Made using carrots, milk and a handful of other simple ingredients, this pressure cooker gajar ka halwa is one of the easiest and healthiest sweet treats you could try your hands at.
This dessert is an absolute classic in Indian households, and strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and creaminess. Scroll down and read on to discover how to put it together in minutes.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to put together this easy pressure cooker Gajar ka halwa.
For the Gajar ka Halwa
- Carrots (roughly chopped): 2 cups
- Clarified butter or ghee: 1 tbsp
- Milk: ½ cup
- Condensed milk: ¼ cup
For the roasted nuts
- Clarified butter or ghee: 1 tsp
- Almonds (chopped): 2 tbsp
How to Make the Pressure Cooker Gajar ka Halwa
Once you have all your ingredients ready, here’s what you need to do next.
Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a pressure cooker.
Add the chopped carrots. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Next, add the condensed milk and milk. MIx well.
Pressure cook the mixture for 4-5 whistles.
Once the pressure releases, smash the carrots until they completely mix with the liquid.
Heat the mixture until the liquid disappears.
Next, heat clarified butter in a small pan. Add in the chopped almonds. Saute for a minute. Keep aside.
Once the carrot mixture gets dry, transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Next, garnish with the fried almonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Red carrots are the best choice for this recipe, since they have a nice flavor and lend the halwa that deep, rich color that you’re looking for. If you can’t seem to be able to get your hands on them, you can use your regular orange carrots instead. 
You can use practically any other kind of nuts for this recipe. Almonds are a classic that work wonderfully with the carrot halwa, but you can also use cashew nuts or pistachios if you want to bring in some extra flavor and deliciousness.
You sure can. Condensed milk lends a nice creaminess and some extra sweetness to the dish, but if you don’t have it or want to skip using it, you totally can. Just remember that you’ll probably need to add some sugar to the halwa to sweeten it if you’re skipping out the condensed milk. 
Your leftover pressure cooker gajar ka halwa can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 4 days, if not more. To reheat it, all you need to do is moisten it with a bit of water and then microwave it or heat it in a pan over the stovetop.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Pressure Cooker Gajar ka Halwa
While this recipe is super simple and straightforward, you might want to have these little tips and tricks handy to make sure you nail the recipe.
- When choosing carrots, remember to choose ones that are firm to touch and have a nice, bright color.
- Avoid grating the carrots too finely- you will actually enjoy that little texture in the finished halwa.
- To add a bit of extra flavor to the halwa, you can also add a couple of pinches of cardamom powder to it.
- To bring some richness and creaminess to this dish, you can also add some milk solids or blanched almond pods into the mixture.
- Towards the end, throw in some raisins and heat the halwa for an extra couple minutes. The raisins will lend a nice pop of fruitiness and flavor to the dish.
- If you’re trying to make a healthier version of this recipe, you can swap the condensed milk and sugar for brown sugar or jaggery.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This rich and delicious dessert can be served all on its own. The halwa is best enjoyed when it is hot, and you can have it after a nice hearty meal to finish things up. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also serve it with some vanilla ice cream.
Enjoyed trying your hands at this flavorful Indian dessert? On the hunt for some more interesting sweet treat recipes? Here are a few good ones you might want to check out.
- Easy Peasy Creamy Cookie Cake
- No Bake Cheesecake with Strawberry Compote
- Peanut Bites With Chocolate Filling
📖 Recipe
Pressure Cooker Gajar ka Halwa
Ingredients
Ingredients For the Gajar ka Halwa
- 2 cups Carrots , (roughly chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Clarified butter or ghee
- ½ cup Milk
- ¼ cup Condensed milk
Ingredients For the roastednuts
- 1 teaspoon Clarified butter or ghee
- 2 tablespoon Almonds , (chopped)
Instructions
- Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a pressure cooker.
- Add the chopped carrots. Saute for2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the condensed milk and milk. MIx well.
- Pressure cook the mixture for 4-5 whistles.
- Once the pressure releases, smash the carrots until they completely mix with the liquid.
- Heat the mixture until the liquid disappears.
- Next, heat clarified butter in a small pan. Add in the chopped almonds. Saute for a minute. Keep aside.
- Once the carrot mixture gets dry, transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- Next, garnish with the fried almonds.
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