Atta Halwa (Wheat Halwa)

5 from 17 votes

Simple atta halwa made with whole wheat flour, ghee and sugar. This quintessential Indian dessert was a favorite growing up!

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Atta halwa is one dessert which I grew up eating as my mom made it very often in her kitchen.

It’s a simple dessert made with atta (whole wheat flour), sugar and ghee. You only need these 3 basic ingredients to make atte ka halwa.

atta halwa served in a rectangular plate made with bamboo

Atta halwa has been one of my favorite halwa ever since I can remember.

I would always specifically request my mom to make atte ka halwa for me. Back then, I didn’t care much for sooji halwa, which is another popular halwa made in Indian households frequently.

What is Atta Halwa

It’s a pudding made with whole wheat flour.

This halwa is made with basic ingredients and that’s the reason mom always made it whenever I asked her (& also because she loved me so much:) ).

But she always had the ingredients for it in her kitchen.

The three basic ingredients for atta halwa are:

Atta: whole wheat chapati flour which my mom used everyday to make roti/chapati.

Sugar: another pantry staple

Ghee: and of course most Indian houses do have ghee all the time.

So yeah three ingredients and seriously good dessert ready in no time. What’s not to love?

How to Make Good Atta Halwa

Here are some useful points to keep in mind while making aate ka halwa.

Use good quality ghee: since the flavor of the halwa depends so much on ghee, it’s a good idea to use a superior quality ghee.

Homemade or store bought, use the one which you think is most flavorful.

Use a thick bottom pan: it’s a good idea to use a thick bottom pan to make this halwa so that the atta doesn’t burn as you roast it.

Be very careful because if you burn it then the final taste will be spoiled.

Roasting the atta until it turns brown: you need to roast the atta in ghee on medium-low heat until it turns brown in color and emits that nice nutty aroma.

The final color of the halwa will exactly be same as the color of the atta after roasting.

My mom’s halwa was always dark brown in color and so I roast my atta until it turns that shade and then add the water.

Of course, be careful not to burn it. I roasted for around 6 to 7 minutes on medium heat to get that color.

Stir constantly to avoid lumps: once you add the water, you have to stir continuously. Atta halwa can be very lumpy if you don’t do that.

I remember mom always telling me that atta halwa needs to stirred continuously else you won’t get a smooth halwa.

My mom’s atta halwa had no add-ins so I haven’t added anything here either.

There are no nuts or raisins but you can definitely add them if you like. I garnished the halwa with some chopped cashews for presentation.

I have added a pinch of cardamom powder but that is also optional, feel free to skip it.

atta halwa served in 2 rectangular plates with one of them having a spoon

Serving Suggestions

I love to eat this halwa straight out of the pan.

It’s best served warm.

If you have leftovers and you refrigerate it, you can microwave to re-heat it.

The halwa becomes very solid in the fridge since all the ghee solidifies.

You can also re-heat in a pan, cover with the pan with a lid or plate so that steam melts the ghee and it becomes soft again.

 

 

Method

1- Melt ghee in a pan on medium heat.

2- Once the ghee melts, add atta to it.

3- And mix to combine well with the ghee.  Meanwhile heat 1 cup water in a pan on another stove. You want to the water to be boiling hot when you add it to the ghee-atta mix. So keep it ready to go.

4- Continue to stir the atta and cook until it turns brown in color and gives a nice aroma, take around 6 to 7 minutes on medium heat.

Be careful to not burn the atta here.

step by step picture collage of making atta halwa

5- Add the hot water now. Be careful as you add it since the halwa will bubble like crazy.

6- Stir continuously for a minute or two as you add the water and the water gets absorbed by the flour. Add in the sugar and mix.

7- The halwa consistency will become liquid-y again after adding sugar. Continue to cook for 3 more minutes on medium heat.

Add cardamom powder and mix (optional).

