Have you ever tried gajar halwa? It’s a bright orange Indian carrot pudding that’s absolutely decadent!
What is Gajar Halwa?
Gajar ka Halwa (gajrela) is a delicious and rich carrot pudding made by cooking carrots with ghee, milk, sugar, and a bit of cardamom. It’s the perfect dessert to make for any celebration, including Valentine’s Day which is coming right up! It’s perfect for Easter too – after all, the Easter Bunny loves carrots, right? Right.
I can’t tell you how many times I had to make and re-make this recipe. The first time I made gajar halwa in my Instant Pot, I had my dad taste test it and was told to immediately try again lol. 😂
This classic Indian dessert has been my dad’s favorite sweet since childhood. He knows what great gajar halwa tastes like and has very high standards. This recipe has his stamp of approval. Yes, there is quite a bit of ghee in the recipe but if you’re going to make gajar halwa then according to my dad, “it should be done right.”
This recipe is made in an Instant Pot and while it is much faster than my stovetop recipe, it will still require a bit of time and patience as you’ll need to stir the carrots in ghee to fry them a bit, which adds great flavor.
“bsolutely loved this recipe. So easy to make and so flavorful. Even my fussy parents loved this version!”
Bailey
Secrets to Making Perfect Gajar Halwa:
When my parents were visiting us in Pittsburgh about a year ago, my dad and I made this dessert no less than 10 times in one week just to make sure it was perfect since it would be going in my cookbook. We tested it using both dairy and dairy-free ingredients – so yes, you can make a dairy-free carrot halwa but the dairy version calling for ghee and milk is better. We ate a lot of it that week and froze a good amount of it too (p.s. this dessert freezes well!). During the trip, my dad taught me a couple of secrets to making a proper carrot halwa:
- Wait to add the ghee until after you pressure cook the carrots as that helps give the halwa that desired dark orange/red color.
- You don’t need to use a lot of milk to make this dessert but don’t cut back on the ghee.
It was really fun creating this recipe with my dad. Before the visit, he would mainly cook on the stovetop but while testing this recipe with me, he saw firsthand how cool the Instant Pot is, and nowadays he uses his Instant Pot all the time, calling to tell me what new thing he made and how well it turned out. I also ask both him and my mom to test my new recipes to let me know what he thinks. My parents live in another state but when we share our recipes over FaceTime, it feels like we’re right next to each other in the kitchen.
So thanks dad for helping me perfect this recipe and for all your help with my other recipes! ☺️ And a big thanks to my mom too – she is a phenomenal cook and has helped me with so many other special recipes, including her famous Meethe Chawal.
How to Make This Carrot Halwa Recipe
(for the full recipe, see the recipe card below 😋)
Add carrots, milk, water and pressure cook!
Mix in some sugar and saute for a bit, then add ghee and stir-fry until the halwa is done. Spice it up with some cardamom and it’s done! So simple.
Is carrot halwa served hot or cold?
You can serve carrot halwa hot, cold, or at room temperature. It’s delicious however you decide to enjoy it. If it’s cold outside, I prefer to eat warm halwa and if it’s hot out, I prefer cold halwa.
Can I use butter instead of ghee in Gajar Halwa?
You can use butter instead of ghee if you’d like, it’ll provide the same richness, however, ghee adds a nuttier flavor to the halwa so personally, I prefer the flavor of ghee in Indian sweets.
I can’t wait for you to make this halwa! Come back and let me know how much you love it!
Instant Pot Gajar Ka Halwa (Indian Carrot Halwa)
Instant Pot Gajar Ka Halwa (Indian Carrot Halwa)
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots grated/shredded (approx. 4 cups)*
- ½ cup whole milk or full-fat canned coconut milk if dairy-free/vegan
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil if dairy-free/vegan
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Chopped pistachios or other nut garnish
Instructions
- Add the carrots, milk and water to the pot. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 1 minute at high pressure.
- Open the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
- Press sauté and add the sugar. Stir for 6-7 minutes, or until most of the liquid has reduced. Then, add the ghee and stir-fry the carrots for another 6-7 minutes, or until the carrots become dry and the ghee separates from the mixture. The carrots should look dark orange/reddish in color.
- Add the cardamom, mix well, then garnish with chopped nuts.
Video
Notes
- *Use a food processor to shred the carrots, it’s fast and easy. If you use store-bought shredded carrots, the halwa will be a little thicker but that’s absolutely fine too.
- You can stir raisins or any type of nut into this halwa if you’d like!
- I don’t use khoya when I make halwa, but if you’d like to use it, feel free to mix it in at the end when adding cardamom powder.
- If you are making this for a dinner party, serve a small portion of halwa with a large scoop of ice cream.
