Bread Halwa Recipe
Bread Halwa is a quick and comforting Indian sweet made by cooking bread pieces in ghee, sugar and milk, flavored with cardamom, saffron and garnished with fried cashews and raisins. This rich, soft and fragrant sweet is often prepared as an easy treat using leftover bread and enjoyed warm or chilled.
About Bread Halwa Recipe
Bread Halwa is a rich and easy Indian sweet made with bread, milk, sugar and ghee. It is a variation of the popular Indian halwa recipes that are made in many different ways across Indian cuisine.
This sweet is popular in parts of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad, where it is made during festivals and celebrations.
Table of Contents
Hyderabad is also known for other bread-based sweets like Shahi Tukda and Double Ka Meetha. Another famous Hyderabadi dessert is Khubani ka Meetha made with apricots.
To make Bread Halwa, bread cubes are fried or toasted in ghee and then cooked with milk and sugar until soft and halwa-like. The recipe is easy to prepare and comes together in about 30 minutes, though it does need some stirring while cooking.
One of the best things about this recipe is that it is a good way to use leftover or stale bread.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need a few basic ingredients to make Bread Halwa:
- Ghee: Adds richness and flavor. For a vegan version, use coconut oil, vegan butter or a neutral oil.
- Cashews: Add crunch and richness. You can also use almonds, pistachios or pecans.
- Raisins: Add sweetness. You can replace them with currants, chopped dates or dried apricots.
- White Bread: Generally speaking, white bread gives the best texture. That said, Brown Bread, milk bread or sweet bread can also be used. If using sweet bread, reduce the sugar.
- Sugar: I used organic cane sugar. You can also use white sugar, brown sugar, jaggery or coconut sugar.
- Milk: Makes the halwa rich and soft. Plant-based milk can be used for a vegan version.
- Cardamom Powder: Adds flavor and aroma.
- Saffron: Optional, but gives a nice aroma and color. Suitable for festive occasions or guests.
More Halwa Recipes To Try
How To Make Bread Halwa (Stepwise)
This bread ka halwa recipe comes together without much fuss. The hardest part is all the stirring! Here’s how it is made:
Preparation
Before beginning the recipe, chop 4 to 5 white bread slices in small cubes. You can slice off the side crusts if you want. I leave them on.
1. Next take a heavy kadai (wok) and heat 2 tablespoons ghee in it. Keep the heat to medium-low or medium.
2. Add 2 tablespoons cashews.
3. Begin to fry cashews, stirring them often.
4. Fry the cashews till they turn golden, then remove them with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
6. In the same kadai, now add 1 tablespoon of raisins.
7. Stirring continuously, fry the raisins till they become plump and swell in size.
8. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Toast Bread
9. Again in the same kadai (wok), add 2 cups of cubed white bread.
You can even use brown bread or milk bread instead of white bread.
10. Mix the bread cubes with the ghee and begin to toast them.
Tip: While I have toasted the bread, you can choose to shallow fry the bread cubes in ghee until golden.
11. Stir at intervals while toasting bread cubes.
12. Toast till the bread cubes look crisp and light golden.
Tip: For a darker colored halwa, you will need to toast them until they turn golden.
Make Bread Halwa
13. Add 7 to 8 tablespoons of sugar or add as per taste.
14. Next, pour in 1.5 cups of milk. You can also use water or a 50/50 mix of water and milk.
The addition of milk gives the halwa a gentle creaminess while enhancing its overall richness.
15. Stir and mix everything very well.
16. Sprinkle 8 to 10 saffron strands (if using) and stir again. Adding saffron strands is optional.
17. Simmer on a low to medium-low heat. Stir at intervals.
18. The bread cubes will absorb the milk and start thickening.
19. Once the bread halwa mixture thickens, begin stirring often or continuously.
20. Keep stirring till mixture starts coming together.
21. Next add 1 tablespoon ghee.
I don’t add too much ghee to the halwa, but you can definitely add a few more tablespoons at this stage if you like it richer.
22. Mix very well till the ghee is absorbed.
23. Now add the fried cashews & raisins, reserving a few cashews and raisins for garnish. Also, add ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder.
24. Continue to stir and mix till the entire bread halwa mixture has come together and you see some ghee at the sides.
The consistency of bread halwa will be like Suji Halwa, with no apparent stickiness.
25. Serve bread halwa hot or warm in bowls or small plates.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
You can even spread the bread halwa in moulds or pans. If you are spreading it in a tray or pan, then add the halwa immediately after it is done cooking and still very hot. Once warm or cool slice and serve bread halwa as cubes or squares.
Garnish bread halwa with a few fried cashews and raisins. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days in an air-tight container.
Leftover bread halwa can be refrigerated and warmed just before serving. If the halwa looks too thick, add a splash of milk while reheating.
Dassana’s Recipe Tips
- Feel free to use bread that is a few days old to make bread halwa. You can even use fresh bread.
