Barfi Biscuits
These barfi biscuits are a Diwali favourite in our home: soft, buttery shortbread-style biscuits scented with elachi and creamy Klim milk powder, inspired by the flavours of traditional barfi. They melt in your mouth, they’re simple to make, and they’re perfect for gifting.
Why You’ll Love These Barfi Biscuits
- Melt-in-the-mouth texture. Butter, oil and maizena make a soft, crumbly biscuit that’s almost like shortbread.
- Classic barfi flavour. Klim milk powder and elachi give you the taste of traditional barfi in biscuit form.
- Simple ingredients. Pantry staples, with no special shopping trip.
- Egg-free. There are no eggs in the dough.
- Great for gifting. Perfect for Diwali biscuit tins and festive platters.
Ingredients
Butter: Gives the biscuits their rich, buttery flavour. Use it at room temperature so it creams easily. Margarine works too, but the flavour won’t be as rich.
Icing sugar: Sweetens the dough and keeps the texture fine and crumbly. Don’t swap in castor sugar, as it makes the biscuits grainier.
Maizena: Makes the biscuits soft and tender, so they melt in your mouth.
Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and keeps the crumb soft. I used sunflower oil.
Vanilla essence: Rounds out the flavour.
Cake flour: The base of the dough. Sift it for the lightest texture.
Klim milk powder: Gives that creamy, barfi-like flavour. Any full cream milk powder will do.
Ground elachi powder: Freshly ground cardamom gives these biscuits their signature fragrance. For the best aroma, toast and grind the seeds fresh.
How to Make Barfi Biscuits
Step 1: Beat the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
Step 2: Mix in the maizena, oil and vanilla essence until smooth and well combined.
Step 3: Sift in the cake flour, Klim and elachi powder. Mix gently into a soft dough, without overworking it. Overmixing makes the biscuits tough instead of light.
Step 4: Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes so it’s easier to work with.
Step 6: Bake for 10-12 minutes at 180°C until lightly golden around the edges, then cool completely on the tray. They are delicate while warm and firm up as they cool – so do not touch them straight away. Once cooled, decorate however you like.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Yes. The dough can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days before rolling and baking, which is handy when you’re juggling a long Diwali to-do list.
Storing Your Barfi Biscuits
Storage: Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing: Freeze baked biscuits in an airtight container for up to 1 month and thaw at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are barfi biscuits?
They’re a shortbread-style biscuit, flavoured with milk powder and elachi to taste like traditional barfi.
Why is my biscuit dough crumbly?
They’re meant to be soft not crumbly, but if the dough won’t hold together, add a little more butter, a teaspoon at a time.
Why did my biscuits spread too much?
The dough was probably too warm. Chill it for a little longer before shaping, and make sure your butter is softened not melted.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Yes, but butter gives a richer flavour and margarine is a bit salty.
Is this the same as barfi?
No. Barfi is a dense, milk based sweet. These are baked biscuits with similar flavours.
⭐ Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and a comment below. I’d love to hear how your Barfi Biscuits turned out!
Ingredients
- 250g butter
- 1 cup (250ml) icing sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) maizena
- ½ cup (125ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 cups (500ml) cake flour
- ¾ cup (188ml) klim milk powder
- 1 tsp ground elachi powder
Instructions
- Beat the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Mix in the maizena, oil and vanilla essence until smooth and well combined.
- Sift in the cake flour, Klim and elachi powder. Mix gently into a soft dough, without overworking it.
- Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes so it’s easier to work with.
- Roll out the dough on a non stick baking mat, then cut or shape the biscuits however you like. Place them on a non-stick baking tray with a little space between each, as they spread slightly while baking.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 180°C until lightly golden around the edges, then cool completely on the tray. They are delicate while warm and firm up as they cool – so do not touch them straight away. Once cooled, decorate however you like.
Notes
- Beat the butter and icing sugar well, until pale and fluffy. This is what keeps the biscuits light.
- The dough should be soft but hold together. If it’s too crumbly, add butter a teaspoon at a time.
- Biscuits are fragile while warm. Leave them on the tray until fully cool.
- Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 month.
