How to make Coconut Burfi (A Step by Step recipe)

Coconut Burfi is a delicious Indian sweet made from fresh coconut, sugar and cardamom. It’s a popular festival sweet across all of India and is also perfect as an everyday treat. In this recipe, you’ll learn how to make easy coconut burfi without milk that will have you craving for more.

History of Coconut Burfi

Coconut burfi or Nariyal barfi or Thenga burfi has been popular in all of India for over five centuries. You can trace the origin back to Persia. The Mughals introduced it in India around 16th century. The word ‘barfi’ is derived from the Persian word ‘barf’ which translated to ‘Snow’. The snowy white color and the melt in the mouth texture makes all barfis an enticing treat from kids to adults.

I remember tales of my parents and grandparents fondly recollecting their childhood ventures to the local grocery store. Back then, Indian sweets like Coconut Burfi were sold in huge glass containers. The shopkeepers would give a sweet or two instead of giving back the change. They would also spend their pocket money on some of their favorite sweets occasionally. The glass jars surely did the trick of tempting them, after all!

My Family’s coconut Burfi Recipe

I’ve been eating coconut burfis all my life. It was one of the go-to sweets that amma and paati made for festivals or if the kids(my brother and I) needed a quick evening snack. It’s my favorite texture ever- hard and juicy at the same time. When my parents had come to the US for my graduation, I hovered over amma taking exact measurements of the steps and time. Voila! I could start making it using our family’s recipe, just the way I like.

Over time, I’ve managed to take the guesswork out of the time involved in this recipe. I’ve just made it countless times over the decade, that I could make it in my sleep. My son has a sweet-tooth (just like my husband and me), and he has a list of desserts/sweets that he would want me to make in rotation. Coconut burfi is always on the list and is one of his favorites.

Why you will love this Coconut Burf

• It is very easy to make with just 3 pantry ingredients
• It is Vegan
• It has a longer shelf life as we omit milk in this recipe
• It’s a family recipe and is fail-proof
• It’s a great gift idea if you’re sending packages to someone.
• Kids and adults will love it

Other Indian sweets from my Blog

7 Cup Cake

Ashoka Halwa

Coconut Ladoo

10-minute Badam Burfi

Saffron Semiya Payasam

Akkaravadisal

Ingredients for making Coconut Burfi

Coconut

Always use fresh shredded coconut for making burfis. I use frozen shredded coconut and mom makes it using freshly shredded coconut. Both work wonderfully.

Sugar

Use granulated white sugar for the snowy white color. If you use unbleached sugar like a Turbinado sugar, the burfis will be a tad browner without affecting the taste or texture of the burfis.

Cardamom

The only flavoring used to make this Indian sweet is cardamom. Use the amount specified. Too little, you will lose the flavor. Too much and it’ll taste a tad bitter. 

Equipment Needed to make Coconut Burfi

• A heavy-bottomed pan like a Dutch oven or Pressure cooker or a heavy kadai.
• A spatula
• A square pan to set the burfi
• A small cup with a flat bottom to press the burfi mixture into the pan
• A knife to cut the burfi

How to Make Coconut Burfi

• Heat sugar and water till the sugar melts
• Add the shredded coconut
• Cook the mixture till it turns frothy
• Pout the mixture into greased pans
• Cut it into pieces

Helpful Tips to make Coconut Burfi

• To get snowy white burfis make sure you scrape the coconut, ensure you only get the white part. Don’t scrape the brown shell.
• Have the pan greased and ready before you start making the burfis. If the burfi mixture sets in the pan, it will be difficult to pour it into the greased pan.
• Wait till the sugar dissolves completely before adding the coconut
• You can also add cashews along with cardamom for a nice crunch and flavor.
• Replace water with milk to get a richer and whiter burfis
• Add ghee just before it reaches the final stage for glossier burfis.

Step-by-Step Method

Sugar syrup

In a heavy-bottomed pan take sugar and water. Heat till it melts. If you want to add milk, replace water with milk. When you start heating it, the mixture will be dry. However, as the sugar melts, it’ll turn into a liquid. Stir once in 2 minutes till the sugar dissolves completely.

Cooking the coconut mixture

Once the sugar has dissolved completely, add the shredded coconut. Mix well. It’s important to add the coconut only after the sugar melts completely. If not, you can end up with grains of sugar in your burfi. 

Keep cooking, and stir every once in a while, to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. I like to use my Dutch oven. You can use a pressure cooker or any heavy-bottomed pan to make this delicious Indian sweet. 

Final stages

The mixture will start leaving the sides of the pan when you stir it and turn foamy. This is the very last stage. Quickly add, cardamom powder and stir well.

Wet your fingers with water and careful take a blob of the mixture and try to form a ball. If it forms non-sticky ball, the burfi is ready. Turn off the heat

Grease a pan with ghee or coconut oil(If you want to make it Vegan). I like to line mine with parchment paper for easy removal. Either way would work. 

Setting the Burfi

Pour the cooked mixture into the greased/lined tray and press it with the flat end of a greased cup. Make sure you fill the corners by pushing in the flat end of a spoon. 

After 3-4 minutes, you’ll see that the mixture has set a little. Make cuts with a sharp knife, wiping down every time you cut. Wiping down the knife will ensure clean sharp cuts. 

Once it sets completely, for about 10 minutes, flip it and tap the pan if you’ve just greased it. If you’ve used parchment paper simply lift the parchment paper out of the pan. 

Enjoy your burfi. I always love to sneak in a couple of pieces while it’s still warm and fudgy. 

FAQs( (Frequently Asked Questions)