Kaju Katli is one of the most loved Indian sweets, especially during festivals like Diwali. This delicious cashew fudge is soft, smooth, and melts beautifully in the mouth. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make shop-style Kaju Katli at home that is rich, delicious, and has the perfect texture.
The best part of this recipe is that the Kaju Katli does not turn chewy or overly hard. It has that soft, smooth texture just like the Kaju Katli we buy from sweet shops.
So, this Diwali, instead of buying Kaju Katli from outside, try making this easy homemade version at home. Once you make it yourself, you may never want to buy it from the market again!
- Soft, smooth, and melt-in-the-mouth
- Made with just a few simple ingredients
- Perfect for Diwali and festive celebrations
- No complicated techniques required
- Delicious homemade alternative to store-bought Kaju Katli
- Ready in about 20 minutes of cooking time
- Can be stored for up to 15–20 days
- 200 g broken cashews
- 135 g sugar (approximately 2/3 cup)
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Edible silver leaf (chandi varak), optional
Step 1 - Soak the Cashews
- Firstly take 200 g broken cashews and wash them well.
- Then add a little water and soak the cashews for about 30 minutes. Soaking helps soften the cashews and makes them easier to grind into a smooth paste.
- After 30 minutes, drain the cashews completely using a strainer.
Step 2 - Make the Cashew Paste
- Transfer the soaked cashews to a blender and grind them into a paste.
- Do not make the paste extremely fine or completely smooth. Keep a very slight grainy texture in the paste. This gives the Kaju Katli a pleasant texture when you bite into it.
- Our cashew paste is now ready.
Step 3 - Prepare the Sugar Syrup
- Now heat a heavy-bottomed kadai or pan over medium heat.
- Then add 135 g sugar and 2/3 cup water. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Once the sugar has melted, continue cooking until the syrup reaches one-string consistency.
- To check the consistency, take a small amount of syrup between your thumb and index finger and gently pull them apart. It should form one thin string.
- Once the syrup reaches the correct consistency, cook it for another minute or two.
Step 4 - Add the Cashew Paste
- Now add the prepared cashew paste to the sugar syrup.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon ghee and mix everything well.
- Keep the flame on medium and continuously stir the mixture. It is important to keep stirring so that the cashew mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Step 5 - Cook Until Thick
- Continue cooking and stirring the mixture over medium heat.
- The mixture will gradually become thicker and start leaving the sides of the pan.
- After about 15–20 minutes, the mixture should become thick and start coming together as a soft dough.
- Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ghee and mix well.
- Continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Step 6 - Check if the Mixture is Ready
- The mixture is ready when it becomes thick and starts leaving the sides and bottom of the pan.
- You can also take a small portion and allow it to cool slightly. If you can form it into a soft ball without it sticking excessively to your fingers, it is ready.
- At this stage, turn off the flame.
- Do not overcook the mixture, as this can make the Kaju Katli hard or chewy.
Step 7 - Set the Kaju Katli
- Grease a plate or tray lightly with ghee.
- Transfer the hot cashew mixture onto the greased surface.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper, butter paper, or a clean plastic sheet over the mixture.
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll it out evenly to your desired thickness.
- Let it cool and set for about 5–10 minutes.
Step 8 - Cut into Diamond Shapes
- Once the Kaju Katli has set, remove the top sheet.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the Kaju Katli into traditional diamond-shaped pieces. You can also cut them into squares or any shape you prefer.
- If you have edible silver leaf (chandi varak), gently place it on top for a traditional sweet-shop finish.
- And that’s it! Your homemade Kaju Katli is ready.
Look at the texture of this Kaju Katli—it is soft, smooth, and not chewy at all.
With the right sugar syrup consistency and proper cooking time, you can achieve the same texture as the Kaju Katli available at sweet shops.
How to Store Kaju Katli
Allow the Kaju Katli to cool completely before storing.
Place the pieces in an airtight container and store them in a cool, dry place.
Homemade Kaju Katli can stay fresh for approximately 15–20 days when stored properly in an airtight container.