- If you want to make this dairy-free, you can use full-fat coconut milk and coconut oil instead of ghee (but it won’t taste quite as good).
Roopa Santosh says
Easiest and most delish gajar halwa recipe ever!! I made it tonight and it is just too good. Thanks for all your hard work creating this recipe. Love that you created it with your dad.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Roopa, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked it 🙂
Susan says
I’m excited to make this, but I have the largest instant pot. I’m concerned it will barely cover the bottom. Should I double the recipe?
Fatima Cook says
Hi! So so good.
Can I turn leftovers into your Indian carrot cake? How would you adapt the recipe?
Thank you!
Basheer says
I love this recipe. However I end up with a lot of water from the carrots after pressure cook. Do I really need to add the water?
Reuben Sairs says
Great. Well-tested, clearly explained and delicious. I used cashews instead of pistachios.
Mary Fiore says
Thank you for posting this delicious recipe. I made ours vegan with oat milk and coconut oil.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Mary, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you using those ingredients! 🙂
Menka says
Great recipe! So easy to follow.
I had to stir mine for a lot longer for the liquid to reduce than the recipe as I had doubled the quantity.
Tastes great as well. Thanks Ashley!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Menka! I’m so glad to hear that!
Al Anderson says
How many servings does this make? I couldn’t find that information in the recipe. My apologies if I just missed seeing it 😊
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Al, it should serve four – it doesn’t make a lot in quantity but it’s very rich.
Sonia says
This looks amazing! Can I use brown sugar or icing sugar instead? Also will 2percent milk work?
Christie says
Hello, so I finally got around to making this today. I’ve had this once in a restaurant before and making this it turned out okay so to speak but tasted a little weird. I used Grassfed Ghee. Do you think that would of made a difference ? Thank you for your help. Also my carrots didn’t shred in food processor, more like small chunks.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Christie, did you use a shredding blade in your food processor? That will help – and the texture is important for this recipe. Small chunks are likely the reason it tastes off – the grassfed ghee won’t hurt – if anything, high-quality ingredients will only help.
Christie says
Hello, so I’m hoping to finally make this in a few days. I just wanted to say how I like reading comments before trying new recipes and noticed you reply to every comment. I think that is great. When you take the time and answer and show others you care about their thoughts and questions ; I believe that goes a long way. Thank you.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Christie, that’s so nice of you to say! I try my best but I’ll be honest I do miss a few from time to time so I’m definitely not perfect. Appreciate the kind words 🙂 Let me know what you think of the halwa!
Harkiran says
Hi Ashley, thanks for such an easy recipe!
I was wondering if this can be made ahead of time and frozen?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Harkiran, happy to hear that you like it! Yes, it can be frozen – I have some in my freezer right now 🙂
Robert Pickard Jr. says
Hi Ashley,
Is there a way to convert this to a burfi (fudge) dessert? Add milk powder after pressure cooling?
Thanks,
Robert
Bailey says
Absolutely loved this recipe. So easy to make and so flavorful. Even my fussy parents loved this version!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Bailey, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your parents liked it 🙂
PS says
Hello Ashley. Thanks for lovely recipes. I finally got an instant pot and I am really looking forward to make gajar ke halwa and I can’t wait to try other yummy recipes. Just a quick clarification. Are the measurements same here in Australia.
Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that! I’m not familiar with measurements in Australia so I’m not sure – hopefully, it won’t be too difficult to convert! Let me know how the recipes turn out for you 🙂
Prashita Singh says
Hello Ashley. I love your recipes. Finally I got an instant pot and I am really looking forward to make gajar ke halwa and I can’t wait to try other yummy recipes. Just a question will the measurements be same here in Australia.
Thank you.
Prash
Mary says
So I never really liked carrot halwa and now it is my favorite! I could literally eat the entire pot! I think it’s the solid recipe with fresh ingredients but wow! Thanks for sharing this one! Lots of exclamation points but deservedly so.
PS we have almost 25lbs of organic carrots in our house and this is definitely going to help fix our carrot “problem.”
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Mary, that’s awesome to hear! Thank you for letting me know how much you like the halwa 🙂 And as for your carrot problem (lol), you can always make and freeze this halwa!
K says
Looks yum! How many servings does this recipe yield?
Bhargavi says
Tried garar ka halwa in my ninja foodi op300 today and it was amazing.
I followed the exact same measurements and times mentioned without any changes.
We are visiting friends this weekend but do not have time to travel to the suburbs to buy indian sweets.
Having 4 yr old and 4 month old kids, our hands are pretty full and your recipes are always a life saviour for us ❤️
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Bhargavi, happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how much you liked this 🙂
Devika says
Hello Ashley,
How many servings does this recipe make?