- Usually white bread gives the best texture in the halwa. But even brown bread can be used.
- Sweet bread or milk bread can also be used to make bread halwa. If using sweet bread, then add very less sugar and as per taste.
- I didn’t add much ghee in the halwa because I try to make our treats a little healthier whenever possible, but you can add more ghee if you want.
- The flavors are your choice. Feel free to trade in different nuts and dried fruits to suit your taste. I love the light sweetness of cashews in the halwa. You’re welcome to experiment with others like pistachios, sliced almonds, or pecans.
- To make vegan bread halwa, you can use a neutral tasting oil or vegan butter and the plant-based milk of your choice.
- Bread halwa can be served hot, warm, or chilled as a sweet snack or as a dessert after meals.
Recipe Q&A
How do I make bread halwa without ghee?
To make bread halwa without ghee, you can use a neutral oil or vegan butter instead. While the flavor will differ slightly, the halwa will still taste good and have a soft texture. Choose oil that doesn’t have a strong aroma.
In which parts of India is bread halwa commonly made?
Bread halwa is commonly made in parts of South India, especially in Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad, where it’s served during special occasions, weddings, and festive meals. While not a traditional sweet like Kesari or Kashi Halwa, it has become popular as a quick and tasty dessert made with simple pantry ingredients like bread, milk, sugar, and ghee.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Bread Halwa Recipe
Ingredients
For frying cashews and raisins
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 tablespoons cashews
- 1 tablespoons raisins
More ingredients
- 2 cups white bread cubes or about 4 to 5 white bread slices, cubed
- 7 to 8 tablespoons sugar or add as required
- 1.5 cups milk
- 8 to 10 saffron strands – optional
- 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) to be added later
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
Frying dry fruits
- Before beginning the recipe, chop the bread slices in cubes. You can remove the side crusts if you prefer.
- Take a heavy thick bottomed kadai and heat 2 tablespoons ghee in it. Keep the heat to medium-low or medium.
- Add the cashews and begin to fry them stirring them often till they turn golden.
- Remove fried cashews with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
- In the same kadai, add the raisins.
- Stirring continuously fry raisins till they become plump and swell in size.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Toasting bread
- Again in the same kadai or pan, add the bread cubes.
- Mix the bread cubes with the ghee and begin to toast them.
- Stir at intervals while toasting bread cubes. Toast till the bread cubes look crispy and light golden.Tip: For a dark brown color in the halwa, toast the bread cubes until golden.
Making Bread Halwa
- Next add 7 to 8 tablespoons sugar or according to taste.
- Add milk. You can also use water or half-half of water and milk.
- Stir and mix everything very well so that the sugar dissolves.
- Sprinkle 8 to 10 saffron strands and stir again. Adding saffron strands is optional.
- Simmer on a low to medium-low heat. Stir at intervals.
- The bread cubes will absorb milk and start thickening.
- Once the halwa mixture thickens then after that keep on stirring often or continuously.
- Keep stirring till mixture starts coming together. Then add 1 tablespoon ghee. At this point you can add more ghee if you like.
- Mix very well till ghee is absorbed.
- Now add the fried cashews & raisins reserving a few cashews and raisins for garnish. Also add cardamom powder.
- Continue to stir and mix till the entire halwa mixture comes together and you see some ghee at the sides. Also, make sure the mixture isn’t sticky. The texture of bread halwa should be similar to that of suji halwa – soft, slightly moist, but not gluey or pasty.
- Serve bread halwa in bowls or small plates hot or warm. You can even spread the halwa in moulds or pans. If spreading in a pan, then add halwa after it is done and still very hot. Later you can slice and serve the halwa as cubes or squares.
Serving & Storage
- Garnish bread halwa with a few of the fried cashews and raisins. Serve hot or warm.
- You can enjoy bread halwa warm, hot, or even chilled. It makes a comforting dessert or a quick sweet snack anytime.
- Leftover bread ka halwa can be refrigerated and warmed just before serving. While reheating, add a splash of milk, if the halwa has thickened too much.
Dassana’s Notes
- You can use fresh bread or bread that’s a few days old. Both work well for making bread halwa.
- White bread gives the softest texture, but brown bread can be used too.
- Milk bread or sweet bread also works. Just remember to reduce the sugar if the bread is already sweet.
- I’ve used less ghee here to keep it a bit lighter, but you can always add more if you prefer a richer taste.
- Feel free to use any nuts or dried fruits you like. I usually go with cashews for their gentle sweetness, but almonds, pistachios, or even pecans can be great too.
- For a vegan version, use a neutral oil or plant-based butter, and dairy-free milk of your choice.
- If using sweet bread, then add very less sugar and as per taste.
- Addition of milk gives a richness to the halwa, but you can use half-half proportion of milk and water.
Nutrition
Bread Halwa recipe from the archives was first published on July 2018.
Can I include dried fruits like figs, dates, etc. in this recipe?
Yes of course, you can add dates, figs or your choice of dry fruits.