for a clean, non-stick diamond cut without needing extra starch or flour.

Kaju Katli Recipe (Cashew Burfi)

Chitra

Learn how to make authentic melt-in-the-mouth Kaju Katli (cashew burfi) at home with simple ingredients, video and step-by-step photos.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Sweet

Cuisine Indian

Servings Pieces

Ingredients

1 cup Cashew nuts (approx. 140 g / 5 oz, raw whole or split cashews)
½ cup Sugar (approx. 100 g / 3.5 oz, refined white sugar)
¼ cup Water (approx. 60 ml / 2 fl oz, just to cover sugar)
1 tsp Ghee (to grease the tray and hands)
1 to 2 tsp Milk (optional, only if needed for kneading)

Instructions

How to powder cashews: Cashews should be dry. If you have kept in the refrigerator, bring them to room temperature by spreading them on a towel or paper to absorb all moisture. OR Dry roast the cashews in a broad hot kadai on low flame without changing the color. Switch off the stove and keep the cashews in the hot kadai for 10-15 minutes until crisp and dry. Grind cashews in a mixie to a fine powder by running at low speed for short intervals, stirring in between. Make sure not to over-grind, else cashews will release oil and turn into a sticky paste. Sieve the powder through a wire mesh to collect fine powder, and pulse any coarse bits again.
How to make sugar syrup: Grease a plate or parchment sheet with ghee and keep ready. In a heavy kadai, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water (just enough to cover the sugar). Boil on medium heat until frothy. Lower the flame and check for single one-string consistency (oru kambi padham): take a drop of syrup between thumb and forefinger; when pulled apart, a thin continuous thread should form without snapping.
Cooking cashew mixture: Switch the flame to low. Add the sieved cashew powder to the syrup and stir continuously with a spatula to prevent lumps. Cook on low to medium flame for about 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai and forms a soft dough mass. Do not overcook until dry; test by rolling a small piece with greased fingers—it should roll into a soft, non-sticky ball.
Kneading and shaping: Transfer the hot dough onto the greased plate or parchment sheet. Add 1 tsp ghee (optional) and let it cool for 5 minutes until warm enough to handle. Grease your hands with ghee and knead firmly like chapathi dough. As you knead, cashews will release natural oils and become smooth and pliable. Place the dough between two greased parchment sheets and roll evenly with a rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Trim uneven edges and slice diagonally into classic diamond shapes. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Video

https://youtube.com/watch?v=i4Icq7NxloI%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_embedded

Notes

Cashews should be completely dry before grinding. While powdering the cashews please be careful in running the mixie. Over doing it makes the cashews sticky & wet. You wont get the perfect smooth powder.
One string consistency is very important. If sugar reaches more than one string consistency, katli will become hard. So as soon as the sugar syrup becomes slightly thick and frothy, switch off the flame. Check for one string and then continue.
If the dough become hard, you have to add more milk to make it soft. Adding more than the required milk makes it wet & sticky. It reduces the shelf life of the sweet. So remove the dough at the right time.
You can check the consistency of dough by making a small ball out of it. The ball should be non-sticky. Suppose if you over mix the dough and if it becomes hard, no worries. Just keep the dough in a plate and let it warm. Add little milk to it and knead it well. It will become soft. Then you can roll it and make pieces as mentioned above.
Troubleshooting: In case, you missed the right consistency and if the dough becomes crumbly and hard, just break them into pieces. Grind in a big mixie jar adding little water or milk and make a smooth paste. Transfer the mixture to the kadai and again cook it till you attain the correct stage. You can easily identify the right stage as you had experienced where you went wrong. So do it patiently and remove it at the right stage. Its always better to cook in low flame for safer side.

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