Any specific things to keep in mind if I increase the quantity?
Thank you,
Devika
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Devika, I’d say it’ll serve 5 people. If you double the recipe, you’ll need to sauté longer at the end (I just doubled myself for an upcoming dinner party).
Meg Lave says
Hi Ashley! First of all, I love your page!
I have a question – why does the instant pot recipe have 1/2 the coconut milk, yet twice as much carrots as the stovetop version? Is it purely because of evaporation? I’m trying to decide which to try first and noticed this huge difference.
Tamera says
I made the Instant Pot Gajar Halwa and it was spectacular. Thank you so much for making these wonderful recipes available!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Tamera, that’s awesome! Happy to hear that 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you!
Pam says
Great recipe worked well and tastes delicious!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Pam! Happy to hear that you liked this so much 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Kristine says
Perfection! I didn’t understand why you had all these steps but it yielded the perfect result. The carrots are not mushy and have beautiful color. It’s a small amount of sugar but has the perfect amount of sweetness.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Kristine! I’m glad you tried the recipe and liked it so much 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for you!
Nandhini says
This was the easiest and yummiest dessert I have ever made. I just love how you have given the perfect proportions.
I have a sweet tooth. So I added condensed milk as an extra flavor. I don’t like cinnamon so eliminated that and added cashew.
All my guests loved it. Thank you for such an amazing recipe ☺️
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Nandhini, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you and your guests!
Vinod says
Super easy and delicious recipe!!! It gets better every time we make thanks to you and tips you have mentioned … Kids love it !!! Keep up the good work and share more recipes we are looking forward to more of your recipes !!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Vinod, happy to hear that! I’m glad your kiddos love it! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe 🙂
Holly says
Recipe is super delicious, however it only made the smallest bowl. It’s maybe 2-3 portions instead of 6. After taking time to make it I unfortunately have to do it all over again, not sure if it was something I did. Super yummy though.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Holly – glad you liked it! I wrote in my cookbook that this recipe serves 4 – not sure where I would have mentioned 6, sorry if I did! I don’t think you did anything wrong – halwa servings are typically small as they are a very rich dessert. I understand the disappointment as I always want more too lol.
Rajwant Kaur says
I need to make enough for 30 ppl. Not sure how much to increase ingredients or cook time??
Anagha says
Amazing!! Super easy and tasty 😊
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Anagha! I’m so glad you liked the halwa 🙂
Archana says
This is a easy recipe . Thank you Ashley.
My only issue is there is always lot of liquid left over after the pressure cook. So have to saute longer
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Archana, that’s odd there’s a lot of liquid left over – are you using a 3 quart? All of my recipes are tested in a 6 quart – I’m wondering if you’re using a smaller pot? If not then I’m not sure what the issue might be…
Pallavi says
This recipe has become a family favorite…thanks for the recipe and its so easy to make 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Pallavi, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe 🙂
Emma says
I’ve made this recipe a few times and I’m making it again right now. It’s the most delicious way ever to use up extra carrots and milk – and that’s including carrot cake!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Emma, happy to hear that you like this recipe so much! Thanks for leaving a comment 🙂
Sheela says
Tried Carrot halwa was easy to make but I needed more sugar and milk
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it!
Sowjanya Palleti says
Made carrot halwa using this recipe for the 5th time 🙂 Love this simple to make and delightful halwa! Thanks Ashley 🥰
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Sowjanya, that’s so nice to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe 🙂
Kats says
This is another awesome recipe. My daughter loves it and gets to eat carrots as well. Made quite a few times and perfect every time. This is a keeper, thanks for sharing.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kats, that’s awesome! So glad your daughter loves the halwa!
Hannah says
I have been doubling this recipe and making it every week or two and then just having a small portion everyday. I have very pale skin and tend to look sickly unless I keep up on eating colorful veggies, especially carrots seems to help. So I’ve just decided to eat this all the time. I tried reducing the sugar and it seemed fine to me (but I’m not Indian and not picky), and I recently started just substituting erythritol for the sugar, and it was great. Thanks for such a delicious, healthy, and helpful recipe.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hannah, glad you like this halwa! Thanks for letting me know how much you like it. 🙂
Cynthia says
Perfect and easy. Well done Ashley. Fortunately/unfortunately my family doesn’t like Indian sweets, so I ate it all. They love your other recipes though.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad you made it and liked it, Cynthia! My husband isn’t big on sweets in general so I usually end up eating them myself too. This halwa (and most Indian desserts) thankfully freeze well!