This homemade Kaju Katli is incredibly easy to make and requires only a few basic ingredients. The result is soft, delicious, melt-in-the-mouth Kaju Katli with a beautiful texture.
So, friends, this Diwali, do try this easy homemade Kaju Katli recipe. Once you make it at home, you will definitely love the taste and may even forget about buying Kaju Katli from outside!
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- Use good-quality cashews for the best taste and texture.
- Do not grind the cashews into an extremely fine powder after soaking. A slightly grainy paste gives a lovely texture.
- Make sure the sugar syrup reaches one-string consistency before adding the cashew paste.
- Keep stirring continuously after adding the cashew paste to prevent it from sticking or burning.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat.
- Do not overcook the cashew mixture, otherwise the Kaju Katli may become hard or chewy.
- Grease the tray and rolling sheet lightly with ghee to make spreading easier.
- Roll the mixture evenly so that all the pieces have the same thickness.
- Cut the Kaju Katli while it is still slightly warm and set.
Kaju Katli Recipe | काजू कतली
Ingredients
- 200 gm Broken cashews
- 135 gm Sugar (approximately 2/3 cup)
- 2/3 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- Edible silver leaf (chandi varak),optional
Instructions
- Firstly, wash 200 g broken cashews thoroughly. Add enough water and soak them for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, drain the soaked cashews completely using a strainer.
- Transfer the soaked cashews to a blender and grind them into a thick paste. Do not make the paste completely smooth; a slightly grainy texture gives the Kaju Katli a nice bite.
- Now heata heavy-bottomed kadai over medium heat. Add 135 g sugar and 2/3 cup water.Stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Cook the sugar syrup until it reaches one-string consistency. Take a little syrup between your thumb and index finger and gently pull them apart. It should form one thin string.
- Once the syrup reaches one-string consistency, add the prepared cashew paste and mix well.
- Now add 1/2 teaspoon ghee and continue mixing.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the kadai.
- As the mixture thickens, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ghee and mix well.
- Continue cooking for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick, leaves thesides of the pan and comes together like a soft dough.
- Once the mixture is thick and no longer sticks excessively to the pan, turn off the flame. Do not over cook, as this can make the Kaju Katli hard or chewy.
- Lightly grease a plate, tray or parchment paper with ghee. Transfer the hot Kaju Katli mixture onto it.
- Place parchment paperor a clean plastic sheet over the mixture. Using a rolling pin, gently roll itinto an even layer of your desired thickness.
- Allow the Kaju Katli to cool and set for about 5–10 minutes.
- Remove the top sheet and cut the Kaju Katli into traditional diamond shapes using a sharp knife. You can also cut them into squares or any shape you prefer.
- If desired, place edible silver leaf (chandi varak) over the Kaju Katli.
- Your soft and delicious homemade Kaju Katli is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Do not grind the soaked cashews into an extremely fine paste. A slightly grainy paste gives the Kaju Katli a better texture.
- The one-string sugar syrup consistency is important for getting the right texture.
- Always cook the cashew mixture on medium heat and keep stirring continuously.
- Avoid overcooking the mixture, otherwise the Kaju Katli may become hard or chewy.
- The mixture is ready when it becomes thick, starts leaving the sides of the pan and comes together like a soft dough.
- If the mixture feels slightly sticky while rolling, allow it to cool for a few more minutes before shaping.
- Silver leaf is completely optional.
Storage
Store the completely cooled Kaju Katli in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place for approximately 15 days. For longer storage, refrigeration is recommended
Overcooking is one of the most common reasons Kaju Katli becomes chewy or hard. Once the mixture starts leaving the pan and reaches the correct dough-like consistency, turn off the flame.
Yes, Kaju Katli can also be made using cashew powder. However, this recipe uses soaked cashews and grinds them into a paste, which gives the sweet a soft and delicious homemade texture.
The mixture should become thick, leave the sides of the pan, and come together like a soft dough. A small portion should also be easy to shape without excessive stickiness.
Absolutely! Silver leaf is completely optional. The Kaju Katli tastes just as delicious without it.
