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Rose Barfi or Rose Burfi is an Indian sweet that is popular during the festival season. This delicious Indian milk fudge is flavored with rose and cardamom.
When it comes to Indian sweets, rose is my weakness. From barfis to faloodas to cakes to chia pudding, I’m all about rose flavored anything. This delicious ingredient is commonly used in Indian and Middle-eastern cuisines. Rose pairs beautifully with cardamom and pistachios.
What is Rose Barfi?
Rose Barfi is an Indian sweet that is popular during the festival season. It is essentially an Indian milk fudge that is flavored with rose water and edible rose petals. Additionally, I flavored this burfi with cardamom too since rose and cardamom are really a perfect match.
Can I make this recipe vegan, gluten-free?
Rose Barfi is already gluten-free.
As far as vegan goes, this recipe contains ghee, milk, and milk powder without which this recipe wouldn’t be the same, and so I don’t recommend making this recipe vegan.
Can I make smaller pieces?
This recipe makes 9 decent size squares. Feel free to cut these squares into 12 or 16 pieces if you prefer. Just make sure the barfi is completely cooled or even refrigerated for a while before cutting.
Tips on making Rose Barfi:
- Use a nonstick pan when making rose barfi. I used Our Place nonstick pan.
- Cook on low-medium heat the entire time.
- The cooking portion of this recipe only takes 10 minutes.
- Work quick and keep stirring.
Ingredients you’ll need for Rose Barfi:
Ghee: You can always use homemade ghee, I just used store-bought pasture-raised ghee.
Milk: I used 2% reduced-fat milk because that’s all I had, so feel free to use reduced-fat or whole milk.
Milk Powder: This is essentially dry milk powder also known as mawa powder. You can easily find milk powder at your desi grocery store.
Powdered Sugar: Since powdered sugar is so fine, I always prefer powdered sugar in mithais.
Cardamom: A must in most Indian desserts.
Rose Water: You can easily find rose water at your local desi store or amazon. It smells so good.
Edible Rose Petals: I found rose petals on amazon and they smell amazing. Here is the link.
Vrak: Vrak is an edible silver foil that makes the mithai look so pretty. This is optional, but you can find vrak on amazon.
Pistachios: I love the combo of rose and pistachio. The pistachio is used as a topping on this mithai.
Rose Barfi is:
Floral
Mouthwatering
Aromatic
Melts-in-your-mouth
Creamy
Gluten-free
How to make Rose Barfi recipe step by step?
Cook
1. Heat a pan on low heat, once hot, add ghee.
2. Add milk. Bring to a boil for about a minute.
3. Add milk powder. Keep stirring until there are no lumps.
4. This process will take 2 minutes.
5. Eventually the mixture will look like this.
6. At this stage, add powdered sugar. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Now add the cardamom and rose water. Mix for a minute.
8. Add edible rose petals. Cook for a minute.
9. End result. Turn off the stove.
Garnish
1. Transfer the barfi mixture to a square tray, I just used my pyrex glassware.
2. Use a measuring cup to level the barfi. Cool the barfi for an hour at least.
3. Top with vrak (silver foil) and chopped pistachios.
4. You can refrigerate the barfi for a little while before cutting into 9 squares, or feel free to cut them once completely cooled.
Pin & Enjoy!

More Diwali Recipes!
- Besan Ladoo
- Rose Water Cake with Almonds and Rose Buttercream
- Milk Peda
- Rice Kheer
- Banana Bread Ras Malai Mousse
- Almond Cardamom Cake

Rose Barfi
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk powder
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom
- 2 tsp rose water
- 1 1/2 tbsp edible dry roses
- vrat / silver foil
- 2 tbsp pistachios, chopped
Instructions
Cook
- Heat a pan on low heat, once hot, add ghee.
- Add milk. Bring to a boil for about a minute.
- Add milk powder. Keep stirring until there are no lumps.
- This process will take 2 minutes.
- Eventually the mixture will look like this.
- At this stage, add powdered sugar. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Now add the cardamom and rose water. Mix for a minute.
- Add edible rose petals. Cook for a minute.
- End result. Turn off the stove.
Garnish
- Transfer the barfi mixture to a square tray, I just used my pyrex glassware.
- Use a measuring cup to level the barfi. Cool the barfi for an hour at least.
- Top with vrak (silver foil) and chopped pistachios.
- You can refrigerate the barfi for a little while before cutting into 9 squares, or feel free to cut them once completely cooled.
Made the rose barfi for Diwali and it was excellent. It came out perfect. Great instructions. Thanks.