Viren Gandhi says
Love this recipe. I have made Carrot (Gajar) halwa more than dozen times. It turns out the best every time. Thank you for teaching me ropes to Indian cooking. You are the best. Stay awesome always😍
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you’ve made this so many times. Thank you for the kind words, Viren!
Kiran says
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it was amazing both times. I used brown sugar (reduced amount) and it worked out well. Both my mum and mother in law loved the halwa and told me that it was one of the best gajar halwa that they have ever tasted! Thank you Ashley for another amazing recipe 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kiran, that’s awesome! Happy to hear that your mom and mil love this recipe too!
C says
My mom used to make gajar halwa every winter for Diwali . I used to watch her labor over the stove, constantly stirring until she could tap someone in . This recipe was nostalgic in the best way. Carrots in the winter lend the perfect sweetness, the sugar complements it and per Ashley’s notes , though khoya is optional , it’s addition made it a true Delhi gajar ka halwa. We served this for thanksgiving last year alongside some vanilla ice cream – YUM!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Aww I’m glad this was nostalgic for you – so glad you liked this halwa!
Arshiya says
Hey Ashley, Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar in this?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Arshiya, I think that’ll be fine in this recipe. Let me know how it goes!
Arshiya Duseja says
Hi Ashley,
I tried it with brown sugar. I also substituted ghee with oil as I don’t eat ghee. It turned out super amazing and I was able to have gajar ka halwa after years!!! Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for coming back to let me know how it turned out with the brown sugar! 🙂
Shilpa says
Thank you for this super easy recipe! I made it using pre-shredded carrots and sugar substitute and it was delicious!!! Going to run out and grab more supplies this week to amen more.
My Heart Beets says
Shilpa, that’s so great to hear! I’m glad you liked the halwa, thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Supriya Bhatnagar says
Hi Ash! Followed this recipe exactly as you have stated here and it is delicious! Made it for Anil Uncle’s birthday today, and needless to say he is thrilled!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Supriya aunty! Happy Birthday to Anil Uncle! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it 🙂 We miss you all!
Neha Saxena says
This was just perfect Ashley…just 15mins for Gajar halwa…thats amazing…you are a saviour 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Neha, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Sonal says
Thank you for the amazing recipe. It turned out great .
My Heart Beets says
Sonal, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how the gajar halwa turned out for you 🙂
Leona Konkel says
Using the Instant Pot made making carrot halwa so simple! I’ve always loved it but never tried making my own. It turned out perfectly. Thank you so much for the recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Leona, I’m so glad you made and enjoyed the halwa 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Mina says
Hi Ashley,
Easy, breezy halwa recipe, very delicious. It came out so good was gone quickly.
Very cholesterol friendly, meaning, less saturated fat.
I modified little…used Benecol spread instead of ghee and 1/2 and1/2 fat free milk and came out decadent.
Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you liked it, Mina! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Pam says
I made the halwa is a hit with the family. The only mistake I made was I double the water so I had to sauté it longer but still turned out perfect 👍🏼
My Heart Beets says
Pam, I’m glad you and your family liked the halwa! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Pam says
Hi
If I wanted to make into to barfi instead how would I go about doing that? What changes would I have to make ?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Pam, I’d probably do something similar to my lauki burfi – add more ghee, saute until mostly dry and add milk powder. I haven’t tested this myself yet but if I do, I’ll be sure to update the post 🙂
Krish says
My first attempt and was perfect! can we do this with condensed milk? less water?
My Heart Beets says
Krish, that’s awesome! I’m so glad to hear that 🙂 I haven’t tried with condensed milk but I’d think it’d be fine – if you experiment, please let us know how it compares!
Kate says
Turned out great! I was skeptical because it seemed like reverse order of the normal steps, but worked beautifully and saved lots of time 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Kate, glad you tried and liked it 🙂
Ravleen says
Hi Ashley,
Planning to make this tonight but I don’t have full fat milk. Would 2% work? Or condensed milk /
Milk powder?
Any suggestions?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Ravleen, you can use 2 percent milk 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Aish says
Whipped this up for my dad’s birthday . It is his favorite dessert. He was so thrilled! Thank you 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Aish, that’s awesome! I’m so glad he liked it! Happy birthday to your dad 🙂
Farnaaz Sharief says
So easy, so delicious.. and such a brilliant practical recto follow for a novice like me…
Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Farnaaz, I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for you!
Sneha says
Hey Ashley love all your recipes.. need to cook anything in instant pot just go to Ashley website.. can you please let me know which grater do u recommend??
My Heart Beets says
Sneha, aww thank you! That’s so nice of you to say 🙂 So I use a food processor with a grating attachment – it makes grating soooo easy! Here’s the one I have: https://amzn.to/2uffCoW
Jatinder says
As usual, followed your recipe and am delighted with the results. Great gajjar halwa. Thanks.
