Carrot Halwa also known as "Gajar Ka Halwa" in Hindi is a beloved dessert in Indian homes. Made with freshly grated carrots, milk, sugar, and cardamom this simple recipe uses few ingredients that result in a rich halwa with authentic flavors. A perfect make-ahead dessert for festivals and gatherings that can be enjoyed year-round. Serve warm during winter months, or chilled with a scoop of ice cream in summer!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry
Jump to:
In India, halwa is a rich, pudding-like dessert made by cooking grains, lentils, nuts, or veggies with milk, sugar, and ghee. It’s flavored with warm spices like cardamom, saffron, or nutmeg. Popular versions include Sooji Halwa, Dudhi Halwa, Moong Dal Halwa, and Badam Halwa.
Gajar ka Halwa has been one of those cozy, nostalgic Indian desserts that instantly takes me back to my childhood kitchen. There’s just something magical about the aroma of carrots slow-cooked in milk and ghee—exactly how my mom used to make it. No shortcuts here, just basic ingredients and a bit of love (and stirring!) to get that rich, authentic flavor.
It’s my go-to sweet when I want to treat my family or impress guests—it’s simple, comforting, and always a hit. Plus, you can make it ahead of time, which makes it perfect for hosting!
Looking for a fun twist? Try my Gajar Halwa Cheesecake Jars—a delicious fusion of two favorites! Short on time or going dairy-free? Check out my Instant Pot Carrot Halwa recipe. I’ve also shared quick variations using condensed milk, mawa, or milk powder to speed things up.
Ingredients
- Carrots - freshly grated carrots work best for this recipe. In winter, if possible, get the red carrots available in Indian grocery stores. Red carrots add a bright orange color to the halwa and are sweeter.
- Milk - whole milk is cooked down in this recipe and is a key ingredient for authentic taste.
- Sugar - regular cane sugar is traditionally added to this recipe. You can use other sugar substitutes if you like.
- Ghee - homemade ghee adds nutty rich aromas and flavor to halwa.
- Cardamom - ground cardamom adds citrusy floral aromas.
- Nuts - cashews, almonds, and pistachios make for a perfect garnish but feel free to skip them if you are allergic to nuts. You can also add raisins to carrot halwa if you like
How to Make Gajar Ka Halwa
Serving
Gajar ka halwa can be served as is warm, at room temperature, or chilled. I love enjoying it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storing
Gajar Halwa makes for a perfect make-ahead dessert. It can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week or you can also freeze it in smaller portions in airtight containers. To reheat simply thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature and then microwave until warm.
Variations
As promised, sharing some of the variations especially if you are short on time:
- Reduce the milk and sugar by half and add condensed milk instead.
- Reduce the milk and add mawa or dry milk powder along with sugar to thicken up the halwa. Make sure to cook for 5 to 10 minutes
- If you don't have time to grate carrots at home, use store-bought grated carrots, just give them a rough chop if they are too long.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
Recipe
Gajar Ka Halwa | Carrot Halwa Recipe
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the carrots. Peel and trim the top and bottom ends. Grate the carrots using a hand grater or a food processor.
- Add half of the ghee to a heavy bottom pan. Add grated carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes as the color of the carrots change to a brighter oranger. This step helps remove some of the excess moisture from the carrots.
- Stir in milk and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently. Scrape the milk solids as they start forming on the sides of the pan and mix them in the carrots. Cook until the milk is 90% evaporated, stirring frequently making sure the milk is not getting stuck to the bottom of the pan. This process can take 50 minutes to an hour.
- Add sugar, remaining ghee, cardamom powder, and half of the chopped nuts. Mix everything well. The halwa will become a bit watery as the sugar melts in. Keep cooking until the halwa thickens a bit and most of the remaining milk evaporates - it takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat off. Garnish with remaining nuts and enjoy warm or cold.
Leave a Reply