Craving something sweet? Do this 15-minute recipe Coconut Barfi – an ideal recipe for while you want something sweet and satisfying without spending hours within the kitchen.

Coconut burfi or Nariyal barfi is a soft and delicious barfi or fudge which has freshly grated coconut and sugar as its essential ingredients.
It is normally made by adding grated coconut to a one-string consistency sugar syrup mixture and cooking them together. Within the last twenty years or so, sweetened condensed milk has been included within the recipe as well.
In my view, the sugar syrup, in addition to the condensed milk, lends this nariyal burfi a rather chewy texture.
This coconut burfi recipe (adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor’s website) uses heavy whipping cream as an alternative of milk, condensed milk, or sugar syrup. The introduction of cream makes this barfi soft and really easy to dig into – perfect for teenagers.
Able to learn easy methods to make a melt-in-the-mouth, soft coconut barfi recipe? Let’s start!
Origin story
Coconut barfi is a classic dessert that’s been around for generations and is a preferred sweet in south India and Maharashtra, where you could find coconuts in abundance.
Every state has its own variation and a novel name for this decadent dessert, comparable to Nariyal or Khopra barfi (Hindi), Naralchi barfi (Marathi), Tenginakayi burfi (Kannada), Thengai burfi (Tamil), Kobbari barfi (Telugu), Coconut fudge (English), etc.
This sweet is normally served during special occasions or Indian festivals comparable to Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc.
For those who prefer to take homemade gifts for parties or potlucks, this coconut burfi ticks all boxes. Here’s why we love this sweet dish –
- Easy to make and wishes only a number of ingredients.
- It’s a crowd favorite!
- This recipe may be easily doubled or tripled.
- It needs only quarter-hour of hands-on time!


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Melt-in-the-mouth Coconut Barfi (Nariyal Burfi)
Craving something sweet? Do this 15-minute recipe Coconut Barfi – an ideal recipe for while you want something sweet and satisfying without spending hours within the kitchen.
- 3 cups grated coconut fresh or frozen
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
- A teaspoon of ghee for greasing
- finely chopped pistachios for garnishing optional
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Heat a non-stick kadhai over medium-low and add grated coconut, sugar, and cream. Mix them well till they’re well combined.
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Proceed to cook them while stirring repeatedly till the mixture turns yellowish golden in color and starts leaving the perimeters of the kadhai like on this picture.
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Remove the kadhai from heat and add cardamom powder and confectioners sugar and blend well.
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Grease a thali or a 9-inch square pan with ghee. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and spread it evenly.
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Sprinkle finely chopped pistachios (if using) and let the coconut barfi set for an hour or so within the refrigerator. Slice the barfi into sixteen equal pieces.
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Store within the refrigerator for every week.
Disclaimer: Approximate dietary information is provided as a courtesy and might vary depending on the precise ingredients/brands used. If you have got health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.
Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 14mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 220IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.7mg
Suggestions and Tricks
- Cook it over medium-low heat – Don’t rush the method. It must cook at medium-low heat in order that the coconut doesn’t brown.
- Stir repeatedly – Ensure to stir the coconut burfi mixture throughout the cooking process to cook evenly and forestall browning.
- Don’t overcook – Cook until the mixture leaves the perimeters of the pan. The burfi will dry up and harden should you overcook it. If it hardens, add a number of tablespoons of milk till it’s the specified consistency.
- Use a greased tray or parchment paper to set the burfi mixture. This prevents the burfi from sticking to the tray.
- Spread the mixture evenly – use the back of a spoon or use a small greased steel bowl to flatten the mixture evenly.
- Let it cool – Let the mixture cool before cutting it into pieces.
Substitutions
- Substitute heavy cream with the same amount of whole or full-fat milk.
- Frozen coconut – you’ll be able to substitute fresh coconut with frozen one too. Ensure to thaw the shredded coconut before using it.
- Desiccated coconut – you’ll be able to substitute fresh coconut with desiccated, but note that desiccated coconut is dry and dehydrated, and also you’ll must increase the quantity of moisture to get the identical results. For each cup of desiccated coconut, use 0.5 cups of heavy cream or whole milk.
Variations
- Traditional coconut burfi with sugar syrup – Skip the heavy cream and as an alternative cook the coconut in sugar syrup like this recipe from Archana’s kitchen.
- Rose coconut barfi or double-layered coconut barfi – Divide the cooked coconut mixture into two equal portions. Transfer one half onto the greased tray. Spread evenly. To the remaining half, add 1-2 drops of red coloring and rose water (or rose essence) and blend well. Transfer the pink-colored coconut mixture on top and spread it evenly. Let it set and cut into the specified shape.
- Coconut barfi with condensed milk – Mix 3 cups of desiccated coconut with a 14-oz can of condensed milk, 2-3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground cardamom. Cook while stirring repeatedly until the mixture starts leaving the perimeters of the kadhai.
- Add saffron to make it more fragrant – Add a number of strands together with cardamom powder.
Serving suggestions
Coconut burfi is best served at room temperature. Garnish it with edible silver foil (varq) or chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios before serving.
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To increase the shelf lifetime of coconut barfi, make certain to refrigerate the leftovers.
Refrigerator: Place this homemade coconut barfi in an airtight container within the fridge for 4-5 days. You’ll be able to stack these barfis but make certain to position parchment paper between layers to forestall them from sticking to one another.
Freezer: Could be stored within the freezer for as much as a month. Ensure to position parchment paper between each layer. Thaw within the refrigerator overnight before serving. Don’t refreeze once thawed.
Serving instructions: If refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before serving. For those who prefer it to warm up, you’ll be able to reheat it in a microwave for 10 seconds. Any greater than that, it’d lose its shape.
Other traditional Indian sweets you’ll love
Whether it’s an Indian festival or simply a special day, listed here are some easy Indian sweet recipes so that you can try!
For easier Indian sweet recipes, click 45+ favorite Indian desserts and sweets recipes price trying!
This post was originally published on 10/25/2016 and was completely updated with pictures and recent text on 6/21/2023.