My Heart Beets says
Jatinder, that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Shalini Lail says
This ones my go to recipe now and everyone loves it.. thank you so much for sharing.
My Heart Beets says
Shalini, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like the halwa 🙂
Safa says
Delicious! Superb! Thank you. It was better than the restaurant version. I just added a handful of golden raisins when I pressure cooked the carrots. At the end I added a little more cardamom and some dried whole milk powder at the end since I did not have Khoya.
My Heart Beets says
Safa, that’s awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked it 🙂
Monica says
I do not have a sweet tooth but I was drooling after how this recipe turned out. Thank you so much !
My Heart Beets says
Monica, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Vinay Chopra says
hi Ashley…just wanted to let you know…I tried this one with olive oil too instead of coconut oil and it turned out wonderful. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Vinay, that’s great to know – thank you for sharing 🙂
Sonya says
Thank you so much! I JUST made it with some very minor edits and the halwa turned out lovely! I had to tell you..:-)
My Heart Beets says
Sonya, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Mehreen says
Hey! I want to try this recipe today, could I use cashew milk as a sub dairy-free sub for milk? Only have that and 2% at home for now.
Farida says
I made the gajar ka halwa with your recipe and loved it. Thank you Ashley.
My Heart Beets says
Farida, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how the gajar halwa turned out for you 🙂
Shradha says
Tried making gajar halwa for first time,following this recipe and it turned out superb. Thanks for sharing amazing recipe
My Heart Beets says
Shradha, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Neha says
So this is the first time I’ve ever made carrot halwa in my life to satisfy a craving simply because we couldn’t get it from the shops. I followed your recipe to the T and it turned out super delicious !! Just like my mum used to make.. and needless to say much better than store bought.. Thank you for sharing this recipe, really impressed!
My Heart Beets says
Neha, that’s awesome! I’m really happy to hear that 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you!
Krishna R says
Hi Ashley! I have great childhood memories of eating carrot halwa and finally decided to try my hand at making it. I’m so glad I tried your recipe. I was worried about stirring it for such a long time to get the liquid to reduce (I might have put more milk since I didn’t measure exactly). I thought it would turn to mush by the end but I’m so surprised it didn’t. The texture was absolutely perfect. Truly a great recipe. Thanks so much to you and your dad!! I hope you’re all well and safe (:
My Heart Beets says
Hi Krishna! I’m so happy to hear that you liked this so much 🙂 Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you! Hope you are staying safe too!
Ree says
This halwa is lovely. Felt like a lot of ghee but it is needed in the end. My Filipino husband looooves it. He’s glad he married Indian lol. Thank you for this Ashley T!
My Heart Beets says
Ree, I’m so glad to hear that you and your hubby enjoyed this! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you both 🙂
Michelle Stantial says
This was excellent!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Michelle! So great to hear – thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Nisha says
Tried this today on a cold grey day to cure my cold 🙂 the recipe is to the point and came out great! Thank you 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Nisha, that’s really great to hear 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Mk says
Do you recommend using the finer grater or the normal grater on a standard box grater ?
My Heart Beets says
If you have a food processor with a grating blade, I’d use that for ease. Otherwise a standard grater works!
Chella says
Amazing recipe a keeper or sure. Keep up this amazing work!
My Heart Beets says
Chella, thank you! 🙂
Amie Thomas says
Great recipe. Thank you for posting. My kids loved it so much I made it twice in a week.
A little heavy on the butter and sugar so I cut down on both the second go around and it still turned out great.
Recommend crushed pistachios on top for serving for textural contrast.
Thanks for sharing!
My Heart Beets says
Amie, glad you and your kids loved it!
Shilpa says
Excellent recipe ! We tried it last night and it turned out very well . I’d like to make it for a large group.If I wanted to double or triple the quantity what adjustments ought I to make?
My Heart Beets says
Shilpa, that’s great to hear! To answer your question, you can double or triple the ingredients but keep the cook time the same.
Alina says
Thank You Ashley!! I made my first ever gajar ka halwa today and my super skeptical husband who is very particular about how well bhunoed his halwa usually is was bowled over. No more store bought halwa for me now…I tripled all the ingredients and it turned out very well….just increased the saute time by 10 more minutes while constantly stirring it.
My Heart Beets says
Alina, that’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you and your hubby liked this halwa so much 🙂 Thanks for letting me k now how it turned out for you!
