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Keep this vegan almond burfi recipe at hand for whenever you need an easy yet special treat for the holidays! This 4 ingredient Indian Almond Fudge is totally fool-proof to make within minutes and makes for a great gift, too. Gluten-free, soy-free.
Keep this almond burfi recipe ready for whenever you need a sweet treat for the holidays and Indian festivals. It is quick and easy to make and needs just 4 ingredients.
What is Burfi?
Burfi, also called barfi, is an original Indian dessert similar to fudge. It belongs populat Indian sweets which are united under the name mithai. Various Burfis are traditionally made using ingredients like milk solids, condensed milk, milk powder, sugar, and ghee (clarified butter), nuts etc.
My vegan Badam Burfi is made with ground almonds or almond flour, vegan butter, sugar & a touch of saffron. I love it for its delightful balance of mild and sweet notes and its signature light fudgy texture. It’s a bit like almond fudge. These little bites of bliss are not only unbelievably easy to make but making burfi at home also leaves your kitchen smelling like heaven! What’s not to love about the fragrances of almond, and saffron wafting through your house?
Trust me, this delicately flavored almond burfi will win your loved ones over with its melt-in-the-mouth texture. I like making these for celebrations like the Indian Ganesh festival or Diwali, but they also make an amazing gift any time of the year. The best part is that this recipe is super forgiving and totally fail-proof which gives us one less thing to worry about during the holidays. You ca change up the flavors and use cardamom, or vanilla instead.
You can serve these Almond Burfi as a snack or a dessert and kids love these too! Such a great alternative to store-bought candies.
MORE INDIAN SWEETS TO TRY: all Veganized
- Rasmalai Cake
- Gulab Jamun
- Coconut Ladoo
- Almond Halwa, 2ways and Almond Ladoo GF
- Malai Burfi GF
- 7 Cup Burfi – GF, Nutfree
- Gajar Halwa, skillet, Instant pot
- Wheat Ladoo
- Sooji Halwa
- Kaju Katli
Vegan Almond Burfi
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar, , I use cane sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4-6 strands of saffron
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon vegan butter
- Chopped raw pistachios for garnish
- Almond slivers for garnish
Instructions
- Line a 9 x5 loaf pan with parchment and keep ready. In a non stick skillet, add the sugar, water, saffron and salt and mix over medium heat.
- Bring to a rolling boil and mix well until the sugar dissolves. Continue to simmer for 2 mins, then add in the almond flour, and vegan butter and mix well. Press and mix so that all of the almond flour gets hydrated with the sugar syrup.
- Cook until the mixture comes together and leaves sides of the pan and then immediately take the pan off the heat. This takes 1-3 mins depending on your pan and stove heating
- Transfer to a parchment lined 9X5 loaf pan, place another parchment on top and spread the mixture and even it out by pressing with a spatula.
- Remove the top parchment. Press in the pistachios and almond slivers into the Burfi and use a knife to score your pieces so that they are easier to slice afterwards. Chill the Burfi for half an hour and then slice with a sharp knife and store.
Notes
- Use vanilla for simple almond fudge. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or powder instead of the saffron or use seeds from 2 green cardamom pods for cardamom katli
- Use a mix of pistachio flour and almond flour for pistachio burfi. To make pistachio flour, add raw pistachios to a blender with 1 tsp starch and pulse until powdery
- sugar syrup can sometimes get over cooked because of stoves pans sugar brand variations etc. This can lead to the burfi mix to become dry quickly and crumbly when you try to shape it. Just reheat it and add sprinkles of water until moist. Mix well then take off heat. Then shape
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- sugar is a quintessential part of this recipe and cannot be skipped
- saffron lends our burfi its pretty color and elegant floral flavor
- salt is necessary to counterbalance the sweetness
- I use store-bought almond flour for this recipe but it also works with ground blanched almonds
- vegan butter adds richness and makes for that melt-in-your-mouth texture we love about burfi, you can omit it if you like. The burfi still turns out wonderful y
- Chopped raw pistachios and slivered almonds don’t only look pretty but also add a bit of delicious crunch
Tips & Substitution
- Use vanilla for simple almond fudge.
- Use a mix of pistachio flour and almond flour for pistachio burfi. To make pistachio flour, add raw pistachios to a blender with 1 tsp starch and pulse until powdery
- Almond Burfi stores well in the refrigerator so can be made ahead
- Use a fork to lightly break any lumps in the almond flour, it should be lump-free
How to make Almond Burfi:
In a non-stick skillet, add the sugar, water, saffron, and salt and mix over medium heat.
Bring to a rolling boil and mix well until the sugar dissolves. Continue to simmer for 2 mins, add in the almond flour, and vegan butter and mix well. Press and mix so that all of the almond flour gets hydrated with the sugar syrup.
Cook until the mixture comes together and leaves sides of the pan and then immediately take the pan off the heat.
Transfer to a parchment-lined 9X5 loaf pan, place another parchment on top and spread the mixture, and even it out using a spatula.
Press in the pistachios and almond slivers into the Burfi and use a knife to score your pieces so that they are easier to slice afterward. Chill the Burfi for half an hour and then slice with a sharp knife and store.
HOW TO STORE ALMOND BURFI
Store the almond burfi in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days at room temp or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.
I tried it tonight, but the mixture was to dry and never came together even though I followed the measurements and instructions. What did I do wrong?
Different sugar brands and or stoves that heat more l, can overcook the sugar syrup. Just reheat and sprinkle in water a bit at a time until it gets moist . Then mix well and take off heat then press into the pan for cooking.
Can I use stevia drops or powder as sweetner instead of regular sugar for the almond burfi recipe?
the powder would work
‘Add 2/2 tsp instead of the saffron and cardamom’
What do you mean by 2/2 tsp? And I don’t see where cardamon is on the recipe ingredients?
It’s 1/2 tsp vanilla. Cardamom is the other options instead of saffron
This sounds excellent !!!! Can we use coconut sugar ?
Yes
I’m really excited to make this barfi. I don’t think I ever had it before.
I do not have vegan butter, can I use ghee instead.
Also, can I freeze them. Thank you.
Use oil or just omit it. Yes you can freeze them
HI, really thanks for sharing about barfi. In india, barfi is very famous and one of my favourite dish
your’re very welcome, thanks for stopping by
I have recently become vegan and really miss the Indian sweets. I’m really excited to make this for Diwali for friends and family. Thank you so much
excellent! enjoy the festivities, & let me know how everyone likes it
Hi Richa, this looks super easy. I would like to give it a shot. However I don’t have access to “Vegan butter”. I don’t want to omit it. Can I use some coconut oil or any other substitute to keep it Vegan ? Also for a non – vegan substitute, can I use regular unsalted butter (same quantity)?
sure coconut oil will work – it’s only 1 tsp
Sounds Delicious!! Am going to try this!!
let me know how it turns out for you
Every recipe I make with Richa’s recipes are always deliscous. This Burfi will help me use the almond meal from my homemade almond milk.
Awesome !
Is the vanilla replacing another ingredient or simply added in? Do you have a recommendation as to how much and what type of vanilla (powder, bean seeds or essence oil?)
you could omit the saffron if you use vanilla – or leave it in also. I like the one from trader joes’ and about 1/2 tsp will be enough