8. Stir to mix in the cardamom powder and remove pan from heat.

step by step picture collage of making atta halwa

Serve atta halwa immediately. It tastes best when warm! You may garnish with some nuts.

atta halwa served in a rectangular plate made with bamboo

If you’ve tried this Atta Halwa Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!

Atta Halwa

5 from 17 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Simple atta halwa made with whole wheat flour, ghee and sugar. This quintessential Indian dessert was a favorite growing up!

Ingredients 

  • 1/3 cup ghee clarified butter, 75 grams (not melted)
  • 1/2 cup atta whole wheat flour, 75-80 grams
  • 1 cup water 8 oz
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar 100 grams
  • pinch green cardamom powder optional
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Instructions 

  • Melt ghee in a pan on medium heat. Once the ghee melts, add atta to it and mix to combine well with the ghee. 
  • Meanwhile heat 1 cup water in a pan on another stove. You want to the water to be boiling hot when you add it to the ghee-atta mix. So keep it ready to go.
  • Continue to stir the atta and cook until it turns brown in color and gives a nice aroma, take around 6 to 7 minutes on medium heat.
    Be careful to not burn the atta here.
  • Add the hot water now. Be careful as you add it since the halwa will bubble like crazy.
  • Stir continuously for a minute or two as you add the water and the water gets absorbed by the flour.
  • Add in the sugar and mix. The halwa consistency will become liquid-y again after adding sugar. Continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes on medium heat after adding the sugar.
  • Add cardamom powder and mix (optional). Stir to mix in the cardamom powder and remove pan from heat.
  • Serve atta halwa immediately. It tastes best when warm! You may garnish with some nuts.

Notes

  1. If you want, you can add nuts like cashews and almonds to the halwa. Either roast them separately or you can roast it along with the atta. 
  2. Some people also like to adding some sooji (semolina) to the atta halwa for texture. You can add 1 tablespoon of it here and roast it along with the atta. 

Nutrition

Calories: 558kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 8mg, Potassium: 109mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 50g, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

  1. My halwa is completed but I feel it’s is less cooked in comparison to always can u give me some tip please slightly urgent

    1. nothing can be done now. Next time cook the atta for some more time. Time to roast the atta can change depending on the quality of atta, thickness of the pan you are using and the intensity of heat.

  2. 5 stars
    This turned out so wonderfully! What a fantastic recipe. The house was filled with a lovely aroma and my kids enjoyed a warm bowl of this on a cool night. It was like a warm hug in a bowl.

  3. Very clearly step by step explanation provided. Quantity of ingredient in volume as well as weights mentioned to avoid confusion.
    In my childhood there was a sweetmeat shop and the shop keeper used to sell one type of brownish Hales in morning time. It was very nice and oily with very good taste. I didn’t find it afterward when the shop was closed. I am not sure whether is it the same recipe. I will try to cook it.
    I thank you for it.

  4. Thank you. Have been eyeing the All Clads for a while :-). Wish me luck, going to try the wheat halwa! :-). Happy Chaturthi!

  5. I’ve tried many a recipe from your collection and they have never failed me.. Including your eggless cake! My maiden effort :).
    Question here though is…. What brand pan do you use!? I don’t have a thick bottomed one and looking for one. Thanks!

  6. 5 stars
    You have become my favorite in last few months? I have not been fond of cooking but during the lockdown, had to try my hands in the kitchen and still doing though.
    I have tried your aata cookies, infact they were the first what I tried when I was looking for a recipe and saw your recipe on google. Since then, I always search you first and then elsewhere?

    Loved reading about your life too, it’s so nice to update people about your personal life too since reader can relate better.

    I am from Delhi, india so far, in and out of US couple of times?

    I wish you tons of luck for your future recipes ??

  7. 5 stars
    There was a sudden craving for sweet and I came across this…so easy and simple and yet so tasty..thank you so much for this and the many other recipes

  8. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but this looks delicious. Will make it for the hubby, because he is sure to love it!