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Glossy golden almond halwa in a brass dish garnished with pistachios, flaked almonds and saffron
Pakistani · Desserts

Badam Halwa

A rich, glossy almond halwa made from freshly ground blanched almonds, milk, ghee and saffron. It suits Eid tables, dinner parties and winter evenings.

Published 1 Oct 2026Tested by Hina Ikram

Prep30 min
Cook30 min
Total1 h
Serves6
DifficultyMedium
CuisinePakistani
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Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment: Heavy-bottomed non-stick pan or karahi, grinder or food processor, wooden spatula

Method

  1. Boil 500 ml water, pour it over the almonds in a bowl and leave them to soften.

  2. Drain the almonds and slip off the skins by pinching each one. Discard the skins.

  3. Grind the peeled almonds with 120 ml cold milk to a thick, slightly coarse paste. It should look like wet sand, not a smooth butter.

  4. Heat 4 tbsp of the ghee (about 50 g) in a heavy pan over low-medium heat. Add the almond paste and stir constantly until it smells nutty and turns a pale golden colour.

  5. Pour in the remaining 250 ml milk and the saffron milk. Stir well and cook until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides.

  6. Add the sugar. The mixture will loosen at first, so keep stirring until it thickens again and turns glossy.

  7. Add the remaining ghee a spoonful at a time, then the cardamom. Cook until the halwa is thick and shiny and ghee shows around the edges. Remove from the heat.

  8. Spoon into a serving dish, top with pistachios and flaked almonds, and serve warm.

Cooking tips

  • Peel the almonds while they are still warm. Cold almonds hold their skins and the halwa will taste slightly bitter and look dull.
  • Grind to a coarse paste. A very fine paste turns pasty, while a coarse one gives the halwa some texture.
  • Keep the heat low to medium and stir constantly. Almond paste catches on the base of the pan very easily.
  • The halwa thickens further as it cools, so take it off the heat while it is still soft and glossy.

Substitutions

  • Replace the sugar with the same weight of jaggery powder (gur) for a darker, caramel taste, though the colour will be browner.
  • Use 2–3 drops of kewra water or rose water instead of saffron.
  • Use evaporated milk or 100 g khoya (mawa) in place of the cooking milk for a richer, denser halwa.
  • Use 100 ml neutral oil plus 20 g butter if ghee is unavailable, though the flavour will be less rich.

Serve with

"Serve warm in small bowls after a biryani or korma meal, or with a cup of kahwa or doodh patti chai. A spoonful of cold malai or vanilla ice cream on the side works well."

Storage

"Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can be frozen for up to 1 month."

Reheating

"Warm in a pan over low heat with 1–2 tbsp milk, stirring until soft and hot. Or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each."

Nutrition per serving, estimated

530kcal
11 gProtein
36 gCarbs
40 gFat

Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.

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