Hannah says
I realize this may not even get approved to appear on the site…but I must say, I just did step 1 and did a quick release and milky liquid spewed out everywhere. I should’ve listened to my gut instincts when I read that you mix the mix and water into the pot together to cook. Dairy in the pressure cooker rarely ever ends well. With all the good reviews, I went ahead and did. Boy do I regret it. I didn’t do anything differently. My pot sealed fine, the valve is proper, I used exact liquid measurements and carrots as written in recipe. EXTREMELY disappointed. Gotta clean orangy milk from my walls and surrounding area. I don’t care how good this tastes, very poorly written recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Hannah, I’m very sorry that this didn’t work for you. I understand that it’s very frustrating when a recipe doesn’t work out. I’d be happy to help you troubleshoot if you’d like. You’re also welcome to ask for advice in my facebook group: Instant Pot for Indian Food. Maybe someone there can help you figure out what went wrong, and if we can figure it out and if there’s something I can do to improve the way my recipe is written I’d be happy to do so.
Cathy says
I agree – this is the 2nd recipe I found online that said to quick release the instant pot but the first time I did it….milk went everywhere for me too! I don’t understand it because everyone seems to love the recipe. It was delicious and I am making it again right now but I am letting my instant pot slow release the pressure itself. Then I will saute with sugar, etc.
Shriti says
Made gajar halwa today following your recipe and mom was super impressed . We usually like khoya in gajar halwa so added that at the end and it came out better than stove top.
My Heart Beets says
Shriti, that’s so great! I’m really happy to hear that your mom was impressed!
Ritu says
This halwa was a hit at our Diwali party! Thank you so much!!
For my own preference I halved the sugar and added about 5 tbsp sweetened condensed milk along with the sugar. Taste and texture turned out great!
My Heart Beets says
Ritu, I am so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing your changes – I’m sure it’ll help others 🙂
Swati says
Hi Ashley,
I grated the carrots in a chopper and after 1 minute pressure cook it still look a little hard. Can I add some more water and pressure cook for another 1-2 minutes?
My Heart Beets says
Swati, yes definitely! I’m sorry for not seeing this sooner!
VK Shah says
We made it this morning and the kids loved it! We did add an extra 1/2 cup of jaggery for extra sweetness. Thanks for the recipe.
My Heart Beets says
So glad your kids loved it! Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for you and your family!
Komal Asher Julian says
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious….Thank you so very much :)) The recipe was perfect
My Heart Beets says
Komal, yay! So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the gajar halwa turned out for you!
Kokila says
Hi, This recipe looks great. Is there an option to not grating the carrot? Its too much work to grate — so what else can be done? Please advice.
My Heart Beets says
You can use a food processor with a grating attachment – it’s very helpful! Otherwise you can try pre-shredded carrots – I haven’t tried this but it might be a good option.
Vaishali says
When can I add condensed milk if I want to and how much? What does condensed milk do to the recipe?
Thanks
Yukti Arora says
Wow so classy and mouth watering halwa recipe i loved it and please keep posting such tempting halwa recipe because i am Learner of making new and different halwa.
My Heart Beets says
Yukti, thank you!! Glad you made and loved this halwa 🙂
Christine G. says
Delicious! I made this today and we loved it. Super easy to make and came out perfectly!
My Heart Beets says
Christine, I’m so happy to hear that you liked this halwa recipe! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Shilpa says
Hi Ashley, my kids love the gajar halwa. Thanks for sharing your family recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Shilpa, I’m so happy to hear that your kiddos like this halwa recipe! 🙂
Anoop says
Made gajar halwa using your recipe yesterday and it turned out perfect in every way. Made it again today to share with some friends!
My Heart Beets says
Anoop, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Rajani says
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
It came out really well and tastes great!
-Rajani
My Heart Beets says
Rajani, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Molly says
A fantastic recipe.. Tried it out today. Easy to make and tastes great. Can’t wait to introduce this version to my friends.. Thanks a ton Ashley..
My Heart Beets says
Molly, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the halwa! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Kim says
Do you serve this hot or cold? Can you make it the day before you plan to serve it, and if so do you store it in the refrigerator?
My Heart Beets says
You can serve it any way you’d like – hot or cold works! I personally prefer it hot/warm. And yes you can make it in advance, store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve 🙂 It actually freezes well too!
Sowjanya says
Love this recipe! Halwa tastes amazing. Not too sweet, well cooked and not too heavy. Thanks a ton!
My Heart Beets says
Sowjanya, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Bidy says
Wow this is great recipe I made it
My Heart Beets says
Bidy, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the gajar halwa recipe!
Devyani says
Amazingly simple but delicious! Tried making gajar halwa for the first time in my life today with your recipe and I’m thrilled to say that it turned out great. Thank you!!
