In this guide
Quick answer
This dry fruit barfi recipe needs no sugar: soaked anjeer and seedless khajur are cooked into a thick paste with a spoon of ghee, chopped roasted kaju, badam and pista are folded in, and the mixture is pressed into a tray and cut. For 40 pieces you need 250 g anjeer, 250 g khajur and 300 g mixed nuts.
What do you need for 40 pieces?
The quantities below fill a 9-inch square tray about 2 cm deep and give 40 pieces of roughly 20 g each, the right size for a Diwali box.
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anjeer (dried figs) | 250 g | Soak 2 hours in warm water, drain, keep the water |
| Soft black khajur, seedless | 250 g | Chop roughly |
| Kaju | 100 g | Roast and chop; broken tukda is fine |
| Badam | 100 g | Roast and chop |
| Pista kernels | 75 g | Chop; keep 15 g aside for the top |
| Ghee | 2 tbsp | Plus a little for greasing |
| Elaichi powder, khus khus | Half tsp, 1 tbsp | Khus khus for dusting the tray |
Anjeer gives the barfi its soft, slightly seedy bite and a honey note; khajur gives body and deeper sweetness. Using both makes a barfi that is sweet enough without tasting only of dates.
How do you make dry fruit barfi without sugar?
- Dry-roast the kaju and badam on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, and the pista for 2 minutes. Cool and chop to the size of a grain of rice.
- Blend the soaked anjeer and chopped khajur to a coarse paste, adding a spoon or two of the soaking water only if the mixer struggles.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy kadhai, add the paste and stir on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. It is ready when it gathers into one soft mass and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Switch off the heat. Add the nuts and elaichi, and mix well.
- Grease the tray and dust it with khus khus. Spread the mixture, press it flat with a greased katori, and scatter the reserved pista on top, pressing it in.
- Rest for 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour in the fridge, then cut into 40 squares or diamonds with a hot knife.
For a roll instead of a tray, shape the mixture into two logs, coat them in khus khus or chopped pista, chill, and slice. This version, often called anjeer roll or anjeer barfi, looks especially neat in a gift box.
What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?
- Too sticky to cut: the paste was undercooked. Return it to the pan for 3 more minutes, or add 2 tablespoons of roasted crushed makhana.
- Crumbly: overcooked or too many nuts. Warm a spoon of ghee and work it in while the mixture is still warm.
- Too sweet: raise the nut share to 400 g next time and reduce the khajur to 200 g.
- Bland: add a pinch of nutmeg or a few saffron strands soaked in a spoon of warm milk.
Is sugar-free barfi really low in sugar?
No added sugar does not mean no sugar. Figs and dates are naturally sweet, which is why this barfi tastes like a proper mithai. It is still a sweet, so a piece or two is a sensible portion, and anyone managing diabetes should speak to their doctor first. What changes is that the sweetness comes with the fibre of the fruit, and a large share of the barfi is nuts. Barfi in its classic form is milk solids and sugar; this version keeps the shape and the festive look with a fruit-and-nut base.
What does a batch cost, and what should you order?
Work it out from the live rates. Anjeer comes to at today's shop rate today, khajur to at today's shop rate and pista kernels to at today's shop rate. Multiply by the grams above. A tray of 40 usually costs well below what a mithai shop charges for dry fruit barfi by the kilo, and you know exactly what is in it. The anjeer price page and khajur price page show every grade.
Our orders start at ₹1,000 and every order ships free. A practical Diwali basket covers two trays of barfi and leaves extra for guests: 500 g anjeer, 500 g khajur, 500 g kaju and 250 g pista kernels. Browse pistachio grades if you want brighter green slivers for the top.
How long does it keep, and how should you pack it?
In an airtight box, dry fruit barfi keeps 10 to 12 days at room temperature in cool weather and 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. For gifting, place each piece in a paper cup, layer with butter paper, and pack in a rigid box so the squares do not press together. Two layers of 20 pieces fit a standard 500 g mithai box. If you are making laddus too, our dry fruit laddu recipe uses the same base, and the best dry fruits for Diwali post covers the rest of the festive kitchen.
Questions people ask
How do you make anjeer barfi?
Soak anjeer, blend it to a coarse paste, cook it in ghee until it leaves the pan, and fold in chopped roasted nuts. Set it in a greased tray and cut once firm.
What is the dry fruit barfi price per kg?
It varies widely by shop and city, and depends on how much nut is in it versus sugar and mawa. Making it at home lets you put more nuts in for the same money.
Can I make dry fruit barfi with only dates?
Yes. Use 500 g dates and skip the anjeer. It will be softer, darker and sweeter, so add a little extra nut to balance it.
Why is my sugar-free barfi not setting?
The fruit paste needs more cooking. Return it to low heat and stir until it gathers into one mass, then press and chill again.
Written at our counter, where these questions get asked every week.
