Gajar Halwa Easy Carrot Halwa Recipe

My story

How did you celebrate Janmashtami? We had a good time with our little one. We dressed him like Krishna, prepared gajbaje, basundi, panchakajjaya offered to God, and then shared it with our friends as prasad. I will soon share the pictures of the same on my Instagram Stories. We are excited about the Ganesha-chaturthi festival that is coming up soon. You can check some popular recipes for Ganesha chaturthi. This year, we are still deciding on the menu. But I generally pick recipes from this list as this is what is traditionally prepared in my hometown. What do you guys prepare for this festival? Overall, I am always excited about the last 4 months of the year because they are full of life, beautiful colors, festivals, celebrations, and get-togethers everywhere:-)

Carrot Sweets and Desserts

Carrot desserts and sweets are one of my favorites. You can check some of the best carrot recipes on my blog like

Carrot Cake or Gajar Halwa Cake using this carrot halwa Carrot Barfi Carrot Ice Cream using carrot burfi

About the recipe

Carrot halwa or Gajar ka halwa, also known as gajorer halua, gajrela, or gajar pak, is a carrot-based Indian sweet dessert pudding made by grated carrots, milk, butter or ghee, dry fruits and condensed milk (milkmaid), khoya, or sugar. Carrot halwa is prepared during special occasions, including parties, festivals like Deepavali (Diwali), Christmas, Holi, Eid, Raksha Bandhan, and weddings. If you search the Internet, you will get different ways to prepare this delicious dessert.

Different ways of making carrot halwa or gajar halwa

Traditionally whole milk is used, which is time-consuming, however for a richer & flavorful version, mawa or khoya is used, and if you are looking for a shortcut version without compromising the taste, then use condensed milk (milkmaid) which is my favorite method 🙂 The traditional method requires patience, time, and elbow grease to grate the carrot and then frequently stir while cooking. So depending on the time and ingredients available in your kitchen, you can choose one way.

The traditional old-fashioned method with milk My preferred way is carrot halwa with condensed milk (milkmaid) in less than 20 minutes. Healthy Carrot Halwa with jaggery Gajar Halwa with Khoya - a rich version prepared specially during festivals and weddings. Gajar Ka Halwa with milk powder - If you have a lot of milk powder available in your pantry that you need to use up or when you are short of milk use this method

Ingredients for Carrot Halwa

3 cups Carrots tightly packed (peeled & grated) 2 tablespoon Butter or Ghee 4 tablespoon Milk 6 tablespoon Condensed milk ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder 2 tablespoon Cashews roasted 2 tablespoon Almonds roasted 2 tablespoon Pistachios roasted 2 tablespoon Raisins

How to make gajar ka halwa with condensed milk (milkmaid)?

In a nonstick pan on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the grated carrots and saute on medium flame till the carrots are tender and cooked and any extra moisture has dried out. This step may take around 5 to 8 minutes. Now add milk and stir till all the milk has dried out. This step may take about 2 minutes. Next, add condensed milk and stir nicely. Add cardamom powder and dry fruits & nuts of your choice now. Simmer on low flame and stir the halwa till the mixture dries up. Keep stirring to avoid burning from the bottom. Carrot Halwa is ready. Serve warm or bring it to room temperature and keep in refrigerator and serve chill.

Pro Tips

Depending on the quantity you need, vary the ingredient amounts. The sweetness I used was perfect for my family. If you like it sweeter, then add additional sugar. Continuously saute the carrots in ghee or butter and then add milk, followed by condensed milk. This will give you a much intense flavor. Do not leave the carrot halwa on the gas or stove unattended. It can be burnt easily. Keep stirring it during the process. When it comes to adding dry fruits and nuts, I always love to roast them as they give additional aroma and add a little extra crunch. Depending on your liking, vary the amount and type of nuts used in the recipe. You can add ghee or butter up to 4 tbsp. I generally like to cut down on fat in my recipes. Store carrot halwa in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can make this dessert richer by adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk powder.

Instant pot carrot halwa

Turn on the SAUTE mode of your IP. Add carrots and ghee and saute just for 1 minute. This gives good color and flavor. To this, add milk, condensed milk, and mix. Close the lid. Set the valve to the sealing position and pressure cook on HIGH for 2 minutes. Now do quick pressure release by positioning the valve to the venting position. Open the lid of your IP once the pin drops. Turn on the SAUTE mode again and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until all the liquid dries up, if any. Add dry fruits, nuts, and cardamom powder and cook for another 1 minute, stirring continuously. Instant pot carrot halwa or gajar halwa is ready.

How to serve gajar halwa?

Carrot Halwa dessert can be served warm or chilled. I like to serve it as dessert after a meal with vanilla ice cream. My husband likes to have it any time of the day 🙂 If you are serving it chill, ensure the halwa comes to room temperature and then place it in the refrigerator. In cold winters, carrot halwa is best when served hot.