Coconut Barfi (Soft)

Coconut Barfi is a rich Indian sweet that is made with desiccated coconut, milk, sugar and khoya. I prepare it during the festive season or other special occasions. My version, with added mawa, is guaranteed to give you moist, soft and perfectly set barfi.

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in September 2016.

As a kid, I loved this barfi because the texture of it is similar to eating a bounty bar! Think - moist and soft and full of coconut flavour. Now, as my palate has refined (a little), I love it because of the touch of cardamom, rose and juiciness of the barfi.

I pretty much follow the traditional recipe - by cooking the desiccated coconut with milk and sugar - but with one difference.

My Grandma always made her coconut barfi with mawa. The addition adds a creamy richness and also making these too irresistible to stop at one!

There are shortcut versions out there using condensed milk, but I'm strongly against them! The coconut doesn't cook and remains dry. My version, just like my soft coconut ladoos, cook the coconut in plenty of milk to allow each grain to become soft and delicate.

It makes ALL the difference - trust me!

Ingredients

Desiccated coconut - this is essentially dried grated coconut. Dry desiccated coconut comes in medium and fine. Fine is better. If you buy medium, you can pulse quickly to make the grain smaller.

Sugar - I used white sugar. You can increase or decrease the sugar to adjust to your sweetness - to a certain extent.

Milk - you will need whole milk / full-fat milk for the best results. Milk keeps the barfi soft and prevents it from becoming dry and crumbly.

Check out my Best Indian Milk Desserts

Mawa - you can make homemade mawa using milk powder or ricotta cheese. You can also buy mawa or khoya in South Asian grocery stores (dairy section). Mawa adds a richness and creaminess to the barfi mixture. If you do not want to use mawa, use ¼ cup of heavy cream. You can also directly add the same quantity of milk powder instead of mawa.

Ghee - I use homemade ghee made from unsalted butter but you can use any desi ghee. Vegetable ghee is another option, but the flavour of pure butter ghee is much better

Cardamom Powder - I like to use green cardamom powder but you can use black cardamom powder also

Rose water - use either rose water or rose extract. If you can only find rose syrup, use that but the barfi will be pink in colour.

Garnish

Chopped pistachios

Vark - this is edible silver foil. You can easily find it online but check it is suitable for vegetarians

Rose petals

How to make Coconut Barfi

follow the step by step photos for the best coconut barfi. Full ingredients and method in the recipe card below.

Grease a plate or tray using a dab of ghee. Alternatively, line with parchment paper. Hang some parchment paper over the sides so it is easy to lift the barfi out directly. Keep aside for later.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat a tablespoon ghee.

Add the desiccated coconut and lightly toast it. Do not cook on high heat - we do not want the coconut to brown but remain white. Keep a medium-low flame to prevent burning.

To the pan and cooked coconut, add the sugar and milk together and keep stirring until the sugar dissolves and a sugar syrup forms.

Add the grated khoya to the milky coconut mixture. If the mixture seems too dry, add a tablespoon of milk at a time.

Mix well and cook the coconut mixture on a low heat until it begins to leave the sides of the pan and thickens. Keep continuously stirring to prevent the mixture burning.

A way of checking to see if the mixture has cooked well is to take a small pinch of it and roll it into a ball between your thumb and finger. If a ball forms, the mixture is cooked.

The time taken to cook varies between ingredients and the pan, so assess your barfi mixture as you go.

Add rose extract and mix in well.

Pour the cooked coconut burfi mixture into the tray and pack it tightly. Spread it evenly using a spatula in a single layer.

Once it cools, cut into your desired shape (I chose square pieces). You may have to clean your knife in between cutting to prevent sticking. Press the knife directly down rather than a forward-back motion to keep the cut as clean as possible.

Garnish with rose petals and nuts. I prefer to stick the silver leaf after cutting into slices. If you add the silver leaf before cutting, a lot of it sticks to the knife and therefore wastes the product. Edible silver is too expensive to waste!

Note that coconut barfi should have a softer set compared to plain barfi. If coconut barfi is too dry, it will stick in the throat.

My Tips

• You can use fresh or frozen grated coconut. It may require additional cooking time as fresh contains more moisture.
• Do not cook the coconut flakes on high heat because they will brown and burn.
• Keep stirring continuously. The mixture will stick to the bottom of the pan if left unattended.
• Adjust the amount of sugar added to your taste and sweetness level.
• If the barfi is too soft, add the mixture back to the pan and gently cook until some of the excess moisture evaporates.
• Coconut Barfi has a softer set compared to other mithai such as so do not expect it to be hard.

Serving Suggestions

Coconut Barfi is often served during occasions such as Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Raksha Bandhan, Navratri or Janmashtami.

Serve it at room temperature for the best flavour and texture. You can add it to a mithai box as part of a gift.

Storage

Barfi is great to make in advance and store until it's ready to serve.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Keep away from harsh smells or odours.

You can also freeze coconut barfi - place the barfi squares on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-proof container/bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

Allow to thaw at room temperature. Do not refreeze once defrosted.

FAQS

Other Barfi/Burfi Recipes

Peanut Chocolate Barfi

Baklava Barfi

Besan Barfi

Millionaire’s shortbread Barfi

Nutella Barfi