My Heart Beets says
Devyani, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Shahnaz says
This is an amazing recipe- the halwa turned out so yummy, and took about half the time it takes on the stovetop. And the color is truly beautiful. I did add khoya at the end, and that also works very well- just makes it even richer. Thank you for making it so easy to make this delicious favorite dish for my family!
My Heart Beets says
Shahnaz, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Dimpal Patel says
Thank you to you and your dad. I tried this recipe and it came out better than I expected. I just used milk instead of water.
My Heart Beets says
Dimpal, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Pat says
Oh my God. It was a hit.
My Heart Beets says
Pat, I’m so happy to hear that!
ANIL says
Tried it 2 weeks ago and took it to the office so that I can share with my friends. Everybody loved it.
Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe Ashley.
I am planning to make Badam Halwa this time but didn’t find recipe for the same.
Can you please share recipe for Badam Halwa if you have one?
Thanks again.
Anil
My Heart Beets says
Anil, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the gajar halwa turned out for you 🙂 I’ll add badam halwa to my list of recipes to make!
Savita Rohra says
Tried it yesterday. It came out wonderful!!! Delicious! Thanks for the recipe Ashley.
My Heart Beets says
Savita, so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Monica Khurana says
Just made it by doubling the quantities. Came out great!
My Heart Beets says
Monica, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how the halwa turned out for you 🙂
Maria Lick says
I am in heaven when I eat this dessert with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. I don’t have a pressure cooker but I do have a slow cooker. Would that work?
Ami says
I’d like to use maple syrup, date paste, or honey as the sweetener instead of sugar. Which would you suggest I try first? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
I’d go with honey 🙂
Chillpill says
The recipe was just delicious, can’t wait to make it for the entire family and more. The modification I made was due to ingredients I had at home: heavy cream instead of whole milk. The most satisfying part of this recipe: how quickly it is done! Thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Nehal says
I had never made gajar halwa before but my husband had a craving and we just happened to have carrots in the fridge. We made it in about 15 minutes and it turned out pretty good!! I have followed a lot of your blogs and posts and what makes them stand out from everything else online are the tips! So please do continue to post them! Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Nehal, I’m so happy to hear that you both liked the halwa!! Thanks for the kind words 🙂
Naseem Dawood says
Very good recipe!!!
Tweaked a little with the help of my mom… and it turned out the way my dad used to make!!!
Ayesha says
Hi Ashley,
Can I use butter instead of ghee?
My Heart Beets says
Yes you can use butter! I just prefer ghee out of the two because ghee has a nutty flavor to it!
Rajitha says
Hi,
I have to do a dairy free and natural sugar version!
Can i use dates and figs instead of sugar for sweetness and coconut milk for the carrots to cook in?
My Heart Beets says
If you do that I’d probably make a paste first before cooking. I haven’t tried it this way but let me know how it goes!
MANISHA says
I tried this recipe today. Didn’t have a lot of carrots but made it with just one cup as I was really craving carrot halwa. Amazing taste! I can’t believe that it is so simple and tastes so great! Thanks for the recipe. Will make large quantity on the weekend.
My Heart Beets says
Manisha, that’s so great to hear!! I’m so glad you like it 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how the recipe turned out for you!
Shikha says
Hi, this looks great and I would love to try it. I have one question though. When you measure 4 tablespoons of Ghee, should the ghee be melted or in solid form from fridge?
My Heart Beets says
I keep mine on the counter at room temp and so it’s usually soft when I measure 🙂 I don’t think it’ll make too much of a difference either way though.
Nthusu says
Delicious and pretty quick to make! Thank you
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that you liked it! 🙂
Revathi says
Hi. I don’t use an insta pot, can I do the same with a pressure cooker with 1 whistle? Will it work the same without making the carrots very mushy? And the halwas, I like it dry with a texture. Hoping to try this soon
Kavita Gupta says
Hi Manali
My instapot never got up to pressure and then displayed the burn warning, any ideas?
Best
Kavita
My Heart Beets says
Hi, my name is Ashley 🙂 I’m not sure… are you sure it was my recipe you were following?
Kally says
Thanks very much to you & your dad for this superb recipe! It’s my first time making it and my 11 year old boy and I just enjoyed a bowl together… yum!!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you and your son 🙂
ManuB says
This turned out great the first time. Making it again, this time for a party so larger quantity. Thanks for the recipe !
My Heart Beets says
Manu, so happy to hear that! Hope everyone loves it!
Vanessa says
Can I use pre shredded carrots?
My Heart Beets says
Yes – but just so you know, shredded carrots are thicker than grated so it may affect the consistency a bit. It’ll still be tasty though!
