A delicious twist on traditional Indian mithai, this Pumpkin Seeds Burfi is rich, nutty, creamy, and incredibly festive. Made with roasted pumpkin seeds, mawa, milk, sugar, cardamom, and a beautiful white chocolate layer, this burfi has a naturally gorgeous colour and a royal taste.
If you love kaju katli and traditional Indian sweets, you have to try this unique pumpkin seed version. It is perfect for Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Diwali, or any festive celebration.
- Unique and delicious: A beautiful alternative to traditional kaju katli and burfi.
- Rich and nutty: Roasted pumpkin seeds give the burfi a wonderful flavour and texture.
- Festive and elegant: The white chocolate topping, rose petals, blueberries, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds make it look extra special.
- Naturally beautiful: No food colour is needed. The burfi gets its lovely natural colour from the pumpkin seeds.
- Easy to make: With a handful of simple ingredients, you can make this impressive mithai at home.
- Perfect for gifting: Cut it into neat squares or diamonds and serve it as a homemade festive gift.
If you love Indian sweets, check out our other recipes also…
For the Pumpkin Seeds Burfi
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup mawa (khoya)
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee, for roasting
For the White Chocolate Topping
- ⅓ cup melted white chocolate
For Decoration
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Dried rose petals
- Dried blueberries
- Dried cranberries
Step 1 - Roast the Pumpkin Seeds
- Firstly heat a pan over low to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of ghee.
- Then add 1 cup of pumpkin seeds and roast them gently, stirring continuously.
- Roast until the pumpkin seeds become slightly crispy and aromatic. Be careful not to over-roast them, as they can burn quickly.
- Once roasted, transfer them to a plate and allow them to cool completely.
Step 2 - Grind the Pumpkin Seeds
- Once the pumpkin seeds have cooled, transfer them to a mixer grinder.
- Pulse them a few times until you get a coarse powder.
- Do not grind them continuously for too long, as the seeds can release their natural oils and turn into a paste.
- Keep the pumpkin seed powder aside.
Step 3 - Roast the Mawa
- In the same pan, add another 1 tablespoon of ghee.
- Then add ½ cup mawa and cook it over low heat for about 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously.
- The mawa should become soft, smooth, and aromatic.
Tip: You can use store-bought mawa or prepare it at home using milk or milk powder.
Step 4 - Add the Pumpkin Seed Powder
- Once the mawa is nicely roasted, add the prepared pumpkin seed powder.
- Mix everything thoroughly until the pumpkin seeds and mawa are well combined.
- At this stage, the mixture may look quite dry. Don’t worry — the milk will bring everything together.
Step 5 - Add the Milk
- Add ¼ cup milk and mix well.
- Keep cooking and stirring continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and comes together, similar to the consistency of a thick halwa.
- Continue cooking on low heat so that the mixture roasts nicely without sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- There is no need to add any food colour. The natural colour of the pumpkin seeds gives this burfi a beautiful appearance.
Step 6 - Add Sugar
- Once the mixture is cooked well and you notice the ghee starting to separate slightly from the sides, add ¼ cup sugar.
- Mix thoroughly and continue cooking until the sugar melts and combines completely with the mixture.
- Keep stirring so that the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan.
Finally, add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder. Mix well and cook for another minute.
our pumpkin seed burfi mixture is now ready.
Step 7 - Prepare the White Chocolate
- Melt ⅓ cup white chocolate using a double-boiler method.
- Place some water in a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place a heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Add the white chocolate to the bowl and allow it to melt gently.
- Stir until smooth and completely melted.
Step 8 -Set the Burfi
- Line a tray or plate with parchment paper or lightly grease it with ghee.
- Transfer the pumpkin seed burfi mixture into the tray.
- Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread it evenly and smooth the surface.
Pour the melted white chocolate over the burfi.
Spread it evenly to create a smooth white chocolate layer.
This gives the burfi a beautiful contrast a rich, nutty pumpkin seed layer underneath and a creamy white chocolate coating on top.
While the chocolate is still melted, decorate the top with: Roasted pumpkin seeds, Dried rose petals, Dried blueberries, Dried cranberries
You can arrange the toppings randomly for a rustic look or decorate them neatly for a more elegant presentation.
Step 9 - Chill and Cut
- Place the tray in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the burfi and white chocolate layer are completely set.
- Once firm, remove it from the refrigerator.
- Cut into squares, rectangles, diamonds, or any shape you prefer.
- our beautiful Pumpkin Seeds Burfi is ready to serve!