Protima says
Do you use baby carrots for this recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Any carrots will work as long as they are grated 🙂
Leena Menon says
Ashley I get chopped carrots at my local Indian store and decided to try this recipe. Too lazy to make any effort to grate. I had one percent milk so used that with a little condensed milk and brown sugar. I pressure cooked for 8 mins and mashed the carrots. Then did the sauté etc. it turned out excellent. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Leena, that’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Donna says
I don’t have an instant pot, so about how long would I need to cook this in a regular pot on stovetop?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Donna! I actually have a stovetop recipe that calls for coconut milk but you can use whole milk instead: https://myheartbeets.com/carrot-fudge-indian-gajar-halwa-mithai/
Atul Khare says
Excellent recipe…my customization for a vegan version was to add about 3/4th cup or so of peeled raw and finely ground almond paste (soak them in boiling water and pinch the skin off first). Also added some kesar (saffron) and elachi (cardamom) and cooked it with the carrots. One thing to note is to put as little water in the paste etc. In my case, it was a little extra and I removed it and boiled it off on the stove. After releasing the pressure, removed the carrots and sauteed the nuts and raisins in Earth Balance (vegan butter substitute).
My Heart Beets says
Atul, that’s so great to hear 🙂 I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your vegan subs!
Anu says
Hi dear
Thanks for sharing this recipe
I tried in my new instapot
Came out very well and has awesome taste!!!
Thanks to you and your dad!!
My Heart Beets says
Anu, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Sucheta says
for bigger batch also the time would be same.
My Heart Beets says
yes 🙂
Raman says
Hi m I am new to the instant pot
We do not use ghee! Can we use normal butter as a replacement?
Also when you say stir fry at end end after adding the ghee, is this in saute mode as well?
Thanks
Fatima says
I just love this recipe, I have made it some many times. I was wondering if I double the amount of carrots do I double everything else and still give pressure for 1 min?
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Fatima, so happy to hear that you like it so much 🙂 If you double it, double everything but leave the cook time the same. Enjoy!
Sweta says
If I add khoa do I add more sugar? How much khoa would be good enough for this recipe. I’m a rookie so need help 🙂
Rema says
Tried this recipe out yesterday and it was awesome. Thanks to you and your dad for the all the experiments. This recipe was spot on.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Rema! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Will definitely pass this along to my dad too 🙂
Chandu says
Made your recipe and it turned out great!!!!
And the color is perfect thanks for sharing your trick
My Heart Beets says
Chandu, so happy to hear that!! 🙂
Devansh Ghosh says
Tried your carrot halwa recipe, and the result was superb! Replaced whole milk with a can of evaporated milk (just because I had that lying around in my pantry).
Excellent trick in getting that dark orange color!!! I went through several carrot halwa recipes online but found none that came close to this wonderful idea of roasting in ghee at the end. Thanks to you and your dad for sharing! Also loved the recipe for its simple ingredients (and the fact that it doesn’t require khoya to make it taste and look so decadent :))
My Heart Beets says
Devansh, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know how this turned out for you – I passed this along to my dad as well 🙂 I really appreciate it!
Samir Parekh says
Looks delicious! How do you make it look so wonderful orange color? I have tried it (different recipe) once but it is much dull colored than yours here! I am thinking of using those tiny finger-sized ready to eat carrots. They look quite orange to me.
I also wanted to ask about khoya… Is it enough to add it as it is in the end like you mentioned? You really don’t need to cook it at all?
How about condensed milk? Will it make it richer somehow? 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Hi Samir! The orange color comes from roasting it in the ghee at the end – it’s a trick I learned from my dad 🙂 As for khoya or condensed milk – you can add it at the end and saute for a few minutes but I suggest tasting the halwa before you do. I think you will love this dish without those two things. It’s very rich thanks to the ghee! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Nilu says
Made your recipe and it turned out great! Thankyou for sharing. Trying again with double the quantity of carrots. Do I make any changes to the liquid used or cooking time?
My Heart Beets says
Nilu, so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 If you double the recipe then I suggest doubling all ingredients but keeping the cook time the same. Enjoy! 🙂
Tehmina Ghafur says
Can I cook it without instant pot? If so how?
Anu says
Made this last night – turned out amazing! Thanks so much for this recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Anu, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Krista says
Only pressure cook for 1(one) minute?
My Heart Beets says
Yup, that’s right! If you’d like to join my IP Facebook group – several people actually shared pics of the halwa today! It will turn out great 🙂
Kim says
Do you serve this hot or cold? Can you make it the day before you plan to serve it, and if so do you store it in the refrigerator?
Maddy says
How many does this recipe serve?
My Heart Beets says
I’d say 3 to 4 — the servings are small but the dish is very decadent. You can also serve just a scoop of it with ice cream if you’re making it for a larger group!