Serve Pumpkin Seeds Burfi chilled or slightly cool with a cup of Indian chai, masala tea, or coffee.
For festive occasions, arrange the pieces on a beautiful serving platter and garnish with a few extra pumpkin seeds and dried rose petals.
It also makes a lovely homemade festive gift. Place individual pieces in small paper cups and pack them in a decorative mithai box for Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Diwali, or other celebrations.
- Roast the pumpkin seeds carefully.
Roast them on low to medium heat and keep stirring. Pumpkin seeds can burn quickly. - Don’t over-grind the seeds.
Pulse them into a coarse powder rather than a fine paste. This gives the burfi a pleasant texture. - Cook the mawa gently.
Keep the heat low while roasting the mawa so it doesn’t stick or burn. - Adjust the consistency carefully.
The mixture should come together and become thick but still remain soft. Avoid overcooking, as this can make the burfi hard. - Don’t skip the cardamom.
A little cardamom adds a beautiful traditional Indian mithai flavour. - Use good-quality white chocolate.
Since the white chocolate forms the top layer, using good-quality chocolate will give you a smoother finish and better taste. - Let it set completely before cutting.
Chilling helps the burfi firm up and makes it much easier to cut into clean pieces.
Pumpkin Seeds Burfi Recipe | कद्दू के बीज की बर्फी - रक्षाबंधन और जन्माष्टमी स्पेशल मिठाई
Ingredients
ForPumpkin Seeds Burfi
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup mawa khoya
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp ghee
For White Chocolate Topping
- ⅓ cup white chocolate melted
For Decoration
- 1 - 2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp dried rose petals
- 1 tbsp dried blueberries
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
Instructions
Roastthe Pumpkin Seeds
- Heat a pan over low to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon ghee.
- Add the 1 cup pumpkin seeds and roast them, stirring continuously, until they become lightly crispy and aromatic.
- Remove from the pan and allow them to cool completely.
- Transfer the roasted pumpkin seeds to a mixer and pulse until you get a coarse powder. Do not grind them into a paste.
Preparethe Burfi Mixture
- In the same pan, add another 1 tablespoon ghee.
- Add the mawa and roast it on low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Once the mawa becomes soft and aromatic, add the ground pumpkin seed powder.
- Mix well until the pumpkin seeds and mawa are completely combined.
- Add ¼ cup milk and continue cooking while stirring.
- Cook until the mixture becomes smooth and reaches a thick, halwa-like consistency.
- Once the mixture is well roasted and the ghee starts to separate slightly from the sides, add the sugar - 1/4 cup.
- Mix well and cook until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture thickens.
- Add cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp and mix well.
- Cook for another minute and turn off the heat.
Set the Burfi
- Grease a tray or plate.
- Transfer the pumpkin seed mixture to the tray.
- Spread it evenly using a spatula and smooth the surface
Add White Chocolate
- Melt the white chocolate using a double boiler until smooth.
- Pour the melted white chocolate over the burfi.
- Spread it evenly to create a smooth coating.
Decorate and Chill
- Sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds, dried rose petals, chopped dried blueberries, and dried cranberries over the melted chocolate.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the burfi and chocolate layer are completely set.
- Remove from the refrigerator and cut into squares, diamonds, or your preferred shape.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Roast the pumpkin seeds gently to prevent them from burning.
- Pulse the seeds rather than grinding continuously to avoid turning them into a paste.
- Keep the heat low while cooking the mawa and burfi mixture.
- Do not overcook the mixture, as the burfi can become hard.
- Food colour is not required; the natural colour of the pumpkin seeds looks beautiful.
- Allow the burfi to set completely before cutting for clean pieces.
- White chocolate is optional but adds a delicious creamy layer and a beautiful festive finish.
Yes. Mawa gives the burfi richness and a soft texture, but you can experiment with milk powder-based recipes if you don’t have mawa.
Absolutely. The white chocolate topping is optional. The pumpkin seed burfi tastes delicious on its own as well.
Yes! Homemade mawa works beautifully in this recipe. You can prepare it using milk or milk powder.
Yes, and you don’t need it. The natural colour of the pumpkin seeds gives the burfi a beautiful, earthy appearance.
Store the burfi in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because this recipe contains mawa and milk, refrigeration is recommended.
When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it is best enjoyed within a few days for the freshest taste and texture.
Yes. This makes it a great option for festivals and celebrations. You can prepare it in advance, chill it, and cut it just before serving.
